i know this makes me look thick but can someone tell me where todrain and fill gearbox oil have read workshop manual other than checking level where the oil pimp sits behind the round cover
i know about the chain filer and drain
regards trev
gearbox oil
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Anthony Duffield
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Re: gearbox oil
There is a drain plug under the gearbox, remove the round cover to reveal the oil pump simply pour oil into the space below, the manual advises to fill until the level is approx. 1.0mm below the lip. Take your time the oil will be thick and will take time to find its level.
Re: gearbox oil
Being less than impressed by the thickness of the specified SAE 140 oil, I expected to need a spoon not a pourer to get it in, I switched to Castol R 40 after my first gearbox rebuild following the advice of an acquaintance who found R the only way to keep a Burman box on a Vincent sprinter in one piece.
Which worked well for me and gave a lighter change.
Due to the high load carrying ability of the castor components R is a good gear oil in low shear applications so long as the box doesn't get too hot. High shear drives like helical and worm gears will kill it in nothing flat due to the high temperatures generated by the sliding contact between teeth but our boxes have good old full depth involute teeth which are a relatively benign environment.
When the gearbox on my first Commander ate its third and fourth gear pairs in the common fashion at around 45,000 miles I took the innards to an AFV gearbox guy at AWRE for consultation. (When you've got contacts use them! Especially if Her Maj is paying.). He was somewhat uncomplimentary about the overall design, over hardened teeth and "optimistic" power rating given the long spindly main shaft. Reckoned that the EP additives in SAE 140 actually made things worse. He would have advised something uber special developed for tank gearboxes. Fall off a chair expensive and essentially unobtainium for non military customers. As none of the special stuff could be scrounged he agreed that R would do nearly as well provided it didn't get overheated.
During the Supreme conversion Richard kindly got Oerlikon-Balzers to apply one of their vacuum deposited coatings to the gearbox innards. These coatings are very effective at reducing gear and similar wear in high load applications. Commonly done in motorsport and correspondingly expensive but my box should now see me out.
Clive
Which worked well for me and gave a lighter change.
Due to the high load carrying ability of the castor components R is a good gear oil in low shear applications so long as the box doesn't get too hot. High shear drives like helical and worm gears will kill it in nothing flat due to the high temperatures generated by the sliding contact between teeth but our boxes have good old full depth involute teeth which are a relatively benign environment.
When the gearbox on my first Commander ate its third and fourth gear pairs in the common fashion at around 45,000 miles I took the innards to an AFV gearbox guy at AWRE for consultation. (When you've got contacts use them! Especially if Her Maj is paying.). He was somewhat uncomplimentary about the overall design, over hardened teeth and "optimistic" power rating given the long spindly main shaft. Reckoned that the EP additives in SAE 140 actually made things worse. He would have advised something uber special developed for tank gearboxes. Fall off a chair expensive and essentially unobtainium for non military customers. As none of the special stuff could be scrounged he agreed that R would do nearly as well provided it didn't get overheated.
During the Supreme conversion Richard kindly got Oerlikon-Balzers to apply one of their vacuum deposited coatings to the gearbox innards. These coatings are very effective at reducing gear and similar wear in high load applications. Commonly done in motorsport and correspondingly expensive but my box should now see me out.
Clive
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johnbirchjar
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Re: gearbox oil
We all know the 5 speed gearboxes fitted to the air cooled and watercooled rotories were crap, and after really low millage 3rd and 4th gears whined a lot,but by and large lasted quite well,(I evan had new 3rd&4th gears fitted at about 50,000 miles to try and cure the whine,all to no avail,after about another 2,000 miles the whine was back 
.)
I have experimented with a number of different grades of transmission oils over the 30odd years I used my Classic,and one of the best was the one recommended by Harley Davidson for their bikes
,J.B.
.)I have experimented with a number of different grades of transmission oils over the 30odd years I used my Classic,and one of the best was the one recommended by Harley Davidson for their bikes
,J.B.Re: gearbox oil
hi john is that synthetic oil
trev
trev
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johnbirchjar
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Re: gearbox oil
Hi Trev,No idea,(and I can't even consult my records,they all went with the Classic when I sold It 
)all I can remember was that it was red and very sticky ,J.B.
)all I can remember was that it was red and very sticky ,J.B.Re: gearbox oil
Best oil is the one Tony Page used on his Interpol. He did more than 300.000 miles on the same gearbox.
He used SAE 140 if i'm not mistaken...
Jannes
He used SAE 140 if i'm not mistaken...
Jannes
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kanonkopdrinker
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Re: gearbox oil
This, from Tony Page ……
I can access the forum but can't post a reply.
I've done 490,000 miles now on my IP2 with the same gear box. So, despite what has been written on this thread, they are not 'crap'.
I have always used the specified 140 grade oil and changed it every 5000.miles which equated to once a month. It never had a chance to emulsify or to otherwise get water in it.
These days I don't do that kind of mileage so change it every 2000 miles. I have not used synthetic oil.
TP
I can access the forum but can't post a reply.
I've done 490,000 miles now on my IP2 with the same gear box. So, despite what has been written on this thread, they are not 'crap'.
I have always used the specified 140 grade oil and changed it every 5000.miles which equated to once a month. It never had a chance to emulsify or to otherwise get water in it.
These days I don't do that kind of mileage so change it every 2000 miles. I have not used synthetic oil.
TP
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johnbirchjar
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Re: gearbox oil
Ok,so maybe "crap"was a bit strong,(and maybe Mr Page had a good one,)but the quality control at Quaff did leave a lot to be desired,and I'm not the only rotary rider who commented on the 3rd&4th gear whine,J.B.