Strongest gearbox for 3B

[audiman]

My gearbox is beginning to whine again. Conclusion.... the 5 speed box is crap and weak. What box is best to convert too?? What will I need to change over. Can i retain my rear diff?

[TunedS2]

My gearbox is beginning to whine again. Conclusion.... the 5 speed box is crap and weak. What box is best to convert too?? What will I need to change over. Can i retain my rear diff?

your end ratio is 4.111...you can use the s4-s6/6speed maybe CRB or Rs2 CGR....or the s4/5speed CET..but you need change the s4 CET rear diff inner parts in your s2 diff house....

[newsh]

My gearbox is beginning to whine again. Conclusion.... the 5 speed box is crap and weak. What box is best to convert too?? What will I need to change over. Can i retain my rear diff?

The strongest box (by far?) is the urq box but the ratios are not ideal and you'd have to change the diff, topspeed would be reduced. Next in line would be the RS2 box with the strengthened first gear.

[APNess]

Is there no way of using the internals from the 2.5 tdi box? Wouldn't they be stronger than the S2 boxes?

[audiman]

6 speed is not an option, this requires a different subframe and gear linkage. Is it the 016 gearbox that can be used with different mounts?

[s2driveruk]

Tom, Allaudi have a 94 S4 Avant in for breaking and the engine and gearbox are ok it seems...just fyi.

David

[Stick Insect]

6 speed is not an option, this requires a different subframe and gear linkage. Is it the 016 gearbox that can be used with different mounts?

I thought Albert had put a 6 speeder in and the subframe was the same? It had elongated holes or something. Check his posts.

David

[audiman]

other prob with 6 speeder is tha**** not really much stronger than the 5 speed. Bear in mind mine is producing a bit more than an RS2!!

[Lee]

The RS4 box fits apparently. Might need a bit of work but they have got to be stronger than the CGR 6 speeder. Lot of guys happily running over 500bhp in RS4s. They drive them very hard on 265+ rubber. Go on Tom, be the first to do it from us lot!!

[audiman]

Mmmmmm food for thought, maybe i will have a go at changing the bearing twice a year!!

[Lee]

You meed a lot of tools, I kow, but how much is a set? Someone might want to buy them and rent them out to fellow Forum members. Rent it out 10 times and they could be paid for!! I'd hire them!!!

[APNess]

Those 'Gearchange' guys you used - can they not strengthen the cogs you have, or is that not the problem? Haven't you got loads of other spare broken gearboxes lying about (behind the tractor, for example, or in the barn?). I was hoping the Gearbox people could somehow 'fix' my 1st gear when my clutch needs sorting out. Is it not as simple as that?

[audiman]

Er, its not that simple, this isnt a lego car mate. The cogs are not the problem. Its the hardness of the input shaft bearing. It takes ALL the load under accel. and the bearing isnt strong enough. Changing the clutch and mending the gearbox is a bit of a different job. To change the bearing in mine the complete box has to be stripped down as its right at the front

[Lee]

The problem is the helical gears. When you put lots of torque through a heical geared 'box, the gears try to force themselves apart causing increased enloadings through the gear shafts. This increased end load gives the bearings a hard time. An alternative bearing may be one option but this could necessitate some machining of the housing. Bearings also benefit from materials processes. They are cheap but are not cost effective on production cars where it is not so necessary. I recently attended a tribology course and conference in Spain with work. There lots of interesting developents out there in increasing the load capabilities of bearings through bearing treatments. The options are endless and a solution, if possible, would require some development.

[audiman]

Sort me out a bearing then Lee, super strong!! Original no. is FAG 563466AB