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Fri Sep 19, 2008 8:15 am

ok so i sorted out the tracking wel kinda!
took it down the road i liv in a fairly tight raod but any car can turn out of it!
when i turn to the left i cannot get out i have to reverse then go again then maybe again!
only to the left!
i notice the steer stop bit is touching the bit that comes off the box wich attaches to the wheels!
worth cutting that off or is there a smarter way of getting more left turnage?
oh yeh also how important are the grease nipples pulled them of my old beem but the threat was difrent so i managed to strip it out of ine of the holes :roll:
might just stick some greese in them then put a bolt in there@?!

Fri Sep 19, 2008 2:02 pm

Quote: how important are the grease nipples pulled them of my old beem but the threat was difrent so i managed to strip it out of ine of the holes
might just stick some greese in them then put a bolt in there@?!

Just make sure that you plug the hole. I took a beam apart that had the greese zurt missing and the torsion springs were broken at the end becasue they were so dried out and rusted on that end.

Looks like you need some toe and caster adjustment.

Tue Sep 23, 2008 2:16 am

Ok I have read all 18 pages of this topic and good gawd... let me see if I got this right.

1. Lowering the front of the car improves the handeling, if done properly.

2. Installing drop spindles widens the tires therefor potentially causing the tires to rub on the outside of the fenders when turning so STOCK TIRES CANNOT BE USED (sorry bout the caps but I have seen this question asked at nausium) spindles alone do not require shortened shocks.

3. Narrowing the beam removes the widening effect of the droped spindles and also the widening effect due to upgrading to disk breaks.

4. Using the Avis adjuster which must be installed gives you loads of adjustments but shocks will need to be shortened or lengthened as required by adjustment.

Am I in the ballpark or do I need to reread this thing?

I am planning on using fenders that are 2.5 inches wider than stock fenders so this should aleviate any problems associated with using the droped spindles. Right?

When upgrading to disk breaks I am looking to go to a 5 bolt patern which would put me into porsche territory. Right?

If I am only looking to go with a 2-2.5 " drop then keeping the stock beam and going with droped spindles woud be the way to go. Right?

Tue Sep 23, 2008 6:20 pm

You got all that by reading this topic just once? I read it at least five times and still had questions.

Wed Sep 24, 2008 1:24 am

Well maybe I got that if all of what I read was correct?

Mon Sep 29, 2008 7:30 am

Well I traded the stock beam with a budy to get a beam with the avis adjusters already installed, although one of the plates is missing to beable to hold it in on the lowered position. If any one has one I can buy let me know.

So I guess I am not going to use the droped spindles. Which leads me to my question: If I am lowering using the avis adjusters do I need to use the droped disk break kit or is that only used when your lowering with spindles?

Tue Sep 30, 2008 1:48 pm

hey... what about the adjusters angle? im doing a -4" lowered beam and I want a stance like this

i have a pair of adjusters like these

http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=ACC%2DC10%2D4032

how can i set the angle?

better if you can put some photographs

thanks

Wed Oct 01, 2008 1:55 pm

so mounted smart tyres today amazingly lower!
gona order disc kit and shocks but so far its workin out smoothly!
need to lower rear kinda fishy about that mind!
wat you guys think?
oh also if im going that low is caster angle a problem and how does it affect it?

Wed Oct 01, 2008 10:22 pm

I like the smart tires. Regarding lowering the rear, I was looking at the lowering brackets in the classifieds. Anyone ever use these?

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=656969

Fri Oct 03, 2008 8:35 am

Im gonna go for the drop spindles to lower my 1968 beetle a little(2.5"). Is it that simple as in just replace the old spindles with the new ones? Or do i have to replace any other part? Do i need to add caster shims? I was thinking on getting the disc convertion kit with the drop spindles included. Do i need to replace my existing Master cylinder? Or again, is it just as simple as replacing old parts with new ones? Thanks.

Fri Oct 03, 2008 9:37 am

hmm id get the disc conversion defo!
just got myne today gona rig it up tomorow exept its sitting my next door neibours porch and there not home! :x
so i have to wait! buut il get it done looks like the longest part will be bleeding the calipers but yeh!
taka look at the new photoes wen i put the spindles on it will sit nicer i hope!
im hope i still have the tuck once i fit the spindles it wil be wider i know but just hope its not ridiculus or il just have to cut the inside lip of my fenderrs

Sat Oct 04, 2008 3:55 pm

oh yehs done the droped spindles plus discbreaks today its so much lower with the adj beam..didnt realise how much but i couldnt sit in the car at the same time or els is ground out haha!
raised it to the max now wich is as low as it would go before with just the adj beam!
amazing the suspension i have so bouncy think i need the shocks!
ahh wel time to bleed the breaks fit the sway bar then il be driving him soo no doubt!
fyi private_arturi fitting the spindles piece of piss use the old washer and nut off te old ones and replace the bearings and races u need the press them into the new discs but a hammer and metaly thing done it perfect only took me about 3hours to do it all and back on the floor!

Sun Oct 05, 2008 10:32 am

cool, i just want to do the spindle and the disc brakes though. Adjustable beam maybe a little too much for me since its my daily car and i dont want to loose driving quality. So is that easy to do,huh? Where is the best place to buy the disc convertion kit with the drop spindles included?

Sun Oct 05, 2008 2:40 pm

oh its easy as pie to do seriously!
if i was going to get a gargae to do it i would of kiked myslef for paying them!
hmm wel the thing is it makes track wider by quite abit so ul get rubbing no doubt! my beem is 2" narrower eg 1" either side and the wheels rub still plus i got skinny tyres!
but u may be in the cleer, mynes daily driver soon im not fused about comfort though haha!

Mon Oct 06, 2008 11:09 am

anyone got a pic of 2 outer splines on a 1200 beetle? cantr find one anywhere!
dont my driverside today but am considering going to three.
any advice?

Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:51 pm

campacker wrote: ... So I guess I am not going to use the droped spindles. Which leads me to my question: If I am lowering using the avis adjusters do I need to use the droped disk break kit or is that only used when your lowering with spindles?

You are correct. Dropped disc kit is only used when you want discs & a drop at the same time.
You can find a front disc brake kit that will fit stock (drum) spindles, or a kit that comes with new (non-lowered) disc spindles.
http://www.airkewld.com/parts/products.php?id=69
http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=ACC-C10-4121

One item missed on your earlier list...

5. Using dropped spindles will move the lower trailing arm/ball joint closer to the inner diameter of the wheel. The stock 15" wheel will clear by a few mm, but thicker alloy wheels may rub. Adding spacers or grinding the lower trailing arm may be needed to get the clearance... or an upgrade to 16" or 17" wheels would work too :-)

Wed Oct 08, 2008 12:34 pm

so got sum shocks todayt from a vauxhall nova hydraulic ones feel nice and tight but the hole to bolt them onto the trailing arm is too small.
getin it drilled out tomorow i hope :S

Fri Oct 10, 2008 1:25 pm

mmmmm i rekon the front end may be a little to hard haha!
hydraulics i think not!
o yeh blead the breaks but snapped the nipple in the back passanger side although it didnt open so i just bled the other three and breaks work fine?!
think thats ok?

Sat Oct 11, 2008 5:46 am

campacker wrote: 2. Installing drop spindles widens the tires therefor potentially causing the tires to rub on the outside of the fenders when turning so STOCK TIRES CANNOT BE USED (sorry bout the caps but I have seen this question asked at nausium) spindles alone do not require shortened shocks.

OK I've been reading this thread for quite a while (months, years, I dunno), and I'm still confused about this part. I understand that the cast drop spindles and some forged ones increase the effective offset of the wheel, moving it outward, and cause a stock-sized tire to rub. BUT, what about the forged spindles that they claim have a zero offset and don't push the wheel out? Maybe I missed it, but I don't think I've seen this addressed specifically.
I'm just trying to think ahead because I want to lower my front, but I want to do it the first try and not have to mess around with different this and different that trying to solve a rubbing problem. Again, I apologize if this has specifically been covered.

Sun Oct 12, 2008 3:07 am

hey if i have a 2" narrowed beam,drop spindle,195/50/15 on 8 spoke rims in a 69 bug will i clear my fender or its gonna rub?