The type 2's
The type 2 or bus trannys can be identified easily by their case design.
All of the IRS ones up to 73 1/2 have 3 ribs on the top of it, so most
people call these "3-rib" trannys. Most of these have a 5.38 R&P, and
a "moderate" (3.80) first gear, however some have the 3.78(same as the
late model beetle transmission) first gear (much stronger). The way to
tell if it has the 3.78 first gear is to take off the nose cone. The mainshaft
will NOT have a cone washer under the snap ring. Also the mainshaft is
bigger than the one that has the weaker 3.80 first. Some of the 3-rib trannys
also have a 5.42 R&P which is "supposed" to be stronger than the 5.38.
I have seen a lot of R&P problems with the 5.38. I have only seen a
few of the 5.42's so I do not if they are actually stronger or not.
From 73 1/2 to 75, the case was changed to the 5-rib design. These
all have a 4.86 R&P, and the good 3.78 first gear. From 76-82?, the
case was changed again to the 6-rib design. These transmissions are sometimes
called the 091. These are the toughest. They have a 3.78 first gear, but
it is even wider and stronger. They also have a 091 differential section(bigger
spider and end gears). VW also made 091 trannies with what I call a "side
shifter" nose cone. The shifter actually comes out of the side of it. These
are basically the same trans as the earlier 091 and can be converted to
the front nose cone by changing the nose cone (of course), the intermediate
housing, gear selector, and shifting rods. If you need any specifics on
the rest of the gear ratios, feel free to e-mail me.
How to tell if your trans is good WITHOUT talking it apart
Got a tranny laying around and don't know if it's good or not and don't want to take it apart to find out? Well, there is a way to tell. I agree that complete disassembly is the best way, but if you don't have time, or don't know how to rebuild one, then do this: First take the plug out of the bottom and look it. It should NOT have any shiny pieces of metal on it. A gray sludge is normal. Next, pour a little oil (black is OK) out and look at it. A little brass in it is normal, but it should NOT look like it has metallic paint in it. If it does the one of the bearings is going bad or reverse is stripped. If this looks good, then take the plug out of the side of the trans next. (The place where you put the oil in) You will need to shift it into first, then you can look in this hole and see the "big" reverse gear. Look and see if it is worn on the front of the teeth. It is not hard to see, if bad, the teeth will be laid back on the front of them. If it is worn, then the "little" reverse is definitely bad. If all of these checks look good, then I would chance the transmission and put it in. One more thing that you could check would be to take the nose cone off (this is easy to do), and look at the big mainshaft bearing. Look at the balls and see if they are pitted or not. 9 out of 10 trannies that pass this test are good, especially the 73-up ones because of the wider 1st/2nd fork doesn't break like the earlier ones do and none of these tests will show if you have a broke fork but it if shifts good, then most likely it is not broken.
Spider
Gears
SPIDER GEAR PIC How many times have you seen these torn out? How many times have YOU torn them out? Me too. We even have a hill here named "Spider Gear" hill because there are 3 or 4 differentials hanging in trees down there, because if you break, the only way out is to fix it there. The real killer of a VW trans is having the buggy come off of the ground and keep power to the wheels when it lands. But of course, it also seems people just to seem to have bad luck. In case you don't know, spider gears are the little gears in the differential. There are 4 types that I know of. All swing axles and irs through 72 have the 11 tooth ones with 17 tooth side(axle) gears. These are the weakest. From 73 on in the irs trannys, they used 10 tooth ones and 15 tooth side gears. Much stronger. These can be used in the earlier models as long as you use the whole differential section, just bolt on your ring gear. In the "3-rib" and "5-rib" buses VW used an "002" differential. In the "6-rib" trannys, VW went to the "091" differential. Again, with each change, VW made improvements as the "091" is far stronger than the "002" The "091" can be put into the 3 and 5 rib bus trannys, as long as you have the threaded races, cv bells and related parts. If you need any parts, I have some used ones (most of the time), just e-mail me.
