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Sun Jan 20, 2013 3:14 pm

Are there any company's out there that have created a five speed tranny for the bug? I have heard of some puting in gears called a freeway flyer, What advantages are there to this gearing style?

I am unsure as to what kind of transmission combo to build. I drive my rail everywhere, as in to work, the mud, trails, sand, everywhere. The stock tranny has been ok but I want to build a better transmission that will be better. The only complaint that I currently have is the high rpm's at freeway speeds. Missing an overdrive gear is bothering me. Not sure if it's because I have always had one in my other vehicles or not.

So what would be the best transmission combo for my purpose? I just want a good all around tranny that fly's well on the freeway.

Sun Jan 20, 2013 3:24 pm

what is your engine RPM at highway speed? What size tires are on it? Remember, an aircooled engine is cooled with the fan, so you dont want to lower the engine speed too much.

Sun Jan 20, 2013 3:30 pm

The term 'Freeway Flyer' is just a fancy bulshit marketing term used in flashy magazine ads by a company that went bankrupt.

Gene Berg makes a 5 speed conversion kit for a Bug transaxle. Your looking at about $3500 for a built 5 speed.

There are many aftermarket gears available for the Bug. We need to know the vehicle weight, rear tire size, and engine HP to be able to help you choose the correct gearing.

Sun Jan 20, 2013 3:41 pm

vwracerdave wrote: Gene Berg makes a 5 speed conversion kit for a Bug transaxle. Your looking at about $3500 for a built 5 speed.
More than that if you want any heavy duty and performance parts.

Yes they are expensive, but i've had mine for 13 years and never regretted it.

Sun Jan 20, 2013 4:10 pm

Get a Porsche 901 or 902 transmission and pop that in there. Mendeola Suspension has a front mount that makes it easy to install but you will have to make some mods to the frame. You can also get the gears from a 914 and just put those in a 901 case to save some cash.

Talk to Kevin from Mendeola and look at his pics. He does very good work and I have seen his builds as I live close by. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=22596

Sun Jan 20, 2013 4:13 pm

sobelsaint wrote: Get a Porsche 901 or 902 transmission and pop that in there. Mendeola Suspension has a front mount that makes it easy to install but you will have to make some mods to the frame. You can also get the gears from a 914 and just put those in a 901 case to save some cash.

Talk to Kevin from Mendeola and look at his pics. He does very good work and I have seen his builds as I live close by. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=22596
More than some mods... don't forget grafting in the Porsche shifter.

And when you're all done, you have a used transmission with gears optimized for a 6 cylinder engine.

Yes, the Berg 5 costs more but you will have a brand new tranny with gears optimized for YOUR specific engine.

Sun Jan 20, 2013 4:50 pm

Berg 5, freeway flyer, superstreet, sodomizer and sodomizer pro. Its still easier to say those terms for the gearboxes than all the specs, because they are understoood. Who cares if they were/are a marketing ploy. Remember (to the op), even with a Berg 5, like any traditional 4 speed u can play with gearing ratios to sut your needs. A Berg 5 in short just moves the modified 4th gear ratio as a 5th gear and slips in a closer ratio between 3rd to 5th as 4th. So you need to really decide if you actually need it. I didnt and bought a freeway flyer ( 3.88- 3.78/2.06/1.26/.82) and saved 2gs plus.

Additionally, theres some mods to make during install i think.

Sun Jan 20, 2013 4:54 pm

Well, a Berg 5 allows you to push you top gear up with a Bus 4th and a 3.875 r/p. Then you fill in the middle gears.

I can cruise all day at 3500rpm doing 80mph.
Quote: freeway flyer, superstreet, sodomizer and sodomizer pro
Are all marketing terms... a Berg 5 is a 5 speed and a different animal.

Sun Jan 20, 2013 4:55 pm

JJozwiak wrote: Are there any company's out there that have created a five speed tranny for the bug? I have heard of some puting in gears called a freeway flyer, What advantages are there to this gearing style?

I am unsure as to what kind of transmission combo to build. I drive my rail everywhere, as in to work, the mud, trails, sand, everywhere. The stock tranny has been ok but I want to build a better transmission that will be better. The only complaint that I currently have is the high rpm's at freeway speeds. Missing an overdrive gear is bothering me. Not sure if it's because I have always had one in my other vehicles or not.

