15 replies to this topic

[Johnny D]

Inexpensive spacers help keep transmissions in service longer and make rebuilds easier

 

 

Part No. 0000-0257-22SP

 

Racer Price: $51.00

 

Longtime Spec Miata racers know that NA and NB transmissions have a slight problem under racing conditions – the transmission shaft can twist under the repeated hard acceleration of racing. While it doesn’t affect performance, it can be a big problem when it comes to rebuilds – the gears can be incredibly difficult, even impossible, to remove from a twisted shaft.

 

Some Spec Miata racers, and those who race the Miata in other classes, found a solution: an old fifth gear, ground down, could serve as spacer in the transmission, strengthening the shaft to keep it from twisting. But you have to have an extra fifth gear, and it’s a lot of labor to grind it down. So Advanced Autosports’ Dave Wheeler, who runs a fleet of Miatas for himself and customers, sought a better solution: a custom-manufactured piece that slips onto the shaft and can be a much cheaper and easier option than a modified gear. He found someone to manufacture it, and now it’s available.

 

Approved for use in Spec Miata, that transmission spacer is available from Mazda Motorsports. While having no affect on performance, it can increase the longevity of the transmission and make rebuilds easier. Call Mazda Motorsport for more information or to order.

[mellen]

Dave did find someone to make it 

[davew]

The spacer was manufactured by OMNI Gears of Joliet, Illinois, by SM racer Keith Mellen. Much nicer than the cut down 5th gear mentioned in the article. I have been using Keith's version since they became available a month or so, ago.

 

The spacers are ONLY available through Mazda Motorsports, I designed them, Keith made them and Mazda sells them.

 

Dave

[FTodaro]

The spacer was manufactured by OMNI Gears of Joliet, Illinois, by SM racer Keith Mellen. Much nicer than the cut down 5th gear mentioned in the article. I have been using Keith's version since they became available a month or so, ago.

 

The spacers are ONLY available through Mazda Motorsports, I designed them, Keith made them and Mazda sells them.

 

Dave

Did not know Keith was involved. aka Tattoo.

Glad we have Miata racers helping Miata racers.

[Bi11]

The spacer was manufactured by OMNI Gears of Joliet, Illinois, by SM racer Keith Mellen. Much nicer than the cut down 5th gear mentioned in the article. I have been using Keith's version since they became available a month or so, ago.

 

The spacers are ONLY available through Mazda Motorsports, I designed them, Keith made them and Mazda sells them.

 

Dave

Just curious Dave why don't you sell them and cut out the middle man?

[Bench Racer]

Just curious Dave why don't you sell them and cut out the middle man?

For the same reason the newly designed/fabed front hub will have a middleman.

[wheel]

Parts to be used on Spec Miatas are marketed through Mazda, with Mazda part numbers, to keep the class as close to spec as possible.  It prevents parts variety that might lead to some type of advantage.  Mazda does this as a service.  They do not consider these parts as profit generators.  

[davew]

Just curious Dave why don't you sell them and cut out the middle man?

 

I know nothing about the new hub. The trans spacer makes sense for Mazda to handle it. To get the price down, it required a large initial purchase, volume creates discounts. It does not make sense for me to have that much money tied up in a slow moving item. David Cook from Mazda worked with myself and Keith to get the price structure where we felt it needed to be..It is win, win, win, win situation for myself, Mazda, Keith and the SM racers.

 

Next we need someone like Wheel to make sure this item is approved for other classes that the Miata races in. i.e. Improved Touring, Prod, STL etc. I would hate for someone to lose a protest over something allowed in SM but not in other classes.

 

Dave

[wheel]

If a letter goes into the system, I think we could get that handled.  Anyone who races in one or more of those classes should send in a request.

[davew]

Not to throw my long lost cousin, wheel, under the bus. But this is something that SCCA should have thought of, and taken care of on their own. Multiple letters going to multiple Ad Hoc groups, through multiple hours of discussion is un-neccessary. Just do it.

[wheel]

Other wheel, Every time we do something like that we get hammered because Prod doesn't like it or Touring doesn't like it, etc.  We err on the side of letting the classes decide for themselves.  

wheel

 

by the way, I agree with you.  If I was King, the CRB would apply this across the board......

[SaulSpeedwell]

Just curious Dave why don't you sell them and cut out the middle man?

 

This thing is the deal of the century.  Like Dave, I was cutting down 5th gears as well.  So we'd have to recover blown 5ths, stack them up, in my case I took them to a machinist and the costs were above or below the $51 Mazda price, depending on the batch size.  It was never a  "moneymaker", it was just something we could do to improve the reliability/reuseability of the gearbox for guys that were twisting countershafts routinely.  I'd much rather just buy them at this price.

[davew]

Jim Wheeler for Grand Bubbah

[wheel]

Bow before me, my humble servants.

 

actually, it is Big Kahuna.

[davew]

Cuz you look good in flowered Hawaian shirts and flowered shorts

[wheel]

No.  It is because the trailer I bought had Big Kahuna signs on both sides and I didn't have the time or patience to remove them.