18-12-2024, 06:03 PM
I've found, over the years that the 4 speed crash box is actually the nicest to use - if you can cope with double de-clutching all the time The 4 speed synchro is very prone to baulking (i.e. the striking dogs meeting head on, preventing engagement) when the synchromesh is working and also prone to the synchromesh wearing out (which cures the baulking problem). The gearchange is also heavy and ponderous in my view. The crash box is a little slow but the change from 1st to 2nd is usually very slick and the whole unit is beautifully (and no doubt, expensively) engineered, with chevron gears, to cancel out the end thrust produced by the helical cut pattern. The crash box is light and easy to use, once you get used to it.
However, the 2 and 3 synchro boxes were probably cheaper to manufacture, even after paying the royalty to GM for using their patented gear synchronising invention.
Baulking was a feature of all the Austin gearboxes, right through to BMC days, the 803/948cc A30/35, Morris Minor etc. gearboxes all suffered in the same way. Eventually, for the 1098cc and subsequent gearboxes, baulk ring synchromesh was added, which cured the problem by allowing the striking dogs to slip past each other if they met head on. It was possible to replace the baulk rings to restore weak or worn out synchromesh as well - a much improved gearbox.
As Reckless says, 2SYN is Austin shorthand for "synchromesh on second".
However, the 2 and 3 synchro boxes were probably cheaper to manufacture, even after paying the royalty to GM for using their patented gear synchronising invention.
Baulking was a feature of all the Austin gearboxes, right through to BMC days, the 803/948cc A30/35, Morris Minor etc. gearboxes all suffered in the same way. Eventually, for the 1098cc and subsequent gearboxes, baulk ring synchromesh was added, which cured the problem by allowing the striking dogs to slip past each other if they met head on. It was possible to replace the baulk rings to restore weak or worn out synchromesh as well - a much improved gearbox.
As Reckless says, 2SYN is Austin shorthand for "synchromesh on second".