Choosing a Tranny

Cpt Zoomy · Post by **Cpt Zoomy** » Mon May 21, 2001 10:28 pm

Losing Manners?

JohnConnolly · Post by **JohnConnolly** » Mon May 21, 2001 11:22 pm

I recommend a Web 86b or c if you really want to get on it. The FK10 is good too (but I prefer Web over Engle), and the 87 if you are serious.

Cpt Zoomy · Post by **Cpt Zoomy** » Mon May 21, 2001 11:54 pm

I want to use the cam that will give me the best track performance. I originally went with the fk8 because i thought i would use it on the street occasionally. So performance wise you consider wen to be better than engle?

JohnConnolly · Post by **JohnConnolly** » Tue May 22, 2001 12:25 am

Road manners ie: drivability

Cpt Zoomy · Post by **Cpt Zoomy** » Tue May 22, 2001 9:09 am

Ahhh I see, I guess that would mean i would like to have no manners

But seriously, I am past the stage of streetablity, I am going for all out performance on the track.

Michael Ghia · Post by **Michael Ghia** » Tue May 22, 2001 9:23 am

The biggest problem with the T25 5-speed box is that it comes with a dogleg 1st gear. Not ideal for drag racing!
I have one from a T25 diesel and the gearing is so low that what I effectively have is a 4 speed box with a crawler gear. When I had my T25 van, I worked out that the 4speed which was in (petrol) acutally had a higher 4th gear than the 5th gear on the diesel 5 speed!
With a 4.57:1 5speed crown and pinion, you can change all this but you still have the dogleg to contend with.
Mike Ghia

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Modification is a form of Art.

Chuck Schneider · Post by **Chuck Schneider** » Sat May 26, 2001 1:56 pm

If youn want the ultimate race tranny you need to go to a bus setup with Datsun 280z axles.
I just did this conversion on a race car that runs high 10's. We were having problems with the swing axle tranny. It lasted for a good two years and then major failure after major failure. Kept ripping all the ring and pinion teeth off. The cure was to step up to a bus tranny in it's stock form nothing exotic except hand packing the gears. The ring and pinion is huge and it would take serious torque to hurt it. The first and second gears are also alot wider to handle the extra weight of a bus. I know a couple of guys that run this setup and they have never had a failure.
The gears work the best with a Fk-89 cam and are similar to a 3.88r&p with a 3.78,2.21,1.70,1.31 with a 26 inch slick.
Hope this helps.

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12.70 @ 104

Post by **Tom Notch** » Sat May 26, 2001 8:04 pm

Could you give us a run down of these bus gears that you used? Thanks

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Chuck Schneider:
<B>
The gears work the best with a Fk-89 cam and are similar to a 3.88r&p with a 3.78,2.21,1.70,1.31 with a 26 inch slick.
Hope this helps.

</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

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Tom Notch
Tom's Old VW Home

Chuck Schneider · Post by **Chuck Schneider** » Sun May 27, 2001 9:20 pm

Tom it was just the stock gears that where used I will have to see what year bus tranny it was that we used. All I know is that the ring and pinion are like twice the size of a 3.88 bug. Definitly worth the effor of switching to a bus. Just knowing that you won't pull up to the line and break on the start from a weak tranny.

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12.70 @ 104

Cpt Zoomy · Post by **Cpt Zoomy** » Mon May 28, 2001 1:24 am

Sounds like the tranny that was recommended to me, 68-72 was the years I was told to look for.

Rick · Post by **Rick** » Mon May 28, 2001 1:24 pm

I've run a type 2 tranny for several years in a 12.90 drag car with no problems with gear or R+P breakage. I just put in a Loc-Right diff, and what a difference in traction! Tranny is now in new car, tube chassis that will be turbo shortly. Gear ratios are 4.86 r+p, 3.78 2.06 1.48 1.04.

Post by **Tom Notch** » Wed May 30, 2001 12:18 pm

The bus box we are referring to is about 50 to 75 pounds heavier and bulkier. It is quite a bit different looking than a T1 box. It is IRS only but there are conversions available to make it work in a swing axle application. There are two different numbers for the bus box, 002(early) and 091(late). But there are like 3 distinct different cases, 3 ring and pinion ratios, and some other differences between the various bus boxes. They are used extensively in off road racing and some in drag racing. They don't tend to be common for hot street due to the cost of changing all the gears to get a decent speed range out of them.

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Tom Notch
Tom's Old VW Home

James S · Post by **James S** » Wed May 30, 2001 11:53 pm

How can you tell a bus tranny from a bug tranny if they are sitting next to eachother, besides the nosecone...is there a marking on the case?

Steve Arndt · Post by **Steve Arndt** » Thu May 31, 2001 1:05 pm

Bus boxes are cool. I have a late 77 6 rib 091 in my baja bug with 29" tires it is close to stock 67 type gearing with 25" tires.

540 in 3 rib
486 in 5 rib
457 in 6 rib trannys.
I think I have that right. I don't know the year splits. Go for the 6 rib late model. They all require the same effort to mount up.
I saw a few cars at Bugorama with the U joint conversion setup and ladder bars. That is certainly the way to go. I figured I couldn't do it in anything because custom ratios are expensive. But as Chuck said, an FK89 spins so hard and high, the stock ratios might work. With an 86B it would wind out before the end of the strip.

My friend has a 76 6 rib .457:1 box in his 55 oval on 74 pan. With 24" tires he spins about 4 grand going 60 on the highway. Very short gears. I have done countless burnouts, jumps, etc. with my 25 year old abused unopened stock 091 and never looked back.
How did you handle the gears and mounting in the Ghia, Tom?
Steve

[This message has been edited by Steve Arndt (edited 05-31-2001).]

BergRace · Post by **BergRace** » Thu May 31, 2001 1:51 pm

Does anyone have any hard facts on what it actually takes to modify these trannys for a swing axle aplication?

TIA. J.

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-56 T1 hopefully soon with a F.I. T4 (AN engine)