Gearbox Questions - Quaife and R&D

[turbomook]

Hi All,

After deciding that i want to go bigger spec and more power. Ive arranged to buy a new massive spec engine.

I already run around 500bhp, and use my Quaife straight cut box with drop down gears, which was just rebuild less than 2000 miles ago with new transfere chain etc. I also use a std Quaife front diff with strenthing plate. And a Quaife 3.92 rear diff.

Will i see much benerfits from a 6 speed R&D box? And would i have to use different diffs?

I only really use the car on the road, and for 1/4 mile power runs.

Any help would be great.

Thanks Mike

[SCS j1mbo]

Dog box are so much quicker change it makes a huge difference, you would like it, butm they're not really a road car box, noisy, clunky and they wear quickly with normal rod use as the dogs often get caugh upon changing slowly

[turbomook]

Cheers Jimbo, Do you think my Quaife box will be upto the job of 550-600bhp with some launches?

[SCS j1mbo]

No never really heard good things about quaife cossie boxes, warren did ok with his quaife dog box but e road Cabot boxes always seem to have trouble

[SCS j1mbo]

Sorry, my spelling is aweful its the poxy iPad

I should have said

Warren did ok with his quaife dog box but the road car boxes always seem to have trouble

[steven mc kay]

Cheers Jimbo, Do you think my Quaife box will be upto the job of 550-600bhp with some launches?

my bet is it will last so many launches then it will die, a r and d will not last lots and lots of launcher i dont think as well, once you up the power you need to up the transmission, this is lots of peoples problems, they spend on the engine and cant aford the diffs and box.

your diffs and box will last if you respect them . if not they will last so long then die and cost you money

thanks steven

[turbomook]

thanks for the input.. I was just thinking about an R&D one as there is two for sale at the moment.

[steven mc kay]

thanks for the input.. I was just thinking about an R&D one as there is two for sale at the moment.

i had a r and d dog gear box in a red escort cosworth road/track car, it was great for raceing fast gear change ect , but ofil to drive around town , also for driveing slow ect its very sore on the gears and end up needing a re build ect .

thanks steven

[Carlo]

I have 2 R&D 6 speeds for sale if you need one

[Sunnysidebb]

I 100% guarantee if the car is for road you will sell the dog bx or worse the car within a year. You MUST get a drive of one. They are truly awful around town truly truly awful.
If you really must get one make sure its a 6 dog and not a 5 dog. ( I don't mean 6 speed as in gears I mean dog engagement).
5 dogs are older and cheaper but the engagement is harsh and if your not 100% committed to every gear change the gear lever will kick and eventually bruise your palm especially without motor sport gloves.
Make sure you get an overdrive top gear and not direct top if you want to use the car on the motorway and maintain some economy.
A Dog box WILL put more shock strain on all your other transmission components. and god forbid you get stuck in a traffic jam, you will not be a happy bunny.
Dog boxes are not the Dogs bollocks unless you really really do need one.

Sorry for being so negative, but I have been there myself. For my road car I helped PD develop his first SC gear kit and I stuck with that. He didn't do a SC 5th at the time and that's the gear I broke a further 4 times.

[spiritof'76]

I'd love another 6 speed R&D in my car............ but economically i can't justify it as they don't last at high power, you can't criticise them for that as they are not designed for it.

I would however put one in a 380hp car.......... preferably the very close ratio version with 1:1 6th gear, chase a 500hp car with a Bara box down a country lane and you would scare the shit out of him and given half a chance you would probably overtake him and leave him behind

As regards buying a 2nd hand R&D i would insist on the seller sending the box to SCS for a strip down inspection before parting with £3k........... especially if the box has been in a big bhp car Chances are the case hardening on the gears will be giving up and another £3k will soon be needed for a full rebuild That's then £6k spent and you could have had a new one for that price ............ or a new Ludde box for a lot less

Case hardening showing signs of failure




Turbomook............ i think you areeither going to end up with the new DPE synchro box or the Ludde dog box

[spiritof'76]

I have 2 R&D 6 speeds for sale if you need one

I would pay a little to get them both strip inspected and then if they are good push them at people with 380/400hp where they will be very effective and take the car to a new level............. they are hard work in traffic but who gives a shit about that the one i had 1st gear was so long you could just hold it in 1st in traffic and just sit with your foot on the clutch rather than struggling to engage gears at low speed all the time

[Sunnysidebb]

Mike,
Its a big expenditure and a shift from road orientated driving to motor sport driving to find you cant live with one.
You can PM me or phone me at anytime and I will give you an honest appraisal of life with one on the road.
If you drive the car too and from track days and a very small amount of town driving you will get away with one. If your a serious high miler driver, think twice about it
Then its up to you to decide.

[Carlo]

One of them was bought from bara 2nd hand only 3 month ago & the other one has just had new 1k worth of parts fitted last week by andrew gallacher i would need to find out all what was done ! one is out the green escort thats being broken & the other is oput the green focus once all the money comes in from breaking the escort & the other r&d sells he is going fully sequential with paddle shift

[JonBarlow]

And R+Ds have a habit of going into the wrong gear

No good for a road car