Swing Axel from a IRS

[grumpy]

I am starting on a new project and need/ want to change out the transaxle. I was told that I can use a '68 and later gear box, change out the side plates and axles with swing axle stufff and it will bolt right up and work with no problems. Anybody have more info on this?

Thanks

Grumpy

[lunatic_magnet]

yup... should work fine. dont forget your swing trailing arms.

it can also be done in reverse as well if you wanted to go swing to IRS but you'd have to weld in the pivot points (i was going to do this but found a swing tranny so i didnt need to)

[awshields]

Yes it can be done. I changed my close ratio IRS to a swing this fall. Had to buy a swing superdiff and every thing else worked fine. Keep the shims and spacers in the correct place and all will be good. It must be a dual sidecover tranny of course.

[grumpy]

Why did you go with the SuperDiff, just wondering? What year IRS tranny did you use, what year pan did you put it in?

Thanks

Grumpy

[awshields]

It is a Rancho Pro Comp IRS trany (Super diff/3.78 mainshaft/1.04 4th with a 4.12 ring and pinion) that I had in my Ghia. I put a stock 3.88 trans in the Ghia for better crusind RPM. I wanted a strong built swing for my 67 street/strip bug. I have since gotten some Sway-Away axles for it and will have to remove the trans and install them.

[grumpy]

So there was no need for the SuperDiff, just the want. I will be putting 60hp to a 71 Type I tranny with a stock clutch. All will be going through a set of 15x8 steel rims. I do not think I will need the heavy duty stuff for my street application.

Thanks for the info. If you think of any more tips let me know. I plan on changing over the trans in the next few weeks.

Grumpy

[awshields]

The stock will work fine for you. You have to take out all of the IRS guts in the ring&pinion area and install all of the swing in its place. So you need both trans to do this.

[grumpy]

Sounds like I might be getting into something more than I want. Do you have any pics on this, any have pics on this subject?

On a scale of 1-10, 10 being installing heater channels, 1 being pulling the motor, what level am I looking at?

Grumpy

[lilbill]

Grumpy, get your pieces together and I'll put it together for you. It's not hard but there are some tricky details like setting the r&p backlash and carrier bearing preload. Also both trannys need to have ring gears with the same number of bolts because you have to swap the irs ring gear onto the swing carrier assembly.

[Gravedigger]

Make shure you get the right trans!! '73 up is a single side cover trans.
That will not work, you need a double side cover to covert over to swingaxle. :rolleyes:

[66 Shorty]

So... I looked up the oldest possible thread to resurrect, & it just happened to be one that someone was asking about doing recently!

I forget who it was asking about using an IRS trans in his Swing Axle Bug, but, from reading this thread I was right in thinking you CAN use an IRS trans in a Swing axle with minor modifications to the trans itself.


So, I hope it helps! :hello:

[mkparker]

I thought I was reading something new until I saw lilbill pop up! I can't imagine this being worth the trouble with all the cheap transaxles out there(unless you have high dollar parts in a trans already), but yes, it can be done. The IRS has to be one that both sides come off. The swingaxle has to be somwhere like a '66-'68. I just read an article on this swap in an old VW Trends, I can try and track it down if anyone is seriously considering this.

[crack monkey]

this is the set up i ran in my bug... 72 trans with 67 guts. it was easy

[JayinMI]

I read a few replies before I realized it say 2003 in the date. I just figured Bill broke it again, and reset the dates or something.

:)

Jay

[BabyValley]

I have a 1965 swing axel trany and a 1972 irs trany. what do i need to do to convert the 72 to use on my 65? I have both complet and the 72 has covers on both sides with a bunch of bolts. i heard that thats the kind u need but dont know what to do.

[mkparker]

I would suggest converting the '65 pan to use the IRS in it rather than converting the transaxles themselves. You'll end up with a better ride and less camber change if you go lower. Other than that you have to swap out the ring and pinion assemblies out of the IRS with the assembly in the swingaxle. I've never done it, but I don't believe it's simple task. Gear backlash and other issues need to be taken into consideration. I have the complete "how to" in a VW mag. I can get it scanned and send you a copy if you wish to go further.

[crack monkey]

take off the side covers of the irs ... there are some c clips on the inside of where the axles mount to... once those clips are out, then you can pull the side plates. you will see it as you pull it apart. then on the swing trans you need to take the backing plates off. then take the bolts off the trans to release the axle covers. then i forget on what side but you will be able to pull the axle cover off. then the whole thing will slide out the other side.

instal the reverse order in the irs trans.... then rock on

[BabyValley]

I would like to have a look at that maybe it would help me out some. Thanks my email is rudy.medina@att.net

[BattleBug]

Michael, I'd like to see that article as well if you have it handy. Let me know if you find it.

Also, one thing nobody mentioned in going with an IRS on an early is that the track width is wider. My '56 had an IRS in it which I'm pulling back out to put in a swing axle just so I can put the tires back where they belong which is tucked. I dug for fixes on this but nothing came up except for buying new short axle and custom trailing arms.

[mkparker]

Yeah that is one thing that sucks, the extra width of the later model axles. The "how to" article is in VW Trends December 1988 if you have it. I'll get it scanned the next day or so and post it. The article is about converting a swingaxle to an IRS, but I'd assume that going the other way would be just the opposite.

Just for reference, this is my '62 with the wide (longer) '68 axles.
http://www.mkparker.com/vw/wide%205s%20too%20wide.jpg'

Same tire/wheel with early short axles.
http://www.mkparker.com/vw/wide%205s%20narrow.jpg

[BattleBug]

Yep, that's just like my '56 Michael.

[Hebster52]

I on the other hand chose to use the long post-68 swingaxle just for that reason that it have the same wider track as IRS. My reason for this was that I wanted to make a set of wide wheels for the Hebster but with high offset (47mm) so they dont look too deep from the outside. The wheels are 6½x16" on here with stock rear fenders.

http://www.fvwa.sitefactory.fi/data/2187.JPG

[mkparker]

OK, here is the article. It's 4 pages but i left the last one off, it just shows pics of where to install the IRS pivots on a Swingaxle pan. That's covered in a lot of places. This article concerns converting a swingaxle to an IRS, but it should work going the other way also.

Page 1 (http://www.mkparker.com/vw/Swing_IRS1.jpg)
Page 2 (http://www.mkparker.com/vw/Swing_IRS2.jpg) click pic to make it bigger
Page 3 (http://www.mkparker.com/vw/Swing_IRS3.jpg)same thing ^^^

[BabyValley]

Thanks that helps alot. :thumbsup: Looks to advanced for me. But ill give it a try.