I heard it was supposed to have a stronger reverse gear. Anyone know when or if it will be available?

Who is making this new 2d? I can tell you that it is not Mendeola....

I believe its PBS.
http://www.glamisdunes.com/invision/index....howtopic=130620

Ohhhhh But it is...

are they going to be the same price as the H pattern 2d's?

come on just a little info.

Ok just to try again. I sold my buggy and am looking at getting 2D built for my 4-seater. I hate to buy one and the following week a new and improved one comes out. Any word on the new and improved one.

Thanks
Mike

From my personal experiences - Good luck.. The 2D has been unchanged for how long??

Not dogging on Mendi - but why would they sink R&D money into the 2d at all with the other optional transmissions they offer? Cant blame them when people put in V-8s and then skimp on the trans and put in a 2d that is prone to bearing and reverse failure? metals are more expensive across the board etc.. I just wouldnt hold my breath on this till it hits market and it proven.

One thing I would like to know though - why the e-box held up so much better than the 2d in similar packages. That is a weird deal there.

I had the Md5 - Never had a bearing failure - probably due to having the extra set of bearings in the front I was happy with the trans for the most part - yes had some problems in the beginning but that wasnt Mendis fault. Weddle on the other hand - :angry:

Kuddos if they do it - But like I said, I wouldnt count on or hold my breath waiting for it to happen. If you want more strength - upgrade your trans.

The question is: WHY????????????????????????????????????

Chummin,
Please dont feel sorry for Mendeola. They marketed the 2d as a trans that would hold up just fine to a V8.......I still have the flyer from the SSSS thats says just that. So who's to blame that they wont? The consumer who bought the trans thinking it was strong enough or the manufactuer who said it was?
I know the answer.
As far as the "E" box not failing. Cant really tell you why but there is a difference and to me the "E" box is a far superior trans to the 2d. Ya Ya I know ...........the 2d is better...I guess thats true if you consider mainshaft bearing failure and a higher cost positive.

I am building a fairly lightweight 4-seater with a 350-400 hp subaru in it. For my budget i really can't afford the next step up. I have lived with a built bus and 2276 for several years with STU 2000's on it !! I dont do a lot of drag racing or dumping the clutch. So for my applicaiton i think it will survie. My wife about had a cow when i told here what a 2D cost!!! This one started out to be a VW and bus tranny and A-arm front end. Now its a long travel ( 18" ) too.

Mike

Mike,
Do yourself a favor and go with the "E" box.........you will save $ and get a better trans. Your set up is perfect for an "E"

Ditto what Flash said..

Wayno (copper) had 280hp to the ground in his subie and he went through built 091s to the point where he bought a second one and kept it in the trailer. So he was going through both trans each season..

You cant go wrong with that E box and fronting the money now - could save you from 2, 3 4, or more times as much in the next few seasons..

True scenario... A 5.7 v8 and a 5.3 v8..... One has a 2d and the other is a 4e,,,, one tranny has 2 seasons and the other lasted (!) almost 1 season ... any of you 4e-rs care to guess which one failed and which one is still going strong !!

NUFF SAID !!. lol !!!.
.

I'd guess the piece of crap 2d failed.

My experience:

Funco SSE Northstar mated to a 2e............4 real HARD seasons..not one failure

Funco SSE Northstar mated to a 2e............3 HARD seasons...not one failure

DeJohn.......LS1............mated to a 2e.........3 HARD seasons....not one failure

PREDATOR......LS1..........mated to a 5 speed 2d......4 days

Funco Big 5 Gen 4.....Turbo Subi......mated to a 2d.......3 real hard seasons..........3 broken trans

Unknown builder........Northstar.......mated to a 2d.........1 day

NUFF SAID!

WRONG ANSWER !!!!! the ( my 2d is still going strong ) and the loser is,,, the 4E 5.3,
FP,, you can put up whatever #'s you want but I'm going by the last few seasons !,

I jump the dog snot out of my car.

I run the whoops in 4th gear @ 100mph .

I dune where no man has duned before. jk

It is beyond me why you are the 4E's biggest suporter !.
.

I think forgot one more JK..

OK maybe it was 98 mph ! lol ( left an SU in the dust !)

I think you guys should get over the 4e shtigma !! lol.

.

.

My 2D has two long seasons on it behind a CBM 450hp LS1 in a 2260 lb car, and I don't baby it. Do I abuse it??? No. Anyone can break anything if they treat it like it's indestructible. Is the 4E better than the 2D??? Who knows, it shouldn't be, but I have had good luck with my Wright built 2D for two years.

the 4e has a 091 gearset how can that be stronger ? i am looking for facts here not allegations .unless the exact same driver , time and situation is the same for every baseline , you cannot say that all the scenarios mentioned are applicable . facts are facts and the gearset in the e box is a std 091 gearset . the gearset in a 2d is much beefier . i would like to hear an evaluation based on tangable facts relating directly to the mechanics of the e verses the 2d . i personally see no valid arguement based on the physical properties of each box that would lead anyone to the conclusion that an e box is stronger than a 2d ,but apparently there are some people who believe otherwise , so lets hear it . if the gearset is larger and the case is the same case , then logically the laws of physics say .......................................................... well i think we all know the answer , but hey ,i am open minded guy prove wrong . tim

I'm a huge supporter of the "E" box because in a combined 10 seasons of duning with the cars I have personal experience with I have yet to see one failure. Not one of any kind with an "E" box. I dont recall anyone having to re-design the "E" box nose cone due to mainshaft bearing failure.

Now take the 2D. I cant count the lost days guys have in our camp over the same time period with broken 2d's.

