McLeod Racing Tremec TR-4050 5-Speed Transmission: A Better Gearbox for Your Truck or Jeep

As any stick-shift loving off-roader will tell you, there hasn’t been a decent manual overdrive transmission available for trucks and Jeeps since the New Venture NV4500—and that's been out of production since 2007. That makes finding one next to impossible and locating replacement parts even harder. The ever-popular Tremec TKO, T56, or Magnum transmissions are not good options either. They’re too big for a Wrangler, have no provision for a transfer case, and don’t have the proper gearing to allow a heavy truck or Jeep with big tires to crawl, climb, or go through and over obstacles encountered during off-roading. 

McLeod Racing’s Tremec TR-4050 5-Speed Manual Transmission has all the features an off-roader could ever dream of. It’s lightweight because of its all-aluminum case. Its short overall length provides great driveline angles in Jeeps and other short-wheelbase vehicles. And not only does it accept a transfer case, there’s also a six-bolt power takeoff (PTO) hookup if you need that capability.

The TR-4050 transmission has an advanced shifting system with single- and double-cone synchronizers for silky-smooth shifts with short, precise throws. The gears are a constant-mesh, helical design for maximum strength. The input, main, and counter shafts spin on tapered roller bearings, and a countershaft–mounted fifth gear synchronizer improves noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) in overdrive. All this adds up to a driving experience unmatched by other heavy-duty truck transmissions. 

With first through fifth gear ratios of 6.16, 3.11, 1.71, 1.00, and .76 overdrive, the TR-4050 is more capable than other truck transmissions for off-road use while still capable of everyday driving. For instance, using the Tremec Gear Ratio Calculator, you can see that a rig equipped with a TR-4050 transmission, 38-inch tall tires, and 4.56 gears will cruise down the road at 65 mph at a leisurely 2,000 RPM—perfect for achieving maximum fuel mileage, reduced engine wear, and a quieter drive. 

The TR-4050 is rated at 425 lbs.-ft. torque capacity and a working GCVW of 15,000 plus pounds. It’s an ideal replacement for all popular 4-speed and 5-speed truck transmissions, and can be mated to a variety of OEM transfer cases plus aftermarket units like the Advance Adapters Atlas. It can also be mated to a multitude of engines, including:

• Cummins 4BT, 6BT, 5.0 and R2.8 diesels
• Chevy small block, big block, and LS
• Ford small block and Modulars
• Mopar small block and Gen III Hemi

And unlike the NV4500, the McLeod Tremec TR-4050 transmission is a brand-new unit with a factory-backed 12-month warranty, and replacement parts will be available or many years to come.

SEE THE MCLEOD RACING TREMEC TR-4050 TRANSMISSION AT SUMMIT RACING