Reman trans concerns

[3foldfolly]

I would like expert opinions on the trans I received from Rancho today. Perhaps these are non-issues. They found my original case had a hole in it and that nose cone housing had a crack. Pricing was reasonable for replacement case and nose cone. My original case had a clutch release arm that was curved toward the center of the case. The trans arrived with a straight arm that does not align with the bowden tube bracket. My concern here is that the clutch cable and bowden tube end may wear prematurely and the cable may drag due to misalignment. I was told the trans is a 12 volt and the old one was 6 volt and it was a non issue. The trans is certainly a 6 volt as the starter bushing hole is 5/8" and not 1/2". My other concern is the tail shaft housing has a crack starting at the hockey stick bushing area. Should I be concerned about these?

[williamM]

call em up and ask for a different one
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some days I get up and just sit and think. Some days I just sit.

opinion untempered by fact is ignorance.

Don't step in any!

[Bruce Amacker]

I bought a Rancho trans and had similar problems- the (used) nosecone had a super sloppy bushing in it that certainly would have caused slop in the shifter. The packaging was substandard in my opinion, the cardboard box it was shipped in was worn through in several places allowing the trans to stick through.

Call them, they'll send you a new nosecone. You'll need to do something with the bracket or arm to get the cable to line up.

Once my minor issues were resolved my trans works great after several thousand miles.

Good Luck!
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'66 Deluxe Bus
'65 Standard Bus
Build threads:
'66- http://www.leakoil.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=2888&sid=54d8dedfb3822f99c7f2ea430cb4e856
'65- http://leakoil.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=4263

[easy e]

[EverettB]

[ToolBox]

Call and ask them to send out a good nosecone, a clutch lever with the correct bend and a 6V case to 12V starter bushing. You could be ballsy and ask for a labor credit or start a dispute with you CC company.

[EmpiGT]

[BarryL]

[Bruce Amacker]

[esde]

New nose cone for sure, that is not good. The pitting on the case has no bearing on the inside, it may well be spotless inside. I've rebuilt a few that have looked way, way worse on the outside. As for the clutch arm, I do everything in my power to eliminate the evil curved shaft. It puts the cable directly in line with the upper engine bolt, and can be such a pain. To aim the Bowden all you need to do is spend a few minutes modifying the Bowden support with a die grinder. I open the back end of the hole up, in other words make it an oval, but just on the engine side. Then clean up the surface where the tube seats, so it sits square to the arm. Or there is a bolt on steel bracket..

I once spent about 30 minutes under my 65, with my wedding ring pinched tightly between the engine bolt and the clutch cable, because of that arm. I had been using a ratcheting box wrench to loosen the engine bolt, and when the bolt bottomed on the cable, the wrench was stuck. I was trying to loosen the arm when it slipped and caught my ring. After 20 or so minutes of trying, laying on my back the finger went numb. I ended up ripping the heat exchanger operating lever off, and using it to pry the arm away. Would've been the most stupid way to have lost a finger..
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modok wrote:
Bent cranks are silent but gather no moss. I mean, ah, something like that.

[60freak]

Unacceptable, and I would be talking to them about a replacement trans IMO.

[Eric&Barb]

Get the right clutch cable arm or go thru broken cables about every 6,000 miles instead of 30,000+ miles.

New nose cone!

You are missing the steel bell shaped seat for the clutch return spring. #73 in the diagram below:

As for the corrosion pitting, as long as it seals up it is fine, but if that is clean magnesium would use a high zinc primer and paint over that to help keep future corrosion away for as long as possible.
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In Stereo, Where Available!

[skills@eurocarsplus]

[EverettB]

[3foldfolly]

I called today and spoke to Dave (the guy who has handled the whole deal for me). He said he would next day air me another nose cone, gasket and curved release arm per my request. I am somewhat disappointed in the whole transaction (no pun intended). I was initially told about a 3 week turn around and it was over 2 months. My original case was not corroded as the bus has been stored inside for 30 years and never driven in rain much less snow. It has always leaked from the side cover areas but I could never tell exactly from where because the previous owner smeared RTV over most everything in a failed attempt to abate the leak. Perhaps there was a hole there.Dave never said exactly where the hole was and I didn't press the issue. I agree with Barryl that the nose cone crack is probably the result of the bushing installation. The nose cone and main housing are more corroded than I would of preferred but I think its more cosmetic than functional. The gear carrier housing looks clean.The curved arm makes it a bitch to install or remove the upper left engine mounting bolt as I'm running a AH case single port 1600 but I think it's worth it to get some inline geometry on the cable routing. I will have to open up the bell housing as I did for the original case 30 years ago but the bushing will be a non issue as I am running an autostick starter. The clutch arm return spring cup is there, just hard to see to see in the photos. I asked them specifically to not paint the case as VW didn't paint them new from the factory. I intended to, and will satin clear coat the case to help prevent further corrosion. That is not another crack at the left upper bolt area, just a streak of discoloration.

[campingbox]

The curved arm is a nightmare for a doghouse case. You can heat the straight arm up and put a little bend in it to move it closer but not enough to block access with a socket.

[easy e]

[campingbox]

[EmpiGT]

on another note are those non seamed axle boots or are they the seamed type with the seam pointed straight down. if so you need to relocate the seam, that's a leak waiting to happen.

[3foldfolly]