Gearbox upgrade

[conroym]

I am looking to upgrade the gearbox on my C400 from the 6 speed manual to a Elite IL200 6 speed sequential or the Quiafe 60G. has anybody experience of the elite unit in particular.

[nigelpugh7]

I've got the Quiafe 60G in my R500.

Its a great box when driven hard, but it is very very noisy.

Now I have fitted the quieter RaceCo Silencer its still the nosiest part of the car overall!!

Nige

Edited by nigelpugh7 on Monday 24th May 07:15

[ngr]

Have a look at the new 6 speed sadev box as well we have just fitted one in a duratec caterham. Its a direct replacement so there are no mods required with the chassis or prop, it also comes with a flat shift switch and gear position display. We have just linked this one to a geartronics flatshift and its superb. Similar money to the quaife. I have fitted the box and driven the car on track since and i would have no problems whatsoever recommending it. The quaife is difficult to fit a flat shift to as you need to use a load sell in the gear lever,plus some chassis persuasion the get it to fit,plus a new prop etc. The elite is cheaper but not as reliable apparently.

Thanks

Neil

Pic attached

Edited by ngr on Saturday 22 May 09:00

[mickrick]

Another option is the Drenth DG400. But it's expensive.
http://www.drenth-gearboxes.com/products/gearboxes...

[conroym]

Thanks for the info I must say the Sadev option looks very good. Neil I will call you on Monday.

[mickrick]

I've been told the Sadev box rattles like hell in neutral.

I don't know what the Drenth is like though. Anyone have any experience of them?
I do know the guys at Drenth are very, very helpfull. It's No.1 on my list at the moment, if for no other reason, than I've had good rapport with them.
I was going to contact the people at Sadev myself, to compare, but to be honest, the rattle issue has put me off a bit.

Russel seems happy with the sadev units, and it seems you are too Neil. The box will be my next big buy, so I guess I should see what ratio's they have on offer.

Keep us informed on your choice conroym, and how you find it?

[ngr]

No rattles in neutral from this box! allthough some sequential can chatter on idle. A sequential is allways going to be noisier than a std h pattern due to there design. It is a racing gearbox not a converted flappy paddle road car box. Sadev boxes are used in all the renault clio race cars and cars like a norma M20 vdev car. By the way I don't have any links with sadev other than using there products.

Neil

Edited by ngr on Sunday 23 May 09:39

[mickrick]

Thanks for that Neil. Interesting, as the guy who has one fitted made quite a point about how noisy it was at idle. So I wonder how consistent thier manufacturing is?
I'm sure they're a good box though, as even the Guys at Drenth said it was a quality product.
I'm not surprised to hear Sadev are used in the Renault Clio race cars though, as the French stick to thier own.
The clatter issue is a concern for me, as I know some cars have failed IVA for excessive geartrain noise at idle. Although I'm sure it could be just a case of upping the idle speed a bit. (Not sure how VOSA see this as a safety issue though? )
Having said all that, here's a vid of a RST, which I believe have the Sadev unit fitted, and it doesn't sound too bad to me. Most of the clatter seems to be from the RST engine, and as I say, the idle speed could be upped a bit IMO.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Pl5ti7iLb8&fea...

[Atomic Gibbon]

One from R500 Duratec in PH classifieds:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1719677.htm

[fergus]

conroym said:

Thanks for the info I must say the Sadev option looks very good. Neil I will call you on Monday.

Worth also speaking to Steve Waudby at SWR Motorsport. He was the sole authorised service agent for the boxes when they were used in the clio cup cars. Very honest guy.

http://www.swrmotorsport.com/main/new_page_2.htm

Ask him about service schedules and parts costs, etc for this box, and what fluid he recommends for it (& crucially what volume - a lot of the clio cup race cars were fitted with less oil to cut down on drag...)

[taffyracer]

I looked into all this extensively, I've driven a Drenth but not in a Caterham, they are superb boxes but alot more money, the Elite IL200 is supposedly ok but there are concerns over it so you'd really need to consider the IL300 for a duratec and that's no chepaer than a Quaife, the Sadev looks interesting but I believe it is more expensive but saving on the prop etc is a bonus, unless you're upgrading anyway, which you probably should

The Quaife G60 though is what 99% of sequential Caterham's have, its well known by all meaning its much easier to get sorted if you have a problem. It will take flatshift and the geartronics system integrates with it very well, the gearstick does need modifying to fit the load cell as Neil stated, but its not major and can be done by Quaife for £60, if you want Flatshift then Geartronics are surpeb to deal with the Quaife/Geartronics combination is again well understood, indeed Quaife work with and recommnend Geartronics.

My money went on the Quaife/Geartronics system and I'm happy it was the right choice