Fitting a ZF LSD

[Tobi/DFL]

Hi everybody,

after killing my superdiff at Chimay I now want to fit a ZF limited slip diff to my swing axle gearbox. The original repair handbooks states that only sidecovers with a drilled oil passage should be used with a LSD (see arrow on the pic on the top left). Does anybody have more informations about how this passage has to be drilled???
Thanks in advance!

Tobi

[Bruce]

Does it state which side you install that modified cover on?  Or do you do that modification to both sides?

Note that the hole is above the water line.  Maybe it is some kind of vent for that side of the bearing.

[Tobi/DFL]

Does it state which side you install that modified cover on?  Or do you do that modification to both sides?

Note that the hole is above the water line.  Maybe it is some kind of vent for that side of the bearing.

Hi Bruce,

thanks for your reply! Unfortunately it doesn´t state if just one or both side covers should have this oil passage...
Cheers,

Tobi

[Bruce]

Found this, it says both sides get the oil hole.

[Tobi/DFL]

Thanks for the pic, Bruce. So now I know that both covers need to have that hole drilled but I still don´t know where the hole begins and where it ends. Anybody???

[Fastbrit]

Looking for these holes in the side covers is the old way to check at a swap-meet if a swing-axle trans has a ZF. Quite a few of the old military and emergency vehicles (Type 2s) used in places like Switzerland came with  ZFs...

As far as I know, the holes are just that - holes drilled through the side cover which act as breathers deemed necessary because the ZF takes up more space in the casing than a regular differential.

[Tobi/DFL]

Thanks alot, Mr. Seume!

[bugkeeper]

Hello Keith

Are these openings, vent holes to the environment? Looking at the position of the hole it seems as if they would get covered by the rubber boot flange. To me it seems as if they would lead into the axle tube. If you look closely on the pictures you can see a square opening just below as well.

I do not believe that it is a vent hole. If it were a vent hole why does VW not recommend such a hole with the IRS locker? Am I wrong?

Currently I am having the same issue as Tobi, I am in the process of installing such a ZF Locker.

Does anyone run a ZF or a Quaiffe? If the reason would be the space the diff takes up, a similar hole needs to be drilled when adding a Quaiffe LSD. Wouldn’t it?

Any thoughts on that? Does anyone have pictures of original ZF side covers to share with us?

Best regards
Dominique

[Fastbrit]

Well, I only took a guess at what purpose they serve – I really am not sure.  It's what I was told many years ago by a guy who raced 356s.

[181]

Maybe it is time to add a custom gearbox breather to the top of the case?

[Fastbrit]

Maybe it is time to add a custom gearbox breather to the top of the case?

Which I've already done…