hewland MK series gear lube

[vitis]

I don't know if this is the right forum but nothing else looked appropriate. We use a MK9 gearbox and SWEPCO 201 gear lube. I was advized to stay away from Redline when I started running the hewland so that is the reason for SWEPCO. Anyway, we have a helluva time with gear selection after gear changes when the box is cold. Seems to get better once on the track. I "lubricate" with the SWEPCO when I assemble. No obvious wear problems with using the SWEPCO stuff.
Is there a better gear lube to use? Should I use a different lubricant during assembly?

Thanks,

Milt McPherson

[timos]

It might not matter, but in the interest of completeness, what gear oil weight?

It does generally get easier to shift when the oil & gearbox warms up, but it's not usually that big a problem.

Maybe there's something other than oil choice involved? Have you tried a setup jig to see how the stackup and carrier behave outside the case?

(Before everyone jumps in and says how awesome Red Line is, I hate the stuff. It's messy, seems to break down strangely, and doesn't seem to make anything last longer. And it costs more.)

[revtom]

My $.02, Redline Shockproof Lightwt. is by far the best lube I have used in my Mk-9. Open up the box after months of sitting, and you will find the stuff clinging to the roof of the box, and all internals, and no more fine sheen of brass bits in the lube at gear change time.

[kea]

RedLine Shock-Proof Light !
Before this became available, we saw greater CWP wear rates in a number of vehicles with the Mk8/9 gearbox, particularly those which ran in a "pro series".
Yes, you need to scrub the old stuff off when you want to put a gear set away, but isn't that better than a lubricant that can be sprayed off with something as simple as brake clean.

[timos]

Didn't take long for this to devolve to a Redline discussion.

[vitis]

Sorry about getting the Redline vs. other lubricant discussion statred but maybe we should try the Redline stuff.
Timos, we use SWEPCO 201 that is 80-90W. The setup jig might be a good idea but I had sent the box to Keith Averill and he set it up in a new case for me (blew out the throwout bearing through the side of the case --guess they call it a throwout bearing for a reason) and it still was difficult to shift. We may be having some shift linkage issues but still seems very stiff to shift.

Milt

[timos]

80-90 isn't terribly thick so that rules out that theory.

I'm sure the carrier/fork setup is fine if Keith set it up. So that seems to be unlikely too.

My Redline comments were based on the red stuff. Apparently there is lighter weight green stuff that I was not inclined to try after the initial red experience.

Let us know how it works out.

tim

[Brian]

I set the fork spring/balls for 20 - 25 lbs of force to move the shift fingers. If you can do that, then stiffness is external to the box. In the linkage, most likely. Given the design I can't see lube weight making much difference.

Brian

[vitis]

Thanks Tim and Brian. I'll see if I can check the spring/ball force and find out what it is set at. Maybe setting it at the 20-25 lb setting may help me figure this out. that may be at least a rational approach prior to changing lubricants. I also give alot nore attention to the shift linkage.

Milt

[T644HU05]

Yellow, slippery, sticks to everything including carb-cleaner Redline Lightweight Shockproof. Was very happy with it. I haven't had a chance to run it in a LD200 yet though.

[Albatross]

Can you imagine some professional racer sitting down over a beer or two and telling his drinking buddies "I use Swepco", just after crying about shifting problems? Geeezz, he'll get laughed out of the place. Don't know how the rumor(s) ever got started about Redline. Sure wish more drivers used Swepco, it would make winning a lot easier for me. Been using Redline for many years with no gear box problems. But, first and most important-make sure your gear box is set up correctly.