THE BASIC TRANSAXLE DESIGN FOR THE AIR COOLED VOLKSWAGON WAS ENGINEERED IN THE 1930'S. THEY WERE REMARKABLY WELL DESIGNED AND BUILT, GIVEN THE TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE AT THE TIME. VW TRANSAXLES HAVE BEEN USED IN FORKLIFTS, CROP SPRAYERS, DUNE BUGGIES, AND MANY OTHER APPLICATIONS FOR A LONG TIME WITH GREAT SUCCESS. SINCE THE 1960'S, WE IN THE INDUSTRY HAVE CREATED MANY MODIFICATIONS TO EXTEND THE VERSATILITY OF THESE UNITS FOR HIGH HORSEPOWER APPLICATIONS, OFF-ROAD RACING, AND MANY OTHER USES. THE FACT REMAINS THAT THEY WERE ENGINEERED QUITE SOME YEARS AGO AND THERE ARE MANY IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE NOW COMMONLY AVAILABLE TO MAKE THEM BETTER THAN STOCK. WE INCORPORATE MANY OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS IN EVEN OUR MOST BASIC, ECONOMICAL STOCK UNITS.

THE STOCK VW GEAR CARRIER IS MADE OF SOFT MAGNESIUM, AS IS THE TRANSAXLE CASE. THE HOLES FOR THE SHIFT RAILS (THE RAILS THAT CARRY THE SHIFT FORKS) WEAR OUT, CAUSING HARD SHIFTING, AND WORSE YET THESE WORN HOLES MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCURATELY ADJUST THE SHIFT FORKS, A NECESSITY FOR VW TRANSAXLES. WE USE CARRIERS THAT HAVE BEEN BORED AND HAD BRONZE BUSHINGS PRESSED IN ON ALL OF OUR REBUILT UNITS. THIS HELPS TO ELIMINATE HARD AND SLOPPY SHIFTING, AND THE BUSHINGS WILL NOT WEAR OUT LIKE THE HOLE IN THE STOCK CARRIER WILL. THIS HELPS TO ASSURE THAT YOUR TRANSAXLE WILL SHIFT AS WELL AFTER 100,000 MILES AS IT DID WHEN IT WAS NEW.

ONE OF THE MOST COMMON FAILURES OF THE VW TRANSAXLE IS POPPING OUT OF 4TH GEAR. THE WEAR ASSOCIATED WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MILES SOMETIMES MAKES THIS UNAVOIDABLE. HOWEVER, WE HAVE A SOLUTION. THE SLIDERS ON VW TRANSAXLES (THE PART THAT ENGAGES THE GEAR) WERE CUT AT THE FACTORY BEFORE HARDENING. THE HARDENING PROCESS DISTORTS THEM TO THE POINT THAT THEY ARE NO LONGER INDEXED PROPERLY. SOMETIMES ONLY ONE OR TWO TEETH ON THE SLIDER ARE CARRYING ALL THE LOAD. THE ANGLE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SLIDER AND THE SYNCHRO HUB TEETH ON THE GEAR IS WHAT KEEPS THE TRANSAXLE IN GEAR. WHEN ONLY A FEW OF THE TEETH ARE CARRYING ALL THE LOAD IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH WEAR BEFORE THE TRANSAXLE STARTS TO POP OUT OF GEAR. WE USE RE-CUT 3-4 SLIDERS ON ALL OF OUR REBUILT UNITS, AND SINCE WE BEGAN, 10 YEARS AGO, WE HAVE HAD NO RETURNS OF TRANSAXLES WITH A "POPPING OUT OF 4TH GEAR" COMPLAINT. GIVEN THE AGE OF THE AVERAGE VW TRANSAXLE, WE RARELY OPEN UP A CORE TRANSAXLE THAT HAS NOT BEEN REBUILT BEFORE. WHEN WE SEE 1000+ UNITS A YEAR THAT HAVE NOT HAD THIS MODIFICATION PERFORMED, WE ASSUME THIS MEANS THAT THE MAJORITY OF REBUILDERS THINK THIS MODIFICATION IS NOT IMPORTANT. WE DISAGREE. IN OUR EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH THE OFF-ROAD RACING INDUSTRY, WE HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO INSPECT THE CONDITION OF THESE SLIDERS, AGAIN AND AGAIN, ESPECIALLY AFTER HARD OFF-ROAD USE. (THE BEST OFF-ROAD RACERS HAVE THEIR TRANSAXLES OVERHAULED BETWEEN RACES EVEN IF THEY DON'T HAVE A TRANSAXLE PROBLEM. THEY WANT TO HAVE ALL THE PARTS MAGNAFLUXED AND INSPECTED BEFORE A RACE TO PREVENT A FAILURE). EVEN IN THESE STRESSFUL APPLICATIONS WE SEE VIRTUALLY NO WEAR ON THE 3-4 SLIDER. THE FLANKS OF THE TEETH ARE MACHINED TO A STEEPER ANGLE THAN STOCK AND ARE PERFECTLY INDEXED, SO THEY NEVER FAIL.

