Club 80-90 Forums

I remember test driving my van, I drove onto an industrial estate with the owner sitting next to me, I couldn't get it into reverse at all.....about twenty attempts and then it went in. Lorraine and our little one were wetting themselves with laughter in the back!!!

I came on here once I got the van home and was told the Go left then Push d wn and forward trick......
it's so easy when you know what you're supposed to do. Now I can get it in first time every time.

I too pull off in 2nd when on the flat or pointing downhill....
5th to 4th however needs to be done quickly on mine...."sort of throw it from 5th to 4th" if I pause then I miss the gear it "seems to baulk at the gate" and lose so much speed I end up going to 3rd anyway!!

Hahaha! When I bought mine,I drove from bristol to Devon using only 3rd, 4th and 5th! Thought the box was dying. But now I know better.

I just remove the crappy bracket from the box so I go over sprung to left and then either fwd for rev or back for 1st, never had a problem .
mike

Sagemagoo wrote:I put in the Brickwerks adapter kit which has really tightened up the gear change travel, no more changing stations with my knuckles - highly recommended and easy to fit.

More info needed

Sagemagoo wrote:If you think a T25 5 speed is weird - try a Citroen 2CV....

Yeh, My brother had one of those

Dog-leg first 'boxes are a sign of true morosport heritage, just like the 5-speed ZF's that were in Mercedes 190 Cosworth 2.5-16's

It'll only take you a few months to get used to it if you drive it every day, you'll be OK by Easter

silverbullet wrote:Dog-leg first 'boxes are a sign of true morosport heritage

that's what James May would say but I'd say

er no it's just a cheap way of building a five speed box by modifying an existing 4 speed design, the extra gear is just hung on the end and shares the reverse selector fork, that's why lots of people think it's 5th gear on the front of the box, some gearbox rebuilders included

Just to say I have got used to it now

Remains to see what happens when I go back our 4 speed when "Colin" comes back from the body shop !

I only have a 4 speed gearbox, obviously minus Reverse, and G Gear

Talking of gear changes etc, has anyone fitted a gearstick extension?

ghost123uk wrote:

Sagemagoo wrote:I put in the Brickwerks adapter kit which has really tightened up the gear change travel, no more changing stations with my knuckles - highly recommended and easy to fit.

More info needed


Brickwerks used to do a T3 quickshift kit for about 25 quid, bought it last year and fitted it 3 weeks ago... Gearchange actually feels more like a 'normal'' car than stirring the porridge bowl. Checked on the Brickwerks site and they are not listed anymore...perhaps messrs Baxter can enlighten?

and Aiden mentions them under 'parts' section on his homepage, don't know if he supplies them as a kit...

vw approved 2nd gear take offs with the 5 speed box if van unladen , its in the user manual.


one finger gear changes as smooth as you like , or they should be!

Yep, mine is 5 speed and I only use 2nd for pull off when warm unless steep gradient.

Yep, I have been doing the 2nd gear pull off too, seems fine.

It's that reverse that I still find a bit tricky, perhaps mine needs a tweak, or just another couple of days to get used to it. After all I have only been driving it for 2 days so far.

Another little technique I was told and works for me-
Take time with the changes, don't try to force into next gear, especially when cold.
Short pause in neutral and then let it ease in with light pressure ... two or three finger changes, this goes with my previous point.

Aidan wrote:

silverbullet wrote:Dog-leg first 'boxes are a sign of true motorsport heritage

that's what James May would say but I'd say

er no it's just a cheap way of building a five speed box by modifying an existing 4 speed design, the extra gear is just hung on the end and shares the reverse selector fork, that's why lots of people think it's 5th gear on the front of the box, some gearbox rebuilders included

In front engine/rear drive vehicles a similar bodge was employed i.e. Hang 5th out the back with a modified rear cover, giving a weakened and in some cases unsupported overdriven 5th...another BL/Rover classic design

silverbullet wrote: In front engine/rear drive vehicles a similar bodge was employed i.e. Hang 5th out the back with a modified rear cover, giving a weakened and in some cases unsupported overdriven 5th...another BL/Rover classic design

Very common in FWD transverse boxes as well. You probably wouldn't do it like that if you were starting from scratch, but it works well enough and is a cheap way of 'upgrading' an existing design - hence there's a lot of 80s designs like this where the expectations of drivers shifted from being happy with 4spd to wanting 5spd boxes.

Noone bats an eyelid about the fact differential pinions are always overhung.