I have a later model swing axel box in my 64 beetle with the standard shifter.

When gearing down, unless I'm under about 17mph, 2nd gear catches pretty heavily (the slower obviously the better). BY the time i'm at this speed, shifting to second barely slows me down anymore & its more beneficial to just ride the brake and disengage the clutch til I stop. If i'm doing more then about 30mph when slowingdwon, 4th down to 3rd catches aswell.

My question is, is this an issue with the shifter/selecter, the box or the user?

I've always driven by the notion of "gear down to slow down" but it doesnt seem to be the case with this car. I just want to know if its something that can be fixed, because I would much rather be slowing down with gear as well as brakes, than just brakes.

Thank you, and sorry for all the questions!
Johnny.

The syncro's may be shot in the gearbox.
But first check the oil in the box.
Firstly, Does it have oil in it? Is it full? Sounds like a siil question, right?
Secondly, is the oil fresh? Is it even the right oil? Try changing it.
If you still have problems, try a heavier oil or an additive.

Yep, if the clutch is adjusted correctly it sounds like the synchro's are worn. As above, change the oil otherwise a rebuild of the tranny is required.

Awesome, thanks very much guys, what box oil is best to use?

hypoid 90 oil I guess? correct me someone if I am wrong. its been a long time since I did anything with vw gearboxes. Last time I did anything was changing a box over as I blew 1st and the R&P



as mentioned above.

1. check clutch and adjustments.
2. oil level, correct grade (thinner oils works better in worn gearboxes) oil treatment is a good option. I use Nulon G50 treatment on my half million k box in my daily with excellent results.
3. try double clutching, rev matching.
4. All fails get a tranny/clutch specialist give you the diagnosis. Rebuild may be required

80W/90 Hypoid is factory recommended