First Gears
Since I like to run a "car" transmission, for the ground speed,
I went through a LOT of first gears. (and, of course, spider gears!) With
every change, VW made some improvements in transmissions. Even the cases
were improved. The "one sided" (only has one unboltable differential cover)
IRS case is stronger then the "two-sided" one. ANd even the side covers
were changed. The first ones had no ring around the "webs", then VW went
to a 1-ringed side cover, and the later models '76-up, went to a 2-ringed
side cover. This late model one is as good or better than any after market
one that you can buy. When I started riding, I first used the old 6 volt
'66-down swingaxle transmission and converted it over to the IRS. This
is done by removing the whole differential section but saving the ring
gear and putting it on the IRS carrier. Since the IRS is 8 bolt, and the
SA is 6, I could only use 2 bolts (or buy a superdiff which has both patterns).
So I put a couple of tack welds on too. Back when I done this, I only had
a small motor and the 4:37 was a great ratio (still is). What I didn't
know was the first gear in these trannys is real narrow, and they didn't
last very long. But if you are into trail riding and not hill climbing
and don't have a lead foot and a 2300# pressure plate, then this will work
for a while. Next I went to the IRS '72-down (10 tooth mainshaft 1st) first
gear.. Much better. Then I went to the '73-up IRS first gear (9 tooth mainshaft
1st). Even better. After three years with this setup(plus a superdiff),
I finally broke 1st gear. Last, I took first gear out of a "091" 6 rib
bus tranny (yes, it will mate to the 73-up, 9 tooth, type 1 mainshaft,
as long as you use the "091" 6-rib operating sleeve and synchronizer).
This has not failed since I done this (around Jan '98). Seems like the
next weakest link is the output splines. There are after market ones available,
and I have not tried them as of yet. If you have a light weight buggy,
then, in my opinion, a "car" tranny is the best way to go. I am even running
a 3:88 r&p. If you have a heavy buggy then you need a 6-rib. If you
don't climb long and steep hills, and want something to just ride around
in, then the 3 or 5 rib will work. It all depends on what you want to do,
or what you want the transmission to do.
You cannot gain in one place without losing somewhere else.
Third/Fourth Gears
If you have had many VW trannies apart, you might have noticed
that some have a fine tooth and some have the coarse tooth design. VW made
the fine tooth ones so that there would not be as much gear noise, however
they are weaker than the coarse tooth ones. I could never really hear any
gear noise from the coarse tooth ones anyway, and in a rail buggy, there
is no way I could. There are 4 different factory ratios for 4th gear, .82,
.85, .88, and .93. As far as I know there is only one factory 3rd. ratio
(1.26). There are 2 different types or operating sleeves for 3rd and 4th
gear also. If you are changing this, be sure to use the one for the type
of 3rd/4th you are using. The difference is the inner teeth are recessed
in the older operating sleeve and they come out to the edge in the newer
ones. If you put the wrong sleeve in, it will jump out of gear. Just look
at the one you are replacing and use the same kind.
Needle bearings
As with everything else vw changed, they also changed the needle bearings.
The ones out of the old swingaxles are the best. They have a steel cage
and more needles per cage than the later models and the needles are longer.
VW switched bearings so often that its hard to tell which ones have what
without taking the trans apart, but all of the old swingaxles have steel
caged bearings (they are even 2 types in these) and are recommended. Some
busses have steel, some do not. Hopefully I will get a picture to show
you. You may have heard of "hand-packing" 1/2 gears with needle bearings.
This is a good idea BUT it takes 3 caged bearings (of the correct length)
to get enough to do one gear. Weddle Engineering in CA (562) 598-2731 offers
a complete set. If you are into all out racing- big engine, and high hp
and big pressure plate, then you will need to do everything you can to
make the trans stronger including hand packing. (also see setting up first
gear axial play). If not, then the old steel caged bearings will work fine.
