Are the early gearboxes that bad???

[jon731]

i have been reading around the internet and there are many people that suggest that, the 5 speed boxes and early six speed boxes have weak first gears. i'm looking at buying a 1993 ABY 6 Speed and obviously this is an early box am i asking for problems?? or is the weakness over exaggerated internet hype! im not currently not planning on major modification just a chip exhaust and induction. are the early boxes up to the job?

Cheers!

[Acidburn]

Should be fine, it just depends if you plan on launching it from every set of lights time and time again. I've heard people with high hp having no issue.

5 speeds didn't like very high hp but people like audiman still ran 550+ on a 5 speed.

[jon731]

thanks for the reply! what is the part which makes the gearbox weaker?? and what kind of failure is likely synchromesh?

[4WheelDrifter]

AFAIK the weak 1st gear thing is a myth. 2nd gear synchros seem to be the issue on 6 speeds. Input shaft and front diff bearings on the 5 speeds IME.

[Error404]

its a bit over exaggerated that they are "weak"
The later boxes have a wider first gear. As Acidburn said unless you are drag racing you're unlikly to miss the wider first gear if you don't have it. Better to have a box that has been looked after

[Rocco]

i am and i was using 01A ARV and ASZ 5speed boxes with +600nm with any problem never

we will see in the future,but for the moment all perfect. Drag Races will be a bad option for every boxes

[URQguy]

Few things here. All the 01e transmission share the same 1-2 shift collar that are problematic. All of them, whether 5 speed, narrow 6 speeds, wide 5 speeds or wide 6 speeds. They all need the updated parts. The narrow 1st is not a myth. With the extra weight of the porky s2 and urS4/s6, they gall. They pit, and they start to whine. There is simply too much load on too little of a gear and the high loads on the surface of the helical gear cause the galling and pitting.

Now none-porky cars like S2s on diets or type 85's with 3000lbs curb weights do alright with the smaller 1st gear. I know of several 10 second cars running them. With the updated 1-2 collar and syncros, they are pretty bullet proof.

The 01a's weak link is the casing that flexes. People can baby it with 600whp+, even with hard launches. They fail when they are loaded, unloaded and then loaded again. The perfect example is WOT over a hill crest. As you crest the hill, the wheels spin, and then shock load back down again. The case flexes, and the gear engagement lacks slightly, and they shear. This is seen time and time again with road raced cars, typically at less than 350whp levels.

HTH

[jon731]

thanks for the information you guys really know what you are talking about! looking forwards to getting an S2 when i can eventually find a suitable one!

[rs200]

perfect topic for my question.. thanks

well I have on my car stock gearbox ADZ ,it is 5 speed and 3b engine... so what do you know about this gearbox? can they handle with 450-500 hp or I have to change something?

thanks