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Lowering (again)
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Bloku
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 23, 2014 8:43 pm    Post subject: Lowering (again) Reply with quote

I know that everyone has heard this 1000 times but here I go. I have drop spindles on my stock beam. I want to get it narrowed and some adjusters so I can lay the beam and drive it without rubbing. I will be using very low profile rims up front (125/80s). For the rear I want something that will not eat the heck out of my tires. I want to use only drop plates.

My car is a 1971 ghia with ball joint front and an IRS rear.

I am looking for a 4 inch drop in the rear and a 4 in the front (I have small tires and spindles up front)

What do I need to get the rear down 4 inches from stock? How narrow do I need to drive around with almost no rubbing at that height (below)

This is how I want it to look (it is my car photoshopped)

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


Can y'alls help me out. Thanks
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1975 Porsche 914
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1975 BMW 2002
1976 BMW 2002 (Bored and Stroked w/ 5-Speed)
1981 BMW E21
1986 Toyota 4Runner (Dead engine and trans)
1989 Toyota 4x4 PU
1994 BMW E36 (Daily)
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motorhead364
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 5:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

you might take a look at the stickie thread but I would imagine to get 4" out back with drop plates you will still have to turn the torsions a couple splines. If I were going that low up front I'd probably go for a 4" narrowed beam. It's gotta be said, and I'm not purist. That's gonna be a bitch to drive that low and static.

It will look bitchin though.

Good luck.
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toddb_67
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 5:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had a 3" narrowed beam and the outer splines down two notches to achieve this look. It actually didn't ride that bad either and I had no rubbing issues running empi 8 spokes and 195/50 series tires.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


I sure do miss that car!
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c21darrel
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 10:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think Atomwerks and JerFab make 4in rear drop plates, contact them.
I agree w/ motorhead, gonna look nice sitting still, but its going take some of the fun out of driving. The beam will be hitting pavement everyday. Scraping in and out of every driveway everyday gets old fast. My advice would be go a little less and enjoy driving a little more more.
Quote:
lay the beam and drive it


pick one Cool
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Bloku
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 11:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wont scrap going really anywhere (accept a few bumps here and there. I live in Oklahoma so... no large inclines really anywhere. I drive the car only about 5 miles to school and other than that it is just for fun. The front beam would be adjustable so that would be fun also.
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c21darrel
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 12:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
The front beam would be adjustable

Make sure the adjustability is up.
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Bloku
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 12:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

c21darrel wrote:
Quote:
The front beam would be adjustable

Make sure the adjustability is up.


What do you mean? So who ever narrows my stock beam, tell them to make it in the middle so I can lay the beam AND raise it way up?
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1975 Porsche 914
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1976 BMW 2002 (Bored and Stroked w/ 5-Speed)
1981 BMW E21
1986 Toyota 4Runner (Dead engine and trans)
1989 Toyota 4x4 PU
1994 BMW E36 (Daily)
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c21darrel
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 1:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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


My car, all the adjustability was down. Beam was 1.5 inch off the ground at the highest adjustment, thats too low, trouble on driveways, bumps/potholes on road.... I almost had to cut it apart and reweld, no bueno. Still had to completely remove beam to correct it so still a bit of work that could have been avoided.
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djway3474
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 1:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

put it another way weld in the adjusters at stock height add drop spindles to start then you can adjust down from the initial 2in drop
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KGCoupe
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 8:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I couldn't even get in and out of my driveway with 1 1/2" of clearance. Very Happy

As it is, my wife's bone stock Porsche Boxster needs a series of four wooden planks leading up to the metal ramps just to get it up to do an oil change.
I can't imagine how you would ever raise a car up to work on it if it's only 2 to 4 inches off the ground.
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retrowagen
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 11:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's seriously inconvenient to have a car with less than three inches of ground clearance. Even insignificant driveways, bumps, pavement chips, etc. can damage the chassis, body, and/or suspension components.
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toddb_67
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 7:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
put it another way weld in the adjusters at stock height add drop spindles to start then you can adjust down from the initial 2in drop

If you are getting a beam made by someone, if they know what they are doing they should ask you what angle you want your adjusters welded in at. This angle will determine how much up/down adjustability your beam will have.
Quote:
It's seriously inconvenient to have a car with less than three inches of ground clearance. Even insignificant driveways, bumps, pavement chips, etc. can damage the chassis, body, and/or suspension components.

