What gearbox for my Gardner engine?

[meekumslr]

I wondered if any engineering minded people could tell me what gearbox or type of gearbox I could use on my MFV.
At present, I have a Gardner 6LXB engine and Gardner 2UC gearbox.
The gearbox doesn't engage forward without fighting with the gear lever, so needs repairing anyway but i'd like to go hydraulic and have a control on the dash rather than a huge gear lever out of the floor.
The problem is that I'm not sure what type of box I can fit.
Does anyone have any knowledge they could possibly share?
Neil Meekums.

 

[Sultans_Kapitein]

Try Paul Gardner Engineering in Manchester, he is the son of original family and they refurbish Gardner engines.
Mal

 

[penfold]

ask the nice people at lancing marine; a twin-disc or a BW velvet drive will probably fit the bill.

cheers,
David

 

[fishermantwo]

[ QUOTE ]
Gardner 6LXB engine and Gardner 2UC gearbox.
The gearbox doesn't engage forward without fighting with the gear lever, so needs repairing anyway but i'd like to go hydraulic and have a control on the dash rather than a huge gear lever out of the floor.


[/ QUOTE ]

I have a 2UC gearbox behind a 6LW. The handbook states that there is about 70 pounds of pressure to engage forward gear. Obviously with a long handle there is not much effort from the drivers position. Have you adjusted the internals of this gearbox? They have to be adjusted every few years. Quite difficult to get your hands inside but once you have done it once your an expert.

The real difficult part is making sense of the handbook, it was written a long time ago when English was obviously a lot different! Set up properly this is a good gearbox.

There was a fishing trawler in this port that had a 3UC box, same set up but different ratios. This boat had hydraulic controls for the Gardner box. Just a small lever on the dash and a hydraulic ram on the box to select the gears. Not difficult to put together yourself these days and much cheaper and easier than chasing up a secondhand Twin Disc or Nigato for between 10,000 to 20,000 dollars, then have to fit it.

Plenty of 2UC's still about and doing good service. Mechanical boxes are actually quieter than the hydraulic boxes like Twin Disc except for the later, more expensive bevel geared boxes.

I would adjust yours first to spec, then work out a hydraulic shift set up. Parts are scarce for these boxes now so look after what you have and dont expect more than another 50 years out of it. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif