I'm going to have to open the trans in the spring to replace 1-2 and 2-3 sycros so I started thinking....what can I do to make some improvments.

Anybody have any experience with double syncros or replacing first gear with a taller ratio. I figure the double sycros would be a good upgrade but I don't know if I have the power to utilize a taller first gear.

Someone had suggested to me to put 1st, 2nd, and 3rd closer together. That's all I can help with.

Double synchros are not a must but very nice. They come standard on the 1993 and newer DSM's.

The taller GVR4 first dear netted me an extra 5mph and felt good while it lasted. I blew that gear apart after about 75 drag launches. Once I switched back, I really didn't even miss the extra split second for shifting to second, so I wouldn't spend my money on that mod again.

Marcus

The welded diff and steel shift forks are a good mod in my opinion as well. Here:

www.teamrip.com
www.shepracing.com

That was some very interesting reading Brett. Thank you for putting that up. But..... Where is TRE located? Are they close to home? I read about the shipping methods also. Was just curious.

Sorry Chris not trying to highjack.

It says on the shipping methods page they are located in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Sorry over looked that, LOL.

I've got pretty much all the tre mods in my trans, except for the taller 5th, which would be really nice. The gvr4 1st is very nice IMO.

I think all the upgrades are nice. I originally thought the premium money would net me longer durability of the transmission. I had the better shift forks, double synchros and the taller 1st gear. I'm sure I was tough on the transmission, but I didn't get any noticable extra durability.

After grenading the GVR4 1st gear in that transmission I got a 1993 stock unit and the only thing I felt I needed to add was the TRE spool. The spool is the best transmission mod I've done to date. It makes tight turns in parking lots sound like your ripping the CV's out so it's not for everyone. On the other hand it dropped my launch RPM's down about 1500-2000RPM, it gives better grip on the launches, and most astonishingly it gives exponentially better high speed corner handling! Gotta love the spool! As for the other items I'm gonna save my money for now and wait to see werethe next weak link is.

Agreed!

I'm also a big proponent of the steel shift forks after breaking the stock aluminum ones in three different transmissions throughout my dsm career.

man I had some great times in K-ZOO

My buddy ross has the TRE fully built tranny ( taller 1st gear, double synchros throughout, speed design 4 spider center diff [best on the market by the way]steel shift forks...) anyway, he loves it. He says it was well worth the money. He can shift smoothly into any gear at 7500.

Even for a man on a budget TRE is not cheap. It would take me 2 yrs. to get the money for that, .

This is true. They do good work, but IMHO its not worth the money you have to pay plus the expensive shipping costs. I had them rebuild my old FWD transmission and it worked well, but i wasn't floored with smooth as silk shifting or anything. IMO, Josh at Slopny does just as good of a job for a fraction of the price and no shipping costs.

I do still buy all transmission parts through TRE though.

Anybody have any experiences with Shep Racing? I've heard good things from him through another friend of mine.

Will Slopony give you a quote over the phone if you know what you want?

I've known John Shepherd for 10 years. He does top notch work. He builds the trannys for our race car right now. The tranny will shift at insane rpm's.

I'm sure he will.

Shep built my transmission with all the goodies including the GVR4 first gear. It was a good transmission, but like TRE it comes with a price. I did blow out my Shep tranny, but like I said before, I had roughly 75 high RPM-dump launches on it. Shep rebuilds his racing transmissions much more often than that.

Do you know what part eventually gave way?