Here's some really bad pics (stupid auto focus camera) of the reverse gear I broke in the Kombi while playing on some sand tracks on North Stradbroke Island last year

In the first pic you can see the two gears that form reverse. The small gear on the left is only just bigger than the 50 cent piece below it. The larger gear on the right has teeth on the outer part that mesh with the small gear. The inner part of this large gear is used to engage 1st & 2nd gears.

This reverse gear is out of a 1600 Kombi box, and most people wouldnt know, but it is the same size as a 1200 Beetle box, AND the same size as a 2L Kombi box....so reverse in a 2L is no stronger than any other.
The biggest problem is that the small gear is on a shaft that is only support at one end, when you put too much strain on it the shaft flexes away and the gears move away from each other and twist or break off the teeth.

The next pic shows the small gear close up, you can see the teeth are broken and twisted.....

This pic shows the larger gear with the broken and twisted teeth on the outside. The inner part is what engages the dog teeth on 1st & 2nd

its fu#@ hay didnt know thay were all the same size gears like a 1200 box ????

Broken.......

I snapped the teeth clean off one of my reverse gears. Pity I don't have pics.

They are very weak, and when I see people giving it some in reverse I also tell them not to do it. No-one listens though

They are also very weak because they are straight cut gears and have a very narrow tooth.

That photo you posted of the small reverse gear could have been identical to the one that came out of my SSP L bug box when I bought the car..... hard buggers to find I found. I ended up getting one through Lawrie at German Autos

very interesting, thanks Graham

I am getting some custom gears made in QLD next week , dam shame no one in perth can not do it .

are you getting Albins to do them Neil ? If not, who else in Oz makes gears ?

Albins is in Vic

I have not got the name of the place here ( at home ) I make all my stub shafts and send them there for the race car for finals & heat treatment .

Mind you the last set of stubs I made did not make it off the car trailer before the thread just snapped off ! .nothing like throwing $1800.00 worth of work in the bin .Items were replaced at no cost .Heat treatment was wrong .

When I clear my plate we are making a 5 speed auto ( manual shift ) 9 " diff center irs out put
then I think a new class one with the motor behind the seat mid mount .
seagull

These are now going to Albans as they can cut the gears & do the heat treatment in one place .