TheSamba.com :: View topic - 1976 Bus Powered by EZ36 Subaru Motor and 6 Speed Trans

Wed May 14, 2025 9:05 am

scirocco_crazy wrote: From what I found reversaru is running it in buses with camper bodies on them. They weigh in at 4400lbs dry and have been flawless. What type of trans cooler are you running?

Shonandb wrote: I think the 4EAT is an attractive option especially with the electronic push button gear selection option.

I'm running the Vanagon 010 Auto with an external trans cooler in my swap and I like it. I had to experiment with tire sizes to find the right RPM range but now have it sorted. It's great in stop and go traffic and my wife can drive the Bus more comfortably than if it were a manual transaxle.

I drive a lot of forest service roads with steep inclines/declines and wash out sections and find the auto makes it easy, especially if we are pulling the trailer.

How's the reliability/in field testing on the Reversaru kit coming along?

Good to hear that they are getting good results.

Regarding the trans fluid cooler, I've been running a 24" aluminum finned cooler with a thermo controlled valve unit and the operating temp on the outlet/hot side out of the transaxle ranges from about 95 to 110 degrees C and the after cooler temp on the return to transaxle line runs about 80 - 95 degrees C.

I've put over 30,000 miles on the swap now and regularly pull a trailer in the mountains and just changed the trans filter and fluid back in December and it was clean. I have a proper trans cooler with spal fan but wanted to try this finned cooler first (less moving parts & quieter) and it has worked out well.

Fri May 30, 2025 7:54 pm

Well, I pulled the trigger on the Reversaru 4EAT reversing kit. Im super excited to have an auto in the ride for the overlanding purpose. Im going to rebuild the 6sp and use it for another build. But for now I just want to get back on the road.

Fri May 30, 2025 7:57 pm

IMO Subarugears = about 95% chance you're gonna end up with a dead gear box and get gas lit by Todd and told its your fault. There's a reason Rancho and all the other guys won't build them anymore...and why Mike @ Rancho started that Subarugears Failed Products group on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/948318783574698
I am pretty sure any big positive raving posts you read on Facebook about SG are actually Todd in disguise....that's what some of his closest former colleagues have always told me...and it checks out for the type of dude he is.

Reversaru exists because Phil needed to stand behind his commitments to customers across several different businesses (a Subaru conversion shop, KombiKeg and RetroRV) and was previously Todd's biggest customer....

I think you are going to enjoy the 4EAT a lot.... and it's a good gear box for a ~250-300HP six....will be easier to setup with a big cooler for towing...

Plus...automatic buses are just better :) .. coming from a guy who has 3 with manuals and 1 with an automatic.... my auto bus is getting a 4EAT soon, too...

Fri May 30, 2025 8:01 pm

I agree 100% about the 4EAT, I think im going to go a bit overboard on the trans fluid cooler. Just want some added insurance when towing the trailer.

metahacker wrote: IMO Subarugears = about 95% chance you're gonna end up with a dead gear box and get gas lit by Todd

Reversaru exists because Phil needed to stand behind his commitments to customers across several different businesses (a Subaru conversion shop, KombiKeg and RetroRV) and was previously Todd's biggest customer....

I think you are going to enjoy the 4EAT a lot.... and it's a good gear box for a ~250-300HP six....will be easier to setup with a big cooler for towing...

Fri May 30, 2025 8:13 pm

That didnt too long to find the right deal. Not bad for $123. 500CFM fan will be nice when heading up the mountain passes.

Sat May 31, 2025 3:01 am

ive been wondering about these pans for the 4eat too
https://rallitek.com/products/transmission-cooling-pan-4eat-transmissions

Sat May 31, 2025 12:17 pm

also you might like this for overlanding
https://rfcparts.com/product/subadiff-auto-lsd-for-4eat-5eat/

i have one in my 4EAT .. but havent installed the 4EAT yet so can't tell you how it works ;-) but i can say that i really love the helical LSD (Guard Transaxle) i put in the Vanagon i recently built....

don't worry, i know it says SubaruGears but i don't think Todd actually makes it ;-)

Tue Oct 14, 2025 12:30 pm

Good morning all, its been a bit since posting any updates. Ive been working on a good transmission option for the bus and trailer. Here is the latest, after many discussions and calculations I am not putting in the Reversaru kit with the 4EAT. The reason is the trailer. At the end of the day pulling a 2,000 lb trailer is just more than i want to put on the automatic. The kit is amazing but I feel the added weight of the bus (4,640 lb) and trailer (2,100 lb) is just too much. soooo, here is what im doing. Matt Steedle at Steedle Transmissions is building a rediculous 091 6 rib trans for me. So, now im selling my new in box Reversaru kit. I will update the thread once the trans is finished and ready to go in.

Tue Oct 14, 2025 1:02 pm

scirocco_crazy wrote: Good morning all, its been a bit since posting any updates. Ive been working on a good transmission option for the bus and trailer. Here is the latest, after many discussions and calculations I am not putting in the Reversaru kit with the 4EAT. The reason is the trailer. At the end of the day pulling a 2,000 lb trailer is just more than i want to put on the automatic. The kit is amazing but I feel the added weight of the bus (4,640 lb) and trailer (2,100 lb) is just too much. soooo, here is what im doing. Matt Steedle at Steedle Transmissions is building a rediculous 091 6 rib trans for me. So, now im selling my new in box Reversaru kit. I will update the thread once the trans is finished and ready to go in.

Good to hear that things are moving forward with your build. What's the plan for 1st gear? Are you having a "creeper" 1st gear installed for climbing around FSRs? I've found the automatic pretty nice for the off-roading we do. I'd hate to have to be riding a clutch on some of the steeps with rocks, wash outs, and off angles.

