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What Gear Box to run in a buggy
kyro - June 2nd, 2005 at 10:38 PM

Hey guys we are still building the manx and are looking at the gearbox and was wondering what you guys have done in this area? did you go the Kombi box or did you stay with the irs bettle box?

Cheers
Roger

pete wood - June 2nd, 2005 at 11:08 PM

What are you using it for?

If it's for offroad then a Kombi box and CVs offer better ratios for climbing with big tyres and better angles for more clearance.

If it's for the street then beetle stuff is easier to get working and has more appropriate ratios for smaller road wheels and tyres.

Personally I have an 1800 box with kombi CVs and have 31x10.5R15 tyres. It's behind a scooby 2.5 and works well. Mike Sharp swears by 1600 boxes with VW motors, and he has a point, they are cheap and plentiful. Lots of other guys have 091 2l boxes.

WABaja - June 2nd, 2005 at 11:22 PM

I have destroyed far too many beetle and type 3 boxes to recommend them to anyone that might use the car off road..
1800 kombi box and cross the gearbox off the worry list for ever....

bajachris88 - June 3rd, 2005 at 08:28 AM

Yeah, i agree with all. Kombi gearboxes are the ways nower day for the buggies (when ur going offroad of course). The Kombi gearbox is a standard for all the buggy manufacturers I've seen on the internet in australia. They don't offer any other gear boxes, only kombi ones.

Take a look for your self, go to http://www.sharpbuilt.com.au  and go to http://www.beachbuggy.com.au  and see what it says about the offroad buggy specifications. :)

rupsta - June 9th, 2005 at 08:19 PM

Someone has suggested a 1600 beetle box with a 1300 diff ??

pete wood - June 10th, 2005 at 12:27 AM

Look If you want to run large tyres, and I mean up to 31inches, then for IRS, low ratios and inherent strength, kombi boxes are the pick.

puurri - June 19th, 2005 at 11:15 AM

What about a beetle SSP (strong and plentiful), 4.38 R&P, Albins 4.38 1st, 2.25 2nd, 1.38 3rd and 0.891 4th, Kombi CVs and Porsche early 944 axles and Zf semi-locker LSD. Albins stuff no breakie and has Kombi gear teeth spec:duh. ???????????

1st gear 19.165, about country buggy spec and tops out about 24K @4K rpm.

Sandy - June 19th, 2005 at 12:08 PM

Why spend a fortune trying to stengthen and change ratios on a type 1 box when you could just bung in a stock kombi box and be done with it?

VWCOOL - June 19th, 2005 at 03:32 PM

^^ what he said... the adapter kit (mounts etc) isn't much $$

pete wood - June 19th, 2005 at 03:42 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by VWCOOL
^^ what he said... the adapter kit (mounts etc) isn't much $$


Look at a good one and make your own.

kyro - June 19th, 2005 at 06:18 PM

thanks for the input guys we are going the kombi box now