Grinding transmission for 12v

[akokarski]

Hi,

i remember this topic came up not a while, but I cannot find that thread. Here is what's going on. I am swapping out transmission on my 63, car is already converted to 12v and motor has 12v flywheel on it. however replacement transmission needs to be grinded out. I don't have any air tools , only a grinder the electrical kind that can hold cut off wheels and sanding disks. Also I have a dremmel but I don't think this will do. I am planing on putting a flywheel with gland nut on the input shaft to see where I need to trim. Will I be able to do this, or do I need to tool up or find somebody who can do this for me? Also how much is usually removed during this procedure?

Thanks a bunch,
Anton

[mkmaxit]

I went to the home depot and found a drum sander with like 60 grit on this drum. I think it was a 2 1/2 drum and worked real well. Didnt take long at all. The dremel isnt gonna be much good. I use the drum sander on my 1/2 electric drill.

One thing I did that helped alot was to assemble the flywheel with pressure plate and clutch. of course use the alignment tool. Then slipped the flywheel onto the input shaft and this gave me the guidelines to what needed sanded down.
Before you take off flywheel motor measure the depth the flywheel to how far it would go back into the transaxle. So as you trim and check with flywheel as I mentioned above.

[vw57drvr]

Although not easiest, you can do it with a cut off wheel. I have done it when I had no other tools. You just need to do the 4 corners, just dont go too deep and cut out your bolt holes. ( of course I have seen several that have, including mine, and it doesnt effect it).
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60 Rock Grey Vert

[akokarski]

cool. Come to think of it my spare flywheel is still on the old motor so I can just mate them together and see where I need to grind off. How much clearance should I go for?

Thanks guys,

Anton

[mkmaxit]

only enough so it will turn. Once you have motor in and running it will clearance any small areas it needs. Flywheel teeth are very sharp and have no problem finishing up the job.

Even read somewhere about a guy that put motor in and started it. Slowly screwed the engine to transaxle mounting bolts in and let the flywheel do the job.
That would be freaky to do in my opinion.

[glutamodo]

I've said this before here - I'd rather get shavings than magnesium dust, so I use a rotary file in a drill to do this job. Rotary files or burrs work pretty good for this.

[keifernet]

Not ground for 12V flywheel...

Ground...

You can align a clutch disc and PP on a spare flywheel slide it on the input shaft and use it to test fit and see where your still rubbing a tad...

[mailman]

Did mine with an electric drill and a hardware store type grinding stone. Paid a couple of bucks for the stone (about 3" in diameter and 3/4" thick). I didn't think of the input shaft and flywheel trick to check my progress, so I ended up installing and re-pulling the engine three times!

Oh, well, live and learn....
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'64 Bahama Blue Beetle / steel sunroof
'64 Bahama Blue Beetle Sedan (future ragtop)

[Randy87]

I have a question I am doing the same thing I have ground down the trans but I am having trouble with the clutch I bolted the motor to the trans and it fit but when I mash the clutch it don't disengage like the throwout bearing is not pushing the clutch far enough anybody got an idea what might be wrong

[drscope]

[towd]

if you do use a rotary file or a stone,, use wd 40 on the cutter first... it will help stop them from loading up so fast and way earier to clean

[glutamodo]

I've never had any issues with a rotary file loading up on me.

[Bruce]

[towd]

oh it doesn't happen eh ?? LOL really now

[Bruce]

Obviously you've never dug into MAGNESIUM before. Try it for yourself.
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[keifernet]

I would like to see "Mythbusters" do a piece on the various myths surrounding grinding the bell housing and tool usage

[6Speed]

I used a electric grinder with stone. It cut through that magnesium like hot butter.
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'57 Beetle

[Zekes'Low60]

When I got my VW, a 62 Ragtop back in 1981, an older fellow that owned a VW shop and helped me with a few issues, let me borrow a tool he had made for clearancing 6 volt trannies.

All it was, was a 12v flywheel he had welded a "cap" over the recess where the crank goes. Then added a piece of round rod to the "cap" to attach a 1/2" drill to.

Just spin the drill while adding pressure and the teeth of the flywheel clearance the tranny. Was a little scary with the stories I had heard about magnesium....and with me being a junior in high school I kept expecting to go up in a cloud of dust but took my time and made it thru it.
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10 December 1959.... L41 VW De Luxe Sedan..."Christine"

62 'Vert basketcase....."Tetnus"
62 Dragcar/ProStreet project....."Muffdiver"

[drscope]

The transmission on the VW is an aluminum/magnesium blend. It has more aluminum then it does mag.

If your rotary file is loading up, you may be turning it too fast. This creates enough heat at the cutting edge to melt the material you are trying to remove. Then the aluminum sticks to the cutter and you take you sharp edge off the tool. Slow your speed down and with a sharp cutter, the material will peel right off.

And while you can do this job with a stone, again, its not good for the stone.
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Mother Nature is a Mean Evil Bitch!

[Bruce]