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Trans rebuild questions

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bugedd

bugedd

Jedi Knight
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So I am rebuilding a rib cage trans that came with my car as a spare, and I am doing this because the smoothcase that is in it is trashed. Upon inspection, the gears are looking a bit worn, especially first and reverse, and third has some pretty good pitting. Now my guy helping me, who is experienced in british cars, is telling me that the thing will pop out of gear and make tons of noise, and all gears should be replaced. Well I can't afford that. What is realistic with gears, in how worn they can be and how much that really effects the function of the tranny? Are these tranny's really that tempermental?
 
bugedd said:
Well I can't afford that. What is realistic with gears, in how worn they can be and how much that really effects the function of the tranny? Are these tranny's really that tempermental?
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I don't think I'd characterize what you have described as "temperamental", more like "shot". If your friend can tell you all that from his inspection, I'd say he knows what he's talking about because yes, they will do all those things.

I have a number of good rib case boxes I can provide you. Not cheap either, but cheaper than buying all new gears. I have some that need only minor parts, like a second gear synchro swapped out and others that have been rebuilt. You probably have a good 3rd and 4th gear synchro in yours you can use instead of buying new. Your friend should know how to check wear/tolerance on them. All are very clean and inspected. I even have a couple good smooth case boxes . Located in San Francisco.

PM me if you are interested.
 
After consideration, unless someone donates parts, I am scrapping the trans rebuild project. Every gear is f'ed. I hate this car.
 
Bugedd, take heart!!! Personally my experience, though not much, is that if the layshaft and its bearings are'nt wore the gears can look pretty ugly and the trans won't jump out of gear. May be a little noisey!
At any rate don't scap the trans you mey get the oportunity to put 2 into 1.

Kurt.
 
Optomistic views are lacking here, as I recently found the tub was shot due to a former incident that was not revealed to me by the previous owner. One of the downsides to trusting people and buying a car unseen. So in a couple weeks, I am going to drop $1500 on a tub that is supposedly clean. In the mean time, I was just hoping to get the old roach driveable with the rebuilt trans to enjoy it. But with all gears f'ed, I'm f'ed.
 
layshaft and its bearings is the main problem with that trans the laygear drops!!! all I can say that trans is not cheep to rebuild to do it right
 
Keep a watch on the self-serve yards. Midgets still find their way in. Oops. A guy just called to buy the trans parts. Keep an eye out on Craigslist as well.
 
I wish I had a good self serve yard, but I live in a small town where the pickins are slim.
 
bugedd said:
I wish I had a good self serve yard, but I live in a small town where the pickins are slim.
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I understand. But watch the local Pennysavers and anything else. I'm serious. When you least expect it you are gonna trip over a trans.
 
Do keep an eye out for used transmissions. The one that's currently in the Tunebug cost me about $150 from a guy in Florida (plus a bit of shipping).

And do take heart -- though my refurbishment was no where near as deep as yours will be, I had *plenty* of times where I just wanted the car and all the parts and all the work to go away over the 3 years the car was off the road. It was a struggle to keep plugging through, but I'm sure glad that I did. You will be, too.
 
Back in the late 70's and early 80's, my buddy from a NC salvage yard would deliver 4-6 gearboxes a month to me to make whatever I could from them. I got a little and he got a little. But, he could sell something he knew was good. Virtually nothing that went into the gearboxes was new other than some gaskets and tailseals. Just kept collecting and using the parts accumulations.

Follow the advice. Keep your eye out and watch the CL's and the local sales papers. Never know what will pop up. Also, keep your chin up on this situation. Bugeyes are 50+ years old. Spridgets haven't been made at all since 1974. You just have to have some paience and the right attitude. There are hotbeds of Spridgets all over the country. Maybe one is closer to you than you think. Find a local British Car Club and attend a meeting. Someone there might know where a gearbox or bits lurk.

You can't get much smaller than Walhalla, SC but there are at least a dozen Spridget crazies within 50 miles of me. Maybe more. Heck, I'm even spotting Hap a set of ARP rod bolts for one of his projects until ARP can catch up on production. We all need some help at one time or another. Find the Spridget crazies in your neck of the woods and see if anyone has something.

Mike Miller
 
Is there not someone here can drop a cheap ribcage on the bus? They are pretty cheap and available are they not?
 
Did'nt Hap or someone on this list recently say they were going to be coming into a bunch of ribcase's they were going to modify for racing?? Lots of stock gears not need'ed.


Kurt.
 
Really all I need are gears, not the entire trans. The laygear, reverse, first, and third are trashed. Second should work out okay, its not too bad. I already bought the $200 of seals, needle bearings, syncros, bearings, etc. I was counting on the trans only needing a freshening up. But with all the other gears, it shot way out of budget.
 
If you have a local (more or less) resource offering to help you (like, oh say Gerard) I'd think long and hard about going elsewhere. Hap rocks as well..

The SoCal British wizard that rebuilds all my gear boxes cautions against mixing new and worn parts if longevity is a consideration since. Longevity is a relative term if it only sees a couple hundred miles a year but still...
 
Used laygear - $60
Used reverse - $30
Used Third - $40
Good used firsts are harder to come by than good used laygears. If I have one, I'll sell it for $50. These will all be decent gears. Reverses may have some chipping on the front edge of the main shaft engagement tooth, but 90% or better of the tooth will be there. Same with the gear teeth on the OD of the 1/2/R gear. All this should easily fit in a USPO flat rate box your way for about $12 or less.

Have to tell me the numbers on the trashed gears to match things up. Early ribcase replacement gears are hard to find. 3rd is usually in front of dog teeth. Reverse on the flat back. Laygear is on the body between gear teeths. 1st is on the smooth OD and usually written in vibrator pen. Double check the inside teeth on the 3/4 slider on third gear side. If 3rd is trashed, then the slider might be gone as well. Look over the inside of the 1/2 & 3/4 shift forks too for excessive wear on the brass. Undercut gooves are bad.

Don't forget the layshaft. Make sure finish is in good condition where the needle rollers wear.

Mike Miller
 
Thanks Mike, let me go to the shop where we are rebuilding the trans and get the numbers. I did get a new layshaft also.
 
The numbers are on third 22G1121, 1119 for the first gear syncro hub, 1114 for reverse, laygear 22G1100, and first is unknown due to it still being put together with the bearing. I assume its in the same numerical order. Anyone? Bueller?
 
These numbers all look good. They are correct for the latest transmissions from the 1275's. 22G1119 is the part number for the 1/2/R assembly. 1st gear is where the 22G1119 wheel moves rearward and engages the laygear. No synchro. 2nd is when the 22G1119 wheel moves forward and the inside of the wheel engages the dog teeth on the 2nd gear on the mainshaft. This is synchronised. Reverse is when the 22G1114 gear moves forward and the smaller front gear teeth engage the 22G1119 wheel and the larger rear gear teeth engage the 22G1100 laygear. This "reverses" the rotation of the mainshaft for backing the car.

I'll look tomorrow afternoon (Friday 4/1) and see what I have. Won't be back to the shop till then. Pretty sure I can help with everything, but will have to check for 1st gears. Good used ones are very rare. And sometimes, with used laygears and 1sts, do result in the transmission popping out of 1st when revved. I'll see what I have and advise.

Mike Miller
 
Thanks Mike, your help is greatly appreciateed!
 
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