I'm going to look at a buggy sunday. I have ran a rail before but it was midengine with a swing ale and a 1641.

This rail I'm looking at is a 1915 with a 3 rib bus that has no 3rd or 4th and only reverse sometimes, however it comes with another 3 rib. It runs great, delorto 44, but my question is this. How tough are the 3 ribs. I know its a great step up from the swing axle but how much motor will they take. I know it depends a lot on driving style and some of the time I go easy but I get a heavy foot a lot.

Thanks

With a 1915 you can do some playing, but you'll still need to be careful with it, especially with tires bigger than 31", or if they bite good. The heavier the buggy, the harder it will be on it, too.

cool. it has 31 15.50 goodyear terra tracs. So I guess my next question is it worth the money to go 5 or 6 rib trans or can 3 rib be beefed up enough to be pretty strong. Only since I'll have 2.

a 3 rib should workk good with them tires i had 31x15.5-15 tractor tires on mine that was cut with a 3 rib and a 1600cc

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Brandon

I wouldnt waste any money trying to beef up the 3 rib. Even though a 5 rib internals are no stronger, the gearing will work much better with the 1915. Unless you like to idle around over really rough terrain or something like that. For climbing or average trail riding, a 5 rib should do much better for you.

what should someone expect to pay for one. Also what is a good 3 rib and a rebuildable 3 rib worth.
And for the 3rd part, other than trans itself whatelse is changed in a swap.
thanks

a 3 rib that works is worth bout 300.00 i guess

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Brandon

There are at least 3 different 3 ribs.
Which one do you have?
Find a part number on the case, that will help identify which version.

Later ones were stronger and had the same gearbox gears as the 5 rib.

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Gary

Turbo VW Sand Racer
Polaris Ranger



"If you don't run into the Devil every once in awhile, you must be going in the same direction!"

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I'm going sunday to look at it and maybe trade my suburban for it. I'll post up info then.

how do i find out what my trany is if it is a three rib....as far as which on is the better of the 3 different ones you talked about?

well as far as the carb thinking its a weber if its a 44, dellorto's r 36, 40, 45, 48 im pretty sure
but as far as trans if its a stock 1915 or mild you can run one and get away with it, my built 1915 i blew my 5 rib every one or 2 rides... so if got a good running i would build a 6 rib

how much can a 6 rib take, also what the average price.

it really just depends on what has been put in the 6 rib

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Brandon

Well, I have a 3 rib and running a turbo charged engine, my brother has a ford 2.3 and runs a 3 rib, and another brother has a ford V6 and runs a 3 rib. We are all pretty much trail riders but occasionally we get after them pretty hard. So-far-so-good for about three years now. We all run short 29" or 31" tires and late model 3 ribs. I'm sure if we got into hill climbing it would be the end of all of them. I do have a six rib on stand by and will most likely put it in this winter. I don't understand why everyone wants the taller gear of the 5 and 6 rib transmissions. Its nice to go over rough stuff in first gear and climb in 2nd or even 3rd sometimes. Don't really see a need for anything higher than 3rd on the trails and if I do i just go to 4th. Do you guys really need a gear higher than 4th gear in a 3 rib?


Huey

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Dodge 2.2L Turbo Power Running Megasquirt-n-Spark MPI.
http://www.woodsbuggy.com/forum/water-cooled-engines/3584?p=24592#p24592

Usually dont need higher than fourth in a 3 rib, thats not the concern at all. In fact,in our 2nd gear 6 ribs we run R&P that are same gearing as a 3 rib, but we run a numerically higher gearset and climb in second or third. The need for a 6 rib is more for strength and to get more wheel speed in the lower gears. With a stock geared 6 rib you can lope along at 1200 rpm in second and travel at a nice trail cruising speed, where with a 3 rib to travel the same speed you'd be winding out a little too much for cruising in 2nd, but not traveling fast enough for third.
If you ran cut Firestones or even well cut boggers, to where you are getting some bite, on those occasions when you like to get after it, those 3 ribs would most likely grenade.

yea what he said....

When I ran a 3 rib,,I liked it,,I liked it so much that for a while everytime I broke it I would replace it with another 3 rib,,then I upgraded to a 6 rib,,,I liked it so much that everytime I broke it I would replace it with another 6 rib. Now I'm trying something else,,Eric DeBord 6 rib,,super diff, 4.86 r&p, weddle 1st, 2nd, 3rd stock 4th,,with 1.5-1 gear reduction, (chain) when I brake it I will try another one just like it,,,,then maybe someday I will go to a waterboxer mid shift and be done with it,,,,,maybe Oh and most of my tranny problems happened with 35" boggers on and stock trannys with suby torque My buggys kinda heavy

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If your clutch ain't slippin,, you probably got it adjusted right!!!!!

You would want a 3 rib that has 002 as the first 3 digits.

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Gary

Turbo VW Sand Racer
Polaris Ranger



"If you don't run into the Devil every once in awhile, you must be going in the same direction!"

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turbo i know about the 002 i have that .....wow...i was wadnering how do you know if you have the better gearing in it...thats all

let me know what to look for or where to find the info online...

002 has the stronger gearing.
Not all 3 ribs are 002 and not all 002's are 3 ribs, some are 5 ribs..

Just the 73-74 version 3 ribs are 002 and came with the pancake engine.
Those had mounting ears on top of the bellhousing provided someone hasn't swapped them.
68-71 3 ribs had Beetle style engines and smooth bellhousings.
I think the 1st 3 digits are 113 or possibly 111.

_________________
Gary

Turbo VW Sand Racer
Polaris Ranger



"If you don't run into the Devil every once in awhile, you must be going in the same direction!"

Davis Motorsports FaceBook Page