Reverse Gears
REVERSE GEAR PIC Well, how many times have you seen these torn out? Does YOURS kick out? Well, the first thing to check is to make sure that when your shifter is in reverse, make sure that it is still trying to pull on the rubber bushing in the coupler and not bottoming out in the shifter box. If it is not bottoming in the shifter box, then that is all you can do from a shifter point of view. Have you seen one of these reverse gears? Man, they are small! Well, there is not a lot you can do to make reverse stronger, Inside of the transmission, I always adjust them so that they will engage deeper than what the factory does. It seems like they are never set deep enough from the factory (about half way in). Care must be taken so that you do not adjust it in too far, because if you do, it will rub when you are in second gear, and if really too far in, it will be in second and reverse at the same time. On all 72-down trannies reverse can be "turned around" if it is worn a "little" on one side. Personally I always change it if it is worn (or just adjust it deeper), but if you don't have one and just want to "get it back together", then you can turn it around or adjust it in deeper. One important note: If you are replacing then look at your old gear first!! If it has 1 or 2 or no little lines around it, then that is the gear that HAS to be put back in!! If the old reverse is too worn to tell, look at the big reverse gear and see if it has lines around it. Keep the same number of lines matched! This is true of ALL Gears if you were replacing those. Also Be careful when switching cases because you Cannot use the older 72-down reverse gear holder setup(brass) in a 73-up case. The brass holder will bottom before reverse will engage. BUT you CAN use the late model reverse setup in the older cases. An old tranny case makes a good jig to set up reverse in. Cut the side out of it so you can get to it. Adjust it so that it goes just a little deeper than "even" with the big gear. Never spin ANY VW tranny in reverse!! Also, always hold pressure on the shifter when you use reverse to help keep it in while backing up.
Ring
& Pinions / Gear Ratios
Which is the best R&P ratio? Which is the strongest?Good
questions. The lower the number, the stronger the gear is. So, a type 1
trans with a 3.88 R&P is stronger than a 4.12, and a 4.12 is stronger
than a 4.37. Same goes for the type 2 trannies. The 5.38 is very weak compared
to the 4.86 and 4.56. What about aftermarket ones? Another good
question. Some are great , but most are not. I will not get into specific
brands, but you get what you pay for, so if you find a "cheap" set of any
kind of gears, then that is what you will get. A friend of mine recently
purchased a 3.44 R&P set for me to install in a swingaxle tranny for
the street. The quality looks excellent, and I will keep you informed after
he has run it awhile. These were recently advertised in Dune buggies/Hot
VW's magazine. However, the factory did a excellent job so if at all possible
that you can use one of the factory ratios, then use them. Setting up the
R&P by the factory book (The Bentley Factory Service Manual, which
is a great book by the way), can be a real headache. For the most part,
as long as you keep the original shims off of the pinion bearing that you
are going to use, then the pinion depth will be REAL close and you should
have no trouble. If you want to check it, then either buy the book , a
lot of tools, or hire someone who has a LOT of experience. Again, it all
depends on what you want your tranny to do and how much you want to spend.
R&P selection depends on MANY factors..How tall are your tires? What
size is your engine? Cam? What are the other gear ratios?(1st, 2nd, etc..).
What do you want to do? (General riding, hill climbing, racing...etc).
Without knowing all of these things, then proper gear selection is hard
to determine. If you want to e-mail me with all of these numbers, then
I will suggest one for you. General all around riding, the 4.86 or better
yet, the 091 (4.56) bus tranny) is a good choice.The 091 is VERY
tough and geared good for moderate hill climbing and all around riding.
