freeway flier

[reddog]

bought a 62 crew cab has bad tranny want to go faster than 55 will a freeway flier help or what rought should i go want to stay stock height thanks

[Hella Bro]

John,Freeway fliers are great, just don't
make the big mistake by buying one from Transform. Instead buy one from Rancho.

[thx1138az]

It'll go faster if you engine can push it. But you may want to consider if your steering, suspension and brakes are adequate (ie safe) for the increased speed. You probably don't want to get "blown" off the road at high speeds Before I put in my Freeway Flyer I upgraded my shocks to KYB Gas-A-Just and installed an anti-sway bar for extra "road hugging" control. I had to fix my steering too to get rid of the excess slop. I just would feel safe otherwise -- seeing I'm sitting right up front in the "crush zone" of the bus.
peace,
James

[reddog]

where do i find a rancho

[westy demi-god]

Rancho's Phone # is: (714) 680-6737. They're in Aneheim. Also, I agree with what James had to say about the KYB's and sway bar. I did the same mods to my old Rivi camper.

Pooh

[reddog]

does the anti-sway bar go in the rear or isin the front new to busses

[thx1138az]

I put (er... had it put) in the front of the bus, but rear kits are available. Just doing the front help me out a lot -- especially during the monsoon season here in Phoenix... when this place is dust storm alley. If I get extra cash I'll eventually opt for the rear kit as well.
James

[raru]

Are those KYB shocks what I see at some car shows where people drop their bus all the way to the ground... and then just gas it up to drive away?

Raul

[thx1138az]

raru... the KYB gas-a-just shocks are just more or less regular shocks that use gas to automatically adjust *itself* to the road conditions. You can't add air manually... it does it all on its own. What you see at shows is some kinda air suspension. For me, I wouldn't trust it on the freeway... I'd always be afraid that the damn thing would drop on me at 60mph :)

James

[Bollocky]

Hey all! I just aquired a 68 bug that was said to 'may have a freeway flier'... I've been driving for two days now, adjusting to the car.. If I shift up at lower rpm's it'll buck slightly for a few seconds and accelerate slower, but will reach much higher speeds before having to shift. Typically 4o-50 in second and an easy 65 in third. I haven't gone over 70 but not that the car won't do it. It would love to do it...that's why I'm afraid to do it. Also, it seems to me that with the gas pedal, it's either gas or no gas...there's no in between....no holding steady...only accelerate or coast....you know? Oh, and I should probibly mention that it's turbo'd.

[aesthetics343]

[faster-laster]

Ronnie carries the Ranch FF transaxles. I bought the one with the R&P in the middle ratio (IIRC 4.125:1). I push it around w/ a stock 1600 and have nothing but good things to say about it. about 35k miles on it with no problems. I'm not interested in flying at 70 but 65 seemed like a good compromise to me. I drive it daily at 65 with no problems, The engine seems to be very happy with the ratio and in 3rd gear 45 mph is a good speed. This works out well for me due to all the 45 mph limits I drive through.
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62 Mouse Grey Deluxe
66 Westfalia SO-42 "Tigerbus"

[simpsoncan2]

Has anyone tried a 3.88 ring and pinon straight axle trans with stock gears in a bus? Likes/dislikes? Also which axles did you use, '60-'66, '67, or '68?

[splitpile]

I've done (straight axle)
4.12 77 4th
3.88 82 4th
3.88 89 4th
3.44 89 4th

I have a 3.88 89 4th coming to replace a 4.12 77th 4th
My tire are to short for the 4.12 77 4th and I don't like the drop between 3rd and 4th

rear tire and engine size dictate which gears to use
_________________
Stocking distributor of "The Funky Green Panels"
www.BUSTORATION.com metal and more for your bus
"no more hacking my sig line"

[Andrew]

I've done stock, 3.88 with .82 with big nut RGB's, and am about to try 3.88 with .89 straight axle. I definitely recommend the 3.88/.82/big nuts in a stock height bus. Engine may need a little more oomph if it's stock, but it'll cruise at 75 nicely.
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-Andrew

[vwbrain]

hey guys I am running a 3.88 with 89th forth and big nut reduxs with a 1848cc motor works real well I have had very good luck with transform and Ronnies I really like the way transform changes the TOB arm to the heavy duty type I have one transform in a 66 westy that has been there for 10 years with no problems later Mark dearing

[Eric&Barb]

Hi Volks,
We have been running the 3.875 R&P FF with .82 fourth and 1964-67 RGBs on our 1960 panel conversion. Engine is a SP 1641 with CW crank. Definitely a huge improvement over the stock gearing that before topped out in fourth gear @ 3,000 RPM @ 47 MPH. Now crusing at 58 MPH @ 3,000 RPM and getting 23 MPG.
As always if anyone is interested Pmail us and we will send you our "Modified Tranny History".
Eric&Barb

[Campy]

I bought a freeway flyer centersection from Transform, last fall, because Rancho Performance never advertised that they had pre-1968 bus centersections, and the VW repair garage, here, had bought about thirty centersections from them over the years, and had nothing but good results.
One problem is, though, about two months after I bought it, a man at GEX told me that Transform went out of business. I telephoned Transform, and talked to a woman at another company; she told me that the non-transmission part of Transform had been sold to the company she works for, and the transmission part of the company went out of business. She said the owner had retired. I wish that I had been told that it was going to be closed before I bought the centersection; I don't know how my warranty would be honored.
After I had rebuilt four reduction gear boxes, I was looking at Bus Depot's website and I saw that they sell 1958? to 1967 bus transaxles, exchange, from Rancho Performance for about $650 plus shipping. For the older style, your transaxle has to be sent to Rancho Performance to be rebuilt, and cost something like $850 plus shipping. Since two reduction gear box rebuild kits cost about $200, and a rebuilt centersection about $350, it seems like a good deal.

[kingodirtp3]

i'm about to do the straight axle conversion to the 64 bus i just bought. i learned i could just flip the r&p instead of buying a new tranny. it has a dp 1600 in it and comes with the 68 axles and tubes. the rims are 14x5.5in and stock tires. i dont think the stock tires will work once i lower it so i'm looking for around 195/60 for the front and 215/55 or 60 for the rear. what are y'alls thoughts about using the bus tranny instead of a 68 tranny or ff? will it have enough gears for the 1600 to push the bus on the highway at a reasonable speed and make it up hills without bogging down? thanks

[Eric&Barb]

Problem with your question is how much of a hill and your expectations. So unless you install something as big as a V-8 you are always are going to find a steep and/or long enough hill (especially if you carry a load onboard) to slow you down.

Even then we have had muscle cars blow by us in the mountains, and a few miles later passed them parked on the shoulder due to steam coming out from the radiator!!

Best to figure out what RPMs you want to run at what MPH for all four forward gears. Then get that gearing built into a tranny. Then if you find you need more torque and HP you can get a bigger and/or larger stroke engine to get the better hill climbing you desire.
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In Stereo, Where Available!