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Limited slip or locker for VW transaxle
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Pierre G
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 3:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bruce wrote:
Ian Epperson wrote:

Also, I believe the ZF has a clutch that needs periodic replacement.
.


Haven't seen that yet. But then I've only owned about 120 ZFs.


Bruce,
How did you manage to have about 120 ZFs ? Shocked Are there so many ZF equipped Things in Canada ? Did you buy all the ZFs trans all around the world for like...20 years ? How was import of Things in Canada ? Only 1973-74 like in the US, or longer...
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Bruce
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 11:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ZFs were never sold in Canada or the USA. I guess VW thought we wouldn't be able to handle them.
I found the diffs in another country. Collected them over about 15 years. Most have homes. Plenty of Samba members are having fun!
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Pierre G
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 12:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bruce wrote:
ZFs were never sold in Canada or the USA. I guess VW thought we wouldn't be able to handle them.
I found the diffs in another country. Collected them over about 15 years. Most have homes. Plenty of Samba members are having fun!


Hmm, I see now.

Quote:
...in another country...
Mexico ? Germany ? Or is it a business secret because the source is still actual...?
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Bruce
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 10:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Many ZF equipped Type 181s went to Denmark. Belgium too. Wink
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 10:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I knew it was from Belgium... Very Happy Seriously I thought about Belgium too, because there is/was a lot of VWs there, as they were imported/built long before France for example. There was a huge 181/Military vehicles salvage yard in the East of France a while ago (near the german border). I think it's closed now. Probaly was a bunch of ZFs there too...
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DavidWymore
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 11:34 am    Post subject: Re: Limited slip or locker for VW transaxle Reply with quote

I'd like more traction for my rail..leaning spool...I have cutting brakes, but don't use them because they don't work well, so I just gas, turn, let off gas, and slide the rear...wonder how a spool would act in a VW. I come from a 4x4/rock crawler background.
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doublecanister
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 6:32 pm    Post subject: Re: Limited slip or locker for VW transaxle Reply with quote

Hey guys,

ok so how would you identify one of these "zf's" ?

is it something you can only tell by tearing down a transmission?
or is anything external give it away?

I have a spare transmission so I'm curious. would love to have this
traction on my THING from my last experience in the snow.

did a bit of googling and only saw differential assembly's, and other assorted "slips" Very Happy

Thanks for any info!

T
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 7:42 pm    Post subject: Re: Limited slip or locker for VW transaxle Reply with quote

Jack the back of the car up so both rear wheels are off the ground. Rotate one wheel, if the other turns in the same direction, it's LSD. If it spins in the opposite direction, it's a open diff.
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gears
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 15, 2016 11:45 am    Post subject: Re: Limited slip or locker for VW transaxle Reply with quote

.. and do this test with the trans in Neutral.
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doublecanister
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 15, 2016 11:53 am    Post subject: Re: Limited slip or locker for VW transaxle Reply with quote

Thanks for the info guys.

I'll try to get that spare transmission in neutral.
it's in the shed (not in the THING) so I guess same test method would hold.

I kinda doubt there would be any external markings to denote what diff any trans "should of" had installed. Probably an open diff be my luck.

Thanks yall

T
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SilverThing Premium Member
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 18, 2016 2:47 pm    Post subject: Re: Limited slip or locker for VW transaxle Reply with quote

There are a few hints, but they aren't guarantees.

Transaxle codes (kind of like engine codes) will tell you what the factory supplied. The code is stamped on one of the lower ribs of the transaxle on the passenger side. There were 6 different transaxle codes for the Thing: AK, AL, AV, AW, GA, & GB. Only AL, AW, & GB came from the factory with limited slip differentials. The filler plug will sometimes have text on it alerting the user to the need for special oil.

AL was a swing axle transmission with reduction boxes and was only used in the 1970 through early 1973 model years. These will be fairly uncommon for multiple reasons, not least of which was the factory would actually recommend you not get one if you made an inquiry about it. Reason being the expense and the German military didn't order them for their vehicles presumably because they felt that the limited slip didn't add significantly to the capabilities of the vehicle (or didn't justify the cost). https://www.volkswagen-classic.de/en/magazin/report/volkswagen-typ-181-thw If you can read German, you can read the letter to Gifhorn's THW in the photgallery of the hyperlink.

GB is a single side cover IRS transmission and will also be uncommon. It is a limited slip transaxle that is also couple with an option code for alternate gearing (lower 2nd gear and lower final drive ratio). The option was only available from late 73 through the 76 model years. I saw one for sale on German ebay 9 years ago, but I couldn't convince the seller to ship it internationally.

AW will be the most common transaxle to have a limited slip differential. It was offered from late 73 through the end of production (January 1982 by some accounts). It is a single side cover transmission.

Now some caveats. The factory never offered the limited slip differential to the US market. All US market Things will have AV for their transaxle code (unless someone replaced the transmission - seen that a number of times). You could have potentially ordered a limited slip through a dealer parts department back in the day if you knew the part number, but I don't know of anyone ever actually having done this. EMPI also offered zf limited slip differentials in their performance catalogs in the 1970s.

If you're concerned about snow traction, the single best thing you can do is to procure a set of good tires. I am not kidding on this. A limited slip differential will help, but tires will have a bigger impact.
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Bruce
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 18, 2016 8:31 pm    Post subject: Re: Limited slip or locker for VW transaxle Reply with quote

SilverThing wrote:
The factory never offered the limited slip differential to the US market. All US market Things will have AV for their transaxle code .....

And Canada.
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doublecanister
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:31 pm    Post subject: Re: Limited slip or locker for VW transaxle Reply with quote

Hey Silver & Bruce,

very good info, thanks for sharing!

I think you're right, I remember having to use snow tires on my first truck (78 Toyota), it made a difference.

Thanks!

T
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 9:22 am    Post subject: Re: Limited slip or locker for VW transaxle Reply with quote

Ive got a limited diff in my convertible bug from 68. Original factory option , its a german BGS ( Bundesgrenzschutse) or borderpolice .
I was suprised to see how many parts are different as the standard ones.

Sorry to post here but no result in the bug forums.
i need a rebuild kit or some parts to get it back working.

Any sources ? Thank you
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Bruce
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 28, 2018 4:20 pm    Post subject: Re: Limited slip or locker for VW transaxle Reply with quote

ferry wrote:

i need a rebuild kit or some parts to get it back working.

Any sources ?

None. VW people have been nagging VW for parts for over 30 years with no success.

What parts do you need?
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 6:10 am    Post subject: Re: Limited slip or locker for VW transaxle Reply with quote

Hi bruce , most can be used again but the two “shims “ between de pressblock and the frictionplates are bad
I found the bearings and the m8 bolts , my gears are all ok
And i think i send another bruce a pm hahaha
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Bruce
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 7:33 pm    Post subject: Re: Limited slip or locker for VW transaxle Reply with quote

Post some pictures of what you have and what you need.
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 31, 2018 11:49 am    Post subject: Re: Limited slip or locker for VW transaxle Reply with quote

Ok ill do that . There are some pics in my photos here but nothing inside the diff.
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sam_w
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 31, 2018 10:26 pm    Post subject: Re: Limited slip or locker for VW transaxle Reply with quote

I have a Quaife in my 73 Thingster for off-roading. There sometimes is soft sand and mud on the places I go so it has been helpful.
I had it installed by Rancho.
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 04, 2018 1:49 pm    Post subject: Re: Limited slip or locker for VW transaxle Reply with quote

Hey Bruce, how did those ZF thrust washers work out? I built you some years ago, got my ZF installed and put in my Thing.
Roger
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