Who is Waiting on a transmission.

Maily · 11-13-07, 02:49 AM

Hi Everyone.

Should have put it here in the first place.

Out of curiosity, how many of you are waiting on a new transmission, or intend to order one in the near future?

Thanks Guy's

Eric A. · 11-13-07, 09:10 AM

I would say that the answer to this question depends on how you define the question. Many of us are waiting on a suitable transaxle, something that will handle the power and have the right gear ratios, that will be available at a reasonable price. When that becomes available I am sure alot of people will be looking to place orders.

Bill D · 11-13-07, 12:36 PM

I've been waiting for my ZF to be rebuilt for 8 months now.

RichardH · 11-13-07, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill D

I've been waiting for my ZF to be rebuilt for 8 months now.

name and shame!

Maily · 11-13-07, 04:31 PM

Hi ERIC A.

With the many various engine configurations, how would you determine a suitable set of gearbox and diff ratios to suit the majority? What are the right ratios and what diff ratio?
I have no idea, that is why I ask.

Thanks All

Eric A. · 11-14-07, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maily

Hi ERIC A.

With the many various engine configurations, how would you determine a suitable set of gearbox and diff ratios to suit the majority? What are the right ratios and what diff ratio?
I have no idea, that is why I ask.

Thanks All

There is no one set of gear ratios that would be suitable for every engine. Most of the transaxles that are available are from cars with high reving, small engines like the Porsches. These gear ratios just don't work well with a V8. The Audi 016 is a good example. First is 3.60, which with a final drive of 3.89 or 4.11 is just too low to be of much use. A transaxle with a taller first gear, somewhere around 2.8, with the other gears suitably spaced and a fifth gear that would give good cruising speed would be ideal for alot of the engines that are being put into these cars.

Julian · 11-14-07, 04:28 AM

Eric - have you been in a GT40 with an 016 trans? I have and it's great for my purposes. Short gearing, and gaps between each gear that 'close up' with each higher gear. And a top speed of around 250 km/h at 7000rpm. So for competition events, with a max speed of less than this, and a motor built to rev (not cruise) it works out well.

All I'm saying, is what you think is suitable/not suitable is only for your own personal preferences, not for everyone.

Eric A. · 11-14-07, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 200MPH

Eric - have you been in a GT40 with an 016 trans? I have and it's great for my purposes. Short gearing, and gaps between each gear that 'close up' with each higher gear. And a top speed of around 250 km/h at 7000rpm. So for competition events, with a max speed of less than this, and a motor built to rev (not cruise) it works out well.

All I'm saying, is what you think is suitable/not suitable is only for your own personal preferences, not for everyone.

This is why I said one set of ratios would not be right for every engine. I would prefer to be able to cruise at 70 mph at about 2500 rpm. For track work you would want different gears than for everyday street use. I still think that the low 3.60 first in the 016 is really too low for most use and several people that I have talked to have said the same. Some don't even use 1st most of the time. There is a big spread between 1st and 2nd in the 016 and if 1st were a taller ratio I think the transaxle would be better overall.

Dave S · 11-14-07, 09:10 AM

Nah I like the 016 first gear ratio. Ease the clutch out stand on the gas
away you go. IMHO it saves the box as you don't have to rev the motor up and dump the clutch to get the car to jump. On the otherside side of the coin a Bloke drove my car the other day and said first gear was a waist of time. Perfect for me, crap for others.

johng · 11-29-07, 09:39 PM

Received my first ZF 11 months after order. Told today it might be January for my second! 14 @#$%^^&** Months!!!

Lynn Miner · 11-29-07, 10:31 PM

I talked to Phil at Hi Perf Gear (the guys that actually make the RBT/ZF for Lloyd Butafoy) yesterday on a non-related topic. I asked out of curiosity how the deliveries were going. "Not good" was the reply. They are waiting for small parts from other vendors and the backlog grows longer everyday with no end in site. SPF cars are stacking up at dealers all over the country (the world really) waiting for transmissions. It will be interesting to see if Quaif and some of the others will be able to fill the void. If the claims are correct, the first Quaifs should hit the shores in Jan 08.

Chris Martino · 11-29-07, 11:36 PM

IMHO - if a major manufacture banks on a specialty product, expecting high-volume output without due-diligence to ensure that unit deliveries meet their specific volume requirements is taking a big leap-of-faith. Conversely, if said company says they will meet those demands and then cannot deliver is now their problem to correct. I cannot fathom how anyone would accept a contract for something they know is not possible to fulfill within stipulated time-frames. There can be supplier problems so you have to have in place responsible supply-chain management to source back-up vendors than can come through if the main supplier is having difficulties meeting the demand. If no other vendors exist then manufacture in-house because what other choice is there?

This I believe is the result of a very specialized product to whit results in these types of production/scheduling/delivery issues in the first place. Easier said than done but proper planning does go a long way to ensure these issues are minimized.

Chris

DonWheeler · 12-12-07, 01:24 PM

I just received a call from my dealer.
My dealer just received a call from RBT stating that the two transaxles he ordered (early November 2006) are ready to ship.
One transaxle is for my GT40, that has been paid for since March; and the other transaxle is for my dealers personal GT40.

Don from Maine

Carl Staub · 12-12-07, 10:45 PM

Ordered an RBT ZF in March, still waiting....
Carl from Reno

DonWheeler · 01-02-08, 08:47 PM

I spoke with my dealer today.
The two transaxles to be shipped that I mentioned earlier in this thread have arrived. Two transaxles ordered in early November 2006 arrived at years end 2007.

Bill D · 01-02-08, 09:46 PM

Still waiting a call from RBT. Probably never. But my GT40 will be done, painted and sitting in the garage collecting dust

chuck smith · 01-02-08, 10:00 PM

Personally, if funds allowed, I would buy the ZF for sale here on the forum and sell mine when it showed up

Chris Martino · 01-02-08, 10:46 PM

Yikes!! I was hoping to buy an RBT ZF, which I'm still a ways away to purchasing one for my build but I'm hoping they would make me aware that it could take 'X' amount of time as an estimate to when I could expect delivery. Does RBT take orders before doing such? If not, they should expect the negative comments made against them. If so and they are still not meeting deadlines then they need to do what needs to be done to deliver in a timely manor if they hope to have a long-term relationship with it's customers.

I can only hope by the time I am ready for my transaxle they are on track, if not I'll take my business elsewhere.

Chris

FRPGUY · 01-03-08, 08:15 AM

Chris, how about a Mendeola SDR-5, $10950.00 There is a nice story in the latest issue of Kit Car Builder. They claim first deliveries this coming spring.