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SoCalJes
Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2011
Posts: 1093
Location: Broward, FL
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 Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2014 4:40 pm Post subject: Body Cross Section |
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Does anyone have a cross section of the body between the shock towers?
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Jesse
71 Ghia
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32594
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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SoCalJes
Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2011
Posts: 1093
Location: Broward, FL
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| Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2014 5:45 pm Post subject: |
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I don't have the body here but I was thinking if there is space to make a strut style brace between the two shock towers.
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Jesse
71 Ghia
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Altema
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2010
Posts: 2904
Location: Lower Michigan
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| Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2014 6:27 pm Post subject: |
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The strut brace is commonly used on McPherson strut suspension systems because of the design flaws. The upper geometry has inherent flex, as the suspension is basically a 3-point open trapezoid. Closing the trapezoid at the top adds the needed rigidity for more responsive handling. I run a brace on my strut equipped track car.
However, the VW torsion bar suspension is a boxed beam arrangement, so lateral loads do not cause it to flex anything like a strut system. In addition, the beam is bolted to the framehead in a way that braces it even further. With that in mind, I would consider the VW front suspension geometry to be much more stable, and not likely to benefit from a strut brace. If you want to strengthen the VW beam, then triangulation plates welded in the inside corners should be more than adequate. There's no lateral loading of the top shock mounts themselves, only vertical.
Paul |
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SoCalJes
Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2011
Posts: 1093
Location: Broward, FL
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 8:34 am Post subject: |
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Well I'm running air suspension and I was told that the towers are too week for that...
I'm thinking of a strut style brace to reinforce it although I have yet to see a bent shock tower caused from air suspension...
Does anyone have an image of an actual bent shock tower caused by air suspensions or is this BS? 
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Jesse
71 Ghia
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Bobnotch
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2003
Posts: 22413
Location: Kimball, Mi
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 10:31 am Post subject: |
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| SoCalJes wrote: |
Well I'm running air suspension and I was told that the towers are too week for that...
I'm thinking of a strut style brace to reinforce it although I have yet to see a bent shock tower caused from air suspension...
Does anyone have an image of an actual bent shock tower caused by air suspensions or is this BS? |
I personally haven't seen a bent shock tower. But, I've seen plenty of sheared upper and lower shock bolts from trying to run air shocks/air bags on the front of a VW. Those bolts weren't designed to hold the car up.
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Bob 65 Notch S with Sunroof
71 Notch ...aka Krunchy; build pics here;
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64 T-34 Ghia...aka Wolfie, under construction... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=412120
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88 E5PR1T
Samba Member
Joined: December 31, 2012
Posts: 123
Location: Long Island, NY
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Bobnotch wrote: |
| I personally haven't seen a bent shock tower. But, I've seen plenty of sheared upper and lower shock bolts from trying to run air shocks/air bags on the front of a VW. Those bolts weren't designed to hold the car up. |
This. It's the shock and the shock bolts that aren't designed to hold the weight of the car, not the shock towers.
I went thru it already, broke two air shocks, and then went to back to torsions and installed an adjustable beam and drop spindles. Absolutely 100% better result.
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Rob
'64 Karmann Ghia "40HP VW"
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SoCalJes
Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2011
Posts: 1093
Location: Broward, FL
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 4:36 pm Post subject: |
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The bolts breaking makes more sense. When and if they break then it will be time to redesign them and make some beefier ones. For now I'll leave the towers alone and see how it goes.
Thanks for the info and feedback everyone
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Jesse
71 Ghia
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Altema
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2010
Posts: 2904
Location: Lower Michigan
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 8:48 am Post subject: |
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| Ah, the air suspension changes everything... |
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