• From: Bethel Park PA
  • Registered: 2004-06-27
  • Posts: 686

Topic: Limited Slip Differential

Most VW enthuiasts do not know that VW had offered Limited Slip Differentials in some Thing, Beetle, Bus and Karmann-Ghia transmissions.  These are apparently exceedingly rare as I've never seen one or heard anyone claim to have one.  Perhaps it's just that the few people who have them don't know it and therefore don't kow to mention it.

From what I've been able to find, these are the transmission codes for the Limited Slip Differential transmissions:

transmission      final       supplied with       
    code          ratio        engine size

     AD           4.375            1200
     AE           4.375            1300
     AF           4.125            1300-1500
     AL           3.875            1500           Ty.181
     AP           4.375            1600           Ty.181
     AQ           4.125            1600
     AR           3.875            1600           K-G
     AU           3.875            1600           1303
     BC           4.375            1300           Semi-Auto
     BC           4.125            1600           Semi-Auto
     BF           4.125            1600           Semi-Auto
     BH           4.125            1300           K-G Semi-Auto
     BK           4.375            1300           Semi-Auto
     DB           4.125            1500-1600      Ty.3 Swing Axle
     DD           4.125            1500-1600      Ty.3 IRS

Option code M220 was for a (Type 2) Limited Slip Differential.  I haven't been able to find the Beetle option codes.

It might be worth while to check out your transmission codes to see if you have any of these ids.  Also take a look at any old transmissions you have laying around or that you find in junkyards. 

For those of you who want or need a Limited Slip Differential and can't come uo with one of these VW coded units, you might want to take a look at http://www.importperformance.com/quaife/apps.html  for an expensive modern unit.

David H
'66 VW Beetle w/sunroof
http://tinyurl.com/qhw59
"Where am I going ... and why am I in this handbasket?"
  • From: Vancouver Canada
  • Registered: 2004-04-28
  • Posts: 433

Re: Limited Slip Differential

David H wrote:

These are apparently exceedingly rare as I've never seen one or heard anyone claim to have one.

In the past 10 years I have owned almost 100 factory VW ZF Limited Slip Diffs.

That list of trans codes is a waste of time, IMO.  (who the hell would buy a LSD in an autostick?)  Every Type 1 IRS LSD I have found inside a gearbox came from a 'box with code AW.  That is the code for a Type 181 with a ZF LSD.  AV is the code for a Thing trans with an open diff.  These codes aren't even on that silly list.
In fact, every Type 1 Limited slip diff I've owned came from a Thing trans.

Busses also could be ordered with a LSD.  AAS is one code I can recall that is an 091 with ZF.

The option code M220 is common to every model.

Here are some pics:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/a51split/ … /my_photos

Note the pic called "pile-o-ZF"

Last edited by Bruce (2006-02-15 00:47:11)

  • From: Bethel Park PA
  • Registered: 2004-06-27
  • Posts: 686

Re: Limited Slip Differential

OK Bruce, you've seen almost 100 of them.  I haven't, nor has any VW other owner I've personally asked.

I stand by my statement that most VW owners and enthusiasts don't know much or anything about the VW limited slip differentials nor have I ever seen them discussed in many years of Hot VWs, VWTrends or Volks World magazines.   I was simply trying to present a bit of information for the education of the readers of this forum.  I'm sorry you saw it as a "... silly list" and a "waste of time".  I would hope that others saw it simply as a bit of additional information to file away for future reference.

The fact that I didn't list the AW or AS codes you refer to doesn't mean that they shouldn't be there (I'll add them), nor does the fact that you seemingly aren't familiar with any of the codes I did list mean that they don't belong.  Can you show which of the codes are incorrect?  I didn't list AV as a LSD code.

As far as "who the hell would buy a LSD in an autostick?" - I would say anyone who drives a lot on wet, slippery roads or under other conditions with less than optimal traction, regardless of the transmission type, including full automatic Type 3s.

Two questions for you -

Your pictures seem to show a couple of different types of LSDs - at least they look a little different from each other.  How would this be if they all came from one (AW) transmission code?

You seem to have a ton of these.  Do you sell them?  How much?

David H
'66 VW Beetle w/sunroof
http://tinyurl.com/qhw59
"Where am I going ... and why am I in this handbasket?"
  • From: Vancouver Canada
  • Registered: 2004-04-28
  • Posts: 433

Re: Limited Slip Differential

You shouldn't be offended about that useless list.  It wasn't compiled by you.  It is just that I have seen that list copied from one web site to another for the last 7-8 years.  Complete with all the errors and omissions.  I call it internet incest.  I have seen more codes that are not on that list than are on the list.  Like:
AX
AY
AV
AW
CY
PE

A couple of incorrect codes are the Thing codes.  I have seen hundreds of Thing gearboxes, and every one of them was either AV, or AW.  Never AL, or AP, or the other 2 open diff codes from that list.  You would think that I might have seen one of those codes in the hundreds of Thing gearboxes I have seen if that list was correct.

Another error is the AG code.  A friend of mine who works for Rancho transmissions in CA told me about a couple of unique parts they found in an IRS single side cover trans with letter code AG.  That list says AG is Fridolin.  However, all Fridolins were swing axle, so what does the existance of this SSC IRS AG trans say?

The diffs in the pics are either swing axle, IRS, Bus 091, or Bus 002.  Since your list does not have Bus codes, that's why you don't see them.