what the ?

Reduction boxes??

I assume you are asking what it is?
If so, yes it looks like the reduction boxes on the end of the drive axle fitted to split bus's and the country buggy. VW's fix to useing a beetle GBox in a large van in the early 50's and continued the idea into the mid 60's. I can't make out what it is attached to but it no longer looks VW? Tha axle tube has also had some angle attached, to fix a broke tube maybe?

The angle may have been attached as a crude strengthening attempt. Hard use will bend an axle outer tube.

Yes it is a reduction box. The spring plate looks homemade and I don't see how it works very well. It must hit the rebound limit very quickly.

Can you post a better pic of the reduction box? It could be an early (kubel/barn bus) reduction box and the angle iron could be supporting the axle tube 'join' that these boxes have. Need a bit more definition in the pic to tell though...

RobK

http://www.splitbusaustralia.com 

Will post new photo tommorrow.

What are reduction boxes?

Reduction boxes came on all busses through 1967. The effectively lower the gear ratio of the final drive, giving you more oomph at the cost of lower top speed and higher engine RPM's.

Would this be suitable in an off-road buggy?

Is it the same as a close ratio gearbox?



[Edited on 6-11-2002 by aussie tales]

they cause the car to jack up on acceleration, and bad axle tramp. Not so good offroad. Better than a standard swingaxle though I guess. Not as good as type 2 IRS