Baulk / Synchro Rings

[Spider]

Hey guys and gals,

I've always used genuine Baulk / Synchro Rings, straight out of the Leyland box and in later years the Rover Bag, however, I have had a few that have been a bit off in sizing in recent times, and I've read a few things on line where other's have had less than satisfactory life from them.

Non-factory ones have been available for yonks, however I've always been rather conservitive and steered clear of these as if they are made from the wrong material and / or way, they can damage the cone on the gear itself or not have enough bite to work at all, so while there maybe good ones out there, I don't know which ones are satisfactory.

Anyone here able to share their experiences with Factory ones and Non-factory alternatives?

Cheers

[guru_1071]

i always try and use good old secondhand ones, but as my stock of strippable gearboxes is getting so small ive started to use the non gen (the minispares ones) in preferance to the currently avalible bagged as genuine ones.

the trouble is with both the non gen, and what is sold as gen nowadays is such a moveable feast - the quality varies between batches so much that there is no 100% right or wrong answer.

the key checks to make are to ensure that the baulk sits at the correct 'stand off' from the gear (taking into account the bedding in process), the amount of ovality in the baulk, the shape and size of ther horns, and the amount of heat treatment that the horns have had (as this affects the ovality and the strength of the finished baulk.

ive seen great non genuine ones that can be just thrown into a box with no inspection and horrid over heat treated genuine ones that bottom out on gears from new!

[Spider]

Guru_1071, thanks.

Yes, my stocks of older Baulk Rings is dwindling, I don't have many left at all. Generally in a build though, I have usually preferred to fit a new one to (at least) 2nd gear as this one always seems to see the most use.

I've had a couple of horror stories come out of Rover Bags in the past couple of weeks. The worst of it is some that are actually under-size and so don't fit far enough up the cone. Of course if you'd try assembling that, it'd like be locked up. Found a few that were oval, just as you've say and the ears are very inconsistent.

So I guess it means buying a mixed pile of them and likely throwing some (?) away. I tend to buy these in from the UK (I'm in Australia) and so returning stuff is often not worth the cost and hassle of doing just that

Cheers

[lexie467]

Hallo,
I can write you a bible of poor manufacturing, hardening, welding and so on regarding new production of bulk ring for 3-synchro gearboxes i.e. Cooper S. I do FIA App.K racing pre-65 and am not allowed to use dog box.
My gear box wizard in Sweden, Per Malmberg, informed me that the only bulk/synchro rings that will do today are old ( OK ) ones taken from early boxes up to mid/late 60-ties as they are rightly done in every respect. Since than I had had no problem in my race units.
The new production bulks also make damage to other components in the gearbox. So just leave them. Good luck.

Tommy

[Spider]

Hi Lexie467,

Thanks for that tip. Since posting here, I've had a few people suggest to me the same thing. I'll have to gather up a few more old boxes to strip until some better ones become available. I am aware that some decent ones are in the pipeline from a leading supplier but unfortunately at this time, no ETA on them.

Cheers