18-10-2018, 08:17 PM
Hugh, the message I hope you are taking away from the above is that the 'right' gearing depends very much on what you plan to do with the car.
A CR box will be great on the flat or shallow hills, but when you hit the steep stuff (Alpine hairpins) you will be down in 2nd, possibly 1st & chatting with cyclists. The option I went for myself was a 4-spd crash box which in fact has a lower 3rd, the thinking being I might just get over in 3rd instead of dropping to 2nd (I'm talking about my Ulster rep here with 4.9 axle currently). On the flat I potter along at 40 or 45 in top with no worries. It's the middling hills where the lower 3rd will slow me down, my strategy for those is speed up when I see them coming and take them at full tilt.
I agree keep your 5.25 axle, think a bit about where your potential tour may take you, and how you like to drive (for me when far from home slow and steady is the way) and then have a chat with Andrew if you feel some tweaks are needed.
A CR box will be great on the flat or shallow hills, but when you hit the steep stuff (Alpine hairpins) you will be down in 2nd, possibly 1st & chatting with cyclists. The option I went for myself was a 4-spd crash box which in fact has a lower 3rd, the thinking being I might just get over in 3rd instead of dropping to 2nd (I'm talking about my Ulster rep here with 4.9 axle currently). On the flat I potter along at 40 or 45 in top with no worries. It's the middling hills where the lower 3rd will slow me down, my strategy for those is speed up when I see them coming and take them at full tilt.
I agree keep your 5.25 axle, think a bit about where your potential tour may take you, and how you like to drive (for me when far from home slow and steady is the way) and then have a chat with Andrew if you feel some tweaks are needed.