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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12816 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2015 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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Here's an idea of the difference between the bug & thing components. (For those of us that haven't been on the forums until recently) |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12816 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2015 4:15 pm Post subject: |
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With both sides installed, looks like I left my old flintlock on the hood. |
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msu530 Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2015 Posts: 1 Location: United States
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2015 4:49 pm Post subject: wheels and tires. |
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What width rear wheels are you running and tire size? Bug looks great. Wanting to go with the largest size tires on rear of my buggy and still clear the torsion tubes. Thanks |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12816 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2015 5:01 pm Post subject: |
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A comparison of before & after |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12816 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2015 5:34 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks msu350, I'm running Yokohama geolander 31x10.50x15 on 10" wheels. |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12816 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 7:02 am Post subject: |
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Drivers side of beam cleaned, welded & ground, not show quality but it'll do. |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12816 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 7:17 am Post subject: |
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Until I get my adjusters and hook & rod kit, I'm limited to doing some of the more mundane things like replacing everything in the brake system. |
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ORANGECRUSHer Samba Member
Joined: June 09, 2006 Posts: 2616 Location: West Coast (Michigan's)
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Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 11:12 am Post subject: |
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TDCTDI wrote: |
Drivers side of beam cleaned, welded & ground, not show quality but it'll do. |
That looks good. There's usually a lot of grit trapped inside that seam making it horrible to weld. I tried to TIG mine recently and it showed. Better job for the MIG..
Btw your trailing arms look a little shoddy. Those aren't those new chinese branded ones are they?? _________________ Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12816 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 12:18 pm Post subject: |
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Not only Chinese but they were chrome plated too! Lol. |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12816 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 12:15 pm Post subject: |
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FINALLY! After waiting for several weeks for a local supplier to deliver, my hook & rod kit & torsion adjusters arrived from a mail order source in Cali in just four days. I can't wait to start modifying the beam. |
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Brian Samba Moderator
Joined: May 28, 2012 Posts: 8340 Location: Oceanside
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Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 7:21 pm Post subject: |
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Make sure you have the right amount of leaves man. _________________ Wash your hands
'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
'71 Bug
'68 Camper
Only losers litter |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12816 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 7:33 pm Post subject: |
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Well, here goes nothing. As stated before, I have decided to widen the beam by only 4", the width of just the two additional adjusters (2" each) per tube ( two upper & two lower). By placing the inner most edge of the adjuster at the center of the beam, that puts the center of the adjuster just 1" further in so I can cut the spring pack in half & re-dimple the spring pack but retain as much of the spring length as possible. Ill then cut the tubes at the other side of the adjuster, insert adjusters (upper & lower) & weld it all back together. |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12816 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 7:40 pm Post subject: |
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I used a pipe cutter from one of the big box home improvement stores to score a fairly true guide line around the tube. (it won't cut completely around or through.) |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12816 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 7:46 pm Post subject: |
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And then cut with my die grinder with a cut off wheel. |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12816 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 2:41 pm Post subject: |
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Now I've separated the left (drivers side) so I can insert the adjusters. |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12816 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 5:45 pm Post subject: |
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Since the adjusters are a slightly thinner guage than the original beam, Im going to use the spring pack to align the adjusters center point, this also gives me the exact reference point of the original location where the spring was located. I also beveled the edges of the mating surfaces to insure thorough weld penetration. |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12816 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 6:03 am Post subject: |
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From everything I've read, the thing front end has stiffer springs than a standard beetle & 3/8 inches of adjustment is all that's necessary, that being the case I decided to leave a little downward adjustment in my beam. (The 1/4" space between adjuster block & tensioner bolt.) |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12816 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 4:40 pm Post subject: |
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As dumb luck would have it, once I removed the torsion clamp, it was actually centered in the slot. |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12816 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2015 6:02 am Post subject: |
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I picked up some 2" angle iron & 8 four inch clamps, I then cut the angle iron into two pieces. |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12816 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2015 6:05 am Post subject: |
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I cut a notch into all 8 C-clamps. |
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