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Sat Jul 09, 2005 10:19 am

I was considering putting a two inch narrowed beam on my split to stop fender rubbing.
I was looking at the clearance between the strut and firewall and don't see I could get two inches out of the beam and not hit the inner firewall? I probably have 1/4" from top of strut to firewall.
Is it possible to install one with out modifying the body work?
Also If I install a beam with adjusters if it is left at stock height will it still ride with the normal VW plushness.
I remember when I was young I installed a adjustable beam on my Ghia at the time and it rode like shit.
I currently have a drop spindle and it rides nice and I may or may not lower it more I just wanted to know that it would ride fairly close to stock if I left it at the stock height.
New england roads are sometimes in very bad shape, pot holes, frost heaves etc.

-Craig

Sat Jul 09, 2005 10:47 am

Whats up bro? I'm in NH, where in N E are you? A 2 inch will fit because they use a skinny shock tower (flat stock) and just barely clears. My old ride was as good as stock with the adjusters all the way down, old oil shocks up front, but with the top spring stack modified. When you shorten the leaves it makes them stiffer so I take the small leaves out but leave the ends and middle in so the grub screws still work safely. Only do the top stack though. I wouldn't do a 2 again unless I just want a "small" drop in ride height otherwise its not worth it. I prefer 4 or more and you no longer need the shocks anyways because the springs are stiffer and there is not much flop anyway.

Sat Jul 09, 2005 11:47 am

you don't need shock towers, put a 5" narrowed beam on there.

Sat Jul 09, 2005 11:50 am

5" narrowed beam, no shock towers, no mods to the body.

Sat Jul 09, 2005 12:31 pm

eh0s wrote:

5" narrowed beam, no shock towers, no mods to the body.

can`t see the pic???

Sat Jul 09, 2005 1:29 pm

Shock towers? The beam on my Split has 8" shocks and no towers.

Sat Jul 09, 2005 3:47 pm

The CB Performance beams are 2" and will fit. At least the ones I have done fit on later cars.

Sat Jul 09, 2005 5:22 pm

Some radical narrowing going on there. Nice engineering to make the shocks fit. The car is already lowered 2.5 inches with spindles and I am going to be running 175-55 15's and just wanted enough to stop the rubbing and maybe lower just a smidge to get the fender gap right.

I had a spare beam from a 58 Ghia and was going to narrow 2" and install adjusters in but if the shock towers are not narrowed them I guess I need to buy a new beam with the special towers. Are all adjustable beams created pretty much the same?

Airsick --. I am located in southern NH Goffstown which is near Manchester/Concord. I had the car at the Hopkington NH show a few weeks ago, don't know if you where there.

-Craig

Wed Aug 03, 2005 9:24 am

Yeah I was in Hopkinton. I live in Penacook (north concord).

Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:50 pm

coolairX2 wrote: I was considering putting a two inch narrowed beam on my split to stop fender rubbing.
I was looking at the clearance between the strut and firewall and don't see I could get two inches out of the beam and not hit the inner firewall? I probably have 1/4" from top of strut to firewall.
Is it possible to install one with out modifying the body work?
Also If I install a beam with adjusters if it is left at stock height will it still ride with the normal VW plushness.
I remember when I was young I installed a adjustable beam on my Ghia at the time and it rode like shit.
I currently have a drop spindle and it rides nice and I may or may not lower it more I just wanted to know that it would ride fairly close to stock if I left it at the stock height.
New england roads are sometimes in very bad shape, pot holes, frost heaves etc.

-Craig

Craig, I bought a wide 5 lug VW disk brake kit for my 51 bug from CB Performance they told me it was a bolt on kit and would not make the wheels stick out any wider than stock as the disks are the same as having drum brakes on. This was not true I found out so I called some VW shops to find out for sure! They told me that the disk would stick out 1 inch on each side, so I had to buy a 2 inch narrowed front beam witch I was told also by the same VW shop that sold me the CB kit that the beam was also just a bolt in. We found out after having the old beam out of the car that it would not go in at all as the shock towers were hitting the body. Tim who was helping me with this project had to heat the shock towers up and bend them outward about 1/8 to clear the body, then we needed shorted tie rod witch the shop never told me I needed to buy! Then had to get the new spindles honed for the new king pin witch CB does not tell you they say it is all a bolt on kit yea right!!! Then I decided to replace everything new steering box the old pitman arm would not fit as on a 51 everything is bigger, so had to go to a junk yard to get like a 66 type that did fit, but had to cut the stopper off as with a 2 inch shorter beam the arm hit the pan head. We went with 67 dual master cylinder that fit fine just had to re-bend the steel brake lines and put the dual reservoir for brake fluid. Finely every thing going well just need to get stock shocks as same shop told me I needed shorter with drop spindles they were too short and wont reach at all. It will all be worth it in the end just wish the shop would have told me what I was up agents from the start. When I asked them about this all they said was they did not know! If that is the case don`t tell people that it is all bolt in. So a note to all do your homework before you start. Thanks to Tim for offering me his house to work on the car don`t know what I would have done with out him!!! I have 145`s on 15 inch BRM`S and they rub the fenders. IM going to the VW shop today to see how shorter 135`s are compaired to the 145`s or might need to get 125`s 15" from coker tire they are at http://www.coker.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=18375&cat=&page=1
The cost is $66 each. Hope this helps everyone who is thinking about the 2" narrowed front beam. PS Car is all done and looks nice just need the smaller tires.

Ben