Off road modifications for your bus FAQ

Lynn Gleason · Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2015 9:48 pm Post subject:

DethSpork,
I usually run mine at 50 front/55 rear, around town, and 55 front/60 rear, when fully loaded up for camping. I`ve got a `79 HighTop, and these pressures REALLY help the handling, especially in wind.
I`ve also optimized the suspension: KYB (White) shocks all around, tightened steering box for no play, front & rear sway bars, new ball joints, new steering damper, new tie rods ends, etc. My bus gets used a lot, and handles GREAT, with no surprises! It also helps a lot, to drive it WELL within its capabilities---when it`s windy---SLOW DOWN!

Hope this helps,

Lynn Gleason

`98 Golf
`79 AdventureWagen HighTop Camper
`69 Porsche 912 Targa

martinvcp25 · Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2015 5:59 am Post subject:

Hello friends! we arming the combi-Alaska to Argentina, they can follow us on our facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viviendo-Caminos/259313467577936

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Stuartzickefoose · Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:29 am Post subject:

Dang.
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2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDi 6 speed manual

206-841-7324
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notchboy · Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2015 12:38 pm Post subject:

You going to stop in Seattle when you take the trek Wink

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Mexicant · Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2015 12:27 am Post subject:

So much inspiration from this thread! Razz

ejb111 · Samba Member Joined: October 12, 2010 Posts: 1

Are you sure the size of your tires are 225/85-14? I called all around and could not find them.

Brian · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 10:53 am Post subject:

Largest 14" tires I found available are 225/70-14 and 27x8.5-14
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'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
'71 Bug
'68 Camper

Only losers litter

cdennisg · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 1:23 pm Post subject: Re: Lifting my 69 Camper

Brian · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 1:31 pm Post subject:

I wonder what the different selections are like around the world.
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'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
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'68 Camper

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levi20AE · Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 9:22 pm Post subject:

We decided to take a last minute trip up to the mountains in Utah last weekend. We were only a few hundred feet up the road from where the plows stopped running and about .8 of a mile short of our intended campsite. A few days of above freezing temps and the road turned from hard packed ice to hard pack with areas where the ice had melted away underneath. After breaking though a surface layer of ice we ending up with the engine and trans supporting the rear end of the bus, tires hanging hopelessly. After and hour of diging in the dark and help from the hilift jack and maxtrax we were able to get out and ramp up onto the ice layer. Now I'm sold on maxtrax. Long story short after a lot of digging and repeated use of the trax we were able to back out and get to solid ground.

After this adventure i bought another pair of maxtrax and mounting pins and a few other bits to build a mount for the trax off the rain gutters and westy rack.

The good folks at GoWesty also agreed to sell me a vanagon rear bumper before powder coat at a discounted rate. So after some modifications to the overall width and fabricating new brackets I will have a place to store the spare tire out back and hopefully the jack and whatever else can be mounted up.

I'll get pics up once things start coming together.
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1973 Campmobile http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=524511&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
20th AE VW GTI - 369hp 340tq @ 26 PSI
1982 Rabbit Pickup - German AAZ 1.9TD - daily with lots of MPGs

Stuartzickefoose · Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 11:36 pm Post subject:

I wanna see that rear bumper, im starting the hunt to design my front and rear ....
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Stuart Zickefoose

2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDi 6 speed manual

206-841-7324
[email protected]

Brian · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 1:49 am Post subject:

Where did you get your maxtrax? I really want a set.

Also I was thinking about it today; a really good mod you can do that's super simple is to get some piping that has a slightly larger OD than your tie rods and weld them on. Helps if you're going rock crawling and smacking around your front tires.
_________________
Wash your hands

'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
'71 Bug
'68 Camper

Only losers litter

Stuartzickefoose · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 6:47 am Post subject:

To keep from bending the tie rods?
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Stuart Zickefoose

2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDi 6 speed manual

206-841-7324
[email protected]

Brian · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 7:04 am Post subject:

exactly. Common thing to do with buggies is to take off the sway bar and use that tubing to reinforce the tie rods.
_________________
Wash your hands

'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
'71 Bug
'68 Camper

Only losers litter

Brian · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 4:39 pm Post subject:

Here you go, easiest mod you can do.

~14 inches of pipe cut and welded to the tie rods.

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Wash your hands

'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
'71 Bug
'68 Camper

Only losers litter

Tcash · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 6:48 pm Post subject:

Hey Brian
Maybe drill some holes and do some plug welds along its length to marry the two pieces together.
Just a thought
Tcash

Brian · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 7:05 pm Post subject:

I was thinking about doing that. The pipe I got had a pretty big ID and there is a good amount of space between it and the OD of the tire rod tube. But even currently, if I get a hard jounce the energy will dissipate through the larger tube. If my welds were good, else it's just going to split where I weled it.
_________________
Wash your hands

'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
'71 Bug
'68 Camper

Only losers litter

PEITRUS · Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 8:17 am Post subject:

This thread is awesome! I've gone through it at least three times. Makes me want to get lifted spindles adjust my beam and flip my drop plates! The high life looks way more fun than the low life.
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SlowSpeed | Meatwagon

Stuartzickefoose · Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 1:29 am Post subject:

77VWBusDude · Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 3:40 am Post subject:

Reminds me of a Dachshund Laughing

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'77 Bus auto EFI(stock)


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Off road modifications for your bus FAQ
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