TheSamba.com :: View topic - What did you do to your off-road VW today?

Sun Oct 26, 2008 7:16 pm

today i ripped the entire rear end out to get ready for new trailing arms. also made center mount for trans relocation.

Mon Oct 27, 2008 6:52 pm

patted her on the rear (fender) and said, "soon, baby, soon."

I hate it when work gets in the way of my personal life :roll:

Mon Oct 27, 2008 6:56 pm

milleracing02 wrote: I walk by mine..... Stopped, looked at it, and then kicked it!!!!!!!

(motor blew last Sunday while off roading)

Yeah, But we had FUN up until then, Right? Hope you can get it going again soon.

Mon Oct 27, 2008 6:59 pm

Painted

Mon Oct 27, 2008 7:18 pm

Finished my brake lines on my '67 pan.

Looked around for a peddle/clutch spring amongest my "stuff". Will put that item on my buy list.

Struck a deal for a used Baja kit from a sambanista in NE Ohio. He shipped out today via greyhound. Will have tomorrow. Kit had all except front fenders. Wondering how close Super Beetle fenders will come to fitting a standard wide eyed kit.

Ordered a 4.37 8 bolt Ring and Pinion. Should be here end of the week.

Set the 3 inch body lift onto the pan. Feels really flemsey and has no fit quality. I will have to modify this to make it stronger.

Researched the "Street Beat" ragtops. Crossed that off my list.

Will post pictures soon.

Mon Oct 27, 2008 8:59 pm

Got a new stearing box and had to take the pitman arm to get reamed for 3/4 ford rod ends that i use. Hope to be driving by weekend.

Mon Oct 27, 2008 9:15 pm

emboomer wrote: Got a new stearing box and had to take the pitman arm to get reamed for 3/4 ford rod ends that i use. Hope to be driving by weekend.

Before you put that gearbox and pitman arm back on, pre-install the arm on the gearbox with the bolt snug (doesn't have to be real tight). Then measure the gap between the bottom of the box and the top of the arm. Find or make a spacer about .010" less than the gap. It could be a stack of washers. When you hit something hard, the wheels push on the steering arms, which push in and up on the tie rods, which push up on the pitman arm. With the spacer in there, it pushes on the iron box instead of the shaft pushing against the adjuster bearing in the top and breaking the aluminum lid. Works Great!! I have used it for over 30 years on mine. I also weld the box bracket to the bottom of the beam tube once the box is located in place to prevent rotation of the box on the beam.

Mon Oct 27, 2008 9:38 pm

dustymojave wrote: emboomer wrote: Got a new stearing box and had to take the pitman arm to get reamed for 3/4 ford rod ends that i use. Hope to be driving by weekend.

Before you put that gearbox and pitman arm back on, pre-install the arm on the gearbox with the bolt snug (doesn't have to be real tight). Then measure the gap between the bottom of the box and the top of the arm. Find or make a spacer about .010" less than the gap. It could be a stack of washers. When you hit something hard, the wheels push on the steering arms, which push in and up on the tie rods, which push up on the pitman arm. With the spacer in there, it pushes on the iron box instead of the shaft pushing against the adjuster bearing in the top and breaking the aluminum lid. Works Great!! I have used it for over 30 years on mine. I also weld the box bracket to the bottom of the beam tube once the box is located in place to prevent rotation of the box on the beam.

Already welded the box bracket I will definently try the washer thing. The box that i had lasted 4 years of prety hard driving. The box that i am replacing was the early type (stronger one) and they are just not available anymore so had to go with the newer type. Thanks for the advice.

Mon Oct 27, 2008 9:53 pm

i put a fire extinguisher in my car.

Mon Oct 27, 2008 10:17 pm

While everyone was busy wrenching on their bajas, I went back out Sunday for about 6 hours. We started with 6 4x4'x and my Baja. There were 3 guys that were out with us for the first time and they couldn't believe that I could go anywhere they did.

Remember my early videos about attempting to make it up Power Line Hill? They had to stack rocks for 2 of the Jeeps that didn't have lockers so they could get over the 1st ledge. Those stacked rocks allowed this...

There's a washed out section I hit every time I go by it. Everyone gave it a try this time. I'm posting the videos of the others along with mine so you can see what a Baja can do compared to a 4x4...

That rear bumper wasn't good for off-road...

A diesel Blazer, as tall as he sits, the rear bumper drug on it too...

Locked in the rear, he made it pretty easy...

tulsa_yj's turn...

