Hello,

What I would recommend instead of changing the gear ratios
is to change the ring and pinion from the diesel 5.86 to a gas
powered 4.86 or even 4.57.  The final drive on the diesel
powered Vanagons was so high because you had 50 rip-snortin'
hp coming on strong somewhere around 2000 rpm.  You need
all the grunt that that underpowered diesel could produce just
to get the Van, esp. in full combat Westy gear, away from the
stop sign.  To maximize where the power was available in the
rpm range VW installed that killer 5.86 set.  First through fourth
ratios are the same between gas and diesel so I think a ring
and pinion swap would be the best way to change the final
drive.  The shift throws between the gears are just about optimal
with a small fudge factor and if you radically change one gear
then all the others will be affected.  You'd have to strip the trans
down just as far to do a gear swap as you would a ring and pinion
swap so the labor would be the same.

-Todd Hill
 VolksWerks Transaxles
 Olympia, WA
 360-412-0948