TheSamba.com :: View topic

Fri Jul 01, 2005 11:56 am

Ok, so I am looking to buy a tough pro-street trans and I only ever hear 2 things:
1) They are expensive
2) Rancho

Well looking around I find that a rancho pro-street is only 600 bucks... this makes me think I must have the wrong thing... maybe I am just used to being taken to the cleaners but 600 for a good transmission seems awfully cheap for an item that people call "very expensive"

is that what I want or is there something that is way better?
Is what they are calling a "superdiff" an LSD?

I have only ever had custom rebuilt trannys from a really good shop for high-power applications, it would be nice if this was something I could order "in shrink wrap" so-to-speak.

Been doing the type-1 thing for a long time and I have never really dealt with transmissions, and if I am not mistaken, my unwillingness to investigate before has cost me some $$$ over the years

Fri Jul 01, 2005 12:01 pm

Where are you located at?

Fri Jul 01, 2005 12:02 pm

I am in Denton/Aubrey TX, I go to arlington to The Bug Stop sometimes

Fri Jul 01, 2005 1:28 pm

peterericb wrote:
Is what they are calling a "superdiff" an LSD?

, my unwillingness to investigate before has cost me some $$$ over the years

A superdiff is just an open diff, just like stock, except that it has 2 more spider gears. Not anything like an LSD. The only available LSDs for T1 transmissions are made by Quaife and ZF.

If you don't want to get burned, forget about shopping for a trans using the buzz words like Pro-street, or Freeway-Flier. They mean nothing and don't tell you what is inside. You need to call the trans shop of choice and say you want a custom trans built. Once they know exactly how you are going to use it, and what your engine is, they will formulate a combination that meets your needs.

Fri Jul 01, 2005 1:28 pm

A "Super Diff" is not an LSD. To my knowledge, there are no high quality Super Diffs on the market. A stock diff machined for dual circlips and fit with Euro 15-tooth side gears and 10 tooth spiders is superior to (more durable than) any of the "Super DIffs" presently available, IMO.

Fri Jul 01, 2005 1:32 pm

Bruce wrote:
The only available LSDs for T1 transmissions are made by Quaife and ZF.

Awesome I didn't know that Quaife made one that fit the T1s, I have one on my other car (non-vw) and I am extremly happy with it.

Looks like I wil be going custom with a local builder again, think it is possible to keep an ~180hp transaxle with LSD under $1,000

Fri Jul 01, 2005 1:54 pm

This guy is in your neck of the woods....
http://www.graffeogearboxes.com/index2.htm
Call Ricky up and tell him what ya want to do with the car,like Bruce mentioned above. :wink:

Fri Jul 01, 2005 2:37 pm

peterericb wrote:
think it is possible to keep an ~180hp transaxle with LSD under $1,000
Since an IRS Quaife is $1100.........

OTOH, a near NOS IRS ZF could be had for $750.

Fri Jul 01, 2005 2:47 pm

Bruce wrote: peterericb wrote:
think it is possible to keep an ~180hp transaxle with LSD under $1,000
Since an IRS Quaife is $1100.........

OTOH, a near NOS IRS ZF could be had for $750.

finally I understand why everyone keeps saying it is expensive. Ok so I will budget 1500 for the tranny, looks like I will be driving an interior-less car for a while longer :lol:

I have only ever built cars for playing on the street, but now that I am trying to go for street/strip it is like a whole new world inside of a world.

Fri Jul 01, 2005 3:31 pm

For IRS there are very nice diffs avaliable. You can get a nice billet steel one with bus spider and side gears with the large output splines. You'll need bus CVs and flanges and axles and a thing stub axle. I would call rancho and talk to Sam. For what you'll get you'll have a hard time beating the price. Ricky Graffeo is an excellent builder though and I'm not knocking him. One of the Herbert brothers builds the performance boxs at Rancho.

Fri Jul 01, 2005 4:14 pm

Call this number during regular business hours Mon-Friday and ask for Bill

Bill has been building transaxles for many years and is associated with Rancho Performance Transaxles, he sells them parts... Bill is located in Oklahoma right outside Tulsa... He is a friend of mine so treat him right, he will respond in kind ..... He ships UPS anywhere and gives you an honest guarantee........ Stock VW to full on race ready any gear ratios the skys the limit ... If you are anywhere close you can visit the shop and see how its done....

918-827-3062

Jim A.