Ode to the Aussie 4 Speed

[Vombil]

have a supra box and it still proves hard to get into 2nd when cold. I just go from 1st to 3rd until it warms up a bit.

I love the little nuances of old cars.

I have supra box too. Much better than an All "jam up" Aussie. Shame about the last owner who ignored the leaking rear seal which resulted in noisy bearings

[playwme]

I never really had any shifting problems with mine. It was starting to sound a bit noisy so we pulled it out and took it into the local mechanic. He replaced the cluster gears and some bearings, took it home and put it back in. Drove it into town and noticed an oil puddle under the flywheel cover. Ripped off the cover and discovered that of the 4 bolts holding on the front bearing retainer, 2 were sitting in the flywheel cover and 2 were fingertight. Tightened them up , refilled with oil and went on my way.
6 months later I've just shifted into 3rd and everything locks up sending me into a skid. I quickly discover that any gear but 1st causes the gearbox to be completely locked. Upon disassembly it's discovered that 1st gear is fused to the main shaft. Whether it was to do with the earlier oil loss or not I'm not sure. I had a burnt van with a single rail/9 inch conversion so rather than spending more money I just swapped over the bits I already had. The M21 is still in pieces in a plastic tub at the farm. I got another main shaft for $10 when picking up some Ebay Statesman doors so one day I'll put it all back together.

[Absinth]

Funny..... back in the 80's when all I would own was a four speed I never once had problems with the M20/M21 sticking or problems changing gears. Sure I blew the odd one up along with the odd diff but that was mostly due to my agressive teenage/early 20's driving style...:knockout:

I think you pussies are just too used to late model smooth shifting boxes

[rallyvan]

I've broken the silly plasticy shift links on 3rd-4th one evening when coming back from running in an engine over Bell's Line of Road. Went for the big down shift to third and punched the ash tray in my 308 VB Commodore. Was only 5 km from home so hoped under the car with shifter and disengaged 3rd and drove the remaining distance home in 2nd. The poor car had been coping a pounding all night so I was lucky it broke so close to home. Next week me mate machined up some solid steel blocks to replace the plastic items problem solved!

Anthony

[HK1837]

One thing i'll give them is they are easy to rebuild, I used to do a few of them. At least I thought they were easy, till I built a Muncie. Then I realised that the aussie 4spd is like a scale model of a real gearbox. On a muncie you stick 2 fingers down the layshaft tunnel to put the needle rollers in place, and the needle rollers are like pencil size. You could break someone's skull with 1st gear rather than give someone a nasty scratch with an Aussie 1st. And the layshaft belongs in a porno, or on a donkey.

[wbute]

Funny..... back in the 80's when all I would own was a four speed I never once had problems with the M20/M21 sticking or problems changing gears. Sure I blew the odd one up along with the odd diff but that was mostly due to my agressive teenage/early 20's driving style...:knockout:

I think you pussies are just too used to late model smooth shifting boxes

Yeah, maybe a pussy, but have had plenty of time on true crash boxs to appreciate a nice shifting synchro one! Without a doubt the most amazing gearboxs are motorbike dog boxs that shift under full power up and down without the clutch and never break.

I love the Aussie 4 speed and dont reckon you have lived unless you have been bailed up by one Even brand new rebuilt Sandman vans are suffering from the great ballsups of the Aussie 4 Speed Demons in 2011!

I have considered the 5 speed celica/supra conversion or even a tremec but in the end its not meant to be there so when the M20 gives up the ghost I might give an M21 a go to see how much different the ratios make it to drive.

[jennie285]

Yup, when Rodney goes over 110km/hour, I have to hold the gearstick to stop the noise, deffo need a new thrust bearing already...oh well blame good old Borgwanna....

[HK1837]

Don't do it, M21 behind a 202 or 253 is awful unless it has at least a 3.55 diff. Will be fine for cruising but don't try reversing up small hills or carrying any load or towing.

[wbute]

[QUOTE=HK1837;16240]Don't do it, M21 behind a 202 or 253 is awful unless it has at least a 3.55 diff. Will be fine for cruising but don't try reversing up small hills or carrying any load or towing.[/QUOTE
Not likely to Byron.... I was sure first gear was a taller ratio and I know I dont want that! Its a 3.36 diff by the way. 3.08 would be nice for highway though.

[hx-sandman]

I've had a few combinations

202/M20/3.55
253/M20/3.55
253/M21/3.36
308/M21/3.08
308/T350/3.36
308/Supra/3.36

The M21 or supra with 3.36 would be my personal preference with the M21/3.08 diff the one I liked the least - fine for the highway but a real slug to get moving