Difference between Beetle and Bus Trans

[ripperfarms]

How do you identify a Bus Transmission when it is in a Beetle

Thanks............Dave in Illinois

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What makes you think you may have a Bus trans? Pre-67 Beetles/Buses had very similar transaxles with a couple different ring & pinion ratios, and a few different 3rd/4th ratios. The main difference would be in the axles, with the Bus having gear reduction boxes on the ends. The Bus transaxles had a different nose cone that had the shifter rod “hockey stick” exit the trans in a lower location. The differential in the Bus transaxles was installed to reverse the rotation of the axles, so that the gear reduction boxes would turn the wheels the opposite way. While I have seen reduction boxes installed on a Beetle, the Beetle axles can be installed on a Bus transaxle. If nothing is done to change the direction of the differential, simply installing Beetle axles on a Bus transaxle will result in giving you 1 forward speed, and 4 reverses.

[Dusty1]

Leading indicators:

A pre- '67 Bus trans will make a Bug ride a mile high. As stated above pre'67 Bug and Bus are similar out to the ends of the axles. Busses get reduction boxes, Bugs don't.

Adapting a Bug transaxle to a pre- '67 Bus is a common lowering trick.

Swapping to a Bay Bus transaxle doesn't necessarily alter the ride height although you need to alter other things. Partial list below.

Up to '67 Bus and Bug used the same transmission case. Bay window Busses got several generations of larger and wider transmission cases starting in '68.

IRS: Unless it's a high end conversion the Bus nose cone pokes through the lower section of the parcel tray. The shift rod needs to be above the tunnel. The above the tunnel setup requires a custom shifter, if not a custom shifter at least a shifter box to align the shifter with the shift rod. The nose cone and the shift rod need to run through the same space usually occupied by the back seat base.

It's a conversion often done on Baja bugs and drag cars. Baja bugs and drag cars don't need a back seat.


If you're looking at that '70 on Marketplace that supposedly has a Bus trans... it probably doesn't.

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[mukluk]

[ripperfarms]

I do remember about the gear reductions on the rear wheels of a bus.

Actually some Trike builders liked them because you could put the engine in front of the back wheels and the trans stuck out the back.

I was just wondering about the bus trans because someone did state they had a bus trans in their Baja. It was the 68 for sale.


"Mid travel Baja Bug Price: 6500
1968 VW Baja bug wider beam longer arms on front suspension rear suspension 3 x 3 longer arms fox shocks built ***bus transmission ***Weddle gears low ratio great for trails fold down rear seat pro car front seats wide foot pedals."

And I am just learning about a Baja that I bought without an engine a couple of years ago......I found an engine and was just starting to work on it.

Thanks for all the replies

[cbeck]

I believe somebody makes 10 degree kit that brings the shifter on the same location in the tunnel, but raises the engine. Maybe ask a moderator to move this over to the dirt pile, (off road forum).one of the oldtimers will give a more accurate answer.
Next question to be asked, 3, 5, or 6 rib trans. There is a transmissions for dummies sticky somewhere on here.
_________________
My cut in half and rebuild thread
www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647779

[61SNRF]

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While a 68 Beetle would be more common to have a swing axle, if the ad mentions 3x3 trailing arms, its most likely an IRS suspension with the CV joint axles. The later CV joint axle Bus transaxles have similar 1st-4th ratios, but the ring & pinion ratios are considerably lower than the Beetle transaxles. From the post 61SNRF linked, here are your common Bus transaxles.
002 3-rib, 002 5-rib, and 091 6-rib

[ripperfarms]