Keisler Tremec RS600

[NvrDun71]

Anyone planning on running the new RS600 by Keisler? Sounds like a pretty cool alternative for something in between the TKO 600 & the T56 Magnum being based on the T45RS platform and requiring zero floor mods.

[strtlegal]

Are they still using Tremec :question:

[NvrDun71]

Are they still using Tremec :question:

Thats a good question, Not 100% sure. Below is a portion of the e-mail I got today from Jeff over at Keisler in response to a few questions I had......

"This is the new line of transmissions we have been developing since `07. We're approaching release soon and hope to have these ready to release by January. The RS600 is an upgraded and redesigned version of the T45RS that we sell now. It will not require any cutting, will shift at higher rpms and have the same smooth shift quality just like the T56. This trans is essentially a 5 speed version of the T56."

"This will use the same bell as a Muncie 4 speed and gearing will be: 2.80 1.99 1.33 1.00 .67 o/d. "

[strtlegal]

I'm only "hearing" that when they built there new Phiszer (sp) trans that it was kind of a deal breaker with Tremec..But who knows forsure

[NvrDun71]

I'm only "hearing" that when they built there new Phiszer (sp) trans that it was kind of a deal breaker with Tremec..But who knows forsure


Yea I was confused, lol. Jeff cleared things up over on PT.com...... Full details will be announced here on the forum as they become available. Just a little fyi, this is not a Tremec box and is based on the Borg-Warner T45 platform which is a 5 speed version of the T56 6 speed.

[Flash68]

Is there a pricing ballpark floated around yet?

[The WidowMaker]

tko'ish prices

[Flash68]

tko'ish prices

Cool thanks. That sounds like a no brainer over the old TKO then.

[Murf'sDad]

Has anyone seen the torque capacity of the RS600? Keisler's site doesn't say much. The TKO 600 is rated to about 600lb-ft. This is the way I was planning to go until I heard mention of the RS600. I'm just not sure if it will stand up to the motor I have, which is running about 450 - 475 hp and about 500+ lb-ft of torque.

Stewart

[The WidowMaker]

they are planning to do what sounds like a destructive dyno test in the near future to figure that out. the real figures will be from customer cars.

[AM.MSCL]

Is there a pricing ballpark floated around yet?

I requested a quote a month ago for the TKO600 and yesterday for the RS600 (both perfect fit kit) and the price was the same for my 69 firebird 400 application.

[Flash68]

I requested a quote a month ago for the TKO600 and yesterday for the RS600 (both perfect fit kit) and the price was the same for my 69 firebird 400 application.

I had some communication with them last week and their holiday special was that the RS600 kit was $300 cheaper than the same TKO 600 kit.

But it's a pre-order deal as the kits won't actually be available til Feb at the earliest they told me.

[johnny5]

This is from an email I received from Keisler regarding the new RS tranny. looks good I'd like to get the RS600


The RS stands for Rallye Sport, a term that quite adequately describes the functional use of these new units. Three years in the making, the RS Series is targeted toward street/highway applications, plus drag racing, road courses, and autocrossing. There are three primary factors which Shafi Keisler, Pres/CEO, says will establish the RS 5-speed to be the leading choice of transmission over previous offerings:
1. Fitment: An all-new aluminum case designed with American classic cars, street rods and kit cars in mind is the hallmark of the RS. For example, owners of 1964-72 Chevelle & GTO will get both the perfect shifter position and driveline angle with no cutting or alteration of the floor tunnel. Similar benefits exist for applications like 1955-57 Bel Air, '62-74 Nova, 1966-70 Charger/Road Runner/Coronet, Ford Fairlane/Torino, and numerous other apps that required cutting of the floor tunnel to fit Keisler's previous offerings (including the Tremec TKO). In fact, any of the PerfectFit shifter positions - of which there are more than 15 - are standard on the transmission at no additional cost. Moreover, the new main case (available Q2/2011) uses a revised shift system to provide a height reduction of nearly ¾ inch over the current RS main case, and features no less than three bellhousing bolt patterns: GM Muncie/T10, Toploader, and Chrysler A833. This means less cost and easier adaptation.
2. World Class Shift Quality: Through the adaptation of double cone, carbon fiber lined steel synchronizers, the RS Series provides a dramatically better shift quality than previous offerings using single cone brass synchro rings (Tremec TKO). The RS can cleanly shift at 7000rpm, with low shift effort. Additionally, the new guide plate and single rail architecture provides precise clean guided shifts, and NO missed 2-3 shifts - a common problem among TKO owners.
3. Exceptional Value: Pricing starts at just $2299 for a complete RS400 PerfectFit Kit tailored specifically for your application. The RS500 PF kit runs just $2599, and the RS600 PF kit runs $2999. And all of these prices include a transmission, dynamic balanced driveshaft, crossmember, isolator mount, speedometer cable with calibrated gear, backup light wiring, needle roller pilot bearing, grade 5 & 8 hardware, fully illustrated manual, and 3-year blanket warranty coverage.
But these are not the only major changes, because Keisler brings a more durable set of internals than were previously available as well. For instance, the input shafts in all RS500 & 600 transmissions are made from 9310 chrome nickel moly steel, and the gears are CNC-ground in the United States. Close and wide ratios designs are available. Starting with the RS 400, rated for any application up to 400 lbs-ft torque, the unit uses a 1 1/16 x 10-spline input shaft. The stouter RS 500 and 600 units use an even heftier 1 1/8 x 26-spline input shaft, handling power outputs of 500 and 600 lbs-ft torque, respectively. The RS400 & 500 gear ratios run the standard ratio first gear (3.37) which is ideal for small block and mild big block running differential ratios up to 3.73. The RS600 uses the new close ratio gearset (2.80 1st) which minimizes RPM drop between the 1st-2nd gear change. The accompanying chart will show you exactly what ratios come in each unit.


