New to the game and gathering up parts to build my first. Have a Beeline Pack Rat frame, 1915 air cooled motor, 33x12.50 boggers cut on aluminum wheels. Now I am going with or want to go with 3x3 trailing arms with air shocks on back. WHAT drivetrain setup do I want for rough trails, jumping(not launching distances), some speed, durability, longevity, strength, and all that good stuff..... Suggests on what to use. Note: i don't care to spend some money, I just don't to spend many thousands for everything. Note 2: I read about the superdiff so I know that is a must have, correct on that i believe.

super diff is a great move! get a good 3-rib to go with that 1915. I had a 6-rib on a 1915 and it was too much gear to go anyware easily.

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Maybe you should chug on over to mamby pamby land....

get a kush-loc clutch disk, sway-a-way torsional axles, and while you got the input shaft out of the tranny to put in the diff might as well put a weddle torsional input shaft in it, these things along with cut tires and aluminum wheels (less rotating weight) will help with the life of a 3rib tranny

depending on how well built the 1915 is you may be able to pull gearing of a 5 rib which is in between a 3 rib and a 6 rib and also stronger than a 3 rib. imo

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Just Stand On It!!!!

Chris

First off, how much are ya looking to spend on a tranny?

Well of course a 6 rib is the strongest, and highest geared, but I think that with a 1915 and the tall tires, it would bog you down. If you're really stuck on the tires, and don't wana go to a shorter tire, and love the motor too, and you're on a tighter budget, I would say go with a good solid built 5 rib, so you'll have the lower gearing. Maybe even a 3 rib. I would say if you'll be using third and fourth alot, make those close ratio, too so it doesn't fall on it's face when you shift. Of course all hardened weddle gears. If you have a little more money to play with, You could get away with a 6 rib not bogging your motor if you go with a 5.42:1 ring and pinion to help you pull the gear with taller tires. Build that with maybe stock ratio hardened first through 4th. like you mentioned, a super diff is a must in whatever you end up building, as is a hardened reverse gear.

-OR-

You could go bigger with the motor, maybe jump up to say a 2276 (82mm crank) or so, and build a six rib with even higher gears, like a 3.44 first, a 2.46 2nd, with the stock ring and pinion, or a stock ratio hardened ring and pinion to make it pretty much bullet proof. And again, a hardened reverse. I'd say you'll be able to turn those 33s real good then!
And remember, you can buy all the best parts you can find, but VW trannies are very sensitive to how they're put together, and will grenade if put together wrong, or not using the right techniques no matter how good of parts are in it. I recommend getting ahold of Chuck Jones, he has a banner at the top of the page. He can point you in the right direction about everything, and is the best transmission builder out there. Hope I could help ya.

-Dakotah/koko

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-Dakotah/koko
keep on keepin' on!!

Haha this is a good example of how WoodsBuggy is such a great place for getting any info. Two people replied to the thread as I was typing my reply. Y'all beat me to it.

-Dakotah/koko

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-Dakotah/koko
keep on keepin' on!!

also i wouldnt go any higher than a stage 2 kennedy pressure plate on when running a 3 rib

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Just Stand On It!!!!

Chris

I appreciate all the info for going back and forth with this build. I do already have the motor so for a first I would like to stick with this engine that way I can keep moving forward toward that goal of hitting the trails. Lets say I am heading in the direction of a 5 rib trans. with weddle superdiff plus the extra goodies. Gears to use? Any ideas on where to find one? When looking have is it I am looking for?
Notes: When it comes to gears and riding. Our farm is a creek climbing everywhere. Pretty much straight vertical 10-20 plus faces. So not a lot of run and needing to table top out the top.

Gearing is VERY dependant on buggy weight.
A good running 1915 (decent heads, 10:1 compression, 110 cam , good set of 36 or 40 duals) WILL pull a 6 rib on decent weight buggy (1500lbs or so or less) on some really good hills, with 31" Firestones. (Ask helmetguy ) BUT if you are wanting to play on straight up stuff with no run, and you are dead set on keeping the 1915, you better sell the 33" boggers and make sure that buggy weighs less than about 1200 lbs. They dont call 'em boggers for nothing. Heavy,tall tires will bog even a hot 1915 with any more gear than a 3 rib on steep ,long stuff. And you can forget about getting in and out of the throttle on a long curvy steep climb with a 1915 pulling 33s. Unfortunately , you wont get the wheel speed needed to sling you up steep stuff with the low gearing of the 3 rib, so if you are staying with the tires and that motor, you will have trouble gettin up even short steep stuff with no run at it.
I see that you posted you are thinking 5 rib. A 5 rib with some 31" Firestones cut correctly will work a little better, but buggy weight will still play a big factor. I personally would not spend the money for weddle components in a 5 rib. JMO. Built right it will last you for a long time, but you will always be limited by the gearing. I'd go with a 6 rib, keep the buggy light, and plan on moving up in cc's in the near future. Once Chuck builds you a 6 rib full of weddle parts, you are done spending money on the tranny for many many years. If you are gonna stick with the 1915 for a while, stock 6 rib ratios will be fine and you shouldnt need weddle gears, just a superdiff. If you are gonna move up with the motor eventually ( and you will if you stay in the hobby very long and hillclimb very much) then building a full on "2nd gear tranny" from the get-go would be the wisest investment in the long run. You can play around using first gear while you learn your buggy , and start using 2nd for climbing as your skill level and engine HP increases. Buy the best first time around, no regrets later.

Like Roy used to say.. "buy the best, and cry once." Best advice I ever got when it came to building my buggy.

-Dakotah/koko

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-Dakotah/koko
keep on keepin' on!!

Put a Jap front wheel drive auto trans and 4cylinder ran longways to a Lincoln Continental irs diff and be done with it.With Porshe 930 axles of coarse. Get a wrecked anything and your store hoping days are over!Get $150 back when you drag the body across the scale!The diff going into a diff makes the gears of an auto or manual much lower and closer.Keep your 3x3's or make 3x6's if you have to.Somebody someday is going to listen to me and be dangerous.

I knew this was coming,,,Preach on DD...someday. Come to the Championship and show your stuff

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

THATS A HELLUVANIDEA. Then go ride with us afterwards. SHOW US how much better it is. If it outHILLclimbs even ONE ss ky buggy, I will start building one of those things. Got plenty of wrecks to choose from.

Hi yall. This competition ain't about me.I am so beat down in all different ways. Physically , mentally and financially.I just want to hand the torch to somebody that can run with it.Now, let me talk to a young man.All others click off, please. In the 70's my dad and his friends had the yard full of buggies.Yada yada. I dreamed it and dreamed it and it destracted me from school.Yeah yeah.I wanted to be an architet or an engineer.Whine. But my grades got so bad I went in the Air Force intending to go to school there. Nope , all I did was listen to California Hot VW magazine. It was a constant , "Hey kid, Hey kid, buy this, buy that,be the best"!I did and I spent about 2 months in college and dropped out. I could not beat the addiction to buggies.I let one job advancement after another pass me by over and over while the family did and did without, because buggies was 1st.We are put on this earth to make a difference.I don't know what mine was or care.But if I could tell a smart young man how to cross the mine field, that would be my purpose.Get your priorties in order. God , education , career, family ,self, buggies.Why is education and career before family? Because they take care of family! The same with self. Why is God first? God says he is a jealous God. If you put something else before me , I will destroy it.Love buggies and love em hard , but put them last.

i say find you a 5 rib put the German 4 diff in it and go ride no need to weedle it out

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I DO NOT FREE BASE COCAINE

thanks for that viewpoint

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