Bananaman Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 I'm thinking of swaping my Quaiffe 6 speed Sequential box for an Elite 5 speed sequential has anybody had any experience of these boxes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Walker Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 Alex wong has one it went wong. Dave Edmunds also runs one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V7 SLR Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 How much would you sell your Quaife box for? How old, miles etc... And what's the ratio of 6th? Edited by - V7 SLR on 5 Feb 2005 00:09:24 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Now, now - I can barely afford your wide-track, Nige... Project Scope-Creep is underway... Alcester Racing 7's Equipe - 🙆🏻™ Alcester-Racing-Sevens.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Alex wong has one it went wong. Sigh......... Unoriginal, and also not exactly true...... Spigot bush failed in the crank, clutch plates failed - splines gone, a badly fitted clutch cover (my fault) and yes, the input shaft bearing failed. But what caused what is just not possible to ascertain. I believe I'm not the only one to have Quartermaster clutch plates fail.... Elite have put alot of work into making the box as good as it is. What did fail was the gearbox mounting bracket. This was caused by me repeatedly grounding the car due the loads I subjected it to on the Marrakesh endurance rally. A type 9 gearbox mount could easily have failed after the number of times I hit the ground with the sump/bellhousing. Mark and Paul from Elite has been a great help and it is good to see that the box is being developed. Actually, the box is pretty much developed. It's the Caterham installation that needed development but I think they've got that sorted now. It is lighter than the Quaiffe, has a much wider choice of ratios and a much nicer change action. It's not the drop in replacement that the Quaife box is, but I believe teething problems are to be expected when fitting a truly non standard item into the car. I've learn't alot and passed on info to Elite and they listen and have made changes. This is rather refreshing! So I have a different gearbox mount, a different gear lever arrangement and a revised front bearing cover. I have faith that I have made the right choice for me and accept that there are some teething probs but with the work Dave Edmunds and Dave Kimberley have done with Mark at Elite, and my little contributions, I do think that we have ironed out the problems. The Elite box now fits the Caterham and is pretty much a drop in replacement for the type 9 casing as Quaife use although you need a different propshaft. Banaman, I should have my car back together in a couple of weeks. If you can make the trip to Wychnor - 10 mins from Curborough, you're welcome to try it and compare it with your Quaife box. Edited by - Alex Wong on 5 Feb 2005 01:29:48 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Perry Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Its good news to hear that they are responding so fast to customer feed back. I would appear that they are commited to customer care. It hasn't gone unoticed that Westfield have just introduced car with the Elite box as standard so obviously they have faith in the manufacturer as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metal mickey Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 I saw this box at the NEC and spoke to the guy on the stand. I was impressed by the size of the box and the fact they had effectively started from scratch rather than try to convert the type 9 as quaife have - very proffesionally. The only point that concerns me withthe elite box is the method of mounting the gearlever, although it looked strong enough to do the job I wonder if constant 'snatching' of gears would fatigue it - has anyone had any problems? If I was to move my car towards a track bias car i'd be seriously thinking of the Elite box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edmandsd Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 HTR made the linkage for my Elite box and very nice it is too. The Elite one is not up to this standard in my opinion, although this shouldn't be viewed as a reflection of the box as a whole. Home of HTR700 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bananaman Posted February 5, 2005 Author Share Posted February 5, 2005 Thanks for the response guy's The box will actually be fitted to a Westfield so i assume that they have sorted the mountings? I take it that the box is shorter than the Quaife unit & hence I'll need a longer prop? Anybody know if the stick is located the same distance back from the front flange of the bell house mounting? How much would you sell your Quaife box for? How old, miles etc... And what's the ratio of 6th? Answers in order Not sure yet? 1000miles since refresh. 1:1 6th Gear Ratio. SEiW500, see ya later......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Which linkage did you see at the show - was it the big L shaped bar or the triangulated linkage with two oblique triangulations down to the rear of the box? I used the old L shaped linkage and it was ok but I agree that long term usage may cause it to fail. Elite responded to suggestions such as mine and the new linkage is much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 I subjected the original mounting to a ridiculous load of beatings (we were two up and fully packed with some 40kg of spares/spare wheel/20litres spare oil etc etc) as we hit the ground so many times on the rally. The original mounting wasn't up to this but the new one looks like it should be. Edited by - Alex Wong on 5 Feb 2005 12:42:18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 You will need a longer prop. GKN made the one I have following input from Elite and Dave Kimberley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 The stick can be moved forwards and backwards. I have mine a bit further back than a type 9 to get it out of under the dashboard in a