Woodsport S54 extended 5th gear upgrade

As promised here is a "how to" guide to changing your 0.82:1 5th gears for the extended 0.73:1 5th set.If anyone is thinking about doing this mod all i can say is it is one of the best things you can do to your NA gearbox with the V6 fitted.It will lower your motorway RPM by around 800rpm and also extend the top speed a little,although we have yet to test that side of things!

Please bear in mind a certain amount of mechanical skill will be required to do this mod, especially if you are planning to do it "in situ" with the gearbox in the car, but it is entirely doable that way, just a lot more awkward!

I will be writing this guide presuming the gearbox is on the bench as it was for me.Also here is the usual disclaimer bollocks....

I have written this guide purely as a helping hand to others wanting to do this modification themselves, if any part of this guide is incorrect or you balls it up by not following the instructions (even if they are wrong!) , or you stab yourself in the face with a screwdriver while doing this mod,both myself and Twobrutal accept no responsibility for damage to yourself or your gearbox.With the usual yadda yadda out of the way i have taken every care to make sure this guide is as accurate as possible.Let the games begin....

The guide also presumesyou are working on a rev2 onwards gearbox, Rev1 owners will need to fit rev2 synchro hub,synchro,selector fork and all other parts from the rev2- transmissions 5th gear casing.

THIS MOD WILL NOT WORK WITH REV1 PARTS!!

1. With the gearbox stood on end you can see several 12mm headed bolts holding the 5th gear case on (circled yellow), remove all of these.
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima.../2009/06/1.jpg

2. You will notice there are some dowels in the casing (circled red) and directly beneath these dowels you will see a little "shelf" overhanging the gearbox casing, (circled yellow) this is to allow you to tap the casing upwards from underneath with a blunt chisel or punch.DO NOT be tempted to lever the casing up with a screwdriver when you have a gap, you will damage the mating faces of the casing and it may well leak when its rebuilt,just tap it up on the "shelves" (fucked if i know what they are really called)
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima.../2009/06/2.jpg

3. With the casing off this is what it looks like..... ooh scary darey! Lots of things to fuck up in here! :)
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima.../2009/06/3.jpg

4. First job is to unbolt the selector fork, it's a 12mm headed bolt circled yellow.
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima.../2009/06/4.jpg

5. Next you need to remove the circlip on top of the gear circled yellow, make sure you use something like a rag to catch the clip, if it pings off into the waste oil drum it's not good or worse still your eyeball.
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima.../2009/06/5.jpg

6. Now then tools, we all love tools, some you can buy, some you have to make.... this one you have to make im afraid, unless anyone else knows different? Either way this job is nigh on impossible without a tool like this.I made it by drilling 3 holes in a triangle shape and a larger one in the centre,then a captive nut is welded onto the centre hole ( i used part of an old puller centre second time around after prototype 1 failed). Then i welded an old prybar onto the plate, hey presto one 5th gear synchro hub puller. The 3 M8 bolts screw into the hub (yellow lines) and the centre bolt rests against the input shaft end.
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima.../2009/06/6.jpg

7. You then wind down the centre bolt while holding your shaft (oer look at me i'm frankie howard all of a sudden) and it will draw the whole synchro hub and selector fork off complete.Try to keep the synchro all intact, if the synchro spring clips pop out they are a royal arse pain (or johnny as i usually shout when it happens). If you keep it all intact it will save you hours later, take your time with this step, and carry the synchro hub assmembly like its raw plutonium... one false move and you end up with bits of synchro ring and clips everywhere.Those that have had to rebuild this 5th gear synchro hub from scratch will know the pain i speak of, you have been warned.
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima.../2009/06/7.jpg

8. Once the synchro hub is removed you now have the 5th gear (circled yellow),,,, no huge drama, it just pulls off by hand (oer again).... you score 2 points with a well aimed shot at the scrap bin, bonus points if you manage a ricochet off Anth's monobrow before it hits the bin.
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima.../2009/06/8.jpg

9. Here we have the 5th gear bearing, it is in two parts, like johnny's arse. remove both halves and store in a safe place, that's the bearings, not johnny's bumpstops.
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima.../2009/06/9.jpg

10. Beneath the bearing is a spacer ring, you do not need to remove this, just don't lose it.
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima...2009/06/10.jpg

11. Next we have the 5th driven gear locknut, you need to unpeen (is that a word?) the yellow circled bit, its name escapes me, i'm tired!. The nut removes in a CLOCKWISE direction, that's the opposite to how it would normally undo, so turn it clockwise to undo (red circle with arrow on). Now i use a pneumatic gun for this, fetches it off in seconds, if you don't have access to one then you need to find a way to lock the gear and then breaker bar it.... may i suggest jamming a screwdriver between the two gears? oh fuck the other gear is already removed, oh well your fault for not reading the whole guide before starting lol. So to recap if you do not have access to a windy gun jam the gears after step 3 and crack the locknut off. If you break the teeth off the gears doing this who gives a toss? We have nice new ones waiting to go on.
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima...2009/06/11.jpg

12. With the locknut removed here is the 5th driven gear, this will not just pull off by hand and needs a puller attaching to the top lip.
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima...2009/06/12.jpg

13. This is my puller.... cracking kit, makes short work of it , here is where i got mine.... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=260329649357
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima...2009/06/13.jpg

14. With the 5th driven gear removed go make a cup of tea secure in the knowledge you have the worlds only 4 speed Mr2 :thumbsup: This is as far as you need to strip it down doing this mod.
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima...2009/06/14.jpg

15. New cogs time! First is the 5th driven gear... here it is complete with part number if you haven't read the discussion thread on this mod and/or are new to TB, in which case hello!
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima...2009/06/15.jpg

16. Fit the gear onto the layshaft, yes i know mine's crooked.... taking pics and building a gearbox at the same time is not easy....
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima...2009/06/16.jpg

17. Use a long socket and hammer to repeatedly tap the gear down into place.
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima...2009/06/17.jpg

18. With that done refit the locknut and stake the stakenut back on.... woohoo just remembered it's called a stakenut!
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima...2009/06/18.jpg

19. Now refit the two halves of bearing
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima...2009/06/19.jpg

20. Here is the new 5th gear....
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima...2009/06/20.jpg

21. Just slide that back over the bearing.... simples!
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima...2009/06/21.jpg

22. Take heed (jesus i've worked with that scottish twat olie too long) of the four holes in the gear circled yellow.....
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima...2009/06/22.jpg

23. Likewise the four tabs on the back of the synchro hub, these both need to mesh with each other when you fit the synchro hub back on.....
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima...2009/06/23.jpg

24. I made this step look simple, it is not! , you need the patience of a saint gently tapping the hub back on while supporting the underside of the hub with pry bars, this stops the synchro clips popping out.... hours of fun! This is what it looks like when you have managed it... oh refit the selector fork bolt (circled yellow)
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima...2009/06/24.jpg

25. Refit the clip.
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima...2009/06/25.jpg

26. Clean both sides of the gear case and apply sealant....
http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/ima...2009/06/26.jpg

Job done :thumbsup: