Stock VW Transmissions
Type I (Sedan (Beetle or Bug) or Karmann Ghia) & III
6v Swing Axle Trans
12v Swing Axle Trans
Early IRS Trans ('69 - 70)
4.12 R&P
Late IRS Trans ('71 - 72)
3.88 R&P; 72 is a transitional year, use with 38 tooth 1st gear; two side covers
Late IRS Trans ('73 - Later)
includes late 72, use with a 34 tooth 1st gear; one side cover; 002 Bus type gears
Type II (Transporter, Pick-up, Crew Cab, or Bus)
6v Swing Trans Early Bus
12v Swing Trans Early Bus
Early 68 002 IRS Bus 3 Rib; narrow case and early gearset design; easy to recognize because it has acorn nuts around the drive flanges; weak transmission; limited parts availability; prior to 11/68
'68 - 70 002 IRS Bus Trans
3 Rib; called a 113 type Bus trans; starting 11/68
'71 only 002 IRS Bus
3 Rib; later 1971+ transmissions use a guide around the impeller shaft to align the throw-out bearing and therefore require a different pressure plate than earlier 71 and before transmissions.
'72 - 74 002 IRS Bus
3 Rib
1973-75 automatic 4.45:1 final-drive ratio
'74-75 002 IRS Bus Trans
5 Rib; aka pyramid case
'76 - 79 091 IRS Bus Trans
6 Rib; 4.56 R&P; considered to be the strongest stock VW transmission
'80 - 82 091 Vanagon
Aircoolled engine; Side Shift Vanagons with the T4 engine; Essentially the same as the Bus 091 and can be converted to nose shift
'83 - Later Vanagon
Waterboxer engine; Mid Shift Vanagons; cannot be converted to nose shift
094 Synchro 4x4 Rare in USA
Three-Rib Transmission - Early style of Type II Bus transmission used from about 1968-’73 - 3 Rib; 5.38 (Also 5.42, but it is pretty rare) R&P; no mounting ears on top of the bellhousing
Five-Rib Transmission - Type II transmission made from 1974-’75 - 5-Ribs; 4.86 R&P
A Type I Trans uses the same gearset as the 3 rib and 5 rib Type II trans so they can be built to handle about 160/200HP however they only have a 6" ring gear (its weak link). The Type II Trans is preferred because it has a 8" ring gear.
The Type II 6 rib transmission is said to be able to handle 300 horsepower.
The Type I Trans can be used for mid engine applications by flipping the ring gear and the Type II Trans cannot. You can flip the Type II trans upside down for a mid engine configuration, but you will need to make a few modifications for this application to work.
Transmission Glossary
Term Definition
002 differential
The type of differential used in Three- and Five-rib Bus transmissions.
091 differential
Considered heavier and stronger than a 002, this differential is used in late style Type II transmissions from 1976.
Anti Shocker
Device used to slow the travel of the clutch arm/pressure plate and to take the shock off of a transmission in drag race type starts.
Ball Bearings
Round bearings used in various places in VW transmissions.
Cone Washer
Concave washer used on mainshaft on early Type I transmissions and Three-rib Type II transmissions.
Coupler
Gear that couples the input shaft and mainshaft together in all VW transmissions. Also has external teeth to drive the reverse idler shaft.
CV bells
Output final drive flanges for constant velocity joints
CV joint
Constant velocity joint (see sidebar)
Detent balls
Used to hold shift rails in position
End Gears
Sometimes called axle gears, these are the outer gears in the differential.
Five-Rib Transmission
Type II transmission made from 1974-’75
Flanges
See CV bells
Four-Bolt Housing
Early type of transmission case used in Type I transmissions.
Gear Carrier Housing
Sometimes called intermediate housing. This is the next section of a VW transmission behind the nose cone.
Gear Ratios
Driven gear divided by drive gear. Example: First gear is 10 tooth drive and 38 driven. Divide 38 by 10 to equal 3.80
Gear Selector
The main shift fork some times called a “hockey stick.”
