The lower granny gear may also aid in pulling my boat out of the water and up the ramp.  There has be a time or two where i know my van was cursing at me and throwing evil smells from underneath.

As far as clutches go, I've never worn one out; however, I do change them everytime I put in a new engine.

Jere

-----Original Message-----
From: Stephen Overmyer <s.overmyer@UWS.EDU.AU>
Sent: Oct 29, 2003 6:18 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: 5 speed tranny question

At 04:13 PM 29/10/2003 -0500, you wrote:
>From:    Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
>
>Note that the 094 5-speed is no stronger than the 4-speed. Also its
>first gear is useless.

  I don't think that's entirely the case,particularly if you'd ever wanted to
  do a hill start with a heavily loaded van...
  Lets not forget what the Transporter's original function was for...
  carrying loads up to 980kg and 1st is there for exactly that purpose...
  to get going without labouring the engine.

  Sure,from a rolling start or on the flat,2nd will get you going OK
  if you don't mind a little more slipping of the clutch...but I for one
  don't always find myself in such easy territory...

  Maybe using 1st in it's intended applications is why I have 253,850kms
  on the original clutch...?

  YMMV...

  Steve O
  NSW Australia
  '92 Transporter WBX Kombi
  '00 Transporter Double Cab
  '03 Transporter Double Cab (work truck)