Transmission grumbling

[66brm]

The idea is to prevent the frame horns pulling down on hard launches, the front mounts are to stop the nose cone going up
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Aust. RHD 66 Type 1
Aust. RHD 57 Type 1 Oval

[Wreck]

the bottom mount ties the frame horns to the brace and still leaves the transmission isolated on it's mounts for noise reasons . If the trans is solid mounted you could use the top bolts .

A 091 bus to bug box with custom mounts.the mounts are GM rear transmission mounts , they were too soft so I made some poly ones instead . it's nice to be able to change mounts with the engine/box in place .

[VW_Jimbo]

I was thinking of intergrating these. 1 one at each side. In my mind, the mid 80 water cooled vws had a front and rear torque mount. Around 86 they went to a shock mounted one at the top. Seems like it would help isolate the noises from solid mountings and help dampen the torque loads, while still allowing somee movement to help keep everything from just breaking.

Anyone using anything like these? Any good?

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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[67rustavenger]

[modok]

I didn't remember if you had a bug or buggy!
There is no real need to have joints.
The stock rear hanger bracket flexes a lot, HUGE improvement boxing it.

Down rods connect to angle iron in bottom corner of package tray, welded in

I tried rubber washers on the down rods many years ago, and the kafer style too, but the difference in noise was almost none. I have been suspecting for some time next I need to beef up the torsion tube itself, possibly the flex there is actually what is rattling the floor from the FRONT mount

[VW_Jimbo]

So, the saga continues!

Todat, I had the pleasure of installing, wait, attempting to install the engine. Got it under the car, lowered the car down around the engine. Then jacked it up into position to plug into the tranny. Started pushing it in and turning it and I hear this metal on metal sound, while turning the crank. Turned out to be my rear mount studs. I have installed the Cb Performance Rhino mounts on the past 70 transaxle. I installed the 76 tranny with those mounts, forgetting about the stud lenght. However, I was quickly reminded about it while pushing the engine in.

Got to then, drop the engine, cover it completely with a blanket and then grind those studs down about 1/4 of an inch.

Before grinding.

After grinding.

I then was able to get the engine back up in there and pushed in! Bolted everything up tight. Double checked everything, including oil levels. Got in the car, hooked up the batterey, then got in the drivers seat. Sat down and stepped on the clutch pedal, still good. Pushed the gas pedal one time, still good. Grabbed the stick shift and nothing! Oh, wait....I had forgotten to connect it. Duh, and oh yay, need to reconnect the batterey!

Ok, where was I. Grabbed the shifter and made sure I was in nuetral. I was. So, I fired it up! It started and I pushed in the clutch. Reverse was selected and engaged. Then I went through the gears making sure they were all there. Running each one, while the car was up in the air, for just a few seconds. Then I shut it down and went looking for leaks. I found nothing. Went through and triple checked the nuts and bolts, the gear oil and clutch adjustment.

Now, I should run a break in on the synchros, but I cannot remember what the procedure is. Is it running it in reverse for several minutes, then running through each gears for a few minutes or ? Any suggestions?
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[VW_Jimbo]

MCMScott is awesome. Great customer service!

Sent Scott an email asking for the breakin regiment, on Sunday around 9 or 10PM.

7:38AM today I get a response - AWESOME!!! Thank you! Here it is, "No cv's on, put it in reverse and let it idle. Or use this time to balance carbs ect." "10 mins. or so."

How did he know that I needed to balance the carbs? Lucky guess. Maybe he works on VWs or something!

So, if work end early and I have no paperwork, guess what I will be doing!?!?
Breaking in a tranny! Oh and resetting up the carbs.

Thanks again Scott!
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[mcmscott]

Get er' done!!
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There are no stupid questions, only stupid people,

68 Ghia
67 T-1
65 Notch
02 Mexican beetle
74 Thing
15 Long travel rail
07 Nomad
05 f-250

[VW_Jimbo]

[Clatter]

FWIW,

I'll gurge what I know about controlling wheel hop..

First, maybe it's built to the level where you might convert to Bus-size CVs?
Something to think about..
If you find a 944 -they are all over the wrecking yards these days- they have your CVs and stub axles.
Flanges at the trans can be sourced from a VW Thing, or more likely aftermarket.
The stock beetle axles will need the shoulder machined down for the wider CVs, or buy aftermarket axles.
Not that you need them, but something to think about.
If your trans is built right, the CVs are likely the weak link now.
Plus, the stuff pops up for cheap, if you are looking for it.



WRT controlling frame horn flex:

The Berg 'traction bar' was the go-to for years, and it works decently well.
it's not the best, IMHO for two reasons,
First, it's in the way of everything, and secondly, it uses thin body sheet-metal to anchor the bar.

