73 transaxle rebuild

[rustybug1990]

How hard is it to teardown and rebuild a IRS transaxle in a standard Bug? I want to get the Timco guide and rebuild my own, are there a lot of special tools needed to do a proper job?

[modok]

Doing it for the first time, I'd say 60% chance of success.

[Clatter]

I lucked out my first couple of tries..
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758907&highlight=dummy
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Bus Motor Build

What’s That Noise?!?

[rustybug1990]

[Wreck]

[jsturtlebuggy]

With yours being a 1973 it takes a special socket for the 80mm pinion nut which cost around $250-270 for the good one. There cheaper ones, how good they work on a nut torqued to 160lbs is a guess.
You can make some of the tools. A jig can be made with another trans case like what you have that been cut up to be able to adjust the shift forks.
They are not like any Japanese trans where shift forks use roll pins to hold them to shift rails.
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Joseph
Fair Oaks/Orangevale, CA
Elrod Motorsports
Motion Tire Motorsports
Having fun with Dune Buggies since 1970
Into Volkswagens since 1960

[vugbug68]

I changed a stripped reverse gear in my 73 tranny, the pinion nut tool and reverse gear cost more than the tranny itself haha
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71 Super - Backroad Thrasher
66 Corvair - Weekend Cruiser
90 4 Runner - Muddin

[rustybug1990]

[vugbug68]

[rustybug1990]

[jsturtlebuggy]

Torque on pinion nut is a 160 ft lbs, takes more then that to loosen it if someone has used Loctite.
Socket has cut out on it to clear reverse idler gear.
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Joseph
Fair Oaks/Orangevale, CA
Elrod Motorsports
Motion Tire Motorsports
Having fun with Dune Buggies since 1970
Into Volkswagens since 1960

[Clatter]

IIRC Samstag Sales has the pinion nut socket for a lot cheaper..
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Bus Motor Build

What’s That Noise?!?

[jsturtlebuggy]

You have to wonder why 80mm socket is selling for less then half the price other ones are selling for.
I see it is made in Serbia. Anyone have other tools made there and what is the quality is?
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Joseph
Fair Oaks/Orangevale, CA
Elrod Motorsports
Motion Tire Motorsports
Having fun with Dune Buggies since 1970
Into Volkswagens since 1960

[modok]

If it was just broached like a socket it could be cheaper but that means you need a pretty special broach setup, I'd think most are machined the slow way because the quantities aren't enough to justify making special dies and broaches.

The tool makes sense if you are a transmission factory.... with the same machinery that cuts sliders, gears, and hubs, can make that tool too, but your average tool company does not have those machines.


I've been told in the old days techs would cut the pinion retaining nut to get it off easy and use a new one each time.
So staking it and/or glueing it in place was no big deal, and easier on the special socket.


Years ago I attempted to take one unit apart and it would just spin, the whole bearing would spin.
Probably strange/wrong combination of parts causing that to happen, (very "custom" trans) but even so I really wondered how that was even supposed to work, and when I asked......
That was the answer, just cut it off and get a new one.
but what if they don't have any new ones?
Probably don't need to know that but I guess the point is..... there is more than one way to do it, but you have to find your own way.
Live or die by your parts suppliers, and I'm sure with transmissions it is the same way or worse.

[vugbug68]

I was able to use a universal and my 1/2” impact and it came off pretty easy
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71 Super - Backroad Thrasher
66 Corvair - Weekend Cruiser
90 4 Runner - Muddin

[rustybug1990]

[vugbug68]