Tue Oct 14, 2025 6:16 pm

Steedle Transmission built the three rib in front of my 2.5. Prit near 20K of Midwest driving and nary a hiccup. Highly recommend.

Tue Oct 14, 2025 9:07 pm

thats great news, He surely has a great following and puts a fantastic product in the market.

Gashog wrote: Steedle Transmission built the three rib in front of my 2.5. Prit near 20K of Midwest driving and nary a hiccup. Highly recommend.

Tue Oct 14, 2025 9:45 pm

Shonandb, you are reading my mind. I have been on gear ratio calculators this evening trying to find the perfect combination. I have not figured out 1st to 3rd but i believe going to .73 on 4th will get me to 71 MPH at 2650 RPM. I wil miss my 6sp when going 80+. Really towing a 2100lb trailer i have no right going over 70. On the downside, when down shifting to 3rd I will need to slow down or rev match the trans to the engine (big rpm increase when down shifting).

Shonandb wrote: scirocco_crazy wrote: Good morning all, its been a bit since posting any updates. Ive been working on a good transmission option for the bus and trailer. Here is the latest, after many discussions and calculations I am not putting in the Reversaru kit with the 4EAT. The reason is the trailer. At the end of the day pulling a 2,000 lb trailer is just more than i want to put on the automatic. The kit is amazing but I feel the added weight of the bus (4,640 lb) and trailer (2,100 lb) is just too much. soooo, here is what im doing. Matt Steedle at Steedle Transmissions is building a rediculous 091 6 rib trans for me. So, now im selling my new in box Reversaru kit. I will update the thread once the trans is finished and ready to go in.

Good to hear that things are moving forward with your build. What's the plan for 1st gear? Are you having a "creeper" 1st gear installed for climbing around FSRs? I've found the automatic pretty nice for the off-roading we do. I'd hate to have to be riding a clutch on some of the steeps with rocks, wash outs, and off angles.

Tue Oct 14, 2025 9:48 pm

One other items that Matt recommended was to put a straight cut 4th gear rather than helical cut teeth. The idea is that the straight cut gear will help when high speed highway runs towing the trailer. Only downside is there is a chance of gear noise. Good trade off for a more reliable set up? I trust in Matt and will do what he recommends.

Wed Oct 15, 2025 11:57 am

My fourth is a straight cut per Matt’s recommendation. There was a bit of gear noise at first, but has since quieted considerably. At fourth gear speeds I can tell no difference, not even the one month here when the windows are rolled up.

Wed Oct 15, 2025 12:57 pm

I'm sure Matt knows what works best and like Gashog said, you probably won't hear the additional gear noise over the normal road and wind noise of the Bus at hwy speeds.

With the power you have, you could probably gear it to start off in 2nd most of the time and target your 3rd to be able to climb higher grade hills/passes at a target speed (60 mph fully loaded & pulling the trailer) at the ideal torque range rpm (~4000), and then plan for a 4th ratio to hit 70mph at 2600 rpms for cruising & gas mileage. We had a 1955 GMC Carryall that had a "creeper" 1st gear that you'd use when pulling the trailer but otherwise we'd always start off in 2nd. Similar to VW Syncro gearing I believe.

Without the trailer you'll be able to climb most hills in 4th anyway but having 3rd dialed for climbing with the trailer would be ideal. This would allow you to gear 1st a bit lower for your off road needs but you'll have to think about what you'll use the Bus for most of the time and adjust your gearing to suit.

I've dialed my Westy in using tire size (29") to be able to climb most grades pulling our 1500 lb sport trailer at 100kph at 4800 rpms in 2nd gear (Vanagon 010 automatic) which allows us to cruise at 115kph at 3700 rpms or 130kph at 4000 rpms in D.

Looking forward to see what you end up deciding on.

Wed Oct 15, 2025 1:45 pm

Gashog wrote: My fourth is a straight cut per Matt’s recommendation. There was a bit of gear noise at first, but has since quieted considerably. At fourth gear speeds I can tell no difference, not even the one month here when the windows are rolled up.

Thats great news. I really appreciate the feedback on the straight cut gear.

Wed Oct 15, 2025 5:56 pm

Oh the mental masturbation that is going on in my brain. Remembering how the engine felt when at highway speeds with the 6 speed. When in 5th i always felt it needed a bit less RPM and in 6th it was too tall. I could only do 6th on totally flat surface without the trailer. So using 5th as a good standard to reference i am building the gear set in the 091 off of how it felt. So, if i go with the .75 4th gear it should reduce my RPM by 251 or just under 10% less. Assuming the average speed of 75 MPH with the trailer. Now taking into account the peak power band on this engine is around 4500 RPM. If i need to drop to 3rd to pass i can reach the power band very quickly to get up that mountain. I need you smart folks to chime in and keep from ordering the wrong gear set. Im open to your opinions. All that being said i am also leaning on Steedle for him input based on the tons of trans he has built.

Fri Nov 21, 2025 2:34 pm

Found a cool product out of England and figured i would share it. In the past our only option to adapt the VW trans to another brand engine was an adapter plate. Wellllllll, here is another choice. A firm named RJES has created new castings for 091 transmission bell housings(plus they use Subaru starters). I ordered one and Matt in putting it on the new trans being built. We are sleeving it, new gear sets, upgraded spider gear housing, upgraded reverse gear, and straight cut 4th. Then a banging clutch kit to top it off.

Check out RJES, Richard there is super nice and easy to deal with.