5speed s/c box

Author
Discussion

jeffriesmullet

Original Poster:

134 posts

249 months

Monday 28th June 2004
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how much do u recon i should pay for a 2nd hand box 5speed straight cut ??

Neil8p

175 posts

254 months

Monday 28th June 2004
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No idea

Depends on the condition of the gearbox and how much you are prepared to pay

I personally wouldn't put a s/h 5 speed under any mini engine without it being stripped and checked.

jeffriesmullet

Original Poster:

134 posts

249 months

Monday 28th June 2004
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how much rougthly would it cost 2 check im an apprentice mechanic but dont know how 2 build gearboxes

Neil8p

175 posts

254 months

Tuesday 29th June 2004
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Unless someone on here can help, you could contact Nicky Swift at Swiftune or AC Dodd at Minilikes Motorsport.

Swiftune built my engine and gearbox so I can recommend them from personnal experience, and I know of many people who would recommend AC Dodd.

Sorry I can't be any more help.

TVR Slag's BiL

5,281 posts

253 months

Tuesday 29th June 2004
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I had my 5 Speed box rebuilt by Carlow Engineering, in Essex. Most of the boxes have a fault on them with the 5th gear. Excuse my lack of knowledge of gearboxes! Fifth gear comes out on a shaft only supported at one end. This shaft wears and causes wear in the bushing, which houses it. Carlow Engineering modified my box with a better bushing of closer tolerance and used a different material for the lay shaft????

Tony is a really nice guy at Carlow, him, Jon Mowatt and Glyn Swift all raced together and were the ‘rat pack’ of the 60’s and 70’s!! In fact Jon Mowatt gets all of his own engines and boxes built by Tony at Carlow. They are not cheap but if you are going to do a job you do it right and they will!

01268 792817

Cooperman

4,428 posts

257 months

Tuesday 29th June 2004
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The best gearbox man around is Pat Healy at Pat Healy Motorsport in Hoddesden, Hertfordshire.
His number is 01992 892919.
I hate doing gearboxes and he does all mine for my rally cars. His charges are very reasonable.
He is highly recommended, not only for gearboxes, but for other Mini work.

jeffriesmullet

Original Poster:

134 posts

249 months

Tuesday 29th June 2004
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so i take it the 5 speed aint a good idea?

phil hill

433 posts

283 months

Wednesday 30th June 2004
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Depends what you want it for. I've got a JKD straight cut 5 speed under my 1380 and it's been faultless to date (that's the second time in two days I've defended it, hope it's not listening !!)

At the time I had the gearbox fitted I had the diff ratio dropped from 3.4 to 3.6, so the overall gearing is more or less unchanged (something like theoretical 107mph in 4th on old gears equals 112mph in 5th on new gears). The upshot is that I have a close ratio gear set with 5 gears where there was 4 before.

There has been a lot of bad press about 5 speed gear sets, about how fragile they are. In my experience, as I said above, the JKD set I've got has been faultless. I'd heard the JKD helical 5 speeds don't like more than 90~95lb/ft of torque, which is one of the reasons I went for a straigh cut set, although I've no specifics as to the failures, whether they were bearing related, casing related or actual gear failures. Since I have had mine JKD have changed the design so their new 5 speeds no-longer require a special gearbox casting, it fits into a standard rod change casting.

There are about 3 or 4 other designs of 5 speed about, of which I have no experience what so ever.

If you want to ask me anything more, please feel free, or maybe talk to the vendors direct. MiniSpares, MiniSport, KAD, and JKD all do 5 speeds I think.