Modifying early 26mm 1-2 sliders

[Bruce2]

I have a couple of really nice early 26mm sliders with almost no wear on them. I know to cut ½ mm off each side to bring them down to 25mm, then to use the late shift rod with the groove in the top of the head.

Is there anything else to it?

Any reason not to use them this way in a late trans?

[dangerous]

..only finding a paddle style reverse idler to match the late trans,
but if you are using the bronze fork style, you just need to make sure it clears the late case,
which can be a pain, but not impossible.

[Bruce2]

I haven't confirmed it, but I'm pretty sure ERCO has paddle style reverse idlers to mesh with every slider made. I just used up my last paddle idler that was for a 4mm 2 line slider, and I know he has them to fit the new VW of Brazil sliders. These are two configurations that never existed from VW.

[PEPPE]

watch for less backcuts on them. prefer using later 26s

[Bruce2]

I had a look at the sliders for the back cuts.
The early 26mm slider has back cuts on both sides of 1st gear. None on 2nd

The 67-72 2 line 25mm slider has back cuts on both sides of 1st and on the coast side of 2nd. Nothing on the drive side of 2nd.

The 73 and later 5mm 25mm slider has back cuts on both sides of both gears. Also, they seem to be cut deeper, as if they expected 4-5mm of engagement.

[PEPPE]

some late 26s has backcuts like 67-72, i believe these are the best candidate to be converted

[Bruce2]

I was talking to a friend about modifying early 26mm sliders and he suggested narrowing them more than the theoretical ½mm per side. He thought that clearance between the fork and slider groove would allow deeper engagement.
Has anyone tried going narrower than 25mm?

[Pablo2]

Absolutely .. especially when building a drag trans with proring 2nd. I don't think any of the transaxles I built used an unmodified 1st/2nd shift rail. I always had to widen the detent grooves a tad. But close attention needs to be paid to the reverse teeth .. one corner needs to be trimmed. (I show shaving the entire tooth in this diagram, but it's usually only the corner that needs a 45* bevel.)
http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/1144067.jpg

[dangerous]

I narrow them to 24 the same as 091, with the aftermarket main shaft sets.

[vwbilly]

I think there is a difference in the angle of the engagement at the syncro.Less angle.
I have cut them down and used late syncros and not had ant trouble with it shifting.
And i also like to cut them more than .5mm to help out with the worn fork and grove. Just don't like the thin reverse gear kinda weak.
Never cut down ones without a cutback on second not yet anyway i may have no choice one day

Did eric have an early reverse gear set up for a paddle? i use his 2 line paddle gear. Love them...

[PEPPE]

yes 110 vs 120. in teory this would require a specific syncronizer in each case.