04-04-2024, 02:52 PM
There has been a lot of posts in the US about the longevity of using Subaru boxes in Kombis/Beetles. This makes interesting reading.
The NEWS and the FACTS.
I received the independent testing results done by a certified testing facility. These guys test stuff for all kinds of industries including state agencies like NASA & other of the same caliber.
The results were the pinion gears were all with in original Subaru specs, while the ring gears all tested 58 to 59 which is also in specification, however when the teeth were tested they were soft measuring 53 to 54. When a harder gear like the pinion is driving a softer gear like the ring gear it will wear the teeth off like we have now seen mutiple pictures of. Softer gears are used in sports like drag racing and off road racing. They are done like that so that they can take high impact loads with out breaking. This comes at a price. The price of frequent replacements as they will wear out quickly.
Though the research and reading mutiple stories of how Subarugears r&p sets have failed either in a few thousand miles to lasting as long as around 20,000 miles it now makes sense. Todd gives out replacements to keep the people quiet so he can sell more. He may have to give out a few sets, but to every set he gives away he sells 5 more.
The facts do not stop there, the main fact that the ring gear is being driven on the cost side is the true root of the failures. The softness was done to allow them to last long enough to keep the business going. The ring and pinion can NOT be designed to drive the correct way in this transaxle. That is a fact that two well known transaxle engineers have stated. Therefor you make a part you know is going to fail and you make up excuses why it failed and hope people don't share their stories.
Sorry guys I honestly wish I had better news. You can not drive a ring and pinion backwards and expect it to last. Hard or soft, the ring and pinion made by Subarugears will fail. It may lose teeth, or ever break a pinion head off from deflection, and or blow out the side of the case as the ring and pinion try to go opposite directions due to the ramp side of the gears. It will fail it is only time.
The NEWS and the FACTS.
I received the independent testing results done by a certified testing facility. These guys test stuff for all kinds of industries including state agencies like NASA & other of the same caliber.
The results were the pinion gears were all with in original Subaru specs, while the ring gears all tested 58 to 59 which is also in specification, however when the teeth were tested they were soft measuring 53 to 54. When a harder gear like the pinion is driving a softer gear like the ring gear it will wear the teeth off like we have now seen mutiple pictures of. Softer gears are used in sports like drag racing and off road racing. They are done like that so that they can take high impact loads with out breaking. This comes at a price. The price of frequent replacements as they will wear out quickly.
Though the research and reading mutiple stories of how Subarugears r&p sets have failed either in a few thousand miles to lasting as long as around 20,000 miles it now makes sense. Todd gives out replacements to keep the people quiet so he can sell more. He may have to give out a few sets, but to every set he gives away he sells 5 more.
The facts do not stop there, the main fact that the ring gear is being driven on the cost side is the true root of the failures. The softness was done to allow them to last long enough to keep the business going. The ring and pinion can NOT be designed to drive the correct way in this transaxle. That is a fact that two well known transaxle engineers have stated. Therefor you make a part you know is going to fail and you make up excuses why it failed and hope people don't share their stories.
Sorry guys I honestly wish I had better news. You can not drive a ring and pinion backwards and expect it to last. Hard or soft, the ring and pinion made by Subarugears will fail. It may lose teeth, or ever break a pinion head off from deflection, and or blow out the side of the case as the ring and pinion try to go opposite directions due to the ramp side of the gears. It will fail it is only time.