should i buy this trans

Blackmagic94 · Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2014 7:21 am Post subject: should i buy this trans

Local guy has a 83 vanowagon 091 side shift and wants 250 dollars for it, hasnt moved a van in 8 years but claimed it worked the last day it did

I have a sand rail that it would go in to replace my tail shifted Thing AV code IRS transaxle, is this 091 worth getting or not. I dont really want to spend 750 dollars for the cable shifter setup.

KrAzY-BaJa · Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2014 8:26 pm Post subject:

is it center shift or front side shift
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gears · Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 11:28 am Post subject:

These days, a lot of guys are moving toward the "waterboxer" (mid-'83 on main case-shifted) transaxles in off-road cars, as they have such stronger reverse gear mechanisms. But, it would be far from a straight-in swap.
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Blackmagic94 · Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 3:25 pm Post subject:

Front side shift style.

What kind of cost to convert ?

Vanapplebomb · Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 3:55 pm Post subject:

Unfortunately the front side shifts are a pain to fit because the shit mechanism is so close to the frame horns. The other thing about them is they really are the same thing as the transporter 6 rib transmissions. Same internals for the most part, just a different shift mechanism.

The cost to convert depends on your fab skills since there are no bolt on conversions sold for such transmissions. You can use the bell housing mount for a bus transmission, but the front is all up to you. If you can cut, drill, and weld steel, it will only cost you the $ for steel, wire, and electricity. Wink

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Blackmagic94 · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 8:12 am Post subject:

so it would be possible to fab a 90 degree reach around u joint style adpater to make it work?

So the bell housing is not a direct bolt on to a type 1?

Vanapplebomb · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 8:32 am Post subject:

The transmission mount is different, but the bell housing will bolt up to a T1 engine. You just need to shorten the input shaft a half inch or so because it was designed for the T4 engine which has the pilot shaft bearing seated in the crankshaft, further back than a T1. Pretty simple to fix. Just cut a half inch off with a die-grinder and round the edges over a bit with a file. No big deal there. Biggest thing is making a front mount and a shift linkage.
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Blackmagic94 · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 11:13 am Post subject:

jesus that sounds so iffy to do that and not worth the hassel.

I Ride Sand · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 9:43 pm Post subject:

on the side shift 091 transaxles, they can be converted to the end shift. there are the 091 and the 094 transaxles with side shift. 094's have the strong reverse, you can tell the two apart by where the sift linkage comes out on the transmission. if it comes out of the main case, it is an 094. if it comes out of the intermediate case, it is an 091.

Blackmagic94 · Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 10:44 am Post subject:

Its a 091 for sure the part numbers stamped was my main clue

jsturtlebuggy · Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 11:18 am Post subject:

The 091 nosecone side shifter can have a mechanical shift linkage made to be able to use it. Searching can find a thread on here on what others have done. It is fabrication work. Simplest solution is to take to trans shop and have converted to nosecone front shifter. It does require trans being taken completely apart and parts changed. Look in Stickies for Transmission for Dummies for pictures.
The 1984 and later side shifter (comes out the side of main case) is a better trans as it is stronger and has full size reverse gear. First 3 numbers on side of case are 091.
The 4 speed version is referred to as a 091/1 or 094 4speed. The 5speed version is a 094 and can be found in both 2wheel and 4wheel drive versions.
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Vanapplebomb · Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 11:30 pm Post subject:

Question for the OP: DO you have the stock frame horns on your vehicle? That may decide what you can and can't do here. The shifter on the front side shifts sits so low, a linkage would interfere with the stock frame horns. In that case your limited to paying for the parts/labor to convert it over to a tail shift. You will have to look at the economics. It may just make more sense to look for a used tail shift 091 when you factor in the cost of converting the front side shift.
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ORANGECRUSHer · Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 5:21 am Post subject:

I have done this. It is not for the faint of heart or very practical. I did it because it was all I could find for a LONG while. If you don't have any engineering skill don't bother, you won't gain anything by doing it except being different which is good enough for me. I didn't comment when you mentioned this originally because it sounded like you knew what you had and you called it midshift. Front side shift is not midshift. A Midshift is better because it has stronger guts from the factory. That and there is actually a shift linkage made for it. The front side shift will be entirely up to you because there is no way you can fit the stock linkage on a bug pan. NONE! Not to mention parts are rare and expensive. The only potential benefit for the front side shift is the possibility of buying backups for chump change because they don't fit anywhere except a handful of buses. They were a short duration version between the years of tail shifters and the true midshifters of the mid '80's vanagons and transporters.

Is the search function still not working here or what?
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Brian · Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2014 4:58 pm Post subject:

Vanapplebomb · Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2014 6:25 pm Post subject:

No, they can not. The shift linkage comes out of the main case, hence the term "mid shift" has been coined to distinguish the 094/091-1 from the earlier front side shift Vanagon transmissions. The front side shift can be converted because the rest of the internals are basically the same as an 091 bus transmission. The 094/091-1 Vanagons have an entirely different internal gear stack from the bus 091.
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Brian · Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2014 6:43 pm Post subject:

Alright got it.
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jsturtlebuggy · Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2014 8:14 pm Post subject:

What I was trying to get across was the 091/1 094 4speed still has a part number starting with 091 on the side of the main case. So you have to know what you are looking at and not just numbers.
To see the differences between a 091 nose cone shifter and a 091/1 there are pictures of the two side by side in the "Transmission for Dummies" Stickies above.
Here is a 091 and 091/1 trans

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Another picture showing differences between a 091 and 091/1

This is the gear carriers for a 091 nose cone shifter and the 091 side shift out of side of nose cone

You can see the difference between the shift rails and the extra ear on carrier for shift rod.

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jsturtlebuggy · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2014 8:42 pm Post subject:

This a 091 front nosecone side shifter nose cone and gear carrier. Used in Vanagons from 1980-83years

This the differences you will see from the earlier 091 used from 1976-79yrs that are front nosecone shifters, meaning it has a hockey stick, facing out the front that a shift coupler attaches to.

This is what you will see looking at side of the nosecone side shifter 091 trans.

This the view you would see looking at the front of a 091 nosecone side shifter. As you can see it sets low and can create and interference fit when trying to fit between the frame horns of a Bug chassis.

The 091/1 is a 4speed transaxle that is a side shifter that comes out of the side of main trans case and is much easier to adapt using either a cable shifter or the side shifter setup that Weddle sells. Pictures of it are in previous post. It was used in Vanagons from 1984 to 1991years.
Do to people not understanding the differences between a 091 and 091/1 it has become more common to refer to it as a 094 4speed.
The 094 is the 5speed version of a 091/1 and can be also 4 wheel drive version.
If you are in the trade and work on transaxles 091/1 (094 4speed) and a 094 5speed are considered side shifter no matter what some one else has decided to call it.
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