Corvair Axle Counter Rotation Gearboxes-Pair, Two gears per box

racecar builder

racecar builder

Registered
Registered
Joined
Dec 19, 2011
Messages
459
Boxes go up against the backing plates.

Do not have the Corvair transaxle and rear suspension parts here to look at yet.

Just want to know what we need to do generally.

Thanks!
 
Sorry, not enough info and feels like a setup. Like Dirty Harry is gonna shoot me for the wrong answer.

Not familiar with the Corvair setup, but the old VW type 2 up to '67 used a similar sounding setup but they were actually gear reduction so the standard type1 transaxle could be used. You just had to be sure if you were installing a type 1 you switched the differential ring gear to the other side or you had 1 gear fwd and 4 reverse. They had a swing axles, not the constant velocity and each gearbox IIRC had oil and there was a spec for pre filling or a level plug in the side of the box but it could also go through the axle housings and share oil with the transaxle. They had huge caged roller bearings on both sides of each gear. They were pretty bullet proof but usually if they started to leak it was because the bearing were worn and sloppy. I had to go through the reduction housing on one side on my '65 type 2. On them if you could get any play in the stub axle you had a bad bearing. So I'd pull them apart and check the bearings ,gears and seals.
 
'old VW type 2 up to '67 '

How to Hot Rod Your Corvair says to adapt those parts.

We would rather go this route so we keep Corvair brakes, etc.

We can use either Corvair swing axles or IRS ones.

I think the IRS ones support a wheel stub in the uprights.

That sounds good because then gear box is just dealing with power transmission and not any wheel loads.
 
So those boxs are VW or Corvair?

Lots of dune buggy guys used to add old bus reduction housings to add height clearance. The '68 and later bus used IRS and a way beefier trans. The IRS bearings were grease, not gear oil. The only thing I think that got the old reduction boxes was lack of maintence. The German bearings on them were huge.
 
'German bearings on them were huge '

That sounds good.A ready made box casting sounds good.

I will see if we can use those and keep Corvair axles and from backing plate out.

Basically put them between axle and backing plate.

Transmit power from axle to stub axle.

I believe the Corvair swing axles go right through bearings in backing plate.

So we should use IRS axles and brakes or whatever you call rest of parts in upright.

I think is basically a big flange between lower control arm and upper a arm.

We have always called them uprights.
 
'What year? I have a factory manual.'

Great! The PDF manual's I have found have pictures you can't see anything in.Too dark.

'65-69 rear suspension I guess.Unless somebody can think of way to do this with swing axles.

Maybe put gear boxes on side of transaxle? We don't care if axles are moved forward or back a couple inches.
 
My bad earlier.'Support bearing' for stub axles on '65-69 IRS are in something called 'torque control arms'.

The are hung FORWARD FACING instead of trailing.No wonder Corvairs handle lousy.

Plus it does not look like there are any upper a arms.Guess we were thinking of front.

We are up for bandsawing stub axle support off from arms and building new suspension with it.

This is tube frame clean sheet project.
 
I came from VW obviously. Mostly Karman Ghia, buses and at the very end '62 bug and last was a '66 bug. My first car was a '57 Ghia and at the dealer buying parts it was in the same book with the '50's Porshe and parts were priced like that! I only bring this up because those cars were all torsion bar suspension , monocoque and were strong and very light. A whole different idea than American coiled springs, and everything crazy heavy. Like those "torque control arms". I had a good friend who had a Corvair Spyder and it just felt mushy with no feedback from the road. Very dangerous because of the poor design. Which sad to say that's what most American cars felt like to me too. But of course they would coming from little German tin cans I was used to. And I was totally into rear engine oversteer and front engine under steer feels AWEFUL to me too.

I am not a schooled suspension engineer obviously and I have no idea what you are trying to accomplish but if I HAD to use that insanely heavy Corvair engine and wanted it to actually handle I'd be trying to put that boat anchor midships instead of in the back just because of the weight. It's what made the old Porshe Spyder the giant killer in 50's.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top