5spd does have its advantages vs 6 in some ways

 

Everyone loves them, hahaha. How much did yours end up running you? I'm looking into doing it a well and I am looking around for pricing on it, see what everyone else got and what went wrong in their cars to need one.

I say run your 6 speed and save money constantly - then when the 6 goes you can swap in the SHEP 5 and call it a day!

 

http://www.sheptrans.com/transmissions/evo.htm

Stage 2 with full REM/ISF coating, and 6-spd conversion kit. A bit short $4k + labor. I forget how much the labor cost, but I already had the 6-spd out of the car troubleshooting the failure so I had already paid to remove it.

Having had a 6-spd and the built 5-spd its not even a comparison imo. I thought the 6-spd was great until I had the new trans to compare it to. I haven't looked back. The gearing John recommended has been great for road racing too.

 

I had my IX MR for 2 years and 23k and never had an issue with any part of the drive train.

 

i have a built shep racing stage 2 5speed, with different gears of course the 5 speed will be better than a stock six speed, if i could have a 6speed i would, and i would build it. it has cooling fins on it but im sure that cooling is maybe an issue, could be why they go out with hard driving bc they aren't getting proper cooling

 

Not to thread jack but what would you say the "max" tq level should be for a 6 speed?

 

I also have a IX MR and swapped out to a 5 speed as well. Love the 5 speed much better.

-Josh

 

I'm the original owner of my '06 IX-MR, now with 82,000 miles, daily driven with NO weaknesses! I'd do it all over again in a second...(Also added the WORKS short throw shifter)

 

Swapped mine as well. However for highway driving, the 6spd rules. For racing, the 5spd is awesome.

 

It depends on your intended use. Daily driver the 6 speed is great for up to 380-400 tq. I would not exceed that. If your racing: Drag racing is a hell no with the 6. Road racing the tranny does heat up fast as there is more gears and less fluid and 4th gear usually is the cause of failure. Trying to cool the tranny is a waste of money, its like putting a bandaid on a broken bone. 5 speed swaps are what most guys use. I raced a full season of AutoX (22 events) and a few Road Course Races, and few drag strips on my 6 speed and its still in great condition. I swapped over to a 5 speed for more torque and reliability. I have a TRE Stage 2 tranny and its truly amazing.

Shep does make a built 6 but are you really wanting to spend upwards of 4K on a tranny? TRE does not offer a built 6 speed as well frankly its just a waste of money, its not a pipe dream.. hes just not doing it. 5 speed is really the go to for a racing tranny.


Perfect proof that the 6 speed was manufactured for the DD car with some minor racing and weekend warriors.


My opinion on the 6 speed is that it gets a bad wrap from people who abuse it. Ive had a 6 speed at 400/400 for an entire year of racing and it is still in great shape. The reason they break below the 400tq limit is IMO due to lack of a good driver. Improper launching and shifting and overall bad maintenance. I know a track car that has the stock 6 speed in it, has 550hp 500tq and races it in 5-6 track events a year. Its running great. Broken trans 9 times out of 10 is driver error or misuse.

 

^^ this was what I was looking for. thanks brother.

I'm going to look into saving up for a 5 speed

 

That's why I have a 4.11 final drive and Evo 8 5th gear. 80mph at 3100rpms

-Josh

 

 

If you are road racing, I would buy the 5 speed before the 6 speed goes out and then sell the 6 speed. One of my buddies didn't believe about the 6 speed going out and tracked (road racing only)his car pretty regularly, the tranny blew out 4th gear in May. If you sell the 6 speed before it's blown, you will offset the cost of the 5 speed significantly.

 

^^ noted. Road racing is going t be pretty much the only "abuse" the car will see so this sounds like a plan.