Enter your username:
Do you want to login or register?
  • Forgot your password?

    Login / Register



    Results 1 to 17 of 17
    1. #1
      Join Date
      Oct 2014
      Location
      DFW, Texas
      Posts
      422
      Country Flag: United States

      T56 Magnum Shifter Rattle - Only under high torque, not speed-related w/video

      I am looking for some input on a pretty new T56 magnum install I have, and some ideas to move forward and find this issue.


      • The install has about 700 miles on it
      • I have no driveline vibrations under light loads, in any gear, up to 80-90mph (which is how high I have safely tested it)
      • My problem seems to be only under heavy load.
      • My engine is tied down with a torque strap and has no rotational movement
      • Trans may be hitting the tunnel somewhere I can't quite see
      • Shifter handle is directly bolted to the trans shifter nub, no isolation


      Ideas moving forward



      • Further investigate areas that may be hitting the tunnel, try to clearance, if necessary
      • Remove torque strap and drive
        • My header will likely hit on something else, but it could tell me something

      • GoPro the axle pinion
        • It may be wrapping up hard enough to throw my driveline angles off, but that would get substantially worse in every gear as the driveshaft speed increased. Which it is not doing.




      The video shows a steady cruise and as soon as I hit the throttle, you can hear the rattle start to ramp up with rpm. It will do this in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. at a similar magnitude. If it was a drive

      Video: <a data-cke-saved-href="https://youtu.be/6w918yL8IrM" href="https://youtu.be/6w918yL8IrM">
      1972 Plymouth 'Cuda - Not LS-swapped, 5.7L Hemi [MS3 Gold Box], T56 Magnum 6-speed - 'Cuda Build Page
      1976 Dodge D100 - Warlock
      2016 Subaru WRX - E30 Tune


    2. #2
      Join Date
      Jun 2001
      Location
      Orlando, FL
      Posts
      10,603
      Country Flag: United States
      I've got 3 of them installed, and all rattle except one with an upright shifter arm. I think it's the shifter itself rattling, and it's made worse by leverage of a long curved shifter arm. The Lightning after-market shifter rattles less, but tends to leak.

      The rattle is in the connection between the ball end of the shifter and the shifter rail.
      John Parsons

      UnRivaled Rides -- Modern upgrades for your ride.

      UnRivaled Rides recent project -- LS9-powered 69 Camaro

    3. #3
      Join Date
      Apr 2001
      Location
      The City of Fountains
      Posts
      15,971
      Country Flag: United States
      Wow...that rattle would drive me insane!!!

      Andrew
      1970 GTO Version 3.0
      1967 Cougar build
      GM High-Tech Performance feature
      My YouTube Channel Please Subscribe!
      Instagram @projectgattago
      Dr. EFI
      I deliver what EFI promises.
      Remote Holley EFI tuning.
      Please get in touch if I can be of service.

      "You were the gun, your voice was the trigger, your bravery was the barrel, your eyes were the bullets." ~ Her

    4. #4
      Join Date
      Oct 2014
      Location
      DFW, Texas
      Posts
      422
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by parsonsj View Post
      I've got 3 of them installed, and all rattle except one with an upright shifter arm. I think it's the shifter itself rattling, and it's made worse by leverage of a long curved shifter arm. The Lightning after-market shifter rattles less, but tends to leak.

      The rattle is in the connection between the ball end of the shifter and the shifter rail.
      Well I am glad to hear that I am not alone, but I am not so glad to hear it's internal.

      Have you found any cure for the connection at the shifter rail? I have thought about modifying my shifter to be more like an OEM application. The Tremec T5 that came in the Fox body mustang seems like it could be adapted, it's pretty heavily isolated from the trans.

      Name:  T5 mustang shifter.jpg
Views: 1174
Size:  143.3 KB
      1972 Plymouth 'Cuda - Not LS-swapped, 5.7L Hemi [MS3 Gold Box], T56 Magnum 6-speed - 'Cuda Build Page
      1976 Dodge D100 - Warlock
      2016 Subaru WRX - E30 Tune

    5. #5
      Join Date
      Sep 2010
      Location
      Beach Park IL
      Posts
      2,838
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by parsonsj View Post
      The rattle is in the connection between the ball end of the shifter and the shifter rail.
      This. Isolating the stick from the stub shouldn't make a bit of difference.

