T5 transmission crossmember ideas??

[agnes the dog]

I completed my T5 swap last weekend (thread to follow later) and originally decided to go without a rear crossmember. I am now doubting that decision. Since I mounted the transmission on the original bellhousing, the shifter is straight up and the rear mount is tilted. I now have the challenge of dealing with the 18 degree twist of the tail housing. Has anyone tackled this? I'm sure that there are some good ideas out there. Please help me if you know of a good way to do this. My plan is to get one of the aftermarket tube type crossmembers and figure out some sort of modification to the rear transmission mount (I have the original one that came with the transmission). Please let me know if you have any ideas. This seems like a simple task and I'm probably over-thinking it!

Thanks,

JJ

[mr48chev]

I think you are on the right track. I'd fabricate a wedge shape piece to go between the tail shaft and the mount so that the mount sat level on the crossmember.

You will have to set the cross member low enough so that you can set it up with the engine at the right angle. Also the wedge piece may have to be a two piece thing that you bolt to the tail shaft and bolt to the mount and then bolt the two pieces of the wedge/adapter together so the bolt heads can be closer together and still clear.

[mknittle]

What bell housing did you use? I looked through all the info and pics I have plus my memory and All I can find is the Camaro bell housing is skewed to the left not the transmission tail housing. I did notice one Camaro I was under had the rear mount at an angle. the cross member had the pad for the mount welded at an angle

I am not saying the tail housing doesn't have a skewed mount just I haven't seen one

[mknittle]

I just found a picture of one that is strange looking.Aperantly not all are like that though.

[Chris.]

If this is an AD I saw one I really liked where the guy sectioned and boxed the stock x-member then used a stock s10 mount
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[agnes the dog]

Thanks guys. It is a TF and I used the stock bell housing because it was being used as the rear motor mounts. The stock bell housing makes the transmission vertical, but this puts the rear trans mount at an angle.
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[sweet70beast]

I put a T5 in my Nova a few years ago and I used a Turbo 400 mount. I cut off the pad and welded it back on at the same angle as the pad on the trans. I had tried the wedge shape piece but I just couldn't get it to work quite right.
I would suggest that you do the same, weld the mount on the cross member to match the trans pad. My T5 came out of a 92 v8 Camaro. FYI I was able to use a rubber mount from a TH350 on mine, it bolted right on.

[agnes the dog]

Originally Posted by sweet70beast

I put a T5 in my Nova a few years ago and I used a Turbo 400 mount. I cut off the pad and welded it back on at the same angle as the pad on the trans. I had tried the wedge shape piece but I just couldn't get it to work quite right.
I would suggest that you do the same, weld the mount on the cross member to match the trans pad. My T5 came out of a 92 v8 Camaro. FYI I was able to use a rubber mount from a TH350 on mine, it bolted right on.

This was also an option that I had considered. Thanks for letting me know that it worked! This might be the best way to accomplish this task. Did you have to contour the pad to get it to mount to the tube? I'm thinking that it might be more structurally sound to weld a vertical piece of metal to the tubing, then weld the tab to that piece. Ideas?

I have seen that there are different options for the drop of the crossmembers available 0", 3", and 6". Anyone know how to determine the best and/or right way to get that number?

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by agnes the dog

This was also an option that I had considered. Thanks for letting me know that it worked! This might be the best way to accomplish this task. Did you have to contour the pad to get it to mount to the tube? I'm thinking that it might be more structurally sound to weld a vertical piece of metal to the tubing, then weld the tab to that piece. Ideas?

I have seen that there are different options for the drop of the crossmembers available 0", 3", and 6". Anyone know how to determine the best and/or right way to get that number?

The drop in the cross member is determined by the angle if the universal joints. The center line through the universal joints need to be parallel within 2degrees { the closer the better} or you will have vibration problems.

At the risk of getting over complicated on a complicated issue.

http://www.4xshaft.com/driveline101.asp

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by sweet70beast

I put a T5 in my Nova a few years ago and I used a Turbo 400 mount. I cut off the pad and welded it back on at the same angle as the pad on the trans. I had tried the wedge shape piece but I just couldn't get it to work quite right.
I would suggest that you do the same, weld the mount on the cross member to match the trans pad. My T5 came out of a 92 v8 Camaro. FYI I was able to use a rubber mount from a TH350 on mine, it bolted right on.

This is the way I would go. simple strong and looks like it was built That way.
I t would a PITA to fab a wedge the bolts wouldn't be at an angle to the mounting pad.

[sweet70beast]

Originally Posted by mknittle

I t would a PITA to fab a wedge the bolts wouldn't be at an angle to the mounting pad.

This is exactly right, the angle is what is a huge problem. I just couldn't get it to work. The wedge would have to have been several inches thick and the inside of the wedge be hollow to even attempt to get the bolts at the right angle. I didn't have enough room under my Nova for this.

Since I didn't have a lot of room under my Nova since it sits close to the ground I welded two pieces of metal on to the crossmember for the mount. On a truck that sits higher I would weld on a vertical piece under the mount itself for more strength.

[65trucks]

I know this is a 5 year old thread, but I'm running into the same problem with my '65 and camaro T5. I do not have a rear trans crossmember, but want to add one. I bought the CPP crossmember and looking for pics and ideas on how to tackle to 18 degree offset of the mount on the camaro tail shaft.

Does anyone have pics on how they have theirs set up? I've searched thru a lot of threads on here and online elsewhere. Getting a few ideas, but not a lot of pics.

[fabguy]

this is what i made for mine, the offset is due to the vacuum booster location. Just an idea for you

[e015475]

I have a WC T5 out of a V8 Camaro in my truck and it tilts to the left too

I put a tailshaft housing from an S10 on mine to move the shifter location forward, and the truck tailshaft mounting pad is level and so is the rear mount.

The S10 tail shaft allowed me to use a universal transmission mount which was easy to modify to work in my truck. Not a great shot but here's the crossmember with the T5 truck tail shaft




Here it is again - you can see the universal crossmember adapted to the chassis with some simple square tubing

[e015475]

Here's the new shifter location in case you're curious