15 replies to this topic

[Msmith3327]

This is more off a head in the clouds question.

Has anyone ever fitted an overdrive or can they even be fitted to a mini gearbox, MG's have them with i think a transverse gearbox (probably the wrong word for it) but would they fit a mini gearbox???

Lets throw that one out there!

[MiniLandy]

I'd also be pretty interested in this, my LandRover's got one in the Power Take Off of the transfer box.

Lack of a fifth gear is a massive problem in my mini, is an overdrive even possible?

[Msmith3327]

Have been reading the posts ref this and everyone os going on about 5 speed box's what i am looking at it the same as in an MG where you flick the button rather than change gear!

[Guess-Works.com]

No...

Overdrives are units which are fitted to the back of ( or integral ) to the gearbox on the output shaft before the differential...

I can't think of any transverse fwd transmission which has an over drive, and I don't mean an overdrive gear which obviously most modern 5/6 speed transmissions have...

And the MG it not transverse it's rwd with a longitudinal engine ( or Vertical )

[Msmith3327]

Cheers Guessworks, I knew i was wrong on that transvers thingy.

[Msmith3327]

Cheers Guessworks, I knew i was wrong on that transvers thingy.

Have had a look on Minispares and can only find a 3.4 final drive, can anyone point me towards a new 3.1 final drive gear, and is it a straight swap with the final drive in my current 89 998

[[email protected]]

Cheers Guessworks, I knew i was wrong on that transvers thingy.

Have had a look on Minispares and can only find a 3.4 final drive, can anyone point me towards a new 3.1 final drive gear, and is it a straight swap with the final drive in my current 89 998

http://www.minispare...ty=pb&pid=41995

Stock due in next few days

[wardyxxx]

Guessworks to the rescue!

[Guess-Works.com]

Cheers Guessworks, I knew i was wrong on that transvers thingy.

Have had a look on Minispares and can only find a 3.4 final drive, can anyone point me towards a new 3.1 final drive gear, and is it a straight swap with the final drive in my current 89 998

What's wrong with the one you already have ?

ps...

got plenty of used ones...

http://www.guess-wor...play.htm?id=156

[Dan]

There is plenty of room inside the end of a rod change box to accept a Laycock overdrive unit, but one would have to be specially made to fit in there. Much like the Mini clutch it would essentially have to be inside out and use concentric shafts to fit. It's a shame they never did this but by the time the rod change was introduced, overdrives were out of fashion and earlier boxes didn't have enough free space.

[Msmith3327]

Just looking for a better cruising RPM at the moment, as i do a lot of runs from Devon to London and at 3.765 - 1 it gets a bit loud

[Guess-Works.com]

one assumes the engine/box is not the original, the 3.1 final drive was standard fit to all minis from the mid 80's with only some models, eg City E and Spi cooper getting something different.

[Timtom]

I had a gearbox that went poof along with the 'new' gearbox i got a 3.1 final drive and on my 1275 it makes a lot of difference! I think i had a 3.4 (Guessworks now has said duff gearbox) but that would 'cruise' at 4K+ normally now it cruises at 3K. Blessing!

T

[Msmith3327]

I get 60moh at 4000 rvs ish so am guessing it actually 56 at 4000 which if guesworks website is right as it no doubt is i make it one of them 3.76 ones. So when i strip it and rebuild it i will be heading your way guess works for a 3.1 final drive

[ErnstBlofeld]

On the overdrive side of things, and apropos of nothing, I do recall Longbridge engineer Charles Bernstein being interviewed many years back by "Mini Magazine." He said during the Metro's early years BL/ARG had looked at the Jack Knight 5-speed transmission and rejected it, but that there was a serious proposal to develop an overdrive unit.