rocket box gearbox codes, what are they?

[davecrossflow]

as the title really what are the gearbox codes for the rocket gearbox

 

I am building a hot crossflow 1600, I'm not sure what gearbox to go for (as I haven't got one) as far as I can tell my rear axle ratio is a 3.2

 

I'm looking for something that will give me a half decent motorway cruise without the rpms being too high on motorway runs but also be quick-ish off the mark in the lower gears

 

my engine should end up around 120 hp when I'm finished with it

 

any hints n tips as I'm new to all this ford lark   well not completely new I'm a bit mad about my mk5 smiley transit petrol

 

the crossflow will be going in my project car not the transit

 

 

 

 

[alltheoldohyeah]

Grarbox id and ratios here

http://www.fordanglia105eownersclub.co.uk/technical/technical-articles/gearing-up-for-a-change/

Gear speed calculator here

http://www.kabamus.com/garage/gears.html

 

Hope it helps

[davecrossflow]

cheers alltheoldohyeah some good reading there, i'll have a look tonight!

 

I have a genuine RS2000 bellhousing & clutch fork can I use this to bolt a gearbox to my crossflow engine????

 

hoping to get stripping the engine this weekend i'll do a write-up if I can find my camera to upload pics

 

[katana]

Check your diff ratio again as there isn't anything near 3.2:1 ! Assuming it is 3.54:1 (tallest English axle ratio) any of the commonly available 4 speed boxes will be droning along in top at about 3,750-4,000 revs at 70mph. If you use a 5 speed box that will drop to about 3,100 @ 70mph but you may struggle to pull it as your proposed engine configuration will have its 120hp at max revs - maybe 6500 rpm? so less torque available lower down to pull those overdrive gears and will struggle. I'd lower the axle ratio to 3.89 or 4.1, use a 5 speed (with a raised 1st if possible) and live with the noise!

[Vista]

Check your diff ratio again as there isn't anything near 3.2:1 ! Assuming it is 3.54:1 (tallest English axle ratio) any of the commonly available 4 speed boxes will be droning along in top at about 3,750-4,000 revs at 70mph. If you use a 5 speed box that will drop to about 3,100 @ 70mph but you may struggle to pull it as your proposed engine configuration will have its 120hp at max revs - maybe 6500 rpm? so less torque available lower down to pull those overdrive gears and will struggle. I'd lower the axle ratio to 3.89 or 4.1, use a 5 speed (with a raised 1st if possible) and live with the noise!

There is an Atlas ratio of 3.22:1, has he stated what car and axle he has?

[davecrossflow]

what would it take to fit a 5 speed from a capri 2.8i as they have the longer 1st gear don't they???  they have th longer input shaft aswell I think, do they? can I fit one of these to a crossflow???

 

cheers all for any advice help its really appreaciated

[mk2 mike]

I've got a Capri 2.8 box in my xflow mk2. It does have a slightly longer first, and allegedly is stronger than a normal type 9 too.

 

There's lots of guides but basically you'll need:

 

To cut the input shaft down as it'll be too long. From memory think it's about 16mm but a bit of research will confirm.

 

An alloy rs2000 bell housing. You can use a cast normal type 9 (not 2. bell housing but the tunnel might need a bit of adjusting with a hammer. The RS bell housing negates any tunnel mods.

 

Alloy blocks to mount the rear of box to the original mounting holes and drop the rear of the box down a bit. Commonly available for about £40 You can make new holes for the gbox mount through the floor but you'll still need to lower the back of the box. So the alloy block are best imo.

 

Longer speedo cable, commonly available.

 

A bracket for the clutch cable to go onto. From retroford, about £10

 

Single piece prop.

 

And you'll need to relocate the gearstick hole in the tunnel further back nearer the handbrake as the box is longer.

 

Also get a quick shift for the lever (£50 ish) or bend the original lever to clear the handbrake.

 

Worth putting 5 speed in though, mine screamed at 70mph on the motorway with the 4 speed and did my head in. Mind you I had 175/50/13s too which didn't help

[davecrossflow]

thanks mike nice handy bit of info there, specially the clutch cable bracket, better order one of those!

 

I've been offered a 2.8i box for 250 quid, its a working box is that price high/low or about right? I don't know the going rate of a type 9

[katana]

There is an Atlas ratio of 3.22:1, has he stated what car and axle he has?

Very true comment but a 3.22 and a warmish 1600 is still going to struggle a bit - especially with the overdrive 5th......brilliant fuel economy though!

[Vista]

Very true comment but a 3.22 and a warmish 1600 is still going to struggle a bit - especially with the overdrive 5th......brilliant fuel economy though!

Struggle a lot I'd say

[davecrossflow]

just been freezing my small testicles off in the garage I think my axle is 3.54  katana & vista

 

this should be ok with a type 9 should'nt it?

 

I don't mind economy on a longer run aslong as I have enough poke in the 1st 4 gears to make it perky enough around town, also its gotta have BURNOUT potential! that's a given!

 

to be fair I'm no speed merchant, I used to be but had a scarey crash that I shoud'nt have walked away from, I used to own a rover metro with a very hopped up lotus elise k-series engine, jenveys/ultralight flywheel, race cams, emerald ecu metro 1.1 gearbox with steel cage bearings rather than plastic caged, lsd etc etc etc the lot!!!

 

I was driving like a dick in the wet & crashed into an island, my late braking efforts were cough cough a bit too late!

 

love drag racing, that's my thing!

 

but this build "hopefully" wont go down that route but ya never know I've been known to go off my plans before lol 

 

this car is to be my daily driver, anyhoo I've gone off topic

[Vista]

A 3.54 will be ok but it really needs quite a bit of grunt to get really good performance out of one of those. I like it coupled to my 2.2 Pinto and type 9 but many prefer a 3.77 or 3.89.

[irishtorag]

ive a 3.89 with standard 1300 4speed and 1660 xflow

plenty of kick threw the gears but it drones on long runs

+side is I don't fall asleep doning 650km run  in a day

 

where as my daily focus titanium is like a living room couch

and has a tendancy to make you sleep

[alltheoldohyeah]

What size tyres are you planning on running as this can make quite a difference

[davecrossflow]

tyre choice is either going to be my preferred choice of 175 50 13s or 165 55 13 which are roughly the same, or 185 60 13 for the mild hotrod stance

 

i'll get some pics of various bits of the proposed vehicle to receive the mildly hopped up crossflow or possibly start a thread in the resto section

 

the vehicle is in the pic on the left by my sign in name, its a pickup with a truckman style top so will be nice & light on the back for burnouts, going to order a line lock

 

I've already fixed brake issues & tomorrow I'm i'll be sorting engine electrics, the car has been off the road for a good while so its a case of getting all the MOT things up to spec, thankfully I have no rust issues to deal with BONUS!!!  so its all mechanical an or electrical issues to sort to get her road worthy! then the fun will begin

 

really appreciate the help guys with all my gear ratio related questions, I've not done an engine/gearbox swap before which the original engine is a different manufacturer, I chose to go the ford engine due to the fact most ford engine sound the bollox on twin webers & I have vw camper on twin IDF 40s & its like spitfire on full chat, so I fancy that for this pickup I'm building which will be my daily driver, that's why I'm sticking towards longer gearing/lower rpms & building the engine towards torque rather than out n out hp