M5R2 any good?

backtobirds

Registered User
So is the M5R2 any fun? Ive about had it with the auto, but I hear the M5R2 shifts terribly. I cant seem to make up my mind.
 
The M5R2 is not the smoothest shifting manual trans, but it is nowhere near as bad as some people make it out to be. I think the biggest thing is that the bushings in the stock shifter wear out, so most people are thinking that is just how it shifts, but with a rebuilt shifter, or better yet a B&M, in daily driving there is no perceptible difference between the M5R2 and a T5 in terms of smoothness. The downsides to it are that it likes to wear out synchros, and even with good synchros, speed shifting will cause it to grind into second, but the trans is pretty indestructible so it grinding a bit isn't going to hurt anything. Upsides are better gearing than a T5, direct bolt-in swap, and harking back to that indestructible thing, it is much MUCH stronger than a T5, and at a fraction of the price. I definitely reccomend it, you won't regret it.
 
I wouldnt use the term indestructable:eek:. The m5r2 shifts pretty dang good IMO. Recently, an sc guy drove mine and was shocked at how well it shifted compared to his, so they arnt all the same. Anyone that says they shift like crap, has a worn out one, plain and simple. The ratios are decent, pretty big jump from 2-3 but 3rd pulls for days. Durability, people will say well so and so makes 400+ wheel or 600rwhp and they are fine, this is true to some extent. At those power levels any shock load would surely kill something. Even at moderate power levels, driving is key to their survival. Keeping shocks to a min, you can beat on them pretty good. As for the quick shifts and grinding. I can shift mine as quick as physically possible and its never crunched or grined. However, my gears are in good shape and the syncro teeth are as good as possible for a tranny of its age. Fun-ness. They are a figgin hoot, best mod for fun ever. I recently switched from an AOD to m5r2 and love it.
 
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Its far from indestructable..Believe me I know..It sucks..

I like my 5 speed car cuz its a 5 speed. All depends why you want to swap.
 
OK, perhaps I should rephrase that. They aren't indestructible, but they are a very tough trans, especially for how cheap they can be picked up. I have yet to destroy one, and I am very hard on my cars.
 
Not to brag, but im on my 3rd in less than 6months:p.....but the first wasnt really a tranny problem, and the 3rd is perfect. We wont talk about number 2.
 
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WHen I have enough cash a t56 swap is definitely in order. Its the last thing I need to change on the SC that I am unhappy with.
 
I think doing alot of burnouts and especially the wheelhop are what most people find destroying their 5-speeds
 
Wow thanks for the feedback. I'm just sick of tuning the 4R70w and the conflict between what I want it to do and what it wants to do. I'd like to do a t56 swap, but I'm also sick of having to make parts fit. I want to keep it clean and simple. But I just found out my buddy here has a M5R2 in his, so I can drive that some time and see how I like it.
 
This transmisison is basically what we are stuck with unless we want to make stuff fit. So for all intents..If you want a 5 speed SC...Thats the only easy way to go. Bottom line is that it just isnt a performance transmission
 
It's o.k. It doesn't deal with abuse well. It's certainly strong enough for high torque. Certainly stronger than you'll see a T5 is capable of in any stock configuration. You can certainly tell it was originally designed for a truck. I bet in a truck, with a longer shift lever, the trans would shift lovely. With a short shifter like in our car, it definitely isn't going to be the top pick for a smooth shifting transmission. But on the other hand, with a good shifter, it has a nice direct connection feeling, much better than some other trans.
 
I never understood why people say these trannys are hard to shift.. I did a m5R2 conversion in my '91 XR7, and even the one in my '91 SC to some extent, i can shift through the gears by just pulling on the shifter boot :) the one in my XR7 i can easily rest a finger on the shifter and shift the car, the SC takes a little more effort thou..
 
if you shift with good sense and use your clutch properly you'll probably never blow a m5r2. i wiped my first 1 out due to i was a lil ticked and rough housed it beyond what you should ever put a transmission through. about a month later the clutch went out and a month after that the 3rd gear syncros went out. it didnt shift very good to begin with and when i was ticked well lets just say it did a lil grinding. with the new m5r2 that i just put in i built a rebuild kit for the shifter since i couldnt find any1 that could get them. im a sheet metal worker mostly so it wasnt to hard to make my own bushings for the shifter. with the rebuilt shifter and new m5r2 it shifts smooth and easy. it is what it is. there are far better trannys like the t-56 but for the most part the m5r2 is a good strong tranny for the daily driver.
 
If ya can't find em, grind em. sorry, had to say it.

I like my M5R2 a lot, but it definetly feels weird going from the getrag 6 spd my focus has to it, thats for sure!
 
i plan on giving the m5r2 hell.. no one has ever tested the limits of th m5r2 i'll just have to push the envelope a tad
 
Jonathan,

You have to let me know when your next day off from work is so you can come over and drive mine like I promised you.

Shane
 
Well thanks guys, I'm gonna do it. I lacked the foresight to not rebuild my 4r70w at the beginning of the year and I bullet-proofed it in the process. Can't like something like that sit around collecting dust, so as soon as I can sell it in goes a manual. I'm pretty stoked to get on this project.
 
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