changing gear clusters

[jonn]

i have a f13 cr gearbox on my 1.6 nova, i went to fit a f13 wr cluster with a 4.18 final drive.

i took out the cr cluster and diff then fitted the wr cluster and diff but when i turned the diff i could see that the shaft was moving up and down so i took the cluster back out and measured the end of the shaft which was 24mm and the other shaft was 25mm.

is their any way to change the bearing in the box and fit the 24mm one?

[mowgli]

are you sure its an f13wr & not an f10wr???

if it was an f13wr, then the whole box would simply swap over.

the early f10 boxes did have different bearings to the later ones.

whats the thought behind the swap? as you end up with worse ratios IMHO.

now fitting an f13cr with a 4.18 diff will get you a pretty good acceleration box, & you could then fit the wr 5th to get a decent top end & keep your original shafts & bearings.

[jonn]

i was hoping to get a longer ratio 2nd and 3rd gear. i am sure that the wide ratio cluster is a f13 but the bearing is smaller.

[mowgli]

I did read about people cutting & making clever joints on input shafts back in the old days, with different ratios added, but it will obviously cost a few quid to get it done..

[jonn]

i am not sure what to do now, i have to get it ready for the weekend.

this is what i am fitting into the box. the box is still on the car that's why i am just changing the clusters over.

http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp297/jonny057/SAM_0852.jpg

http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp297/jonny057/SAM_0855.jpg

[jonn]

anyone know how to change the bearing in the box?

[mowgli]

any decent mechanic will be able to get a bearing out, is it the one for the output shaft on the bellhousing side?

you might struggle to get them anywhere other than genuine, or from a really good bearing shop. you might be better off getting an engineer to make you a sleeve to fit the bearing.

[jonn]

ya its the output, i might have a go at taking out a bearing out of a old gearbox.

[mowgli]

from memory, the outer bearing casing isn't very strong, and it comes out with pry bars... but try to check out the bearing dimensions from bearing supplier first.

[garyc]

why not swap the box and put the right cluster in the right box, at least you know you have the right bearing for the job. Better doing that than being stuck not being able to race.

[jonn]

i dont really want to change the box because it is a 1.6 16v and i have to drop out the engine and box to change it, but if i have to i will. it will only take a few hours

[mowgli]

but unless you can see f13 cast into the side, then i think the box you have got the cluster out of is an f10, and they don't fit 1600s.

[jonn]

i will try and figure something out, if worse comes to worst i will just put the orignal cluster back in.