Info On 020 Transaxle Work

 

Quick pricing estimates for those not wanting to read... ;)

Labor: $300+
Wearable Parts: $340-$750
Hard Parts: Varies
Avg. min. rebuild cost: $650
Avg. max. rebuild cost: $1050-up
Blasting and Plating work: $75
Avg. shipping DHL Ground: $40
Advice: $0(and worth every dime!)

 

Pricing

Trans work is $300 labor plus parts. $75 to split the case open and get a better picture of what is going on, then $225 to repair it and close it back up. There is no way to know exactly which parts need replaced until the trans is completely stripped and cleaned, and then carefully inspected.

For $75, I'll split the case, exposing the gear stacks, and can get an idea of what is going on, like if any gears are stripped, shavings on the magnet, and the like....but it won't show if the needle bearing for 1st gear is pitted or if the synchronizer hub for 3rd/4th is starting to split/crack in the corners of the key slots. For finding stuff like that, the gear stacks need pulled apart, cleaned, and then you can find damage like that.

If I open it, and it looks OK, then I strip the gear stacks and find the shaft where the 3rd gear needle bearing rides is completely shot or something, and it requires a several hundred dollar shaft, and you decide to bail on on the repair, then it is still $75 (I'll close it back up first), but if you decide you want to get a shaft or want me to try and find a used shaft to stick in it, then it'll be the $225 to carry on and repair and close it. I'm not out to rob anyone, but at the same time, I'm not out to run around sourcing parts and working on trans for nothing.

Blasting work on the case and steel parts, along with plating of the steel parts again will cost an extra $100 in labor. The case is sand blasted and then glass bead blasted to give it the finish you see on the Rebuild Pages, and the steel parts if rusted up are blasted and zinc plated and chromate dipped to protect them after blasting. Contact me for more details on what is done exactly.

Warranty, or lack thereof

No warranty... if you're scared, don't have me build it. I'll build it right, beyond that, I can't promise anything, especially when repairing a trans using used parts from other boxes to save money over buying new. If you pay and buy all new shafts or gear sets, you spend more than you would on one of those Asian/South American new 020 units with "over sized rivets" and those funky ratios. So, when I have to replace "hard parts" like shafts, gears, a case half or something, you can't really ensure that mixed used gears won't whine, and unless you like throwing money away on all new parts, you just about have to find used parts to make the box whole if there is hard parts damage beyond a standard rebuild of bearings, syncs and seals.

What's covered and not covered

If I build the trans, and the something like a bearing burns up, I'll fix it. If you contact me with a broken gear set, that's not covered. If I build a box and the diff explodes, and it is because of a failed bolt kit, I'll cover it; if it is because of the spider gears in the diff decided to explode, then, well, that's a VW trans, and I can't cover it. I'll treat you right; I think I've built a pretty decent reputation on the Vortex for not being a crook or telling lies, so I'll treat you right, but at the same time, we all know people SUCK and will try to get one over on you. I'm no business, I'm Broke, the trans guy, and I'll do good work with good parts and do it the proper way....but I'm not out to get screwed over by someone because they beat the shit out of an early-70s designed gearbox and wants me to cover it. Thus, no warranty. None. Not even a little one. If I build it, and something I did is the cause of the failure, I'll cover it. If it's not my fault, tough chit :) Autotech or TT or someone big might be able to absorb that kind of damage, but not me. I eat Ramen noodles, and drive a beat up 88 16V Rocco doing some trans work on the side out of my garage in a normal residence. I just happen to have the proper VW tools and have sourced the VW parts and info and manuals and so on for working on the 020.

Parts Info

Parts aren't cheap... it sucks, but that's how it is. I buy them for what YOU would pay for them, I'm no business, I'm just a regular guy, so I get my parts from Mike at parts4vws or Mark at Adirondack, or the folks at 1stVWparts, for the same price you would pay. I'm going to charge 5%-10% over what I have to pay for parts...that helps cover my time sourcing them, paying for shipping, and the other hassles that go along with trying to maintain a stock of parts. You can find cheap parts, but I don't use them*. I use Laso German sync rings, I use German bearings and OEM seals (hard to find all German for the seals sometimes, and lately, German bearings are getting hard to locate, I might have to start using Timken bearings for the final drive housing), OEM circlips, thrust washers, sync lock keys, key springs, and Pelolok bolt kits.

A note on the bolt kits... Gary has stopped making them, so prices have been increased everywhere. When the Peloquin kits are gone, it'll be VAG kits, and those are not cheap. People are working on getting kits made, but it won't be for some time until anything is available.

*German diff carrier bearings are all but gone, I've started using Timken for the carrier bearings, and now for the output shaft large taper bearings. I am nearly out of German made Febi small output shaft taper bearings, and when they are gone, it'll be Timken for those as well. I've also placed an order for cheap sync rings made in Argentina. I never thought I'd see the day I bought them, but I have, and it is simply because the Laso are hard to find, and expensive now. I'll still have German Laso in stock as long as I can find them, but they cost so much now, some people who aren't as picky can really lower their parts costs by using them, so I've ordered some to keep in stock if needed.

