1G 5th gear swap questions

[4gfun]

My 94 FWD Laser has a 91-92 Transmission it it.

I have a 91 AWD Donor Transmission with a .666 5th gear Donor Gearset.

I'd like to take the 91 AWD Donor Transmission and use that 5th gear in my FWD Laser. Both trannies are out of the car at this moment.

The intended purpose is to lower RPM in 5th. I have done a 5th gear swap on a mazda tranny before, but this seems to be more involved.

Questions:

1) There was and probably still is a FAQ on this but I can't find it. Can someone pass me the link? Tired of searching for it.

2) I have an impact and a 36mm socket handy. Will the nuts just spin if I don't hold them down with something? Apparently pennies and rags are no-no's?

3) Any other pointers? Something about staking the nut? I have never done that.

4) How do I tell whether or not 5th has already had this done? Are the gears scribed with the ratio? Does anyone know the teeth count? You just never know what someone might have done already!

Thanks!

 

[motomattx]

Why not just throw the awd tranny in your fwd and use the cendter diff eliminator adaptor and then you have a tougher tranny all the way around?

 

[4gfun]

Why not just throw the awd tranny in your fwd and use the cendter diff eliminator adaptor and then you have a tougher tranny all the way around?

Thanks, I should have mentioned that this is a fuel economy project. Strength is not an objective. Looking to get as low an RPM in 5th as reasonably possible.

 

[biglady112]

We use rags to back the nuts off. We run .666 gears in all of our trannies from 90's to the current 94's we are running. Never had an issue with installs or reliability. And to the person who stated the and transmission is stronger you clearly have no experience with the fwd transmissions. We have had little to no failures in nearly 15 years of racing. Minor things here and there, no major carnage or damage to date yet. On ten second fwd cars, 200mph salt flat cars and now in a car with over 900hp.

 

[4gfun]

We use rags to back the nuts off. We run .666 gears in all of our trannies from 90's to the current 94's we are running. Never had an issue with installs or reliability. And to the person who stated the and transmission is stronger you clearly have no experience with the fwd transmissions. We have had little to no failures in nearly 15 years of racing. Minor things here and there, no major carnage or damage to date yet. On ten second fwd cars, 200mph salt flat cars and now in a car with over 900hp.

Thanks and very comforting.

I'll use rags as opposed to the penny.

I am still googling away to try and find the original VFAQ for this. I came across it when not looking for it. Now I can't find anything at all.

Any answers to my questions?

I'd rather follow a procedure with something like this then break something and ask questions later.

 

[4gfun]

Surprised I have fingers left after searching for the below link. Additional thoughts still welcome. If I have trouble, I'll come back and post as well.

https://web.archive.org/web/20090902062300/http://geocities.com/qwik93awd/Vfaq/shifter.htm

 

[motomattx]

I have plenty of experience with fwd and awd transmissions bud . I have been rebuilding them and using them for years now ask Dave Buschur, Marco from Magnus, etc I have been in the Dsm scene for a good bit now, Just because you havent broke "alot" of fwd transmissions doesnt mean they are stronger, wheel spin is why you havent broken as much.

 

[biglady112]

There is no denying wheel spin aids in longer life, to call them weaker is incorrect. I have been racing big power fwd Mitsubishi's for 12 years now and Mitsubishi's in general for 17 years. Pretty sure I have been around the block. I don't need to ask anyone, I have no idea who you are nor do I care. If someone blurts out false obscenities Iwill speak up.