Having driven a lowered Ghia for quite a while I completely agree with Mr. Ruby on this point. Your car's tires may not rub but your beam, the pan and other components on the bottom of the car will rub on the ground. You will learn to take steeply angled driveways and speed bumps at an angle. The worst is when I would pull off of the pavement onto the side of the road and would hear the awful scrapping sound coming from under the car. You are basically sacrificing the ride and preservation of the bottom of the car for looks, your choice.
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1970 Squareback "Savanna" (sold)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=714683
1974 Karmann Ghia- current project, 1967cc engine. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=775207
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Bloku
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 1:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My ghia, right now with drop spindles, when I come home from school holds a lot of poundage making my clearance at my little tow hook (stock beam) 1 inch.

Me 150lbs, my bro 200lbs, and my friend 120lbs (He lives close to the school and he sits in the back Laughing )

Up front I have about 50 to 60 pounds of backpacks.

So all in all that is about 500 extra pounds aimed at the front. I know every bump of the road Laughing
-------

Will a 4 inch or a 4.5 inch be the best way for a ghia to have 1 inch clearance and not rub on turns? Also, if I have stock rims in the back with irs. Will I be able to use 4 inch lowering springs?
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1971 Karmann Ghia
1975 Porsche 914
-----
1975 BMW 2002
1976 BMW 2002 (Bored and Stroked w/ 5-Speed)
1981 BMW E21
1986 Toyota 4Runner (Dead engine and trans)
1989 Toyota 4x4 PU
1994 BMW E36 (Daily)
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toddb_67
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 2:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A 3" narrowed beam should be fine and you won't have to clearance the body or shock towers. If you go with 4" or narrower you will have to clearance the body and/or the shock towers. I tried both on my ghia and the 3" narrowed beam was ideal.
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1970 Pastel White Westfalia
1971 Super Beetle Convertible (sold) http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=582365&highlight=
1970 Squareback "Savanna" (sold)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=714683
1974 Karmann Ghia- current project, 1967cc engine. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=775207
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Bloku
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 9:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks everyone. Shameless bump time.

If I wanted to lower the rear of my ghia wouldn't I have fender well clearance problems because my wheels would not camber?. Also, where would I get the one spring plates that make it where the wheels will not have massive toe angle? Everything is for the swing axle cars so it is kind of hard to get information Sad not everyone has a early car...
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1975 Porsche 914
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1976 BMW 2002 (Bored and Stroked w/ 5-Speed)
1981 BMW E21
1986 Toyota 4Runner (Dead engine and trans)
1989 Toyota 4x4 PU
1994 BMW E36 (Daily)
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bluedot
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 1:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Be sure to do shocks. I had a 4" narrowed without them, and it was TERRIBLE.

I have 3" adjustable drop plates + indexing. Drop spindles up front and a dropped beam 3" narrowed beam with Avis adjusters.

Beam will not allow me to raise the car any higher! Be sure you start at stock if you're using drop spindles. Nobody told me. I gotta redo it one of these days.

3-1/2" of clearance at the lowest part of my beam. Very drivable, with (2) 200lb people and a full tank of gas.

135/165's on stock steelies.
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SoCalJes
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 4:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

why don't you just bag it?
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Bloku
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 5:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

SoCalJes wrote:
why don't you just bag it?


I blame Obama. Not really. I just don't have much money as I am only 16 years of age, but I still do not have a "real" job. What I did to fix up my ghia was mow lawns Smile . Yea... so that's why.

What I might do is when I get the front beam I will rig up some air shocks like this guy - http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=313075&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
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1975 Porsche 914
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1975 BMW 2002
1976 BMW 2002 (Bored and Stroked w/ 5-Speed)
1981 BMW E21
1986 Toyota 4Runner (Dead engine and trans)
1989 Toyota 4x4 PU
1994 BMW E36 (Daily)
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bluedot
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 5:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

bags are for posers unwilling to do the pucker every time a bump is imminent.

weenies Razz

some would say that pucker is a right of passage to drive a slammed ride.

I like my music clear, and my slam static.
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c21darrel
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 5:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bags are for groceries. Cool
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