More importantly, as mentioned, Keisler is using double-cone synchronizers in the RS unit. Most transmissions in the aftermarket - including Tremec, Richmond, Doug Nash, and niche-built units - still use the older single-cone brass synchro ring, technology which dates back to the 1950s. Not only does the RS use dual-cone synchronizers for even smoother high RPM shifts in first and second gears, but these are carbon fiber-lined onto steel blocker rings for excellent durability - a high tech material developed by 3M and Borg Warner in the late 90s. Another welcome feature is the synchronized reverse which eliminates the gear grind found in many other aftermarket transmissions (Tremec, Richmond, and niche-built).

Moving into the shifter area, the RS makes use of Keisler's unique milled internal guide plate, which allows forceful shifts without fear of going from 2nd to 5th gear. Shifted internally, the RS transmission uses a single top shift rail, allowing the RS to be built much narrower than units like the Tremec are. The new RS tailshaft has provisions for over 15 different shifter locations; any are possible at no additional charge. Like previous transmissions in Keisler's PerfectFit kits, this will allow the transmission to be offered as a ready-to-use package with design advantages specific for your vehicle.


The new tailshaft housing will be joined by a new main housing in 2011's second quarter, as testing continues on ensuring that this new casting will be the best possible; in the meantime, main cases will be based on the Borg-Warner T45 . Again, the narrow design was critical to choosing this over wider examples when considering fitment into the widest variety of applications. For GM and Ford applications, the shifter is simply moved to the proper location on the tailshaft housing before shipping; housings for Chrysler torsion-bar vehicles will be milled to clear the factory supports in those applications, again with the shifter placed for your car's specific location so little to no modification to the car is required. Indeed, possible offsets on the RS are 3.5"wide and a large 13" long. Whether as a direct replacement for the transmission in your musclecar, or being custom-adapted to your street rod or kit car, there will be an RS solution to you.
Other features are mechanical and electronic speedometer options, as well as mechanical or hydraulic clutch releaser configurations. The latter adaptation can be done without having to reseal the input shaft bearing retainer, making changeover a breeze.
Finally, pricing on the new units has been done to help the buyer get the best value in the current economy. For folks that need just a transmission and not a complete PerfectFit kit, pricing starts at just $1499.00 for the RS 400. And for the popular Fox body, SN95 and newer Mustangs, Keisler has the RS400 with integral bellhousing for just 1399.00.
The unit was well-received at the event, with hundreds of attendees looking over this exciting new product. Indeed, the producers from PowerTV.com even filmed a feature on the RS for their online programming, and Keisler Engineering will have the latest developments shown on KeislerTV.com as well. Check it out, then call them to get your build program into overdrive with the latest in transmission technology!

[KEISLER]

If you are looking for the shift quality of the T56 Magnum, you should check out our KEISLER Rallye Sport RS 5-speed. It utilizes the advanced synchro technology developed by Borg Warner and 3M for the T56 and T45. Parts are directly interchangeable with Viper T56, for example.

