Hi Guys,

You all rock. First off have a look at my ride:

http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/davidbosa/?action=view¤t=142.jpg&refPa...

Now I know I’m properly in the wrong section but I need some real help.

I have a WRX engine in my type 3. (Sorry) with a Bug IRS box and I need a box built.

I’m in Melbourne and am quite happy to hand over the dollars to another state or even country but I need to have the confidence from you guys on who to go with and what to go with. Every one I speak to give me options, obviously I have no idea what will make a box last. The car will not be a drag car as such but will be taken to the track to see what times it will do. The car is fully engineered and registered and will be driven as my second car.

So far I have been recommended to go with:
*Rhino Case, but I have heard that a later model SSP box is better?
*Super Diff, no idea which one, has to be friendly for road driving (no spool)
*Heavy duty side covers
*Welded Synchros
*Steel shift forks
*Super Duty Keys
*3rd gear sleeve
*Welded 3-4 hubs
*full set of Albins gears and R&P (stock ratios are fine I think)

Any ideas would be great, also I'm looking at spending around the 5 grand mark max.

get a G50

Im running stock torsion assemblly and would like to get a box that will fit straight in, on original mounts.

also wats the retail on one of them anyway?

5k

but that would mean new linkage setup, new mounts and new CV's / Brakes

And wouldnt 5k spent in a bug box be stronger any way?

no

no to what?

no mods needed or no it will be stronger

Once you have your Albins gears and a quality side cover,
the next weak link is the spline on the drive flange for the CVs.

The Quaife diff can be ordered with the type 2 size spline
and then you can use bus CVs.

If you use a 3.875 SSC tranny as a core you are on your way.
The late trans comes with steel forks and uses splines instead of keys,
and Albins gears for that trans require no welding(splined).

I used to do the 3/4 spacer sleeve but feel it is unneccesary
with the sprung spacer that is stock in the later trans.
so you will be sweet.

With bearings and other normal rebuild stuff, you 5Gs is all but gone.

There other improvements you can make if you use the Rhino case,
but they add to the cost by having to have an extra side cover and pinion retaining plate.

This is the bigest issue we all have todate , finding a gear box that will not brake the bank .
I can not see any way out of it or around it we all have the same problem you want power to get it to the ground its going to cost you

has any one got a price from albens for there new gear box ?

It is a 2nd hand story, but I have heard they cost about $18000!

I like the 930 myself...bit tall in 3&4, (.893-3rd, .625-4th), but he makes gears for those too.

Apparently the synchros a crap...for which he makes dogs.

About $10,000 all up.

[ Edited on 31-10-2006 by dangerous ]

As dangerous was saying if I go with a 3.875 SSC box, with albins gears, strong side cover and a quaife diff. would I be set?

I'm not after crazy power just some turbo fun. I've had the car as a daily for the last 3 years running a Jap Legacy quad cam EJ20 non turbo and have broken around 3 boxes. (90rwKW) Turbo engine should be good for around the (150rwKW)

Anyone recommend a good box builder in Melbourne I should have a chat to?

the guy at your bank would be a good start

so its not feasible to expect a bug box to handle that power? with only 5 grand to spend on internals?

Thats what i think also, thats why im here. if we can all agree on this ill just go buy a pallet of stock boxes, put my old non turbs engine in and pray.

:thumb

amen

so it would be a waste of 5g's to expect a box to with stand stock wrx power?

72type3wrx, wait until you get a few more peoples opinions.

I have a 2L kombi box with albins 4th and a factory 4-spider diff. Getting it rebuilt, buying it in the first place and upgrading the 4th and diff was under $3000 total.

It has survived the past 3 years with a V6 behind it.

I don't drop the clutch and do racing starts in first though.

What will survive will depend on how you drive.

Also check out this thread;
http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=56925

you can spend $3200 on 2nd hand porsche 915 box which will handle the power
or 5 to 6k on a bug box .I personally rather have a box that I can drive hard and wont shit it self ,what is the piont of having all that power and to scared of braking the box.

Hey Type3WRX.

Everyone has an opinion and I agree , its how you drive that maters.

I have a Notch with a RS Liberty and have only ever run T1 boxes.
I have heard bad stories about Rhino cases so I wouldnt advise it.
If you cant get a SSP box dont worry too much, ive never run one.
My notch has been on the road for about 8 years now and ive run it at the drags dozens of times. But its definately a daily driver.
I am on my 3rd T1 box now. My breakages have come from axle tramp. Thats your enemy. But most of the parts are reused when you do break something.
My opinon of what you can get by with is a super diff with 4 spiders a superbeetle mainshaft as in the ssp box and a 3.88 C&P if you want, but a 4.12 will serve you ok (and man will your T3 boogie). I use standard corse gears welded 3rd and 4th and steel forks . Bus cvs and 181 output bells and stub axles. And Heavy Duty side cover/s. CB Performance sells most of this stuff, I think, Serranos or Moore Performance as well.
Unfortunately I cant recomend anyone in OZ to buy from or to built it.
If your handy you could do it yourself.

Hope this helps

Mark

Check the classifieds in http://www.offroadracing.com.au  There are often boxes available there with mods already done.

I used an 1800 kombi with all short ratio Albins gears, superdiff, supernut, porsche 930 CV's behind a pretty strong 4AGE and never broke it. Had it stripped and rebuilt every 1000km for $300 each time (its who you know!!!) and sold it just 10 competetitive km after a rebuild... and it sold for just $1500...

Ive seen them behind SR20DETs and not break if they're preped right. You could drop something in for under 2k that'd handle the power just fine.

Hey Dude,

The biggest problem is when people don't want to spend the $$
By the sound of it you are prepared to spend $5k
I would be very surprised if you broke one of my bug boxes with a wrx....
we drag race with slicks and more power than that all the time with the type 1 box.

Baker Engineering in Melbourne.

Just checked the classifieds section in offroadracing.com.au - chris western at off road rush has 3 kombi boxes, all albins short ratio gears from $1000. obviously they'll need a rebuild. just a suggestion, you may save some $$$.

I personally use the Bus box and there is no doubt that it is way stronger than the type one box.
BUT...
After doing the maths on the gear ratios, you will have to use the 4.57 diff,
and a very tall 4th gear, to match the ratios that the 3.88 bug tranny can provide.
This causes other problems with finding a 1st and 2nd gear ratio, that will provide a respectable rev-drop between each ratio.

I think you will be happy with a modified L-bug tranny,
with upgrades to the gears, output splines, and quality side cover... Bus CVs of course.

Just a hint: Don't confuse wear with strength like some people on here... a 30-year-old box with 420,000km on it may not last long behind a hard-driven 1600, let alone a WRX!

I have no direct experience with these boxes but as Dangerous said, a well-built SSP box will probably do the trick with suitable ratios but it might be better to start with a Rhino case and a tough sideplate

Hi

I'm not sure but don't Rhino cases use the old 40 hp type pinion bearing?

Steve