Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Betty's Beetle Gearbox swap - Completed!

Brazilian Bay - Gearbox Replacement!


This is a summary guide of my Gearbox replacement.

The Brazilian Bay Kombi gearbox is made in Brazil and is known to have reliability / poor quality manufacture and is best replaced by a German Gearbox.

Here is the progress summary of my Gearbox replacement. Basically its a Late IRS Beetle Gearbox from a 1300-1600cc Late Beetle (1302/1303s Models with the 1600s being the best)

In this case I swapped the RP code Brazilian Bay Gearbox with a 1302s 1600 AH code gearbox

Firstly find and select a suitable gearbox here is my AH code gearbox (new CV joints or Beetle CV joints are required as beetle Gearboxes have a 94mm Diameter CV joint and Bus / Brazilian Bays use a 100mm so you will need to have Bus Outer & Drive shafts and Beetle Inner CV joints)


You need to clean the gearbox and remove old CV joints.


Remove rear bumper & Valance:


Remove Engine:


Remove Old Gearbox:


Swap Over Nose Cone & Hockey stick from Old to new:


Install Beetle CV Joints on van:


Install new gearbox & connect up:


Refit engine. Test gearbox while still on axle stands to ensure all gears work.

Once satisfied away you go with a German Quality Gearbox.

Full comprehensive write up of each phase of my install is on my T2bay bay blog.


The new gearbox is Fantastic. Loads of long gears and low rpm in 4th!

3 comments:

  1. Well chuffed with new gearbox! Really enjoyed actually doing some major work again! Might have to buy a project :-)

    Still on the look out for a 1960's Beetle!

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  2. I had no idea that these Brazilian busses are such a mix....beetle gearboxes? Cv joints on swing axle...split/beetle gear box mounts??? Link pins polo injection systems ...does not make sense to have chucked out of the bay so many of the last modifications. Good choice using og vw stuff.

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