Other ideas come along that attach to the rear sheet-metal,
and some are stronger than others.

The 'trapeze' a.k.a. 'kafer Bar' like the Mendeola are a better setup.
They attach to the cast/heavy shock towers vs. the thin body sheet-metal.
They don't get in the way (unless you run heater boxes; some foul the 3-4 side heater box),
And you can leave them in when you R&R the motor, which can come in handy.
Better kits are made from aluminum, rather than steel,
and it's best to weld them to your cradle vs. those kinds that fit between the horns and cradle, moving/shimming your motor back.
You can weld the mount brackets to the cradle to fix this if needed..

Like was said, the cradle can be weak;
Most of the old school 'strap kits', like back in the day, have a heavier-duty cradle, which is good.

Now, the 'kafer bar' can stop the horns from moving,
But the rubber mounts are still stressed, and can move,
Especially the twisting motion of the motor when you launch,
So you have to control movement between the cradle and bellhousing..

That's where i like the 'ol "padded strap kit".
Some are kind of chintzy, and will need a bit o' fittin',
But the back piece of the strap kit will keep the bell-housing from ripping away from the cradle at the mounts.



Moving up to the front (nose-cone) area..

That front mount part from the old strap kit can help,
But the next better thing is a front mount like Berg sells.
They are known for having pretty soft rubber mounts,
so many change to harder Volvo engine mount rubbers.

Even better is a 'slapper bar' type of bar that Joel Mohr designed,
(and others copycatted)
Because it just 'butts up' against the horns under load,
but doesn't otherwise touch.
It, therefore, doesn't require welding mounts on, and can have stiffer stop pads.

If any of this makes any sense at all... Maybe if you try and re-read my babbling might make some sense..


To summarize:
My vote goes to a kafer bar and bell-housing cradle/strap,
Plus a Joel Mohr style front slapper bar.
(and some 944 CVs )

FWIW, i have been able to have pretty good luck doing burnouts with a (late) stock trans,
Because wheel-hop is kept under control.
You might consider giving that nice new trans every chance at a long life,
And do some burnouts!!

Yeah, I'm really jealous you got to go and build a trans at Scott's.
Really, really jealous...
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Bus Motor Build

What’s That Noise?!?

[mcmscott]

[modok]

RIGHT ON!

And I will add if you do NOT go solid rear mount....DO beef the hanger bracket.
That bracket has a lot of flex, and NOT in a good direction, you beef that thing up even the stock rubber mounts all of a sudden work so much better. it is counter intuitive but true, I am trying to spread the word!

[VW_Jimbo]

So, could not sit behind the desk working. After that last post yesterday, I got one estimate done and went out in the garage. Checked the oil level again (right on the money), then took the axles off and started it up. Set the timing, idle speed and mixture. Barrels were all sucking the same so I did not have to screw with that. I did hear a weird noise coming from the fuel pump, but everything looked good, so......

I WENT FOR A DRIVE AROUND TOWN!!! A two hour excursion!

That’s what I am talking about! Had a blast! Easy driving, nothing to crazy. This thing moves. Looked at the speedo while cruising down PCH, 80 and I still had some to go!!!! The old tranny was limiting the engine at about 75. It made the engine start screaming!

I love the gearing! It just flows! That 3.88 R&P are awesome! I can remember having one back in the 55 Bug in 1988. But it was not as smooth as this one! This one is perfect. That superdiff is a little loud but I think I will get used to it! Probably going to get a little louder, once I get to stiffening up the tranny supports. I guess that is part of the price for admission!

I absolutely love it!!!!

On to the mounts!!!! Gotta figure this out. I need to sit down and run some numbers through my brain. Let’s see what happens!
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[nsracing]

A 'little-loud' on the super diff? Why would it be loud at all? Growling noise?

[VW_Jimbo]

[VW_Jimbo]

[Wreck]

Jimbo that square tubing is what I've got running under the luggage floor , bolted to the luggage floor and the end plates on the Z bar mounts .

[VW_Jimbo]

[VW_Jimbo]

[modok]

Yeah it's so simple it's hard to see! Just a piece of cheap 2" angle iron fit in the corner and welded. It makes the bottom corner of the luggage tray INTO a box, and also the ends welded nicely to the wheel wells, and that seems to be a good place to TIE the body to the frame horns.

Stripped 66 did a REAL janky looking version of that once, and it worked well!

It seems like the key.... is connect the frame horns to the weight of the body.
Going to the shock mounts is very nice idea and clean looking, but it does not work quite as well because it's ultimately taking a longer path.