gearbox refurb

[rejn]

I've got an R400 racecar with a broken gearbox - having the 'box taken out later this week - anybody any idea where I could send it for repairs? I'm sure I read on here a while back of a place down in Kent, but can't find the details now. Any ideas?

[jleroux]

Phil Stewart at Road & Race Transmissions, near brands hatch IIRC

[Mars]

Bloody hard place to find. I needed Grigsby on the phone to "talk me in" to find the place, although that was before SatNavs were common.

[Mars]

Good job mind. I still reckon the Caterham 6-speed is the nicest gearbox I've ever used... but only after Phil and Keith worked their magic on it.

[ForzaGilles]

Does anyone have a rough idea what a standard rebuild of a 6 speed costs at R&R?

[fergus]

ForzaGilles said:

Does anyone have a rough idea what a standard rebuild of a 6 speed costs at R&R?

Depends what needs to be done. Give Phil a call. About £300 for a std refresh and baulk rings, bearings, etc IIRC. If you start to need lay/input/output/main shafts, intermediate/main gears, the cost can start to rise fairly quickly.

Ask Phil what type of baulk ring he uses as I've seen 3 outfits use 3 different types of rings, with various affects on the synchro behaviour and with different wear/service rates.

What's wrong with the box at the moment, noisy, or difficulty shifting? The layshaft can have a bit of a rattle on the caterham 6sp box. Not a CRB issue is it?

[ForzaGilles]

fergus said:

ForzaGilles said:

Does anyone have a rough idea what a standard rebuild of a 6 speed costs at R&R?

Depends what needs to be done. Give Phil a call. About £300 for a std refresh and baulk rings, bearings, etc IIRC. If you start to need lay/input/output/main shafts, intermediate/main gears, the cost can start to rise fairly quickly.

Ask Phil what type of baulk ring he uses as I've seen 3 outfits use 3 different types of rings, with various affects on the synchro behaviour and with different wear/service rates.

What's wrong with the box at the moment, noisy, or difficulty shifting? The layshaft can have a bit of a rattle on the caterham 6sp box. Not a CRB issue is it?

Thanks Fergus. I think 3rd syncro maybe a little worn/weak as sometimes there's a slight crunch when shifting into it at speed. Also the 'box feels a little 'sticky' on track after a good workout. Not sure if this is normal though?

[fergus]

ForzaGilles said:

fergus said:

ForzaGilles said:

Does anyone have a rough idea what a standard rebuild of a 6 speed costs at R&R?

Depends what needs to be done. Give Phil a call. About £300 for a std refresh and baulk rings, bearings, etc IIRC. If you start to need lay/input/output/main shafts, intermediate/main gears, the cost can start to rise fairly quickly.

Ask Phil what type of baulk ring he uses as I've seen 3 outfits use 3 different types of rings, with various affects on the synchro behaviour and with different wear/service rates.

What's wrong with the box at the moment, noisy, or difficulty shifting? The layshaft can have a bit of a rattle on the caterham 6sp box. Not a CRB issue is it?

Thanks Fergus. I think 3rd syncro maybe a little worn/weak as sometimes there's a slight crunch when shifting into it at speed. Also the 'box feels a little 'sticky' on track after a good workout. Not sure if this is normal though?

Phil will be able to advise further.

Take it to him (or a gearbox specialist) rather than a 'race team' as he rebuilds these boxes all the time and sets them up correctly. Race teams are not gearbox specialists, no matter that they may well try and convince you otherwise. Caterham use Phil for a lot of their work.

Brian Hill @ BGH gearboxes is also very good, but doesn't tend to get involved with the 6sp boxes any more.

[ForzaGilles]

Thanks again Fergus.

[rejn]

thanks guys - really useful - I'll give them a call.

Richard

[fergus]

rejn said:

thanks guys - really useful - I'll give them a call.

01959 525105

Road & Race Transmissions
Filston Farm
Filston Lane
Sevenoaks
Kent TN14 5JU

Map: http://www.ikent.co.uk/profile/233087/Sevenoaks/Ro...

[andya7]

I would agree the Phil at Road & Race is excellent, including collecting a box from Brands Hatch on a Friday and delivering it back on Saturday morning ready for use!

However, the 'rather than a race team' and 'race teams are not specialists' is perhaps a little misleading. I know of one 'race team' that has produced alternative components to overcome the problems with Type 9 gearboxes (of which the Caterham 6sp shares components) and especially the brass internals i.e. synchros (Ford original NLA & aftermarket ones made of cheese!). The same company is also in the process of prototyping alternative selector forks as again the original brass ones are not man enough for the job.

To date not one of the 'new design' synchros has failed in over 2 years of use (14races per year, plus testing etc.) not bad for a 'race team'?