Which Gearbox?
Turbo Mini Forums

Since I am looking at doing my rebuild properly, I figure I will be using new components (reluctantly). I have done my calculations and decided that A+ CR are the go for me. So, what's available and what are the different qualities like? As well as drop gears.

What do we have other than Minispares, Quaife, JK? Are there any other good machinists producing boxes which are worth mentioning?

Also, where do you lot go to get your rebuild supplies? I really can't afford to pay a middleman too much.


Stu

Bugger off, I'm getting there.

stu we went through all this on minispares board

Everyone knows that instructions only have to be read if the thing doesn't work....

minispares message board has died! you could probably still find it via minimania i would have thought? could well be wrong tho!

And on the 7th day........... God created turbochargers!

Ok, message got. Bye!

Bugger off, I'm getting there.

Never to return?

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

http://www.minimania.com/web/threadid/5175...7/msgthread.cfm
http://www.minimania.com/web/threadid/5085...4/msgthread.cfm
http://www.minimania.com/web/threadid/4915...7/msgthread.cfm
http://www.minimania.com/web/threadid/4638...8/msgthread.cfm
http://www.minimania.com/web/threadid/5431...1/msgthread.cfm
http://www.minimania.com/web/threadid/5085...2/msgthread.cfm

http://www.minimania.com/web/threadid/4633...3/msgthread.cfm



A lot of these you've answered, or started!!!
Not sure what happened in the last message though - hopefully everyone has calmed down now?

(For those not registered, you'lkl have to start at the back and work forwards - once you register it goes the right way)

Edited by turbodave16v on 10th Sep, 2004.

Sorry, I should have cleared that up. What I wanted to know was who produced the most value for money gearsets/drops. I think I will go with Quaife for a 4sync box and probably Minispares for the "incremental" drop gears. Their quality looks so so. Tran-x look like they have a better finish but only 1:1 sadly.

One big surprise was the cost of all the rebuild bits. No wonder rebuilt engines are so expensive.

I expected one of you or perhaps more to know a local machine shop who has experience with mini gear cutting. Always good to help the small bloke out.

Well, thanks for your help. As for the other threads, I learned a lot of a bit which I know there but a lot of the questions were inconclusive.

stu (what a curse!)

Bugger off, I'm getting there.

Stu - If i was building a Ford, vauxhall, or any gearbox, Quaife would be the only name i would use. However, for the humble mini, I wouldn't...
I've already had a quaife gearset, and it went straight back.
They don't use moly coated synchro hubs - fine for 'modernish' transmissions that use bronze baulk rings, but not for a transmssion (the A-Series) where the only baulk rings available are steel...
If they have any sense, they'd have machined and moly sprayed the synchro cones on the transmission assemblies they've had on the shelf for the last 3+ years... I suspect that isn't the case however.

I'd go for minispares evolution or Trannex - but bear in mind the only person (i might be wrong) that you can buy trannex stuff from is Steve Whitton at MED.
I'm going to wait a little longer to see what the 'shake up' at JK has on the quality of their components before buying, or even recomending them to anyone...

Thanks Dave.

I looked at a quaife set and it looked to be very well made indeed. Trannex, I heard are noisy and are meant to wear quickly according to legend. Anyway, I am just after something preferably cheaper that JK (are they that good?) but with tough stock and a good case. I saw a set of Trannex drop gears on ebay which were pitted and shagged and they still went for £150. Unreal.

Anyway, the JAP wheels are on ebay to part finance this (if you fancy some old magnesium bowls)
s

Bugger off, I'm getting there.

My trannex laygear lasted around 7k... but my definition of fooked is 'nicely bedded in' to another.... I had micro-pitting on 2nd/3rd, and ghosting on 4th. Scrap basically.

JK have had a pricing re-structure recently - along with the shake-up. As i understand it; calling them, showing interest (having your card at the ready), then asking if they can do a small discount, works wonders...
You are taking a risk though - unless they can assure you that quality is a good as ever.


Get one ordered, and get somet built.

To my knowledge, Tran-X and Tran-X are not the same.

Tran-X DID produce the goods for Minispares, but when Tran-X had a belly up or merged or something in those lines, Minispares had to end their deal. That meant that Minispares took their production elsewhere ( I don't know where) and started producing their Evolution gearsets. These are the same as the old Tran-X gears AND diff.

The present Tran-X does also produce som Mini stuff ( Not interchangeable drop gears anymore) but it's supposedly NOT of the same quality as before. I cannot back this up with hard evidence, but if you want old Tran-X gears buy the kits form Minispares.

Blimey, sounds like I'm working for them.. :)

"My trannex laygear lasted around 7k... but my definition of fooked is 'nicely bedded in' to another.... I had micro-pitting on 2nd/3rd, and ghosting on 4th. Scrap basically"

It's that crap synthetic oil you're using Dave!!!!

Stu

Time to put this one to bed. I will look at what JK have to say for themselves.

Bugger off, I'm getting there.

What oil is that?

Only kidding, I got a bit of a slating when I asked if Castor was a good choice :)

I reckon that I have got pretty well genned up on my tuning theory, but whacking on a supercharger sods up virtually every bit of advice I might be able to give myself. Today I was thinking about distributor curves, needle choice, blower response and things like how much I can afford to lose off the flywheel. Whether a turbo cam might be a good choice. Running through my shopping list, I realise that it's going to be expensive, so expensive that I might as well throw the (cheque) book at it. One thing I have realised is that I know a lot less than I thought I did. We shall see what happens.

Got to get a decent metal sheet for my workbench........

One thing I was curious about as I drove my girlfriends Pug 02 106 1.0 home with a revvy, torquey!!!! engine was that, after I have spent about 2/3 of that money on my mini engine, will it be a massive anticlimax? Modern cars are fast and this mundane piece of crap was surprisingly good. Back from the pub, waffle, waffle.
stu

Bugger off, I'm getting there.

As i said before....

get somet built.

Then, you can optimise. Trying to optimise whilst the bits are in a pile on the floor, or still not purchased is pretty hard work

hmmmm castor smells nice!

alex

AlexF

I am fairly sure Dave at Min-its also sells tran-x stuff as well?