Update 7/08 - Laso sync rings are now NLA, they quit making them 09/07 so the old stock is drying up. My suppliers (parts4vws, Adirondack, etc.) can no longer get them. What I have left will be the last of them I think, and I've paid dearly for them, so they'll probably sit in my stock for ages, but I have to charge what I charge for them, sorry.

It is your trans, and if it is an 020, you're already likely on a budget, so I don't expect people to knock the doors down after $1000+ rebuilt 020s, but I figure $300 plus parts isn't too bad for repairs or partial rebuilds. I'm sitting on several dozen 020 trans that can be used to source "hard parts" from, but they sure won't cover every code of trans from VW, so if you want some work done, contact me with the trans code and mfg. date code from the bottom of the unit, and I'll see if I can find stuff on hand to work with your box.

Contact and Payment

All that info above is for repair work, and on top of that, I am hoping to find a couple boxes that can be rebuilt (no hard parts needed for them), stuff all new parts into, and then get them built and on hand ready for sale so there is no customer waiting. When I repair them, I'll do it as fast as I can, but it takes time to do it right...people make mistakes when they rush, so I'll build them as fast as I can, but deadlines have a way of coming back to bite you in the ass. If you don't give a time when it will be done, it'll be done early.... if you tell them a certain date it will be done, then just as sure as God made little green apples, you'll miss that deadline.

So, after all that, if you still want me to work on your 020, send an Instant Message on Vortex, or email me at brokegti@sbcglobalDOTnet (obviously change the DOT to an actual dot to send the mail).

For payment, I'll take a check, but it has to clear before I let the trans leave. Money Order or a bank cashiers are fine. I have PayPal, but add 4% to cover the fees they'll take off the top. I don't need paid for the work until you pick the trans up, or until I go to ship it out. You can pay in advance, or at the time it is dropped off, but it isn't needed.

Don't have me start the work if you don't have the money for it, because if I end up sitting on a completed trans that isn't paid for, I'll sell it to get my parts money back out of it. This is for those people who might leave it sitting 4 or 5 months while they are building the car, and 'just can't pay for the trans right now'... when the work is done, I want paid. I can understand a little time to work around schedules to pick them up and so on, but don't leave it with me for months after it is done. I'll email you to let you know if it is sitting too long, and to come get it, I won't just sell the trans out from under you, but if you get 3 or 4 emails from me telling you I need paid and I need the space and parts money and to come get this trans... start finding the time to come get it ASAP!

Parts

Oh, here is a pic showing the "hard parts" that will be re-used in a repair or rebuild (providing they are in good shape)...

... and here is a pic of the stuff that usually gets replaced in a full rebuild...

...and this (or less than this) is what you'll find in a cheaper rebuild from someone else...

 

Parts Pricing Info

Here is a recent (April '08) listing of rebuild parts, and what they'll cost if used. As can be seen, you can find cheaper parts by shopping around, but this is what I'll charge for the parts listed, roughly.

Basically, I check the current pricing to get an idea of what it would cost me to replace the part used in a rebuild, and that's what you'll be charged... the amount needed to replace the part used from my stock.

Prices, as always, are subject to change, because one day a VW bolt will be $30, and the next day it might be $7. They're goofy like that.

A total of all the parts will be $700+, so not cheap. Doing just the taper bearings and a TO bearing it is over $100; $85 or so for new seals; $45 for every sync ring replaced, $22 or so for circlips/misc. VW says to use once, and $40 for a bolt kit... $350 for the "basics", assuming one German sync ring.

Bearings
diff carrier taper $30 x2
output large taper $25
output small taper $15
input ball bearing $50
input roller 16V $15
input roller 8V $8
output roller $13
1st needle $5
2nd needle $20
3-5 needle $6 x3
TO bearing $14
Seals
flange seal kits $10 ea. x2
input shaft seal 16V $10
input shaft seal 8V $6
pushrod seal $6
pushrod bushing $4
selector seal $8
release arm seal $8
green end cap $12
green seal sleeve $10
case paper set $15
Syncs
German Laso synchronizer ring $45 x5
Argentina sync rings $10 x5
sync keys $2 x9
sync springs $2.50 x6
Circlips
5th 8v clip $3
16v 5th lock plate $4
8v 4th clip $3
3rd/16V 4th circlip $4
input clip $3
diff clip $2 x2
Bolts, Misc.
output thrust $6
diff bronze thrust rings $20 x 2
output shim $7 ea
diff shim $2 ea.
5th fork plate $4
5th bolt $7
actuation finger $18
Peloquin bolt kit $85
VAG bolt kit $100
plastic diff thrust $5
pushrod $40
starter bushing $3