If you never climb any tough hills and you just want to ride around and
take it easy, then the 5.38 will do fine. I personally have a light buggy,(1100lb)
with a type 1 irs tranny. 3.88 R&P and a 3.78 first gear, with a 2276cc
engine, Engle w-125 cam, and 31-33 inch tall tires. I mostly trail ride
and hill climb. The tall ratio works great for long steep hills. The stroker
crank helps out the bottom end torque, too, but if my buggy were heavier,
then the gearing would be too high. It all depends on what you want to
do...
What about the 4-bolt housings versus the one big nut" ones?
I have often wondered why VW changed this. In about late 1970 they
went to the "one big nut" that holds the pinion bearing in the case. This
is one thing that VW changed that I don't believe for the better. It does
work, but those big nuts are known to get loose and I have took a lot of
trannys apart with them loose, even with the nut peened. The 4-bolt style
holds the bearing in better and does not allow it to "work" in the case.
All of the after market "rhino" cases I have seen have the 4-bolt configuration.
The "rhino" case is great by the way IF you are again into racing and/or
abuse. I really don't have a problem with the later style pinion nut just
make sure when you are tightening it, you MUST drive the mainshaft all
the way into the case from the front side while you are tightening this
big nut. Take a punch and a hammer and make sure the shaft bottoms in the
bore. after you tighten the nut, hit the shaft again and then check the
nut again. An impact wrench is best to tighten this with. Also make sure
you peen the nut into the recess in the bearing.more later..
LAZY man's way to adjust 1st/2nd gear
This may sound strange, but one easy way to adjust 1st/2nd gear (if you don't have an old case cut out or the proper tools) is to take a 1 1/4 (or similar) size hole saw and drill a hole in the side of the case. This is best done with the trans apart, but will work with it together, especially if you are in a hurry or an emergency. What little aluminum that falls inside should not hurt anything, but it would be a good idea to change the oil in a few days after doing this. The location is near the oil filler hole, above it and to the left on the Type 1, and lower right on the type 2's. You then use a rubber freeze or expansion plug to fill the hole when you are done adjusting. I will take a pic for this so you will know the correct location. Drilling this hole is a great help if you already have the trans in the bug and set up 1/2 wrong. Check back and I will put up a pic. Put the trans in first gear and see if the operating sleeve is touching first gear. If not, adjust it so that it is. Now put it in second, again it should touch. Don't shift too hard so that you override the detent balls that hold the shifter in place, just let it "click" into position. Overriding is a good way to tell if it is out of adjustment though. When adjusted properly, you should not be able or go past the detent in either direction.
Hydraulic Clutch Issue
This is something that I have seen a lot and have
even had happen to me. Ever go "down the road" and notice your clutch is
slipping in 3rd or 4th? Most of the time it is not the clutches' fault.
It is those hydraulic slave cylinders. What happens is EVERY time you push
the clutch in, the slave rod tries to bind in the cylinder. There is no
way that the rod can follow the bore correctly as the rod goes through
its arc. What happens is fluid bypasses and gets on the opposite side causing
the clutch not to release fully, or very slowly. I have even seen people
drill a hole in the backside of the housing to relieve the fluid/pressure.
As Gene Berg would say "why put a bandage on your elbow for a sore knee?"
The way I fixed it was use a small peice of chain..yes chain. On the front
cylinder side weld the end of the link of chain to the head of a 5/16 X
3/4 fine thread bolt and screw it into the housing. Now, you will have
to either fabricate a bracket or bolt the chain to the metal bracket on
the trans. You need 3 or 4 links and if it is too long, then you will have
to make your own bracket and bolt it to the side of the tranny or weld
an extension forward on your existing bracket. After you get it all done
and adjusted (about 1/8 freeplay before the throwout bearing touches the
pressure plate). work the pedal and you can see the cylinder flex up and
down. With the chain, it can move freely wherever it wants. A simple idea...but
it works and you may now not have to run as strong a pressure plate yet
still hold.
