Joshua Van Tol wrote:

(again, out of context on the quote)

<< Flopping the diff in no way results in any  change that
the diff cares about. By backwards I mean turning the input
 shaft the wrong way, not flipping the diff.  >>

Yes, but the end result is the same.  By not flipping the
ring gear over to the other side of the pinion and reverse
rotating the input shaft you are now driving on the coast
side of the ring gear.  I do a lot of the Type I style transaxles
and do not see any unusual wear patterns on the ring gear
or pinion head that I can attribute to driving on the coast
side vs. the regular thrust side.   Also, keep in mind that
the newest gearbox of this type is now 31 years old.

The only bearing that I would be concerned with would be
the mainshaft ball bearing, however, I do not think that there
will be enough of a load along the length of the shaft to
worry about.  The pinion shaft and it's double tapered roller
bearing should be just fine in either direction.

-Todd Hill
 VolksWerks Transaxles
 Olympia, WA