So what would be the best transmission combo for my purpose? I just want a good all around tranny that fly's well on the freeway.

My mixing and matching the OE ratios, and maybe aftermarket 3rd and 4th, you can usually make a 4 speed to suit your needs without spending over 2000$

You must have small tires on your rail, that or a early bus trans, usually guys run big tires and a bug trans and fourth is TOO TALL

Sun Jan 20, 2013 4:57 pm

You can play with the numbers using my Excel spreadsheet.

http://www.glenn-ring.com/tech/tranny_calc.xls

Sun Jan 20, 2013 5:00 pm

A five speed is still a 5 speed no matter what u call it, is my point. I can cruise all day doing 75 at 2600rpms so frankly i dont see your point. The main point is simply, research and decide whether or not a Berg 5 is something u need or not. I rest my case.

Sun Jan 20, 2013 7:25 pm

Wow guys thanks for all the replies in a short amount of time.

I will try to to answer some of the questions.

I am running a 1915 with a 71 bug trans. I have 29" rear tires.

In thinking about what everyone has said I can see why you would not want to have your engine rpm too low at freeway speeds. I guess my only real issue was that I am not used to listening an engine rev at 2700 rpm at 75mph.

Other than that I am quite happy with the stock trans as it has done well for me in every other aspect. I suppose all I need is to beef up a stock trans.

I appreciate all the replies and when Get a chance ( at work right now ) I will go over all the info you guys have put on here and see what would be best for me. Once again I appreciate it!

Sun Jan 20, 2013 7:35 pm

If you are only running 2700rpm @ 75mph, you risk cooking your engine. A stock 71 beetle tire is about 25.5" tall, so with a 29" tire and the same gears you are already overdriven.

Sun Jan 20, 2013 8:12 pm

:? 40K and the berg 5 needed to be refreshed? i think i'll keep 3k+ in my pocket

Sun Jan 20, 2013 8:37 pm

skills@eurocarsplus wrote: :? 40K and the berg 5 needed to be refreshed? i think i'll keep 3k+ in my pocket
I drained the gear lube and found 2 broken spider gear teeth. Also my ZF LSD needed to be rebuilt since it was not done previously. Finally I had some bearing noise and that was due to the bearings not being replaced when the Berg 5 was originally built. I figure they were from the last time my 4 speed (I used it as a core) as rebuilt. That has 130,000 miles for a total of 170,000.

Yes, I cut some corners when I originally had the Berg 5 built.

Here's what I found when I drained the gear lube. 40,000 miles of beating the sh!t out of it.

Sun Jan 20, 2013 8:59 pm

^^^^ you cut corners :shock: i didn't think it was in you.

Sun Jan 20, 2013 8:59 pm

Teeroy wrote: If you are only running 2700rpm @ 75mph, you risk cooking your engine. A stock 71 beetle tire is about 25.5" tall, so with a 29" tire and the same gears you are already overdriven.

My tach has not always worked the greatest. Intermittent at best. so I could be wrong on the Rpm but what I do know is that the engine is reving quite high and its more than im used to, guess I just need to get used to it.

Sun Jan 20, 2013 9:06 pm

skills@eurocarsplus wrote: ^^^^ you cut corners :shock: i didn't think it was in you.
My project tarted as a "fix some rust, cheap paint job and stop the engine from leaking". It turned into a complete body tear down, all new paint, new interior, new suspension and engine rebuild. It was September, 2 years later and all I had to do was replace some tranny seals and finish the car. But then i thought... a Berg 5 would sure be nice. So I purchased all the basic parts and had it built locally using my old 4 speed as a core. In hindsight I should of just had it built with all new parts. The money I saved cost me in the end, having to get it rebuild too soon and replace all the parts I cut corners on.

Still glad I did it.

BTW.. Bruce Tweedle rebuilt the ZF.

Sun Jan 20, 2013 9:08 pm

I don't know how you can even hear the engine over 60 mph, usually the wind is too strong to hear anything :-k

Sun Jan 20, 2013 9:09 pm

modok wrote: I don't know how you can even hear the engine over 60 mph, usually the wind is too strong to hear anything :-k
You can with dual IDAs and minimal sound proofing ;)