Caterham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Jones Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 I take it that the box is shorter than the Quaife unit & hence I'll need a longer prop? Anybody know if the stick is located the same distance back from the front flange of the bell house mounting? Andy was you not listening to the guy at the show you can make the gear linkage stick position as short or as long as needed You will need a new prop as there is the need for a slider, and a flange on both ends the one you have now has one flange and the sliner goes straight into the gearbox. Why haven't you ordered one yet. when I have my redundance cheque in the bank I will be ordering one Paul. See My Car Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Jones Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Andy I remember now we was too busy eating their sweets Paul. See My Car Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normans_Ghost Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Alex, didn't know I was the only one with Quartermaster problems. We must swop stories some time. Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Mem No 2166, the full story here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelspeed Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 You need a slider prop for the live axle. Don't think you need a slider prop for a de dion or independent rear westie as in both cases the engine and diff are both firmly (ish) mounted to the chassis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Jones Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Steve of SBD has just fitted one to his Westfield and he used a slider prop so you MUST need one as Steves can is about as minimalistic as you can have a car Paul. See My Car Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 I think you need a slider for the de-dion - I have one as well. The standard type 9 has the prop sliding directly into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Howe Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Hell would need to freeze over before I would ever consider Elite... or their freelance personnel. Not once bitten, not twice bitten but thrice bitten... JH Deliveries by Saffron, the yellow 222bhp Sausage delivery machine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelspeed Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Fair enough then. I was clearly misinformed by the Elite sales guy at NEC. Thinking about it I guess even a tiny amount of movement is going to be a problem with prop UJ's, they are designed to cope with misalignment but would have zero give length ways. Plus I suppose everything grows a bit when it all gets warm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Yes you would have to run a slider prop with an Elite box in a 7, otherwise the slightest amount of compression pressure in the prop could lead to deformation of the unit, and believe you me you don't want a prop failure in a 7, cos i had one and there is nothing there to protect your hips and sides. ☹️ Watch This Space....Get it ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted February 6, 2005 Share Posted February 6, 2005 Norman, what happened to your clutch plates? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normans_Ghost Posted February 6, 2005 Share Posted February 6, 2005 Long story (all my stories are long) Roger (King) suggested the QM 7.25 twin plate with Full organic plates. After engine work ran car in (in one weekend to Cornwall and back to Rogers). All OK. First time car used in anger, one centre plate stripped the splines and the other fractured around the rivets holding the centre boss. QM denied any liability syaing we'de fitted incorrectly. Crank etc was checked for run out my myself and by Roger.No problem. New plates fitted a few weeks before Le Mans and I said I wouldn't get back (feel, noise, action etc). I didn't, same happened on way back (just past Gace). This time I fitted an AP paddle cerametallic unit. Feel, noise action now felt right. Drove about 600 miles and all OK Rang QM and said "it must be your clutch". This was on a Monday, on Wednesday AP unit did same. This time I fitted a new (secondhand) 1st motion shaft and AP kindly fitted new bosses at reasonable price. Clutch has been fine every since. MY theory is the QM full organic plate has too much friction area for a non sprung clutch and put excessive strain on the splines. Although no wear was visible or to the touch, I think the splines had been "sharpened" on one edge and were "sawing" through the centre plate boss. Roger thought the QM organic would be better for a road car. I find the AP cerametalic paddles OK, bit of a handful in traffic but you get used to it. No blame on Roger whatsoever. QM did not deal with problem very well as only comment was "nothing wrong with our clutch, you must have fitted it incorrectly". I can understand this had they seen the broken unit but this was the attitude when being informed by phone, before sight of broken unit. What happened to yours? Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Mem No 2166, the full story here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted February 6, 2005 Share Posted February 6, 2005 I had a sudden total loss of drive - from what felt like all ok to no drive suddenly, and when cruising. As mentioned, the spigot bush had broken up, the plates had both had total loss of the splines, the 1st motion shaft has significant wear along the splines, but they are still there - it makes a great clutch aligning tool - and the bearing on the first motion shaft had failed. It's impossible to determine what went first. Any of these failures could have caused the 1st motion shaft to rotate eccentrically and so cause the othe failures. There no doubt that what caused me to stop was ultimately the loss of splines in the plates. Mine were new QM Rally plates. I honestly do not think I know what led to what. I've refitted new QM plates and Elite have made some mods to the 1st motion shaft bearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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