Bracket removal for a TKO tranny?

[Pylons]

I have in my build school notes that the TKO transmissions have a bracket on the bottom that must be removed in order to go into the car.

I have a TKO 600 sitting in my garage and nothing on the bottom of it looks particularly noteworthy. (and I don't yet have my kit to help me envision what the issue might be)

Anyone know what those notes might be referring to?

[edwardb]

I have in my build school notes that the TKO transmissions have a bracket on the bottom that must be removed in order to go into the car.

I have a TKO 600 sitting in my garage and nothing on the bottom of it looks particularly noteworthy. (and I don't yet have my kit to help me envision what the issue might be)

Anyone know what those notes might be referring to?

The bracket in question is a large boss on the bottom of the transmission at the back below the slip yoke. You will find it pretty quickly if you try to install the transmission without trimming, because it directly hits the 4 inch chassis tube under the back of the TKO600.

This isn't a very good picture, since it's mainly intended to show the spacer I installed for the TKO600 in my Mk4 build. But to the left of the mounting bracket, you can see where the boss was removed.



In this picture looking up under the chassis toward the driveshaft, you can see the trimmed area on the bottom of the transmission and the 4 inch tube that has to be cleared.

[DaleG]

The build manual describes this in detail, page 191. If you got yours from Forte, he probably trimmed it for you.

[edwardb]

The build manual describes this in detail, page 191. If you got yours from Forte, he probably trimmed it for you.

Page 213 in my Mk4 complete kit manual. But you're right. Pictures showing the before and after. Search for TKO in the manual and it comes right up. My TKO supplier, Liberty's in Taylor, MI asked about this because they knew what I was building and trimmed it off. I think they must have put the trans up in a milling machine, because it was precisely machined off. Nice.

[DaleG]

Page 213 in my Mk4 complete kit manual. But you're right. Pictures showing the before and after. Search for TKO in the manual and it comes right up. My TKO supplier, Liberty's in Taylor, MI asked about this because they knew what I was building and trimmed it off. I think they must have put the trans up in a milling machine, because it was precisely machined off. Nice.

Page 191 in both my hard-copy and pdf copy, Version 3R Dec. 2012. I wonder how many Mk4 versions are out there and what the revisions are?

[edwardb]

Page 191 in both my hard-copy and pdf copy, Version 3R Dec. 2012. I wonder how many Mk4 versions are out there and what the revisions are?

Interesting, huh? I only have the electronic .pdf version. It's marked Version 3O Jan. 2012. So a previous version from yours. It is a complete kit version. I know the manuals are different between complete kit and basic kit. I wouldn't want to try to build one of these with only the manual. But I have to say the Mk4 manual is a HUGE improvement over the paper Mk3 manual I received.

Anyway, between the manual and the explanations/pictures in this thread, I think the OP should have his question answered.

[DaleG]

Agree. Mine is complete kit also. Wonder what the missing 22 pages contained...Rosemary Woods might know. World of difference between the MK II and MK IV manuals.

[Pylons]

thanks guys, makes sense now. (p. 191 in my manual too)

any recommendations on attacking that task myself? Manual says hacksaw or reciprocating saw. Seems like it might take me longer to hacksaw it than to build the car. Seems like a sawzall would do a pretty rough job.

I've got die grinders and such I could attack it with.

Or just take it to a machine shop?

[edwardb]

It's just die-cast aluminum. If you don't have a reciprocating saw, a sharp hacksaw blade would have it off in short order. Then touch it up with a file if you want. I like that my supplier cut mine nice and neat. But would only take a few minutes to do the same. In the end, it's nearly completely hidden. Even from the bottom you can't see it much because of the 4 inch tube directly below that area.

[first time builder]

If Liberty reworked the shift rails your going to love the TKO 600.

Kenny

[edwardb]

If Liberty reworked the shift rails your going to love the TKO 600. Kenny

Yes, I purchased the TKO with their shift upgrades. Too early to judge much, but it's installed and I've go-karted the build. So far, clicks through the gears easily and smoothly.