Tremec T176 Housing Cap

Is there a better Housing Cap for the Tremec T176 than the Crown part # J8134667? I would rather something machined or forged, the stamped steel tabs just aren't thick enough to withstand the spring force and bend over time.

I replaced mine 12 months ago, don't drive the Commando very often (yes, I have a T176 in my 1973 Commando), yet the tabs that lock into the pins are already starting to bend, allowing the shift lever to slip out of the shifter slot. The T176 got stuck in 4th gear, had to remove the top shifter plate to get it back into neutral.

 

Mmm. Maybe contact a machinist, to make sturdier version of the cap? I understood the aluminum shift top is what wears out, not the shift cap. If the shift top is worn, will the cap bend?

 

Check the pins I. The top casting and make sure they are true to each other and not worn. Common for the pins to get worn or to get loose in the top.
It wouldn’t surprise me if the Omix retainer was made out of thinner material, inferior material, or not heat treated correctly. I’ve had reports the Omix replacement top shift housing is poor quality like most of their products.