      You do have the plastic bushing in there, right?
      Donny

      Support your local hot rod shop!

    6. #6
      Join Date
      Oct 2014
      Location
      DFW, Texas
      Posts
      422
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by dontlifttoshift View Post
      This. Isolating the stick from the stub shouldn't make a bit of difference.

      You do have the plastic bushing in there, right?
      No idea, I've never had the shifter off. I filled it and put it in just as SST sent it to me.

      I would think reducing the shifter handle's ability to be a megaphone would help at least reduce the amount of noise it makes.
      1972 Plymouth 'Cuda - Not LS-swapped, 5.7L Hemi [MS3 Gold Box], T56 Magnum 6-speed - 'Cuda Build Page
      1976 Dodge D100 - Warlock
      2016 Subaru WRX - E30 Tune

    7. #7
      Join Date
      Jun 2001
      Location
      Orlando, FL
      Posts
      10,603
      Country Flag: United States
      Heavy grease will quiet it for a bit, but it always comes back. My customers have gotten used to it, but I hate it. I wonder if powder coating the ball or some other "build-up" process would help? I've got one of the rattlers back in now for some maintenance, maybe I'll have another look.
      John Parsons

      UnRivaled Rides -- Modern upgrades for your ride.

      UnRivaled Rides recent project -- LS9-powered 69 Camaro

    8. #8
      Join Date
      Sep 2010
      Location
      Beach Park IL
      Posts
      2,838
      Country Flag: United States
      So it's an SST shifter? I assumed it was a Tremec shifter, the red one.
      Donny

      Support your local hot rod shop!

    9. #9
      Join Date
      Oct 2014
      Location
      DFW, Texas
      Posts
      422
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by parsonsj View Post
      Heavy grease will quiet it for a bit, but it always comes back. My customers have gotten used to it, but I hate it. I wonder if powder coating the ball or some other "build-up" process would help? I've got one of the rattlers back in now for some maintenance, maybe I'll have another look.
      I hate it as well, especially for a $3,000 brand new trans. If I didn't have to pull the trans to get to it, I'd grease it, but that seems like a lot of work for a short term fix. I'll put another 200 miles on it next week.

      I do have a pretty good amount of slop in the shifter.


      Quote Originally Posted by dontlifttoshift View Post
      So it's an SST shifter? I assumed it was a Tremec shifter, the red one.
      It's the Tremec red shifter, I don't think SST changed anything there.
      1972 Plymouth 'Cuda - Not LS-swapped, 5.7L Hemi [MS3 Gold Box], T56 Magnum 6-speed - 'Cuda Build Page
      1976 Dodge D100 - Warlock
      2016 Subaru WRX - E30 Tune

    10. #10
      Join Date
      Sep 2009
      Location
      Ontario, Canada
      Posts
      167
      Are replacement bushings and pivot pins available for the stock Tremec Magnum shifter - not the one for the ball to the rail, but the fore-aft and side-to-side bushings and pins of the pivot link? Fore-aft guide pins are basically turned-down bolts screwed in from either side and engage bushings in the link. Side-to-side pivot pin is pressed into the stub through the bushings in the link. The bushing to pin clearance seems excessive on mine contributing to sloppy feel and rattle.

      Thanks for the help!

    11. #11
      Join Date
      Feb 2011
      Location
      dallas, tx
      Posts
      1,729
      Country Flag: United States
      You sure the shifter bolts are tight? Where are you located in dfw? I'm in allen and we can use my go pro to track it down

    12. #12
      Join Date
      Oct 2014
      Location
      DFW, Texas
      Posts
      422
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by AMC Racer View Post
      Are replacement bushings and pivot pins available for the stock Tremec Magnum shifter - not the one for the ball to the rail, but the fore-aft and side-to-side bushings and pins of the pivot link? Fore-aft guide pins are basically turned-down bolts screwed in from either side and engage bushings in the link. Side-to-side pivot pin is pressed into the stub through the bushings in the link. The bushing to pin clearance seems excessive on mine contributing to sloppy feel and rattle.