Throw Out Bearing Identification-Pressure Plate Matching
Throw Out Bearing Identification Pic
I almost forgot about this! This seems to be real confusing to a lot of people. I put a picture up because the two types of throw out bearings are hard to describe. The trannys that have the guide tube in the center of them MUST use the later style pressure plate WITHOUT a ring in the center of it AND the flat looking arm. You can remove the cone and put in an older style arm IF the arm that's in it now is the small one. (I think the small one is 17mm and the large one is 22mm). All of the bigger arms that I have seen MUST be used for the late style throw out bearing and pressure plate(without ring). The trannys without a center guide tube MUST use the pressure plate with a ring in the center of it. Again you can change the arm, but this time in order for you to do this, the trans MUST have 3 bolt holes for you to be able to bolt the cone on. Most pressure plates can be converted from the early style (with ring) to the late style by simply removing the ring. The late style trans with the cone is far better then the older ones, I guess that's why they changed it. Pic soon...I promise so you can see what I am talking about. In the mean time, if you are unsure, just e-mail me...
Axles/Cv-Joints
The dreaded cv-joint. They are not designed for the HP or the
angle that most of them are run in. I wish I had a dollar for each one
I have broke. As long as the spring plate stops are not bent down, and
the axle length is correct, the type 2's last "fair". The race ones that
you can buy are very good as long as they are kept within the proper angle.
I am now using Datsun 280 Z axles, and they seem to be real tough. By far,
the best setup I have seen is the Porsche 930's. I agree that $600.00 and
up is a lot of money for a set of axles and joints, but compared to the
aggravation, missed rides, and getting stuck or stranded in the middle
of God only knows, then that is cheap really. I mean as many as I have
broke, I would gladly pay that much if it cured my problem. The Type 2
cv's will stand 20 degrees max. The Datsun 280's will also stand 20 degrees
without any clearancing and around 25 with clearancing. (Do not clearance
the cup area, cut the body "thicker" part.) The Porsche 930's stock will
go around 28 and the race ones around 30. When in doubt, use less angle.
The best way to make the 280's work is to use the flanges off of the Datsun
(both ends, the wheel side and the differential side), and machine these
off and weld them to the vw related parts. This way, you use the original
Datsun bolts and nuts, and they WILL NOT come loose. I will try to post
a picture so you can see what I am talking about. About the Datsun cv-joint-
The factory joint is better than ANYTHING you can buy. Even used, the factory
joint will last FAR longer. I recommend that if you are going to use the
280's then buy some extras just for the joints, or go to the dealer and
buy FACTORY ones. For a set of flanges already made up, contact Phil's
Bug Shack at 606-474-2889. He also has used axles, joints, etc.
Swing Axles
The longer ones are tougher that the shorter ones, even though the shorter ones are bigger. Sometimes less equals more.
Recommendations
It all depends on what you are going to do. Any VW tranny will hold up to mild off roading if you don't try to speed shift into 2nd or jump it off of the ground. If you are into any abuse then the first thing you need to do if you are running a type 1 tranny is to change the brass 1/2 shifting fork for a steel one. Read above on which ones have the brass ones because some are steel. Next, you will need to use AT LEAST the 10 tooth spider gears and differential found in the later type 1 trannys, and a super diff is recommended also. (Be sure to get one for the 10 tooth gears) Use the side plates that have at least one ring around on the outside of it and the 2 sided ones if you can find them. Next, for any moderate abuse also use the later type 1st gear set, (9 teeth on the mainshaft) these are a lot stronger. The next weakest link is the splines where the cv bell is. If you are breaking these, then there are aftermarket ones available that are stronger, but if you are having trouble here, then I would go to the 6-rib bus. Read my racing section below for more advice. For any specifics, just e-mail me.
