Lowered look and tire wear

slik · Samba Member Joined: April 18, 2012 Posts: 143

It looks cool when the back wheels slant on an angle when the car is lowered but don't the tires wear uneven. Is that just a price one pays for that look? Or do they not wear weird?

VeeDubDoug · Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 8:05 pm Post subject:

It's the price you have to pay my friend...They do wear yes... but if done correctly (good toe adjustment) it really isn't all that bad.

Make friends with a good tire shop and have them flip the tires when they get too bad.
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slik · Samba Member Joined: April 18, 2012 Posts: 143

Thot so. My brother n I just attended our first big bug rally in Irwindale CA and I loved all the bugs of all kinds but the ones that really caught our attention was the super lowered with the funky wheel angles.

VeeDubDoug · Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 8:12 pm Post subject:

It's called camber... negative camber.

Or to everyone else... "broken axles". Wink

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Hotrodvw · Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 10:21 pm Post subject:

It's called go IRS. Even then, at some point they will camber in. I remember an article in Hot VW's where they would swap the irs arms left for right, and cut the shock mounts off and flip them as well to correct the camber at the lower ride heights. Stupid all together IMO.
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bagged59 · Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 11:06 pm Post subject:

slik · Samba Member Joined: April 18, 2012 Posts: 143

Shadd · Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 6:23 am Post subject:

drscope · Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 6:38 am Post subject:

Dubbydubdub · Samba Member Joined: September 12, 2010 Posts: 388

depends on how cambered you're talking, you can lower the swing axle and still be tasteful, or you can scrape your pan, wear your tires in 3000 miles, bottom out the engine and have to fix fulcrum plates every couple months. not cheap.

Shadd · Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 8:30 am Post subject:

...And then of course there is the safety issue. They may look cool sitting at a show (and that is arguable) but you should get in and drive one sometime. I have never felt safe or comfortable driving a slammed bug. Even when all the parts were brand new it was unacceptable. Add to that the fact that everything seems to wear out 10 times faster and you have a death trap in no time.
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drscope · Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 8:55 am Post subject:

Theres nothing more fun then driving a car where all 4 wheels are trying to steer in a different direction! Except maybe driving it in the rain.
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Hammarlund · Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 9:01 am Post subject:

Next time you're at a car show, notice two things about lowered cars. (1) Road rash and "modified" cooling systems built around aftermarket exhuasts, tranny raises, etc., including missing tin, chrome tin, tack-on oil sumps and coolers to fight overheating from the "modifications," etc., and (2) the way girls who hang around fast cars think lowered cars with chrome everything are cool.

Says it all.

Helfen · Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 9:39 am Post subject:

[quote="Hotrodvw"]It's called go IRS.

All Beetles, swing axle or double jointed are IFS & IRS. or AWIS.

D.

VeeDubDoug · Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 9:47 am Post subject:

Helfen · Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 10:38 am Post subject:

slik · Samba Member Joined: April 18, 2012 Posts: 143

slik · Samba Member Joined: April 18, 2012 Posts: 143

And dam dr! Tell me your retired. Your on every thread on this site lol!

w3lfd · Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 11:05 am Post subject:

Put air bags on it. Roll stock height, drop it to the ground at cruise-ins. Best of both worlds if you really like the looks of a lowered bug.

smitty24 · Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 11:12 am Post subject:

Slik, the reality of this issue is that MOST (not all, but most) guys that have severe slammed bugs dont drive them on a daily basis, and if they do, it is small trips to work/shows/good weather cruising etc. Most guys do not use them as a year round daily driver, unless they live in warm states or have more than one. Personally, I dont like limits on my vws and knowing I can and can't drive certain places due to height. The older I get, the cars seem to get higher off the ground. The slammed stuff looks good but is not fun to drive for most of us that dont live in perfect climate states. That said, you can still lower a vw to some degree and still have it look tasteful--as in 2-3" max out back. My rear end is done correctly and wasnt cheap to do...but my car will handle at 90mph, not sway in the wind, and is a blast to drive. My tires dont wear bad, but still show signs of negative camber, but it is minimal.

Any negative camber WILL cause tire wire on the rear. Contrary to what folks believe, drop plates do decrease rear toe but do nothing for camber. If you are beyond 2.5" or so, the tires will wear on the insides. My old '67 had an IRS conversion--4-5" drop on rear...tires needed to be replaced every 5 months or so- and that is with having a tire guy flip them.

IRS is more forgiving of height change, but too much effects the joints. Super slammed rear ends lose too much handling and traction on the road unless you compensate in other areas like a box raise/slightly wider tires etc. Remember, every action you take has an equal action elsewhere.

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Lowered look and tire wear
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