project "Pepe" - multi purpose bug

[joemama]

So, I got a deal on some Porsche 944 stub axles, axles, and CV's. Got to clean them up, but they look O.K.. Need to get some flanges for the trans. I have a friend who has a Thing trans, that is broken from the Thing being rear ended, so I will get the flanges from him. I went ahead and notched my dual spring plates about 3/16". Only one of the plates gets notched. I slipped a piece of paper between the notched plate and the non notched plate, so you could see the notch.

This resulted on my gaining about 3/4" extra droop, making the car sit more level, and I hope this will be enough to soften the ride, and stop clanking from the spring plate hitting the lower bump stop. I think it will also help the torsion bars from settling, as they wont be wound up as much. This also had the effect of making the stock spec shocks too short. If you look at previous pictures you will see that the Bilstein shock was only about 3/8" longer than the total travel of the trailing arms. Now it is exactly the same length of the full droop of the trailing arms. It does not allow for any safety marging, and potentially makes the shock the lower bump stop.

Because of the reinforcement that I have done to my trailing arms, there is not enough room on the lower shock mount "cup" to just drill a higher hole to compensate for the too short shock. So I experimented with making an extension, by using the eyelets from my old blown out shocks.

Unfortunately, while it had good potential, I couldnt keep the rubber bushing from melting while welding (it literally caught on fire, should have taken a picture), so its a no go. I have another plan, and will post photos when I get that done.
I also managed to make the car look like its been offroad, though it has not left my driveway.

[joemama]

So, as I mentioned before, I worked on a different idea for extending the shock. The reason I cant just drill a higher hole on the lower shock mount, is the way the reinforcement tubes wrap around it

so I made something that bolts unto the shock, and slips into the existing shock mount. It uses the original shock bolt to locate it I had an extra stock trailing arm I used to fit things.

after I mount everything up, I will drill a hole thru the rear of the mount and put a bolt thru the mount and the adapter, just to make sure it doesnt rotate.

I will post pictures of the car after I bolt everything up.

[dustymojave]

[joemama]

There is very little chance that the shock mount extension I made will rotate, even without the bolt. It is pretty much trapped all around. It could wiggle some, without the bolt. You are right that I need to check to see if the shock will bottom out in compression, and might have to lower the upper spring plate stop. All I am after, is the same amount of travel, and ride, as a stock bug, but raised. This could all have easily been accomplished with raised spring plates, had I not been too cheap to spend the money.

[joemama]

Just want to correct something I said above, with raised spring plates, you would still need different shocks.

[dustymojave]

[joemama]

So, I am not happy with the adapters to extend the shocks that I made. They function great, but as Richard pointed out, they push the shock up too far, and I end up loosing about 3/4" of shock travel. I feel like this has become the only thing I work on, but here it goes. I decided to modify the shock mounts by cutting them apart and reworking the spot the bolt that holds the shock goes thru.

On the next to last photo, you can see the shock eyelet, the shock sits about 1/4" lower than the bolt hole. I think this is perfect now, giving me the optimum amount of shock travel. I still need to fully compress the suspension to see if there is enough shock travel to get me to the upper stop, but if not, I will weld a plate to the upper plate stop to compensate.
Finally, now I can move on to something else.

[Douglas A]

[joemama]

Yeah, I am thinking that empi type 1 to type 2 trans hubs are probably O.K., so I might buy those, but did not trust them for the stub axle. I'll be doing that job soon.

[joemama]

Finally got a chance to work on the bug yesterday. I finished installing the shocks into the modified mounts, and I also switched out the stub axles for the 944 ones. I dont know if the part number is the same as the thing, but they are stamped vw and Audi.

Here you can see how they compare to the stock bug stuff.

Got as far as the stub axles.

Here is a picture of the stock bug axle, and a 944 axle. The bug axle is actually about 3/16" longer, but supposedly the 944 axle is long enough for my set up. I'll find out soon. If you machine the shoulder on the bug axle to be lower than the splines, you can use a bug axle.

