is there any way of lowering the gear ratios on bay kombi boxes for highway driving. ie; for better fuel economy.
or does someone make new gears to install or something??
my auto does 3500 rpm at 100 km/h and i would love to get that down.
What model kombi do you have???
Type 1 or (1600 ) Type 4 motor (1700 - 2000)???
It would mean getting a gearbox rebuilt. Doable - but not exactly cheap, guessing $1 - 2k???? plus install????
Why not put some larger diameter tyres on. A lot cheaper.
Either say some 65 series 15" or some 55 series 16" maybe????
Or even some 235/85-16's???? 
THANKS.
already got 15'' on the back and big tyres.
it's a75 model bay.
might check out that site.
Hi,
Albins have lots of gear ratios for Kombi boxes. If it is a 2 litre box then I know you can get ratios like 0.77 : 1 which would be suitable for your
requirement. If you only want to change 4th gear then it is not a huge job- for someone qualified that is!!
regards
Dave
yeah it would only be my top gear (which is 3rd)
It's still a LOT cheaper to change tyres. What do you call 'big tyres'?
Do you have to have an auto? Maybe the best solution is to sell your kombi and buy a manual. This is probably the cheapest solution to getting better
fuel economy, unless you can get cheap big wheels/tyres.
[Edited on 17-6-2004 by mnsKmobi]
Sorry Did not notice that it was an Auto- not too sure about gear availability for them. Give albins a call anyways
Dave
can't sell it because i'm in love (with the bus) so that cancels that idea.
but someone said that auto's have "bands" and not cogs like manuals so it might be beyond help and i'll have to put up with it.
Hi. No, it's not beyond help. A good Automatic Transmission repair shop would be able to overhaul it, I'm sure. Expensive, yes, but should last
a long time. Note that Kombi's don't have transmission oil coolers, like most modern autos have. But if you're not pulling a heavy trailer, you
don't need one.
And yes, auto gearboxes have cogs, and bands. They are planetary gearboxes, (epicyclic). Gearshifting is done by hydraulic oil pressure, the brake
bands hold one set of gears whilst another set transmits the power. Same principle as the 2,3, 4, 5, 7, and 14 speed gear hubs still used in bicycles
today, only they get by without brake bands and hydraulic shifting. Goes back to 1903, and further than that.
BTW, that cylindrical gadget on the side of your differential is the governor for the automatic gearbox. Some old folks and older engineers still
refer to them as 'fluid flywheels'. The first one came out about 1929, American, I think.
I determined, many years ago, not to worry about fuel consumption. Why let it spoil the fun? The fun of romping up and down the highway to a
camping spot in the peace and solitude of the bush. Sometimes I'll work out the cost per kilometre of some long trip, the cost only changes with the
price of petrol. Oh, and whether the Kombi is cruising 80 - 90 kmph (in very hot weather), or 100 kmph, or 110 kmph.
Like I once said to my lady: 'A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and thou beside me in the Kombi'.
www.wikipedia/epicyclic
You haven't told us what's specifically wrong with your auto gearbox. Clunk, Clunk ?, slow to move off from cold? Try letting it warm up in D
for drive, with the handbrake on, carefully. For a coupla minutes. Has it had an oil change within living memory? Does the oil level remain the
same, over weeks and months? Cheers.
i'm getting a box servce this week. it does shudder when taking off cold (and sometimes stalls) and clunks into gear each time it changes so it is well due for service. thanks for all the info on auto's paul and everyone else.
heya guys, i was also going to post this Q,
i have a '76 2ltr 4 speed, just want to get my top speed up to around 100-110 without the thing sounding like its going to blow up, i have heard of
people putting 5 speeds in it? any thoughts
76, unless you've got $$$ to burn, get yourself some taller rear tyres.
I run a 2lt kombi box with a 0.70:1 albins 4th gear set in it. The gearset cost $350 a couple of years ago. If your box if in good condition then it
should be ~$100 to get someone to put the 4th gearset in it (if you take the box out of the car yourself).
If you find the gearbox is shagged you can ignore it, or pay $1000-$2000 to get it reco'd depending on just how rooted it is.
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thanks mnsKmobi
i will now run and grab me some bigger wheels/tyres with bigger overall diametre, thanks for all the help guys.............. PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!