Date:         Thu, 2 Sep 1999 08:40:18 +1000
Reply-To:     Mark Fisher <mfisher@SCU.EDU.AU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mark Fisher <mfisher@SCU.EDU.AU>
Subject:      Ring and Pinion Wear
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Hi guys,

Mark from Australia here. You've probably seen a few of my posts re: my
Syncro and its sick ring and pinion in the rear tranny.
I have heard from many sources that MOST vanagons both Syncro an
transporter style end up with a failed pinion at around 120,000kms (read
75k miles).  The story I keep hearing is one of poor case hardening on the
Pinion gear.
Of course VW australia deny such a problem exists and informed me that the
only way this would occur was if the preload was incorrect in the diff itself.
It looks as though Vanagons sold into Australia had a lowewr final diff
ratio than most of the ones you got in USA. My diff has a 7:38 ratio
(5.42:1). I think you may get a 8:38 (4.75:1)

This leads me to the question of why I don't hear reports of this from the
US. Weddle engineering certainly don't expect any such problems and have
told me that they routinely put trannys back together at 170,000Miles with
the original R&P set.
I am wondering if it's a problem with this ratio, or perhaps they were
originally assembled incorrectly out of Germany

I'm spending about A$4000 on the tranny rebuild here in OZ with some parts
having to come from Germany. The wait is killing me, but it should be worth
it.
My main concern at this point is wether the front diff will do the same. I
HOPE NOT!!!

What would be the best gear oil to run in this thing.?
Should I consider some third party  friction reducing additive(teflon or
molybedenum?)

What a great thing this list is!

Thanks

mark



Swift Performance Equipment
3/19 Kays Lane
Russelton Industrial Area
Alstonville 2477
NSW
Australia

Ph: +61 2 66287778
Fax: +61 2 66287779

email info@spe.com.au
Internet  www.spe.com.au