A silly hypothetical transmission question

Inane Cathode · Jedi Knight Joined: 20 Nov 2009 Posts: 225

I keep thinking about subaru transmissions and how one would get one to work in our applications.
Basically, the problem is it spins backwards if you mate it up like the vw transaxle is, 5 reverse gears, yes?
One solution is to get a reverse cut gear set ($$$), is it possible to flip the diff over in any of the subaru transmissions? Does anyone have a concise idea of what suby boxes this will work with and which it will not?
My silly hypothetical question is, if you cant flip the diff over, is there any reason you cant flip the entire transmission over upside down, make a new drain plug, make a new fill plug, and be done with it? The only think it seems like would be an issue is the gear set might not get proper oil due to the new 'level' but i dont have any cut away pictures of suby boxes so i'm not sure about that.
Anyhow, any ideas?

ping · Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 4:29 pm Post subject:

Yeh i too was thinking about the upside down box idea since last weekend at silverstone watching the historic racers. Many of these racers actually use the beetle box mounted upside down and sticking out the back with an engine mounted infront and towards the front.

ping · Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 4:32 pm Post subject:

www.subaru4you.co.uk/.../transmission.shtml
Then in parts- transmission.
I think looking at the pics you could say its a no really as the drive hubs would be really high and you would need an addaptor just to mount the scooby engine back to its box!

Inane Cathode · Jedi Knight Joined: 20 Nov 2009 Posts: 225

Hmm, true. I guess the subaru engine to tranny mount holes arent horizontally symmetrical like the vw.

Reason i'm asking is i can tell my vw box is dying slowly. Pops out of reverse, first syncro is dead, down shifting to second gives you a grind, whiny bearings sitting in neutral, blah.

I'd really like to have a fifth gear, and/or a lower first gear for crawling if need be.

ping · Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 9:55 am Post subject:

What vehicle are you looking at bay, split, beetle etc? Have you just looked at getting a rebuilt box from bears etc?

Inane Cathode · Jedi Knight Joined: 20 Nov 2009 Posts: 225

I havent really looked in earnest, its not bad enough to replace straight away, its something i can deal with at least over the winter. It's a 72 standard beetle.

I'm honestly pretty interested in subaru boxes... i sure wish i had a big warehouse full of them so i could poke around and find the right make model and year that'd have front wheel drive and be able to flip the diff over in it.

Course, then i have silly stupid ideas like putting the front end of a 4wd subaru into the front end of a beetle.

Inane Cathode · Jedi Knight Joined: 20 Nov 2009 Posts: 225

I guess really one'd have to start with finding out what will bolt with the ej series engine, theres no feasible way to make an adapter to fit an ej series engine to an ea series transmission

ElusiveStranger · Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 8:42 am Post subject:

I think if it was possible it would have been done by now. The Aussies have being doing Subi convos for years.
I'm sure Ttrebiler wouldn't have spent so much time & effort designing and making his product. I still laugh at all of the neigh-sayers who said it couldn't be done Laugh Out Loud

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Inane Cathode · Jedi Knight Joined: 20 Nov 2009 Posts: 225

Well, just because it hasnt been done doesnt mean it's not possible, im sure there was a time where noone had tried making a reverse cut diff gear set :P

ping · Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 5:30 pm Post subject:

I once put forward to rjes the idea of making a beetle gear box casting with the scooby bell end as one cast. A bit like the rhino cases for beetles. He wasn't interested so if anyone else can do it, be my guest, as long as you give me a discounted one!!

Inane Cathode · Jedi Knight Joined: 20 Nov 2009 Posts: 225

Haha, yeah. I can't even begin to imagine how much work it would be making a casting like that.

Perhaps a less silly hypothetical question: Do people sell custom gear sets? I'd be happy with a stock beetle box with a higher r&p ratio and perhaps a 30% lower geared first gear. Is that possible?

gazman · Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2010 3:50 am Post subject:

http://www.albinsgear.com.au/ sell gearsets in heaps of ratios and they do a few r&p's too. I think they supply them to the US as Weddle Gears...
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