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sbnova Sun Feb 06, 2005 6:55 am

I am thinking about getting a bug. I read about some freeway flyer tranny gears and think that may be the ticket for sustained higher speeds. I also read that a 1600 would have a hard time pushing that gear. What size engine is adequate? Who has one of these ratios, and what rpm do you cruise at?

Miguel Arroyo Sun Feb 06, 2005 7:13 am

An stock 1600 either single port or dual port in good shape would have no problem with a "freeway flyer". It would drop about 250 +/-50 rpm when cruising at 65 mph.

6471 bugs Sun Feb 06, 2005 7:21 am

I have 1641 with 36 dells not sure of actual ratios in it but run @ 2800 at 65 mph It was in car when I got it

sbnova Sun Feb 06, 2005 9:46 am

So do you feel that thats a comfortable RPM to travel on the highway with? I have a Nova with a 350 V8, and an overdrive trans, and I run about 2400 at 70. What do you estimate your top comfortable cruise speed to be? I would like the ability to cruise at 80.

Kris Styes Sun Feb 06, 2005 10:21 am

Here is a link to a great midwest tranny custom rebuilder I recently used. Will build to your needs.

See:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=98936

LOL,

Kris (Kansas)

nytewyng Sun Feb 06, 2005 6:44 pm

Cruse at 80 in a Bug, you have a death wish?

Mike J. Goode Sun Feb 06, 2005 7:04 pm

I cruise at 80 all the time in mine. I will be changing my trans this spring to a 'freeway flyer' so it'll be quieter at that speed. As far as stability, etc, it is totally fine. My car is in really good condition with good brakes/steering/suspension/tires, all bone stock, w/165 tires. Only complaint at 80 is the noise, something that will be taken care of very soon.

Glenn Sun Feb 06, 2005 7:12 pm

I have a Berg 5, but the top gear could be the same as in a 4 speed. Bus 4th (0.82) with a 3.875 r/p. Cruising at 3000rpm is 69mph.

6471 bugs Sun Feb 06, 2005 7:21 pm

I like to run @ 65 to 70 tops comfortable car has Dynomax fatboy on it kinda hollers over 70

vrsechslvr Mon Feb 07, 2005 2:58 pm

What's the 'recommended' freeway cruising speed for a stock '60 crashbox with a 1600dp?
Anyone?

bk63rag Mon Feb 07, 2005 6:00 pm

I had my trany turned into a freeway flyer a a wile back.I don,t have speed and RPM numbers (need to have my speedo rebuilt).I can tell the differance though.I use to use 4th driving around town now i don,t use it as much.It still revs pretty good on the freeway keeping up with traffic but not as much.I believe these aircooled engines need some amount of RPM to keep the fan and oil pump spinning enough to stay cool.A 1600 will work but like poeple say keeping up with traffic and going up grades it would be beter to have more power.vrsechslvr i think you crashbox sould have the same ratio as my old tranny did 4,37s i usualy cruzed at 65-70 .It depends on your tire size and RPMs do you have a Tacometer i try to stay in the 3000s range .Years ago i drove my car from Phoenix AZ to Northern Cal and i was crusing at 4 grand at times my car has no carpet yet its all metal .It was sooo loud in side 14 hours felt like 14 days :lol:

DrDarby Tue Feb 08, 2005 7:40 am

I don't like the idea of a freeway flyer at all, it takes a stock car out of it's HP band at highway speeds and lowers the speed of the cooling fan when you need it the most. I think that the stock 73-79 Beetle gearing is the best all around for stock-ish cars. Mike I'd find out about simply swapping late model gears & R/P into your Mexi. I know it is wound out tight at 80mph as mine sounds like it too. If I ever have to pull my trans out of either of my '04s this is what I'll do.

Bruce Tue Feb 08, 2005 3:16 pm

I agree with Darby about FF transmissions and stock engines. Except that I recommend a stock AH 4.12 trans for gearing. The lower gearing in the first 3 gears makes city driving easier, IMO.

Your Mexican Bug has a 4.37 R&P. If you keep the stock 155 tires, you shouldn't cruise faster than 70 mph for extended distances. Since speeds are higher here than in Mexico, I recommend you immediately switch to 165s if you intend to do any driving on the freeways.

bk63rag Tue Feb 08, 2005 11:42 pm

Later super beatles came stock with 3:88s thats what i have .Theres different way to build them there was an isue of Hot VWs or VWTends i can,t remember but it had a list of trany builders and how they built them.Some used 4:12s some used 3:88s there is alot of ways to build them :)

Bruce Wed Feb 09, 2005 1:05 am

The reason most trans builders install a .82 x 4.12 R&P in their FF transmissions rather than a 3.88 is because they don't want to waste a 3.88 on a street car. They are more valuable for drag racing purposes, and there's never enough to go around.

vwracerdave Wed Feb 09, 2005 5:33 am

CB Performance now sells new 3.88 R/P gears. Don't know what quality is involved.

sbnova Wed Feb 09, 2005 5:58 am

Thanks for all the replies, I have learned alot. I guess rev'ing at or near 3000 is what an air cooled engine needs, so I guess I should gear it to achieve about 75 mph at 3000 rpm.

DrDarby Wed Feb 09, 2005 10:02 am

Now I'm really confused. I'm looking at the English language Factory manual for the 1998-2004 Mexican Bug shows final drive as 3.875 for the "081" CDR transaxle.
FD 3.875
1 3.78
2 2.06
3 1.26
4 .93
R 3.79

This can't be so. The car is wound out & screaming at 80mph w/165 tires. The ratios are late 70's bug correct? I'd swear the ratio in the Mexi feels like the 4.375 as in a 1966 German Bug. I'll have to check the owners manual when I get home & compare.

I have a very slight oil leak from my transaxle, thinking about being anal and fixing it. However maybe I'll go all out and change the ratio. Can anyone tell me if I can just have a 3.875 or 4.12 installed without changing a ton of stuff ?
It is an Ultima Edicion and I really don't want to mess with it but if I has to come out for seals I'd really like a later final drive ratio so I can cruise at 75-80 and keep my connecting rods inside the case.

Bruce Wed Feb 09, 2005 1:34 pm

Darby, what's a " "081" CDR transaxle"?

Those ratios are not what the Mexican cars have. They have transmissions that are almost the same as a 66 German trans. When I got mine, I thought it had a 4.12 R&P, but I discovered it had a 4.37. Since then I have looked at many transmissions that were open, and all have a 4.37. You can verify it by jacking the rear off the ground, put the trans in 2nd gear with the e-brake off. Mark the top of the tire and the engine's pulley. Turn the engine's pulley, counting how many turns it takes to go 1 rev of the tire. You will find it takes 9 turns. 8.5 turns means 4.12, and 8 turns means 3.88.
To re-gear your trans, get a threaded, keyed R&P from a 67-68 Beetle, a pre-67 1500cc Bus, or a pre-68 Type 3. These will have a 4.12 that will fit. If you want a 3.88, get the threaded, keyed new one from places like CB Performance or CIP1.com. I recommend using a 4.12. With the .89 stock 4th, a 3.88 is too tall.

Bruce Wed Feb 09, 2005 1:40 pm

sbnova wrote: Thanks for all the replies, I have learned alot. I guess rev'ing at or near 3000 is what an air cooled engine needs, so I guess I should gear it to achieve about 75 mph at 3000 rpm.
That's still too tall. A stock engine doesn't have enough power to go that speed at that RPM. More likely to work is 3500RPM at 75mph



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