Hey guys, for those who want to keep their 6 speed I have found a place in Sydney who make an extremely strong gear set for the J160 rated at 710N-m of torque! Thats 220 Nm more then the V161 (Getrag 233) and a huge improvement on 168 - 220 Nm of the stock J160

For a mere sum of $4640AUD you get the gear set and throw on another $650 for fitment (which includes everything you need such as seals and bearings). You are able to choose any ratio's you like including copying the TRD gearset!

http://www.par-engineering.com/sections/pr...zda§ionId=7

As many of you know this box is an AISIN AZ6 and found in many diferent cars including the MX5 6MT, S15 6MT, S2000 6MT and the Altezza. Even though this is specific for the MX5 AZ6 transmittion, I have been assured the gear set will bolt in AS LONG as it is specified when ordered. Difference is input and output shafts which are made of billet.

Im unsure if the case can harness all this power but I guess time will tell. For obvious reasons if you take the straight cut gear option at no extra cost then this is irrelevant.

For those who do real circut time, there is an option to purchase a billet 6th gear (Which I doubt most of us will ever strip the stock gear) or even a dog mesh engagement!!!

Just be aware that although we have the same AZ6 as the S15 Silvia/AP1 S2000/NC MX5/SE3P RX8 etc, only the main box is similar.
Even the GT86 runs a modified AZ6

The internals are differently sized (lengths, diameter of shafts, gear size and teeth count etc)

I had an S15 AZ6 6MT which I tried to see if they were interchangeable but even the input shaft of the S15 was differently sized (Spline on SXE10 is 29.8mm where the S15 is 25.5mm).
Pulled both apart and the internals are all different sized etc.

End in end, it will work, but not without lots of machining etc

Would suggest double checking that the MX5 and the Altezza internals are interchangeable first?

Some reading on the differences between models in the AZ6/J160
http://kaizenfactor.wordpress.com/2012/02/...we-know-so-far/
http://kaizenfactor.wordpress.com/2012/04/...on-or-is-scion/

Got a reply last night, they much said they will do the Altezza box at the same price but input shaft and output shaft are different. They have done a few j160 boxes now, can select any gear ratios you want for free and they charge $650 for assembly into your old case. So that's 5.5k for a new gear box! Many options such as straight cut gears and a dog box option for a little more... These guys are

Great! Good to know they can do the kits to suit the Altezza J160 aswell!
For that price I'd deffo try go for another box tho, someone has also done a S14 5MT transplant with a cut and shut bellhousing to a 3SGE+T aswell.

But definitely good to know for those who want to keep the OEM Box

I dont know, after spending as much as I have on my clutch and knowing it works well for me then paying someone to fabricate a bellhousing and tranny mount and then worrying about output shafts, custom clutch ect ect It works out to be the same. I can get a Tremec TKO box for just over 3K but then I need all the extras, it adds up...

Just think this is a pretty good solution to such a weak box. Im not to sure how strong the cases are on these trannies but I guess ill find out in the future and go straight cut gears haha

It would be a $6k operation by the time you were finished.

Factor in...

GST (not incl in that price)
assembly
box rebuild (bearings and seals)
lube
beer and pizza

I'm budgeting a little more than half that to change over my setup including the clutch (net cost after sale of old parts).

The cost of the gearset is $4,640 cost of labour and consumables including bearings and seals is $650 (I was shocked to but I have written confirmation) then $529 for GST.

As far as installing the box after that well thats a half day job by myself and $95 for MT90 plus some lock tight and a skim of my flywheel should it need it (most likely by the time I get around to this Ill be due for a new friction plate anyway).

The fact I can choose any ratio I want, Output and input shafts are made from billet and it has a 12 month warranty makes it all worth it knowing its a direct bolt in.

Just waiting on Torque figures...

Come on Matt factoring in the sale of your old box is a little rich considering R154 go like hotcakes and selling my gear would be like selling ice to Eskimos.

^^^ so I was pretty close.

Granted on the value of my old gear. I'm only planning on getting 3500 for my old clutch and gearbox.

Meh, 6K for a billet gear set with TRD ratios installed and 12 warranty is as good as sold especially since I have 2 of these boxes now and its a bolt on safety net... Planning on seeing how long I can get out of the stock box first anyway.

How much were the TRD kits worth on their own?

I take it these are long gone disscontinued items.

A fair bit considering they were from TRD. I would ask nick but remmeber the TRD gearset only changed 2 gears this replaced 5 with the input and output shaft plus all the bearings ect ect...

Its basically a new gearbox....

NSW is so far.....

I could use my spare gearbox and get it done for you then swap gearboxes for a nominal fee if you want

I sent a Getrag 6 Speed from Sydney to SA Depot to Depot for $14.00 on a half pallet :)

holy shit thats a good price!

that sounds good be cool tobut for that money u could put a r154 in and have somthing that would never brake

Ive seen plenty of R154 gearboxes let go especially because of the first gear thrust washer which is an incredibly weak link (Asin only rates them at 340nM but experience says they can handle allot more).

These J160 gearsets are rated (and warranted) at 710nm of torque. We all know the cases are the weak point of these boxes but if your going straight cut that then this becomes irrelevant. Fact is if your spending that much on these boxes your doing some serious driving and in that case your likely to be going to have straight cut gears.

Put it this way kids, buy a brand new R154 for 3500 AUS plus custom clutch and bellhousing plus fabricating the slave cylinder and your in way over your head...

Any yea I know second hand ones go well below 1K but will it be remote shift? and in what condition will it be in?

at the end of the day your getting a brand new J160 that can handle heavy duty loads day in day out for 4640AUS. MUCH cheaper then the R154 option and nowhere near as much of a headache...

How many people on here have broken their gearbox through having too much torque? And not just from the owner being harsh on it *looks at Madaltezza :P*

lol iv got just over 900nm atw now so i think it a bit of both lol