THE NOSE CONE IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF A VW TRANSAXLE. SOME REBUILDERS SHIP TRANSAXLES WITHOUT THEM. THIS WOULD BE LIKE BUYING A NEW CAR AND AFTER BEING GIVEN THE KEY, YOU DISCOVER THAT NOW YOU MUST PURCHASE WHEELS AND TIRES, AT ADDITIONAL COST, IN ORDER TO DRIVE IT HOME. WE NOT ONLY SUPPLY YOU WITH A COMPLETE TRANSAXLE, NOSE CONE AND ALL, BUT WE RESURFACE THE NOSE CONE AND INSTALL NEW BUSHINGS AND SEAL. SURFACING IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. THE HELICAL CUT OF THE GEARS IMPOSES A THRUSTING FORCE OF THE MAINSHAFT BEARING AGAINST THE NOSE CONE, WEARING INTO THE SURFACE. WE ROUTINELY SEE WEAR OF .020"-.040". EVEN MORE ON BUS NOSE CONES. IF YOU INSTALL YOUR OLD WORN NOSE CONE ON A REBUILT TRANSAXLE YOU WILL UNDOUBTEDLY EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS BECAUSE THE ENTIRE MAINSHAFT WILL BE ALLOWED TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE SURFACE WEAR. YOU MAY ALSO EXPERIENCE SLOPPY SHIFTING DUE TO BUSHING WEAR AND OIL LEAKS DUE TO SURFACE WARPAGE AND A WORN SEAL. WE INSTALL ADAPTOR BUSHING/ SEAL HOLDERS ON EARLY NOSE CONES THAT DID NOT COME STOCK WITH SEALS AND WE WELD AND RE-DRILL WORN AND ELONGATED MOUNTING HOLES. IF YOU THINK YOU'VE FOUND A BARGAIN TRANSAXLE, CHECK THE TOTAL PRICE AFTER YOU'VE PURCHASED A NEW OR REBUILT NOSE CONE.

STILL USING 1930'S TECHNOLOGY AND 36HP ENGINES, VOLKSWAGON DID NOT ENGINEER ENOUGH CLEARANCE FOR 1ST, 3RD, & 4TH GEARS. ANY DRAG OR SEIZURE ON ANY OF THE IDLER GEARS IN A TRANSAXLE WILL CAUSE DIFFICULT SHIFTING AND GEAR GRINDING. WE INSTALL A SELECTIVE SHIM THAT ENSURES PROPER CLEARANCE FOR 1ST GEAR. WE SURFACE THE BACKS OF 3RD & 4TH GEARS TO REMOVE THE BURRS LEFT BY FACTORY GEAR CUTTING AND TO ALLOW FOR MORE OIL CLEARANCE. THIS RESULTS IN THE MOST FRICTION FREE, SMOOTH SHIFTING VW TRANSAXLE YOU HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED.

THE CLUTCH CROSSHAFT ON A STOCK VW TRANSAXLE HAS THE THROWOUT BEARING ARMS LIGHTLY SPOT WELDED ONLY ON THE ENDS OF THE ARMS. THIS WAS SUFFICIENT FOR MOST STOCK APPLICATlONS, BUT YEARS OF USE OR USE OF HEAVY DUTY PRESSURE PLATES TENDS TO BREAK THE ARM RIGHT OFF OF THE SHAFT. ALL OF OUR REBUILT UNITS HAVE THE CROSSHAFT ARMS SECURELY WELDED TO THE SHAFT. WE FEEL THAT THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY. IF YOU MANAGE TO BREAK ONE OF OUR CROSSHAFTS, EVEN WITH A HEAVY DUTY PRESSURE PLATE, IT WILL BE COVERED BY YOUR WARRANTY.

WITHOUT GIVING AWAY ALL OF OUR TRADE SECRETS, WE FEEL THAT THE ABOVE COMMENTS REPRESENT AN OVERVIEW OF WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER ONE OF OUR UNITS OVER THOSE OF OUR COMPETITORS. IN ADDITION TO THE FACT THAT WE USE ONLY QUALITY SYNCHRO RINGS, BEARINGS, GASKETS, AND SEALS, AND REPLACE ANY QUESTIONABLE HARD PARTS, WHY ELSE WOULD WE OFFER A 24 MONTH, UNLIMITED MILEAGE WARRANTY?

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