The Anti-Shocker
What the heck is this? Well, the anti shocker is a device that fits behind your clutch arm that slows down the last 1/4 inch or so of the arms travel when you "pop" the clutch. This is REAL trans saver especially if you use big pressure plates. This actually allows the clutch to slip for a fraction of a second. You cant feel it, but it takes the initial shock off of your trans and it can definitely tell it. (your pocket book will too). I was breaking my race car every weekend until I put one on it, and it cured it. These are available from Gene Berg Enterprises in CA @ 1-714-998-7500. This will not help you once the clutch is released though, it just slows down the rate of which it is released. If you are riding off road, the worst thing you can do to a trans (besides drag race starts without a anti-shocker)is jump your buggy off of the ground and have power on it when it lands. The shock to the trans is incredible. If you will hold the clutch in until it lands, trans life and axles, drivetrain, will last a LOT longer.
Racing/Abusing Reccomendations
This section is for those of you that are into
racing and/or off road abusing. There are several options available depending
on (1) How thick your bill-fold is (honest), (2) exactly what kind of driving
you are doing, and (3) knowing who to trust. I am sure there are a lot
of good transmission builders out there and I am also definetly sure that
there are a lot of bad ones too. I do not claim to be "the best there
is"--as knowledge is somewhat universal, but I have been into rebuilding
VW transaxles for about 16 years and I have learned a great deal in that
time. I have also ridden off-road for that amount of time (or longer),
and I know what works--and better yet, what does NOT. I have taken transmissions
apart that have had gears in them that were made from "who knows where"
that were simply JUNK. These have been in the type 1 IRS and these gears
were far WEAKER than stock. I have also seen a lot of the 4.86 R&P's
(aftermarket Richmond) that were trash as well. Maybe Richmond has since
made improvements, but all I know is they seem to not last very long. If
you are considering one of these gearsets, then be warned. If you are running
it on the street, then it will probably be ok. I buy 99% of my high-performance
gearsets from Weddle Engineering in CA (805-696-9665) It was very refreshing
when I first started dealing with them because they are someone who you
can talk to, and who understands exactly what you am talking about and
who is as knowledgable as I am when it comes to VW trannies. If you need
advice..ask. Either me or them. If they have something that they think
that will not stand up to whatever your application is, then they will
tell you, not just "say what you want to hear" to make a sale. Their "WP"
line of gearsets are outstanding. They are made in Austraila and are extremely
strong. I have installed 25 or so of these gearsets with a single failure
that I know of. I have built transmissions for people running 20 inch wide
35 inch tall tractor tires that have not torn them out. They are not cheap,
but what do you want to do? I consider these gearsets a must for abuse.
If money is tight, then a lot of people can run a cheaper 3rd and 4th gear
as long as the synchro hubs are welded and honed. Usually there is not
near as much torque in 3rd and 4th and almost any brand will work here.
The next thing that is mandatory is a super diff. If you are running a
type 1 IRS, then use a 10 tooth one. If you are using a 3-rib or 5-rib
bus, then change it over to the 6-rib (bigger spider) super diff.
The type 1, IRS one sided case is a good design and the later ones that
have a rib that is moved over on the top close to the side cover are even
better. These also have a 2 ring side cover which is real thick and as
almost as good as anything you can buy. Here would be another good place
for a pic (soon).
The next weakest link in the Type 1 IRS
is the output splines. They will snap off under high loads. Weddle makes
conversion ones that have the 091 or 6-rib splines. If you are racing a
swingaxle the the case is definetly a weak link. The "Rhino" case (around
$250.00) is "decent" and the next step is the Autocraft aluminum
case. They are around $800.00--definetly for the serious. The STOCK cases
that have welded plates on them are JUNK. I am not sure that they are even
as strong as a stock one beacuse of the weakening the welding does. Also,
any kind of brackets, braces, plates or whatever that bolt on a stock case
to "TRY" to make it stronger are also junk. There is no way to bolt a piece
of metal on a case tight enough to do any good. What happens is the case
breaks THEN the braces try to hold it and it does not work. I am not talking
about mounting straps..I mean the case brace bars that bolt to the top
of the bell housing down to the front of the tranny.
More info soon....-Eric
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