Guide Tube
Tube for the throw-out bearing to ride on. Used in various VW transmissions
Hydraulic Slave Cylinders
Clutch actuating cylinder used with a clutch master cylinder to release the clutch and pressure plate
Input Shaft
Splined shaft that the center of the clutch disc rides on and is the first input shaft of a VW transmission
Input Shaft Coupler Gear
See Coupler Gear
Intermediate Housing
See Gear Carrier Housing
IRS
Independent Rear Suspension The type of suspension and transmission VW used from 1970 up. Before that VW used a Swingaxle suspension and transmission.
Mainshaft
Top shaft in a VW transmission. Contains half of the 1st-4th gearset.
Needle Bearings
Long small bearings used in various places in VW transmissions.
Nosecone
The front or first section of a VW transmission which contains the main shift fork, sometimes called a “hockey stick”
Operating Sleeves
Round rings with teeth on the inside and are what is shifted when you go into any forward gears.
One-Ringed Side Cover
A IRS transmission with one ring cast into the outside of the differential cover.
One-Sided Case
AIRS transmission case that only has one unboltable side cover. The early ones had two.
Output Flanges
See CV bells
Output Splines
The splines that the CV bells go onto.
Pinion
One half of a gearset. The “ring” gear is the other half. This is the final drive of a VW transmission.
Pinion Depth
Distance of the pinion into the ring gear in the final drive section.
Pinion Shaft
Bottom shaft in a VW transmission. Contains the other half of the gearset, plus the pinion gear for the final drive.
Pressure Plate
Mechanism that applies force to the clutch disc and flywheel to turn the input shaft of a transmission
Reduction Gearbox
Old-style Bus transmission that further reduced the final drive by having another set of gears next to the wheels. These outer sets of gears were in housings and called “gear reduction” boxes.
Reverse Gear Holder Setup
The fork that supports the reverse idler gear.
Rhino Case
Aftermarket braced Type I VW transmission case.
Ring and Pinion
Final drive set of gears used to lower the overall ratio of a transmission.
Six-Rib Transmission
Later style VW Type II transmission from 1976
Snap Rings
Used to keep bearings and gears from coming off of shafts
Spider Gears
The small set of gears in differential. They look somewhat like a spider, hence the name.
Swingaxle
Early type of suspension and transaxle VW used. Until about 1969
Three-Rib Transmission
Early style of Type II Bus transmission used from about 1968-’73
Throwout Bearing
Bearing that pushes in the pressure plate.
Transaxle
Term used for transmission and rear axle as one unit.
Two-Ringed Side Cover
IRS transmission side cover that has two rings cast into it.
Two-Sided Case
VW transmission Type I case that has two unboltable side covers. (all swingaxles and IRS up to 1973).
VW Transmission Codes
Type 1, 181 and 3w
Code Engine Mate Final Drive Model
AA 1200 4.375 From Chassis Number 0981810
AB 1300 4.375 Up to 1970
AC 1500 4.125 On some 1300 from 1971
AD 1200 4.375 Limited Slip Diff. (LSD)
AE 1300 4.375 With LSD
AF 1500 4.125 LSD to 1970
AG 1200 4.375 Used on Type 147
AH 1500 4.125 IRS from 1969
1600 4.125 1970-’71
AK 1500 3.875 Type 181 to 1970
1600 3.875 Type 181 from 1971
AL 1500 3.875 Type 181 with LSD to 1970
1600 3.875 Type 181 with IRS and LSD from 1971
AM 1300 4.375 Sedan and Vert from 1971
AN 1600 3.875 KG with IRS from 1971
AO 1300 3.875 KG from 1971
AP 1300 4.375 LSD from 1970-’71
AQ 1600 4.125 LSD from 1971-1972
AR 1600 3.875 KG with LSD from 1971
AS 1600 3.875 Type I from 1973
AT 1600 3.875 Type 1303 and Verts from 1973
AU 1600 3.875 Type 1303 with LSD from 1973
BA 1300/1500 4.375 Auto-stick from 1969-’70
BC 1300/1500 4.375 Auto-stick from 1969-’70 with LSD
BE 1600 4.125 Auto-stick from 1971-’72
BF 1600 4.125 Auto-stick from 1971-’72 with LSD
BG 1300 4.125 KG with auto-stick from 1971
BH 1300 4.125 KG with auto-stick from 1971 with LSD
BJ 1300 4.375 Auto-stick from 1971
BK 1300 4.375 Auto-stick from 1971 with LSD
DA 1500/1600 4.125 Type III SA to 1968
DB 1500/1600 4.125 Type III SA to 1968 with LSD
DC 1500/1600 4.125 Type III IRS from 1969
DD 1500/1600 4.125 Type III IRS from 1969 with LSD
Type 2
unless otherwise stated.