I was able to buy thing trans flanges from a friend. Here you can see the circlips that hold them to the trans, and the seals.

I have two used 944 C.V.'s, and 2 used empi bus C.V.'s that I think I can use. I also have 2 brand new old stock Lobro bus C.V's that a friend gave to me a few years ago when he stopped playing with V.W.'s, but unfortunately they have been drilled for bigger bolts, I think 3/8". I kind of remember that the McKenzie's type 1 to thing converted stub axles use the bigger bolts, I think thats what is in my buggy, dont remember for sure now. I hope to be able to install the trans flanges, C.V.'s, and axles next weekend.

[geno1950]

I have never seen a brake drum nut tool like that joemamma, where did you get that?

[joemama]

I think its called a "torque buddy", its available from many of the VW parts distributors. I just looked up "Torque Buddy", and a couple of distributors came up. Moore Parts has it for 92.00. Works great, can be used for both the flywheel gland nut, and the axle nuts. 25 lbs at the tool, translates to 220 at the nut, 30 lbs I think equals 275? I have had mine for several years, I paid like 68.00 when I bought it.

[joemama]

Forgot, works with both 4 lug, and wide five drums.

[joemama]

So, 2 of the used cv's I was going to use, are not in great shape, I took them apart to clean and inspect, and the balls fall out of the cage on their own, probably not good, I guess worn cages. I am trying to decide wether to just buy 2 new Empi stock bus cv's, or should I go ahead and get 2 of the offroad ones, and get 2 more later on. With my 3/16" notch, I question if I would benefit any from the offroad ones.

[Dark Earth]

What is the angle of your axles ?

~Maximum Angle~
Type 1 ......................... 12 degrees
Type 2 ......................... 17 degrees
Type 4 ......................... 22 degrees
930 ............................. 25 degrees
Empi Type 2 "offroad" ... 25 degrees ?
_________________
My Build: '69 Baja - Dark Earth Version

~I'm almost done. I just lack finishing up.~

[joemama]

I finally got around to installing the trans side flanges

you can see the circlip that holds it on, and I reused the seal/cap with some silicone to help it seal

took 3 different circlip/ring pliers to get things installed, none worked right. Got the other axle ready to go when I get my 2 other cv's.

measured the angle of my axles, first checked that the car was level, and then saw that I am at 16 to 17 degrees. I think I will stick with stock type 2 CV's.

got one side all done, will finish the other side when I get the other 2 cv's. I also checked that the axle had some play at full droop, I could slide it left and right, so there is still some travel left. I was concerned because the 924/944/thing axles are actually shorter than a stock bug axle, plus notching the spring plates adds to the length of axle needed
I wont have time to work on the bug for a couple of weeks, but the next step is to get the motor running.

[dustymojave]

When measuring CV angles, you need to measure the CV flange face angle, then measure the axle shaft angle. The axle angle to chassis angle is not what matters.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[joemama]

Makes total sense, and will add to my peace of mind. I guess it would be possible to have slightly different angles at each end. Its been raining and too cold to work outside, but maybe this weekend I will check when I put my new CV's in. I think I will put the new CV's in a can with a little gas to clean before I grease them. I wont take them apart.

[dustymojave]

Soaking them in gas or other solvent without dis-assembling them is going most of the way to Disneyland and turning around 1 exit before you get there.

They aren't hard to assemble, once you've seen them apart. As you assemble them, note the relation of the narrow spaces between balls on the inside race go opposite the wide spaces on the outer race.

Once you remove the CVs from the flanges, the odds of the CV coming apart whether you want it to or not are pretty high.

Solvent cleaning will destroy the grease that's in there without replacing it. It's much worse than leaving them alone and just packing them with fresh grease from one side like packing a wheel bearing.

But you REALLY SHOULD take them apart and clean them, then inspect and re-assemble with fresh CV grease. Check for galling of the races and balls, and cracks between balls in the CV cages.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[joemama]

I was talking about brand new CV's, just removing whatever film is on them.