Todd 13 Posted October 20, 2019 I have xy 351c/ toploader/9” with 3.20 diff gears have shifting gears issues ,all gear changes are clunky and 2nd to 3rd is a lot worst I have replaced shifter with a new one from ford muscle parts ( $795 they saw me coming ) anyway even with new shifter the gear changes suck have played with linkages and adjusted to no prevail and hoping someone out there can answer the following . Q1. How do I determine the toploader needs rebuild or synchros are the problem rather then shifter. Q2. Was told toploader was close ratio is there a way to confirm this as 1st gear is very short even with 3.20 diff gears and would like too do a bigger skid before changing gears Q3.how much to rebuild a toploader and is it possible to chance 1st 2nd gear ratios during rebuild or do I need a normal toploader to achieve this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
winton 399 Posted October 20, 2019 The best way to eliminate top loaders poor shifting issues is to replace it with a Borg Warner. I've never had a top loader that liked to shift gears quickly. I snapped part of the shifter mount on one years ago trying to force it throu3the gears. After that went auto, never looked back but yeah I didn't really answer any of your questions did I. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hendrixhc 10,918 Posted October 20, 2019 I got rid of my toploader for this reason. Notchey to shift and all round just a pain in the arse. I went with a built C4 and B&M Shifter, makes driving the car a whole lot more pleasurable. 1 NZXD reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gerg 10,871 Posted October 20, 2019 Back in my apprenticeship days, a fellow worker reckoned you fixed the poor shift quality by drilling tiny holes through the syncros to let the oil out and help them bite. Not the first time I have heard this. Are you running the right oil? Don't run an EP (diff) oil in a gearbox otherwise the syncros have an even harder time biting with the EP additives. Go for a heavy engine oil or a specific light (non-EP) gear oil. EP oil will also eat the brass in the syncros over time. Your box may well be worn. If you pull it out, pop the top off it and look at 3rd gear syncro. It's the second from the front. It should have nice pyramid-shaped teeth around it, not rounded off or flattened. Also try and rotate it back and forth. If it moves further than the width of one dog tooth (as in half a tooth each way), the ring is worn internally and the box needs to be stripped. If first gear seems really short, you don't have a close ratio I'm afraid. Close ratios are made by having a lower primary reduction (the input shaft/layshaft gear ratio) to reduce torque multiplication. All gear ratios are subsequently taller due to this. Conversely, in a wide ratio, the primary gear reduction is greater, so the gears have a greater multiplication of their ratios (and torque) and is more suited to heavier vehicles. Close ratio has a higher torque capacity, wide less so. Unfortunately, changing ratios means the entire gearset in the box, not just one or two gears. There might have been two, maybe three different sets you could get from memory. Sent from my CPH1903 using Tapatalk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scottly 475 Posted October 20, 2019 Hey mate, there was a xy that recently ran 10.7 at Calder park. The car runs a H pattern 4 speed toploader, I think Paul Rogers built the gearbox maybe give him a call. Toploaders are not cheap to rebuild and generally the gearbox builders use second hand gears ect with new gaskets, syncros and bearings, close to $2800. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