Codes
Model
Final Drive Notes
AA 1200 4.375 From Chassis No 0 981 810
AB 1300 4.375 Up to 8/70
AC 1500 4.125 also some 1300 from 8/70
AD 1200 4.375 Limited Slip Differential
AE 1300 4.375 Limited Slip Differential
AF 1500 4.125 Limited Slip Differential up to 8/70; also some 1300 from 8/70
AG 1200 4.375 Type 147 Fridolin
AH 1500 4.125 IRS from 8/68
1600 4.125 8/69 – 8/72
AK 1500 3.875 Type 181 up to 8/70
1600 3.875 Type 181 from 8/70
AL 1500 3.875 Type 181 with LSD up to 8/70
AL 1600 3.875 Type 181 with LSD from 8/70
AM 1300 4.375 Saloon and Cabrio from 8/70
AN 1600 3.875 Karmann Ghia with IRS from 8/70
AO 1600 4.125 Karmann Ghia from 8/70
AP 1300 4.375 LSD from 8/70
AQ 1600 4.125 LSD 8/70 – 8/72
AR 1600 3.875 Karmann Ghia with LSD from 8/70
AS 1600cc 3.875 From 3/72
AT 1600 3.875 1303s and Cabrio from 3/72
AU 1600 3.875 1303s and Cabrio from 3/72 with LSD
BA 1300 / 1500 4.375 Semi Automatic from 8/68 – 8/70
BC 1300 / 1500 4.375 Semi Automatic from 8/68 – 8/70 with LSD
BE 1600 4.125 Semi Automatic from 8/70 – 8/71
BF 1600 4.125 Semi Automatic from 8/70 – 8/71 with LSD
BG 1600 4.125 Karmann Ghia Semi Automatic from 8/70
BH 1300 4.125 Karmann Ghia Semi Automatic from 8/70 with LSD
BJ 1300 4.375 Semi Automatic from 8/70
BK 1300 4.375 Semi Automatic from 8/70 with LSD
BL 1600 4.125 Semi Auto
BK 1300 4.375 Semi Automatic from 8/70 with LSD
DA 1500 /1600 4.125 Type 3 Swing-axle up to 8/68
DB 1500 /1600 4.125 Type 3 Swing-axle up to 8/68 with LSD
DC 1500 /1600 4.125 Type 3 IRS from 8/68
DD 1500 /1600 4.125 Type 3 IRS from 8/68 with IRS
Common Transmission Modifications
Ring and Pinion - For optimal performance, it is very important to start with the correct Ring and Pinion ratio in your VW transmission. VW and Weddle ring and pinions are available for a variety of applications. While higher ratios are stronger than lower ratios and choosing a ring and pinion that is too high or too low will negatively impact optimal acceleration, power and speed.
Super Differential - The stock VW trans differential houses 2 spider gears. This design is suitable for low horsepower stock applications but it's easy to blow the spider gears when you add more horsepower. When a differential grenades, it usually ruins the side gears as well as the ring and pinion, destroying your transmission in the process. A Superdif can be added to the transmission too allow it to house 4 spider gears, whcih dramatically increasing the differential's strength.
Mainshaft - This is cut from a single piece of steel and includes both 1st and 2nd gear. These gears are commonly modified to allow for a lower close ratio or high road gears.
3rd and 4th Gears - These gears are also commonly modified to allow for lower close ratio or high road gears.
Welded 3rd and 4th gears - This refers to welding the syncro cone to the gear. The stock setup is only pressed on and will spin with greater horsepower applications.
Diagrams
Longenterprises
Aftermarket/Performance Transmissions
Rancho Performance Transaxles 1015 East Elm Avenue, Fullerton, California 92831
Mendeola
PBS Engineering
Albins Off Road Gear - Australia
Berg 5 Speed
Weddle Industries
