Introducing the DL800 Transmission Build — for the Audi R8 and Lamborghini Huracán
Built around the DL800 dual-clutch transmission, this program is fully configurable. Start with a clutch package, then add the driveline and hardware upgrades your power level demands.
Clutch Packages
Available Upgrades
Why Spool Gearworks?
Finding technicians who can properly build a 7-speed DL800 dual-clutch transmission is difficult — the work is specialized, and few shops do it well. That's why we launched SPOOL Gearworks, a division dedicated entirely to advanced transmission services.
We built our reputation in the 8HP market, and we've brought that same standard to the DL800. Our lead DL800 technician has spent the last decade working exclusively on the R8 and Huracán V10 platform — not as one job among many, but as the only thing he does. That depth of focus is hard to find, and it's what separates a competent rebuild from a transmission that holds up under real power.
If you're weighing your options on who to trust with a DL800 build, that experience is the answer.
Understanding Where DL800 Transmissions Actually Break
For years the accepted wisdom has been that second gear is the weak link. Owners responded by avoiding power and avoiding full pulls in second — and then broke third gear instead.
Here's what's actually happening.
Second gear is the weak link under a specific set of conditions: launching on a prepped surface, shifting first-to-second with an aggressive clutch setup, or wheel hopping the car in second. Those are high-shock-load events. On the street, they mostly don't apply.
On the street, second gear has more mechanical advantage than third. Starting a pull in second means the engine has an easier time propelling the car, and you have a greater chance of wheel spin — which acts as a relief valve and makes it harder to break parts, not easier.
The benefit carries into the next gear. When you run second to a sensible shift point and then take third, you've reduced the time the car spends in a gear with less mechanical advantage, and you've moved past the engine speed range where torque peaks. Third gear gets an easier life as a result.
The takeaway is that third gear failures are often the consequence of avoiding second, not evidence that avoiding second was working.
The Solution
You have two options: tiptoe around the car hoping the transmission holds, or build it properly and drive it. A planned transmission upgrade removes the guesswork and the roadside failures. If you want help figuring out what your setup actually needs, reach out — we're always around for that.
Builds start at $17,999 — our entry-level package, and the one we recommend for any DL800-powered car running above stock power.
The stock unit has a ceiling. We've seen these transmissions fail on Stage 1 twin-turbo cars, which is a lower threshold than most owners expect. Paired with the right supporting hardware, a DL800 build removes that limitation and gives you room to grow.
Tell us your current setup and where you're headed, and our team will spec the right package for it.
$6,499.00
$6,499.00
$6,499.00
-17%
$1,999.00
$2,399.00
-20%
$1,599.00
$1,999.00
$1,999.00
-28%
$1,299.00
$1,799.00
$2,039.00
$132.00
