Das Volks Vintage Volkswagen Gruppe

Ran into a little snag tonight. I installed the torsion bars and then tried to install the beam to the chassis but the shock towers were hitting the body of the car. I thought i read that a 3 inch narrowing would fit without modification...I guess not. I'll have to really look at it to see how much and where to cut the sheet metal to get it to fit.

Sorry Tom but this may take a little bit longer!!

Brown wrote:Ran into a little snag tonight. I installed the torsion bars and then tried to install the beam to the chassis but the shock towers were hitting the body of the car. I thought i read that a 3 inch narrowing would fit without modification...I guess not. I'll have to really look at it to see how much and where to cut the sheet metal to get it to fit.

Sorry Tom but this may take a little bit longer!!

It's gonna be very little, when I installed my 4" beam on my beetle I had to cut about 5 inches up, you might have to cut a small square section on the right side of the body to make room for the tie rod to pass by, I dont remember if there's enough room to flip the tie rod from the bottom of the spindle, yo can see both cuts from this picture.

Manny,

Thank you that helps alot!!

Some of the narrowed beams have narrowed towers.... they are just think metal stock. I have seen others even mount the shocks to the body. I have a narrowed 4 inch beam that has no shocks. F' it..... shocks are optional!

Raj wrote:Some of the narrowed beams have narrowed towers.... they are just think metal stock. I have seen others even mount the shocks to the body. I have a narrowed 4 inch beam that has no shocks. F' it..... shocks are optional!

You are hardcore buddy!!!

Brown wrote:

Raj wrote:Some of the narrowed beams have narrowed towers.... they are just think metal stock. I have seen others even mount the shocks to the body. I have a narrowed 4 inch beam that has no shocks. F' it..... shocks are optional!

You are hardcore buddy!!!

most ppl run them with no towers bc then you can go all the way to 7 or 8 inches short. the ride is just very slappy on the front without them, Raj was at the right place at the right time with regards to that beam

from what I've gathered, the narrower the torsion springs get, the stiffer the ride, the less difference the shocks make at that point.

mannys66 wrote:Raj was at the right place at the right time with regards to that beam

hellz ya. But i'm going to build a 4 inch no shocks for the ghia as well. Then I'll be able to turn again.

gotboost79 wrote:from what I've gathered, the narrower the torsion springs get, the stiffer the ride, the less difference the shocks make at that point.

Yup. My 4" ran a little rough with shocks. I was just to lazy to take them back out.

With a 3" you should be able to cut the double metal off the insides of the shock towers and then plate it back for strenght. Or get a set of 1/4" side plates from TS. Don't cut the body.

Glenn A wrote: Don't cut the body.

2x

Glenn A wrote:

gotboost79 wrote:from what I've gathered, the narrower the torsion springs get, the stiffer the ride, the less difference the shocks make at that point.

Yup. My 4" ran a little rough with shocks. I was just to lazy to take them back out.

With a 3" you should be able to cut the double metal off the insides of the shock towers and then plate it back for strenght. Or get a set of 1/4" side plates from TS. Don't cut the body.

Does someone have a picture of this, so i know what to do?

the shock tower is to pressed pieces spot welded together. drill or grind the spots up the tower from the top tube to the shock bolt. then remove the inside piece. test fit it. If it is all good replace the removed piece with a flat plate. Add a nut at the top for the shock bolt.

Glenn A wrote:the shock tower is to pressed pieces spot welded together. drill or grind the spots up the tower from the top tube to the shock bolt. then remove the inside piece. test fit it. If it is all good replace the removed piece with a flat plate. Add a nut at the top for the shock bolt.

What size plate should i use?

if you do it the way it is described above just use thick sheetmetal. Like 1/16" or so.

Glenn A wrote:if you do it the way it is described above just use thick sheetmetal. Like 1/16" or so.

Gotcha! I should have grabbed a piece last night!!!

Brown wrote:

Glenn,

What is the point of adding the nut at the top? Would i then thread the shock into this instead of having it go through the hole?

I think you only need to add the nut when you do this to eariler LP beams. Your BJ beam should be ok.

A picture of a modified shock tower would be really helpfull is someone has one. I'm having trouble visualizing how this should get finished at the top!

Does this look right?

Of course after learning the finer art of welding last night from the birthday boy mine will look nicer that this.

yup thats pretty close.

Who makes a decent set of drop spindles for ball joint disk brakes?

Thanks

Started working on thinning out the shock towers on the narrowed beam this morning. I had to make number of cuts to get it to fit as quite a bit of material had to be cut out. Looks like it got it to fit so now i need to patch it back up after i finish lunch. Here are some pictures of the progress so far.









In the car to test the fit

Got back at it after lunch and it took alot longer then i expected but i got it doen.

I basicaly welded two pieces of metal in on each side. Thte first piece was to cove the opening created int he shock tower by removing the inside half.





This is the passenger side with the new pieces welded in



Driver side welded up.

looking good. that should do it

Before doing the lights I Installed the narrowed beam today and it fit nicely. Then I stalled the torsion arms, which was a bit of a pain in the ass. It took me a good hour before I could get them all in as the torsion bars were not fitting in to the torsion arms that easily. Then I installed the steering box.

After finishing the lights I cleaned up the surface on the rotors and then installed them. Before installing the shortened tie rods I was able to get them loosened up using some heat and PB Blaster so they are adjustable. I bolted the new calipers on so what is left is to install the brake lines, bleed the system and set the height of the front end.