I'm glad your 2d has held up. Maybey the shop you went to did something about the main shaft bearing failure problem. Maybey you are just lucky. What ever it is good for you.

However! More expensive doesnt mean better. I think thats the big picture here. We have all been spoon fed that the "E" is the econo line ,less expensive trans and the 2d is the big boy,stronger,more expensive trans , therefore the 2d must be a stronger. So lets say the gearset in the 2d is in fact stronger. What good is that when the mainshaft bearings fry themself apart from use?
Stronger? In what way? What good is a stronger trans that fails time after time?

The "E" box is a better trans in my opinion and nothing will ever convince me otherwise. Of course I only have real world experience to form my conclusion.

Myself and Lickitysplit have had three seasons of good duning on our 2D's with zero problems. I have mine at AZ transaxle to get checked out and I will advise of the results. I would have loved to see how long I could have gone but wasn't willing to risk downtime during dune season.

My personal experience with my MD5.. Built by Weddle..

It was a mechanical failure. The end of the shift rod broke off.
Got caught between 1st gear and the case
result - 1600.00
Weddle said "we aint never seen that before, sorry"

Reason - The bolt in the end of the shift rod was torqued to tight (weddle built the trans)..

McDowell got be back to running. Didnt have any problems after that - BUT I did run a trans pump to make sure there was always fluid at the top and front of the trans.

Results:

I'll be sending my tranny to the allmighty tranny builder this summer also just for inspection purposes and to also tap some breather and lube holes so I can run my pump 100 % and not have to worry about breather blow-out . The little nosecone fitting just aint cutting it.

.

Got my 2d last week from Bill @ AZ Transaxle. Supernice guy! I can't wait to try it out!

I've got 3 full seasons on my McDowell built Ebox in front of 327cui Chevy. Thinking about having it gone thru this summer to see how it is.....but I have not one problem yet.

That is incorrect. The E has Bus 002 gear sets, and the 2D has Bus 091 gear sets.

I have had 4 hard seasons on my 2D, coupled to a 500+HP LS6 motor.

I am not afraid to dune, but the things that I don't do is:

- Jump, and Land Under power.
- Excessively Spin one wheel.
- Wheelies from a dead stop.
- Show off at the drags.

I listen to my car, tranny, and engine talk to me.... and we communicate well. I treat her nicely, and she treats me nicely.

It sounds like it does the day it was new, shifts like it was the day it was new, and much more....

I am only pulling it out before this season to go through it, and make sure everything is fine.. which I am sure it is.

I also change the oil regulary, and not once has there ever been ANY metal shavings in the oil.

Shoulda bought a Rhino.........

Har Har... ask anyone I dune with, and they will you I dune hard, and hang it out there... but I don't go looking to break stuff.... there are alot of peeps there with more money than brains....

If you break something like a tranny then your weekend is over... plain and simple.... I have only broken my car once, and that from hitting a witches eye while sliding into a hard turn... which cost me $8,000 in repairs.... thank god it was the last trip of the season.

Dunno about you.. but I generally dont keep an extra $7 or 8k in the bank to replace a tranny when it could have been prevented......

I see these tards on the hills all over the place.. banging the rev limiters, catching one wheel at the top of a hill, showing off, and then breaking stuff, and coming back to camp all pouty faced....wondering "why did my car break....???" the answer is staring them in the face....

Dude so tired of the 2d cry babies haters....effin old and tired topic ...Fix?? we all know its Fortin... Albins ...anything else and ya just can't say shiot....drive like a pussyy ..drive like Robby G...Its your car bust it up any time you want....Some Guys worked alot of overtime for their 2ds and like I said ....waaaaaaahhhhhh....

I'm laughing with ya, not at ya..
I see those dipchits too....

Oh... ok... sorry.. =) its all good...

any update on the "new 2d" ?

Chevyman500, thanks for asking.
At present I am writing from Chicago where we are attending the IMTS show where we are sourcing vendors for the MD4S next evolution.
We will be using all American based products to keep the cost down and keep jobs in this questionable economy.
The C.A.D. work is 90% complete and We will start the precastings and test parts after the SANDCAR SUPER SHOW.

If any of the designer on GD would like to voice what they would like to see in the NEW design NOW is the time to do it.

Thank you for the question.

can handle upto 500hp in a v8, be able to use reverse............can't really think of anything else.

I'd like to see the stronger nosecone/mainshaft bearing incorporated, as well as a usable reverse gear.

A nice option would be to have a torque converter available for it, this would help to absorb a lot of the drivetrain shock, and go a long ways toward making the tranny last.

Mendeola:
How about dual bearings on the pinion shaft for extra support? Here is pic of one from a 14 bolt full float chevy 1 ton axle:


maybe some extra support for the ring gear/carrier as well?

Can you tell us what your plans are for the new 2D?
Will it bolt in place of an old 2D?

PS and tranny pumps built in.

Yes, this is a must. We understand this.

This transaxle is a clean sheet of paper. Why do what the people have tried to patch the MD4S?
Torque converters are nice but,the expense and plumbing may not be what the customer wants. plus they eat HP.

Will the dimension stay the same???? will you continue the ebox???

Guess you missed my suggestions and questions?

Mike, the MD4S does use this style bearing, the same style pictured. It does'nt use the snout bearing at the end of the pinion.

Yes, GREAT IDEA. Build it in to the gearbox.

2 large bearings on the shaft and a small pilot bearing on the tip?

The pilot bearing is a wast of time it has no function in a transaxle, plus there is no room inside.

All vw style trans use two taper bearings by the pinion gear and another at the other end which makes three brgs total. The length of the shaft eliminates the need for a support brg on the end of the pinion.