The RS shift quality is, in my opinion, better than the T56 because the linkage system in the T56 is massive for the 5/6/R shift rail system. The T56 was originally developed as a truck transmission for GM 1/2 called T55. It never went into production as a truck tranny, but kept the design.

The RS fits our muscle cars with no cutting in most applications - all GM F, A, X, and B-body. This is due to our new transmission case, along with the use of new PerfectFit designed shift components.

All RS transmissions come with a premium shifter mechanism: adjustable but preset solid shifter stops, tunable shifter bias spring (we select the right set for your application), bearing materials under all moving joints, sealed, and no plastic junk anywhere.

Pricing for RS 5-speed kits (incl new dynamic balanced driveshaft, crossmember, isolator, speedo cable/gear, pilot bearing, hardware, console nameplate or shift knob, fully illustrated instructions) starts at $2295 for the RS400 kit, $2595 for the RS500 kit, and tops out at $2995 for the RS600 close ratio 600 torque kit.

The RS uses your stock bell, clutch pressure plate (and fine spline GM disc for 500/600 models), put the shifter exactly in the correct shifter position, and includes a 3 year blanket warranty.

We have been selling the RS for 3 years now as the T45RS in the lower torque format, non PerfectFit design. The RS 5-Speed is a redesign of the T45RS with many new parts, including higher torque capacity 1pc shoot peened 9310 CNC ground gears among others.

RATIOS:
RS400/500 3.37, 1.99, 1.33, 1.0, .67
RS600 *best ratios* 2.80, 1.99, 1.33, 1.0, .67

Hope this helps to give you and everyone else here more insight to the RS, and more choices.

[DemonSRT8]

Shafi,
I don't know what happened to the rest of this post (I had my quote numbers listed), but I would like to see a quote on the RS600 for my 69 Road Runner. It's an automatic car (column shift), and I need the entire kit for a 5 speed conversion. I'm using a 6.1L hemi out of a 2007 Charger. May eventually use the XV front end if that changes anything.

Why was this thread cleaned up/changed?

Thanks
Darren

If you are looking for the shift quality of the T56 Magnum, you should check out our KEISLER Rallye Sport RS 5-speed. It utilizes the advanced synchro technology developed by Borg Warner and 3M for the T56 and T45. Parts are directly interchangeable with Viper T56, for example.

The RS shift quality is, in my opinion, better than the T56 because the linkage system in the T56 is massive for the 5/6/R shift rail system. The T56 was originally developed as a truck transmission for GM 1/2 called T55. It never went into production as a truck tranny, but kept the design.

The RS fits our muscle cars with no cutting in most applications - all GM F, A, X, and B-body. This is due to our new transmission case, along with the use of new PerfectFit designed shift components.

All RS transmissions come with a premium shifter mechanism: adjustable but preset solid shifter stops, tunable shifter bias spring (we select the right set for your application), bearing materials under all moving joints, sealed, and no plastic junk anywhere.

Pricing for RS 5-speed kits (incl new dynamic balanced driveshaft, crossmember, isolator, speedo cable/gear, pilot bearing, hardware, console nameplate or shift knob, fully illustrated instructions) starts at $2295 for the RS400 kit, $2595 for the RS500 kit, and tops out at $2995 for the RS600 close ratio 600 torque kit.

The RS uses your stock bell, clutch pressure plate (and fine spline GM disc for 500/600 models), put the shifter exactly in the correct shifter position, and includes a 3 year blanket warranty.

We have been selling the RS for 3 years now as the T45RS in the lower torque format, non PerfectFit design. The RS 5-Speed is a redesign of the T45RS with many new parts, including higher torque capacity 1pc shoot peened 9310 CNC ground gears among others.

RATIOS:
RS400/500 3.37, 1.99, 1.33, 1.0, .67
RS600 *best ratios* 2.80, 1.99, 1.33, 1.0, .67

Hope this helps to give you and everyone else here more insight to the RS, and more choices.

[moparnut]

Darren,
I just got an email and the RS600 will be done around mid to late March. I'll be putting one in my Charger. Just a side note, I would go with the RMS front suspension vs XV-overpriced and quality control issues! Trust me, I have seen both and installed some.

[DemonSRT8]

Thanks nut, I did end up talking with Shafi. I'm going to order the RS depending on if my car sells or not.

Rust free original sheet metal is awesome, but it maybe cheaper for me to buy a car with the pro-touring theme started.....anyway, off topic!

And you're right on the XV I think. Sounds like they're having troubles with quality too.