Thread: Fairey overdrive

The normal culprit for the scream in a Fairey is the layshaft and laygear. It's built in virtually the same way as the middle shaft in the standard transfer case and corrugates in the same way. Replacement parts tend to be too expensive to consider though.

Hi Warb

I have an overdrive on my Series and, although I don't think it is particularly worn, it is a relatively noisy beast. Assuming however that yours is completely knackered, before you shell out a disproportionately large sum of cash for spare parts (even if you can get them), you could consider these offerings from Ashcroft in the UK:

Ashcroft Transmissions

The high ratio transfer case or high ratio gear set might well work out significantly cheaper and give a better overall outcome.

Alternatively if you have real cash to drop or original overdrive parts are impossible to source:

Overdrive (Series) - Rocky Mountain Spares
Global Roamer Corporation

As an aside, if you are into rebuilding your current unit, these guys seem to carry spares. No idea about quality (although I have never had any problems with Craddocks):

http://www.johncraddockltd.co.uk/acc...ive-and-parts/

and

shop4autopartsuk | eBay

Originally Posted by Alistair

Hi Warb

I have an overdrive on my Series and, although I don't think it is particularly worn, it is a relatively noisy beast. Assuming however that yours is completely knackered, before you shell out a disproportionately large sum of cash for spare parts (even if you can get them), you could consider these offerings from Ashcroft in the UK:

As an aside, you will need to remortgage your house or sell a kidney or something to get something of this weight air freighted to Australia. There are however cost-effective sea freight options for this which should also let you side-step UK VAT. If you think you want to go down this route then let me know and I will pass you the details of a shipping company that I have used successfully in the past.

Remember if you go for the high ratio transfer case, it's like driving around with an overdrive in all the time. Some engines simply won't have the grunt to pull the car around like that - I picked up a brand new one second hand in Australia because of this very reason, but the engine I'm building for mine will have enough grunt to move it around fine.

If you're patient they do come up for sale from time to time, so you can avoid the shipping costs.

I'm not really keen on the high ratio transfer case, I much prefer to keep the original ratios. The 86" in question (Holden 186) seems to need some revs and "clutch" to pull away at the best of times, possibly due to the large tyres, so raising 1st gear doesn't seem wise!

I could ship the Ashcroft "kit" and then fit it in a spare case, which would avoid much of the shipping costs. I looked at this option for another LR, but Ashcroft are vague about the need for a "custom tool" - they show and talk about it in the instructions, but do not specify whether it is actually included in the kit. Logic would suggest that if it is required but no specifications are given to enable it to be made, then it would be included.... but what has logic got to do with it? I would have emailed them to find out, but by then I'd decided I didn't want to raise the ratios.

For that other project, I decided to lower the low range (combination of various standard gears, can't currently remember which!) and fit a RoamerDrive. As the RoamerDriver is still on the shelf I suspect I'll fit it in the 86" and get another one later....

I have a couple more Faireys in parts vehicles, and a Toro that was (according to it's previous owner) fully overhauled not long before the vehicle was retired. Sooner or later I'll have to sort the wheat from the chaff!