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identifying swing axle gearboxes? and some questions.
Anthiron - July 26th, 2006 at 10:36 PM

i need to replace a bent axle on my baja.

now my gearbox is quite whiny and 2nd's syncro is getting worse and it pops out of 4th sometimes.

so im thinking rip the thing out and put a replacment in drum to drum yeah?

so what box do i have? its a swinger....i assume 1500.

do the 1300 and 1200 boxes slot straight in? different mounts?

would i be better off looking for a 1300 box for lower ratios for the baja?

how big is the job? dropping the engine isnt a problem done that a few times. thats about 5 minutes but the actual box replacement?

ive got 2 spare parts cars so i can steal one of the boxes from them but im unsure of condition as neither has a running engine in. am i right in thinking i wouldnt be able to check them without putting it in and trying it?

how much does a known good swinger box go for drum to drum if i bought one?

Nick

tassupervee - July 27th, 2006 at 08:15 PM

1200 swinger will bolt straight on but the axles and tubes are longer on a 1300 box. Something like 30mm or so overall.

A 1500 box should have a 4.1 diff but isnt the 1500 box a single side plate IRS box? Anybody??

The 1200 swinger will have a 4.3 diff and a .89 4th gear which is nice and low.
AFAIK, the 1300 internals are the same as the 1200. The 1300 brakes are different as well. Again, anybody?
L8tr
E

L8tr
E

bajachris88 - July 27th, 2006 at 08:43 PM

Hmm... this is very interesting.

I know the 1500 manual tranny box (From the 1500 series beetle, beginning what was it... either late 67' or 68... up to 71' i think), were swinger, ONLY the 1500 semi auto beetles in the series were IRS.

1300s are good to have if being swinger. Cause like what Nick pointed out, the lower gears. midlifecrisis (AKA marc and kathy) have a 1600 baja with the 1300 box, and they say it goes great! 1500s are said to be tough though, but gear wise, 1300... can't go wrong :D

bajachris88 - July 27th, 2006 at 08:47 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Anthiron

how much does a known good swinger box go for drum to drum if i bought one?

Nick


IF u were to buy just the gearbox with axels... well, from prices of drums alone, not only urs but also others, ur looking at $25 - $35 for the drum assemblies, and probably another $100 - $150 for a good box....

But... It might prove cheaper to buy a swinger pan rolling (minus motor) which u can chase up for $100, and sell of the front beam for $40 or something, (as a cash back redemption) and works out hell cheaper.

Anthiron - July 28th, 2006 at 11:40 AM

i have short axles at the moment.

do the different drums bolt on to the different axles + tubes?

so could i put my brakes onto a different box?

i would like to use one of the boxes i have but im just worried ill put the thing in and then find out its even worse.

tassupervee - July 28th, 2006 at 07:00 PM

You can just changes the axles and tubes from one box to the other if you like.
Sort or long, they are interchangeable.

That way, if you got a 1300 box with long axles, you can simply pull them along witth their brakes and tubes and swap them.

I believe that the difference in length is outside the trailing arms so the wider rear end will slot in.

L8tr
E

Anthiron - July 28th, 2006 at 10:54 PM

thanks for your help taz.

now im thinking of waiting till i get my tax back and doing an IRS converson and be done with it.....

tassupervee - July 30th, 2006 at 06:37 PM

Heheheheh easy as M8.
I hope I have my facts straight tho!!
L8tr
E

Baja Wes - July 31st, 2006 at 01:46 PM

yes, short and long are interchangable.

Just be careful with the bearing retainers, don't get them mixed up. I have found at least 3 different depth bearing retainers. They all look the same, and generally bolt on, but vary in the depth of the recess for the bearing.

If you fit retainers that have deeper recesses than you need, the bearing will move from side to side along with the whole wheel and axle. It makes a weird clunk.