UCR Gearbox Feedback

General General Lotus Talk
1

Well, managed to put 150 miles on the car since Monday, and I said I would put some feedback on the site on what I thought.Pulling away. I always felt the 1st gear was too short for the Exige. No sooner are the wheels moving, I always felt that you were changing gear too soon. With the UCR, this seems very different. It gets up to 40 in 1st (possibly more, haven’t really kept an eye out much) You feel like you get a ‘gears worth’ now rather than changing early.Up through the gears, it is great. With the quickshift, it is a real joy. Revs don’t drop, and the thing just keeps surging forward.Second is simply stonking for dispatching traffic as I found out this morning. Drop it down and you don’t have to change during the manoevre (sp) Just point and squirt.3rd / 4th not much to say other than they come after 1st and second. Cross country, you use 3rd most of the time depending on terrain and it does pull well.5th - On motorway, it pulls better from 70. Top speed does not seem that effected. It goes up to 120 easily on the speedo, so more than enough for me. The revs are higher on the motorway in 5th. I think it was 5000 @ 90 , but can’t rememberOverall, the gearbox is great, but there are drawbacks.As first seems to be longer, you just can’t seem to get off the line quickly. I tried a couple of times holding the revs at 5000, but the clutch simply slips. It is upgraded as well and brand new (not full racing though) Will probably replace with full racing clutch in future as the thing just burns up when you want to get away quickly.Other downers - when overtaking or going across country, you have to be very wary of revs to maintain the pace. It bogs down so easily below 5000 and takes a second to pick up. Thus, you do seem to be changing gear alot to keep the engine on the boil, otherwise you lose mementum.Was it worth it. Definately for the quickshift. As for the gearbox, second and third are quite stonking when overtaking. If you get the revs right, it just kicks forward and doesn’t let up when you change into third. You dispatch traffic in one gear which I prefer as previously I found you were changing up when you were going by. On motorway, despite the higher revs, thus noise, 5th is much nicer. it pulls much much better without the need for dropping into 4th.Overall, happy I did it.(just for 2nd and third!) The only major down point is not being able to get away quickly. Once the wheels are moving, you can nail it, but to get the forward motion will be pricey on clutch plates

2

Guess your not bothering to run it in gently this time [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]

3

Interesting comments Tubbs. Your impressions seem a bit odd, though. 1st and 2nd are virtually as standard. However, I do agree that the 'box is well worth it. The car feels so much quicker in the higher gears, and the reduced drop in revs when you change up just makes the car feel massively more lively. I love it.You’re right about top speed not being reduced. I saw 140mph on the speedo last week with a few hundred rpm left to go. If anything, I reckon it probably increases the top speed of an Exige with 190bhp or less.

4

quote:Originally posted by Brendan:Interesting comments Tubbs. Your impressions seem a bit odd, though. 1st and 2nd are virtually as standard. However, I do agree that the 'box is well worth it. The car feels so much quicker in the higher gears, and the reduced drop in revs when you change up just makes the car feel massively more lively. I love it.You’re right about top speed not being reduced. I saw 140mph on the speedo last week with a few hundred rpm left to go. If anything, I reckon it probably increases the top speed of an Exige with 190bhp or less.Unless it is me with 1st and 2nd as I haven’t driven it for so long, but it does seem to need more revs to get it off the line, and a standing still start just wants to burn the clutch out. Maybe it is because the roads have more grip at the moment with the warm weather?

5

quote:Originally posted by Phil:Guess your not bothering to run it in gently this time [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]I have run it in for 150 so far and not taken it to the line. Still changing at 6000 or so, but chances of it going again - lets just say the garage would end up with the car embedded in the side of their wall!

6

Tubbs and or Brendan.Do either of you have the part nos etc for UCR gear kit & where can I purchase one?Phil GT

7

quote:Originally posted by Phil GT:Tubbs and or Brendan.Do either of you have the part nos etc for UCR gear kit & where can I purchase one?Phil GTGo to quaife.co.ukThey have all the options listed.You can get it through Lotus but pay an additional 300 quid for the privelage (despite Lotus say their UCR is better - strangely enough is comes from Quaife as well and has the same gearbox ratios etc… )It is on 3 week order, thus I got mine via Lotus, but got them to discount it by 200 quid because Lotus and Quaife are lying scumbags! heheheheGo for the 6 speed sequential - 3.5K Must be worth it!!!Took car on run today. The UCR will not disappoint. Have said it once already, but second is simply stonking in traffic. Only problem is I spent 10 quid on petrol to go and buy 1.15� worth of bolts!! Dam, don’t you just hate these sunny days!!

8

Strangely Quaife don’t seem to list that gearset with the semi-helical cut that Lotus supply. I’m sure they can supply it, but it’s not in their catalogue. I got mine through Lotus via Nick Whale Sportscars.

9

Question for you regarding the quick shift - is the kit manufactured by B&M?If so, which did you select, 24% gain or 33% gain? Since the percentages might not be entirely correct, just tell me whether you went for max gain or just incremental gain.Thanks,Bob

10

BobMost of us here have the B&M quickshift (Eliseparts now supply their own less expensive version), & “max gain” is the preferred option.Once fitted, you’ll wonder why you’ve not done it before now [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image]

11

quote:Originally posted by beto:If so, which did you select, 24% gain or 33% gain?I think Lotus recommend the lower one, and for the road they are probably right, as I understand 5th can become a bit of a pain. But for the track I think 33% is the way to go. Now mine is going to be used much more for the latter I think I’m going to adjust mine.Ian [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image]

12

betoI fitted the B&M short shifter last weekend. What a difference!! Although I didn’t drive the car, shifting in the garage was wonderful! I went with the max reduction and also angled the shifter towards me. I think this will be a great set-up, but we will see the first outing of the year.

13

Well, I went with the lower setting, ran it at Gingerman, and concluded it sure ain’t worth $215 or whatever I paid for it.I am seeing whether I would be happy with 33%. I used loctite, so it won’t be easy to switch it over.

14

Don’t loctite something before you get it sorted!!!What times are you running at G-man with your set-up? What tires were you on?