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tgodber
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2004
Posts: 410
Location: Okanagan Falls B.C. Canada
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 Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 11:40 am Post subject: Lift spindles |
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I am thinking of buying some lift spindles for my green buggy. Wondering about the best supplier. Are there different heights offered?
3 inch seems to be the most common offered.
My tires rub on the fender with sharp turns and bumps. Does the shock length increase or stay the same as stock? I have a ball-joint front and swingaxle rear suspension.
Thanks, Tim
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tgodber
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2004
Posts: 410
Location: Okanagan Falls B.C. Canada
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| Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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I have a line on a set of used 3inch raised spindles from Blind Chicken Racing.
I saw one set advertised by California Volks Shop that said they were for ball-joint but not compatible with drum brakes.
How does one tell if the used spindles from BCR would be good for my ball-joint drum brakes front end?
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BL3Manx
Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2006
Posts: 6767
Location: Northern California
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| Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 6:17 pm Post subject: |
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The best lift spindles you can buy are the ones VW put on the Thing. They will use stock drum brakes and shock lengty is unchanged. You can just buy the spindles and swap the lower trailing arms left and right, or also buy the Thing trailing arms and ball joints which are said to be beefier.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/search.php?...ton=Search
Last edited by BL3Manx on Mon Nov 10, 2014 9:05 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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ugly buggy
Samba Member
Joined: May 18, 2006
Posts: 47
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| Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 7:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Nelson's right you can't do just the front, it's a geometry "thing" ... How about a body lift kit?? |
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joescoolcustoms
Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2006
Posts: 9054
Location: West By God Virginia
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| Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 8:33 pm Post subject: |
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With a Swing rear, you cannot gain much height in the rear, and not near the 3 inches gained in the front. The buggy would look funny with a front lifted and not the rear. Even with lifted spindles, you will still only have stock suspension travel on the front.
A body lift would be the best and you still have the same suspension softness/movement and height. But you will have tire clearance.
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Bad News Racing 2018 NORRA 1000 3rd in Class
Best Day Ever Racing 2022 NORRA 1000 2nd in Class and first All Female team to complete the race
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Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone |
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BL3Manx
Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2006
Posts: 6767
Location: Northern California
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| Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 8:59 pm Post subject: |
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| If you run @29" O.D. tires in back with 24" in front on Thing spindles, it will sit pretty close to level. You ought to have a couple degrees positive camber in back with it unloaded. The torsion bars in the 67-68 were 21mm, nice and soft but sometimes need to be reset for proper height. |
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tgodber
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2004
Posts: 410
Location: Okanagan Falls B.C. Canada
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| Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 1:52 am Post subject: |
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You are probably right- a small body lift would be the best idea.
Thanks for the advice.
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tgodber
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2004
Posts: 410
Location: Okanagan Falls B.C. Canada
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| Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 11:21 pm Post subject: |
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I have been dealing on a set of lift spindles for ball-joint frontend.
My question is are there two different spindles for ball joint front beams? The fellow said that his are for late model ball joint beams- mid 1968 through 1977.
I have wide 5 drums on the front. Are these the right spindles for me? How do I tell?
Thanks.
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Iguana
Samba Member
Joined: April 19, 2008
Posts: 922
Location: SOCAL
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| Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 11:28 pm Post subject: |
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| tgodber wrote: |
I have been dealing on a set of lift spindles for ball-joint frontend.
My question is are there two different spindles for ball joint front beams? The fellow said that his are for late model ball joint beams- mid 1968 through 1977.
I have wide 5 drums on the front. Are these the right spindles for me? How do I tell?
Thanks. |
All type 1 BJ Beams are the same. The only variation is between the 181 and the Beetle. Even then the arms are interchangeable between the two and the spindles go with the arm. 1968 - 1977 is the BJ Beam. Pre that was King and Link and Concurrent with the later part 71 ish on was Mac Strut.
If you use any of the aftermarket Lift BJ spindles you are asking for trouble. I would never consider anything other than 181 Spindles. It is to much of an important part to cut corners on.
I am sure others will chime in but having seen what happens when they break it is not worth the risk. I have been abusing 181 spindles for years and never had an issue.
The wide 5 front may or may not fit the BJ spindle depending on what year wide 5 you have and if they are type 1 or 181 wide 5.
I hope that helps, shop around get a 181 front and be done with it is my advice |
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EVfun
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2012
Posts: 5481
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 6:01 am Post subject: |
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| tgodber wrote: |
My question is are there two different spindles for ball joint front beams? The fellow said that his are for late model ball joint beams- mid 1968 through 1977.
I have wide 5 drums on the front. Are these the right spindles for me? How do I tell? |
There are 2 different ball joint spindles. The inner bearing is a different size on the older ones. You can replace the inner wheel bearings and seals to use the later spindles on a 1966 to early 1968 Bug.
1966-1968 inner bearing diameters are 27mm I.D. and 50mm O.D.
1968-1977 inner bearing diameters are 29mm I.D. and 50mm O.D.
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Iguana
Samba Member
Joined: April 19, 2008
Posts: 922
Location: SOCAL
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| Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 12:39 pm Post subject: |
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| EVfun wrote: |
| tgodber wrote: |
My question is are there two different spindles for ball joint front beams? The fellow said that his are for late model ball joint beams- mid 1968 through 1977.
I have wide 5 drums on the front. Are these the right spindles for me? How do I tell? |
There are 2 different ball joint spindles. The inner bearing is a different size on the older ones. You can replace the inner wheel bearings and seals to use the later spindles on a 1966 to early 1968 Bug.
1966-1968 inner bearing diameters are 27mm I.D. and 50mm O.D.
1968-1977 inner bearing diameters are 29mm I.D. and 50mm O.D. |
There is also disc and Drum BJ Spindles but again it all swaps over from beam to beam |
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joescoolcustoms
Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2006
Posts: 9054
Location: West By God Virginia
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| Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 12:43 pm Post subject: |
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The 66 and 67 Ball Joint spindles use the small tie rod ends.
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Bad News Racing 2018 NORRA 1000 3rd in Class
Best Day Ever Racing 2022 NORRA 1000 2nd in Class and first All Female team to complete the race
Everyone is gifted. Some just do not open the package.
Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone |
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bruces
Samba Member
Joined: October 12, 2009
Posts: 221
Location: sudbury ontario
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| Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 2:38 pm Post subject: |
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| I have a set of 181 thing spindles with the complete wide 5 brakes still attached I wouldn't mind selling ,I am a long way away from you so shipping will be pretty harsh .I don't have the arms but you can reuse what you already have anyway . |
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bruces
Samba Member
Joined: October 12, 2009
Posts: 221
Location: sudbury ontario
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| Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 2:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Actually ,I can probably stick them on the bus for you . |
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tgodber
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2004
Posts: 410
Location: Okanagan Falls B.C. Canada
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| Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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I am buying a set of 2 1/2" raised spindles from a fellow on TheSamba.
They are made by Blind Chicken Racing.
Thanks for the replies.
Cheers, Tim
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