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OLM8

T5 to Toploader Bell

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Hi all,

Just wondering if a Toploader Bell , can drilled to adapt T5 ?

 

What’s required to adapt it?

 

I’ve found a rare, 6cyl 250 to Toploader Bell.

 

I was thinking it could be the go for my XY 250 manual Wagon. As I can keep my hydro clutch slave on the passenger side of the Bell.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Here’s a pic of my 6cyl - toploader bell

 

facb99513862889532a319de01fabc88.jpg

 

 

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The T5, I’m getting is from a 6cyl XF , I don’t have the box as yet to be able to mock it up and check the bolt hole pattern.


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@Thom and @gerg might be familiar with the top loader bell ? i am not, but i did hear the 3 speed bell is suited to the T5 with (from 6cyl either XF or up to EL  6cly depending on ratios wanted or strength EB onwards is stronger)

single rail can also be done fairly easy .. there's a thread on here somewhere.
but the basics are, machine the T5 nose diameter to suit the single rail hole, and drill new holes in the bell housing to suit and also in the gearbox face.

 

here's a thread actually, 
http://www.ozfalcon.com.au/index.php?/topic/3399-the-t5-conversion-thread/

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I was just eyeing up the, 3 speed housing and top loader housing, i have, it looked as if there isn’t enough realestate on the lower face area to allow for the lower 2 bolts of the T5. Obviously I don’t have the XF T5 here yet to be able to measure anything.

I’m trying to avoid buying a CRS $$$ bell , to adapt the T5

Cheers


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4 minutes ago, OLM8 said:

I was just eyeing up the, 3 speed housing and top loader housing, i have, it looked as if there isn’t enough realestate on the lower face area to allow for the lower 2 bolts of the T5. Obviously I don’t have the XF T5 here yet to be able to measure anything.

I’m trying to avoid buying a CRS $$$ bell , to adapt the T5

Cheers


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if i can find my photo, i drilled 2 new holes in the T5 and bell housing higher up

 

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10 minutes ago, OLM8 said:

I was just eyeing up the, 3 speed housing and top loader housing, i have, it looked as if there isn’t enough realestate on the lower face area to allow for the lower 2 bolts of the T5. Obviously I don’t have the XF T5 here yet to be able to measure anything.

I’m trying to avoid buying a CRS $$$ bell , to adapt the T5

found the one i had
this is a single rail bell housing

 

vLiEip1.jpg

 

 

you may also need to do something like this for the gearbox mount
zYSAc8P.jpg

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Thanks for all that info.

I also took a look at that thread you posted.

To be honest ,now...

I’m thinking

I might buy a CRS Bell and maybe also buy the CRS g box crossmember.

As I can easily fit that up myself with basic tools and probably the only outside help I need is to cut and shut my tail shaft to suit it.


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4 minutes ago, OLM8 said:

Thanks for all that info.

I also took a look at that thread you posted.

To be honest ,now...

I’m thinking

I might buy a CRS Bell and maybe also buy the CRS g box crossmember.

As I can easily fit that up myself with basic tools and probably the only outside help I need is to cut and shut my tail shaft to suit it.


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the CRS one is a lot easier,
i did buy one back when Rod Hadfield was running the shop, the one i used could have either a hydraulic clutch on the left ,or the cable on the right side(leaded cars side.. )  assume this is the same bell they'd still have.

not sure if you would need the tail shaft cut down, i do recall XY having a different length auto than the later ones, but you might be able to measure it and for eg, use an XF sedan tailshaft in your wagon.. just depends on length difference, and budget of coarse.

 

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Thanks mate

That thread you posted was helpful but it also reminded me that I’m a long way from any welding or machine shop for milling etc

I was also thinking my 250 Toploader housing is probably worth something as factory so it would be a shame to modify it.

I think it’s made my mind up

Cheers



The XF ute box , I brought comes with tailshaft so


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Just now, OLM8 said:

The XF ute box , I brought comes with tailshaft so

 

would depend if the T5 tailshaft is from a sedan or (longer wheel base such as wagon, ute/van) 

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I know for my V8 I had to start with an old mechanical clutch toploader bell and mod that to take the T5. The single rail bell I already had (hydraulic type) had the same problem you saw with the lower bolt holes of the T5 sitting way below where the mounting face ends.

If you can find a 250 hydraulic single rail housing, that might fit. Some single rail and 3 speed housings have enough mounting face on the bottom to line up with the T5.

I had to turn the input bearing retainer on my T5 down by about 1.5mm to fit the locating hole in the bell.

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Maybe ! Good thinking.

I think the v8 T5 has that longer input shaft. I’m not sure of the cost of that.

CRS have that adapter at half the price of a bell housing.

Anyways thanks


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Maybe ! Good thinking.

I think the v8 T5 has that longer input shaft. I’m not sure of the cost of that.

CRS have that adapter at half the price of a bell housing.

Anyways thanks


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The Mustang and E series V8 T5s have a 5/8" longer input shaft which suits such an adaptor but they aren't cheap either. The bastards know the troubles you can have trying to adapt the boxes to these older engines so no matter what option you choose, it won't be cheap. The other problem using that type of box is shifter location. Might not make too much difference but worth researching first. I resorted to some serious DIY on mine to fit an EA 6 cyl one and 6 years on, still going strong.

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XF 5spd ain’t much chop, came with the 3.3, from memory same as a sigma. Better off with a 4 Spd. Hunt up a e-series 6 cylinder. This is a bell housing I modded a singlerail bel housing the bottom two are the new

26a281b22b909cfe83ca0bfdb1f2f28f.jpg

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13 hours ago, OLM8 said:

v8 T5

V8 T5 box is much more rare/expensive than a 6cyl one though..  

 

i did see a transit van once with a commodore V8 T5 adapted .. wondered if this was the reason also.. or if it was a commo V6 one.. shifter location is spot on for the XF to EL 6cyl T5, is another to consider. and cross member issues potential etc

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The vehicle the box is coming from is a 1990 XF Ford Nissan Ute , carby crossflow 4.1.

It’s going into a XY wagon ,
bog stock Log6,

I figured it should be ok?

I don’t drive it like a WRX
or Ken Block.


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For reference, an easy way to tell the difference between the 3.3 5sp and the T5 is reverse location, T5 has reverse under 5th whereas the weak 5sp has it next to 1st.

Boxes also look quite different externally.

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