ErinMac's new tires make it easy

Ronnie's wife driving and going thru a deep part, making it look easy

We decided to check out the washed out trail that runs from The Hump towards the ball fields... Ronnie makes the big wash look easy. Nobody else was ready to attempt it. If this Jeep sounds a little different, there's a good reason. He's running a 3 cylinder Detroit diesel from a '70's delivery truck.

[youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HknJ3AjySOA[/youtube]

Mon Oct 27, 2008 11:21 pm

dude i love your videos, every time you post them up it shows your baja just bumping its way in and out of a hole and then you post up more videos after that of every other 4x4 behind you getting stuck :lol:

Mon Oct 27, 2008 11:43 pm

My videos show that a cheap Baja can hang with the 4x4's pretty well. For the trails we drive, the keys are ground clearance and tires. I can get by with less ground clearance due to the short wheelbase.

There are still a few places I haven't been able to go over, but most of the 4x4's either can't or won't attempt those.

We went up one hill Sunday that I didn't think was possible. Very steep, loose rock, and dirt. The approach has you making a hard left just before you start up the hill. Once you make that corner, you have to be committed to it. Point the nose up the trail and keep the gas rolling on...

There were several places where I could have got more videos showing them smoking the tires to get over some rocks... Once they were out of the way, I'd hit the spot and take it with ease most of the time.

Tue Oct 28, 2008 12:14 am

emboomer wrote: dustymojave wrote: emboomer wrote: Got a new stearing box and had to take the pitman arm to get reamed for 3/4 ford rod ends that i use. Hope to be driving by weekend.

Before you put that gearbox and pitman arm back on, pre-install the arm on the gearbox with the bolt snug (doesn't have to be real tight). Then measure the gap between the bottom of the box and the top of the arm. Find or make a spacer about .010" less than the gap. It could be a stack of washers. When you hit something hard, the wheels push on the steering arms, which push in and up on the tie rods, which push up on the pitman arm. With the spacer in there, it pushes on the iron box instead of the shaft pushing against the adjuster bearing in the top and breaking the aluminum lid. Works Great!! I have used it for over 30 years on mine. I also weld the box bracket to the bottom of the beam tube once the box is located in place to prevent rotation of the box on the beam.

Already welded the box bracket I will definently try the washer thing. The box that i had lasted 4 years of prety hard driving. The box that i am replacing was the early type (stronger one) and they are just not available anymore so had to go with the newer type. Thanks for the advice.

You're welcome! The washer deal works for both early and late boxes. You may have to change the welded bracket to put on the new box. The location may be different

Wed Oct 29, 2008 8:02 pm

Picled up my Baja kit at the greyhound station yesterday evening. Good shape for used stuff. Just need front fenders now.

Ordered my Super Diff. Ordered my last gear set. A 1.04 4th gear.

Received in my Volvo master cylinder reservior today and installed it onto the new MC.

Fri Oct 31, 2008 7:46 pm

Picked up some rust repair panels. Complete heater channels, quarter patches, wheelwell bolt hole patches and a front clip.

Fri Oct 31, 2008 7:58 pm

Well, it's back to me I guess...

I hosed out the inside of the car to get rid of 20 lbs of dried mud, installed the passenger seat finally, and even washed the car. Wasn't planning on washing it that quick, but I've got a friend wanting to go with me Saturday. The least i could do was clean the car up for her some.

Not planning on hitting any of the rougher trails this time, she's recovering from pneumonia right now. A little trail riding and a picnic lunch...

Fri Oct 31, 2008 8:15 pm

tried out a new wheel & tire combo. we'll see how it works tommorow. maybe take some pics. old[img] new[/img] [img][/img]

Fri Oct 31, 2008 8:20 pm

Well now 2gr8dgs , did you not read the rules?

You cannot say your are changing something and post pictures without telling us what you are changing to.

We need sizes and types.

Fri Oct 31, 2008 8:25 pm

Worked on the brakes.

Fri Oct 31, 2008 8:37 pm

joescoolcustoms wrote: Well now 2gr8dgs , did you not read the rules?

You cannot say your are changing something and post pictures without telling us what you are changing to.

We need sizes and types. sorry! :oops: fronts were 215 75 15 toyo's on 6" rims 3.75 backspace. rears were 28 x9.50 15 tsl's on 8" with 2" backspacing. changed to 30x9.50 rear & 235 75 15 front tires, 7" rims with 3.75 backspacing all around.