      Thanks for the help!
      I am not sure what replacement parts are out there, but mine has done this since I first hit the throttle decently, ~100miles on the car/trans.



      Quote Originally Posted by icemanrd19 View Post
      You sure the shifter bolts are tight? Where are you located in dfw? I'm in allen and we can use my go pro to track it down
      Yes, the bolts are tight. Thanks for the offer, I have borrowed a GoPro to test it out with. Hopefully this weekend if the rain isn't too bad. SST has asked if the noise goes away without the shifter handle, I will test that as well.
      1972 Plymouth 'Cuda - Not LS-swapped, 5.7L Hemi [MS3 Gold Box], T56 Magnum 6-speed - 'Cuda Build Page
      1976 Dodge D100 - Warlock
      2016 Subaru WRX - E30 Tune

    13. #13
      Join Date
      Oct 2014
      Location
      DFW, Texas
      Posts
      422
      Country Flag: United States
      Just an FYI for anyone else looking into this problem or acquiring a T56 Magnum. Tremec's response to my inquiry is below:

      The noise you are experiencing is a rattle in the connection between the ball end of the shifter and the shifter rail. This is normal and not warrantable. This noise will typically get worse the further the shift ball is from the fulcrum point. In your 72 Cuda, I am assuming the lever is relatively long and swept back with a pistol grip on it, this is the worst combination for this rattle. Unfortunately, we do not have any isolator solutions.
      1972 Plymouth 'Cuda - Not LS-swapped, 5.7L Hemi [MS3 Gold Box], T56 Magnum 6-speed - 'Cuda Build Page
      1976 Dodge D100 - Warlock
      2016 Subaru WRX - E30 Tune

    14. #14
      Join Date
      Dec 2011
      Location
      new york
      Posts
      367
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by GoodysGotaCuda View Post
      Just an FYI for anyone else looking into this problem or acquiring a T56 Magnum. Tremec's response to my inquiry is below:
      That is a ridiculous reply. Thanks for the $3000+ but we don't care that you are having an issue.

    15. #15
      Join Date
      Oct 2014
      Location
      DFW, Texas
      Posts
      422
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by 1985olds View Post
      That is a ridiculous reply. Thanks for the $3000+ but we don't care that you are having an issue.

      I'm disappointed to say the least. I asked about potential solutions or methods to mitigate it.

      The OE’s use isolators and remote mount shifters to minimize the noise. Unfortunately, we do not offer any isolator solutions.
      Basically, tough bananas. You're on your own.

      What annoys me is that they sell a "hot rod" transmission where nearly 100% of the installations will be like this case, a relatively long shaft with a pistol grip, or a ball. There is a known issue and they have no solution for the end user. This is not a brand new transmission offering that doesn't have the bugs worked out of it yet, it should be fixed.

      I suppose I am relieved to know that the transmission isn't destroying itself, but for $3,000+ and 1,700 miles on it, I'm not happy.
      1972 Plymouth 'Cuda - Not LS-swapped, 5.7L Hemi [MS3 Gold Box], T56 Magnum 6-speed - 'Cuda Build Page
      1976 Dodge D100 - Warlock
      2016 Subaru WRX - E30 Tune

    16. #16
      Join Date
      Feb 2008
      Location
      saint clair shores, michigan
      Posts
      60
      I know this is older but having the same problem with my t56. What did you end up doing for a solution?

    17. #17
      Join Date
      Jul 2008
      Posts
      453
      Country Flag: United States
      To also reply to this older thread, a lot of "performance" t56's get a bronze bushing in the isolator cup for the shifter ball:

      https://www.tickperformance.com/tick...ions-part-95b/

      This would cause any noise generated by the trans to travel up the stick. Factory uses a plastic cup to help isolate the noise, you could get one of these, pull the shifter, and replace the bushing w/ this plastic cup.

      https://www.amazon.com/AMP-Transmiss...C1PN31WAR3G07E

      Factory is plastic bushing, they wear over time but help isolate the shifter.
      *Jeff*
      Project Salty - 1964 4 door Malibu, beaten, neglected, red headed foster child
      Cammed LQ4 / T56 Swap Project Thread <-click to read! 😁





    Advertise on Pro-Touring.com