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Wed Feb 22, 2006 11:53 pm

dickcharlton wrote: Long-roofs wrote: Actually, when lowering the rear, you can maintain good camber if you shim on the top bolts between where the spring plate and trailing arm meet.
What did you use to shim it? washers?

Yes, about 1/8" or so.

Thu Feb 23, 2006 9:34 am

so do any of you have rubbing problems in the front with it really slammed?? did you customize your fenderwells??

are there any spindles that drop in lower than 2.5 inches?? or is that the only option i have? thanks a heap. I am a new guy who just bought a 71 bus. any other tips for my bus or info would be greatily appreciated.

Thu Feb 23, 2006 9:39 am

Quote: so do any of you have rubbing problems in the front with it really slammed?? did you customize your fenderwells??

are there any spindles that drop in lower than 2.5 inches?? or is that the only option i have?
The spindles add about 10mm per side to the width of the track. Which is a BIG deal if you're going to run a wider wheel. That 10mm is keeping me from lowering it more than the 2.5" inches from the spindles.
I have some rubbing once in a while, expecially when turning sharp and going into a parking lot. Not cool when you just put brand new tires on. And it sounds like hell when it happens. As far as spindles, 2.5" seems to be it for bay windows, you could probably get anything done you wanted by a custom shop if you had the cash.
Bob O

Thu Feb 23, 2006 9:40 am

zef933 wrote: so do any of you have rubbing problems in the front with it really slammed?? did you customize your fenderwells??

are there any spindles that drop in lower than 2.5 inches?? or is that the only option i have? thanks a heap. I am a new guy who just bought a 71 bus. any other tips for my bus or info would be greatily appreciated.

I guess 2 1/2" is the lowest you can go with the ball-joint drop spindles. I'm sending away for mine this week, I already have the adjustable beam, so I will see how low it will go without rubbing. I can't see rubbing being a problem with a 50-60 series tire.

Thu Feb 23, 2006 8:30 pm

Let us know how it works out!

Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:38 am

I lowered mine very much and i use 7.5x15 Audi wheels with 205/50-15 and there is enough space in front and rear!

Sun Feb 26, 2006 7:27 pm

sweet hoodride!

Sun Feb 26, 2006 8:38 pm

Yeah I love those wheels! Nice stance too!!

Wed Mar 08, 2006 7:26 am

Where are you all getting shocks from? I've lowered my 71 by turning the front tubes and re-splined the back. Now i need shorter shocks.

Wed Mar 08, 2006 1:37 pm

I used the front struts in the rear (you need longer bolts!) and beetle (käfer) rear struts in the front. Works great!

Tue Mar 14, 2006 1:40 pm

yeah can you folks explain exactyly why you need shorter shocks? is the lowering bottoming the original shocks out? how much shorter do you think you need to go? i will be lowering mine as soon as i get my spindles in the mail so iam want to make sure its all done right the first time and i ahve a nice smooth ride to it. thanks

Tue Mar 14, 2006 5:56 pm

Yes, the stock shocks will bottom out, or have a chance to bottom out if you lower your vehicle more then 3 inches. Bus Boys has shocks for bays at 60 bucks each. I was trying to see if there are any other options. I was able to find lowered shocks for a king pin front end and used an adapter kit to fit them to a bay front end. They were KYB G2's, I'll have to ask the shop I got them from were you could fine the adapter kit. The adapter kit is basicaly a bushing to reduce the size of the top mount.

Tue Mar 14, 2006 6:32 pm

zef933 wrote: yeah can you folks explain exactyly why you need shorter shocks? is the lowering bottoming the original shocks out? how much shorter do you think you need to go? i will be lowering mine as soon as i get my spindles in the mail so iam want to make sure its all done right the first time and i ahve a nice smooth ride to it. thanks

Lowering spindles will not change your suspension travel, you may need to limit the travel pending tire size however.

Wed Mar 15, 2006 5:39 pm

Anyone use the Foksy beam adjuster

from the UK? Looks like a nice piece...hows the ride with one

Wed Mar 15, 2006 5:52 pm

That looks a lot more complicated, fragile and less secure than the toothed weld in adjusters. My guess would be that the only reason they went with that design is because the other design is copyrighted. Unless youre going full low and drive less than 5K a year I wouldnt trust that thing any further than I can throw it. Those loops will crack, the through bolt will slip, and your spine will compress if you hit a bump that puts the suspension to the test.

Go with the proven toothed weld-in adjusters if you must lower your bus.

Thu Mar 16, 2006 12:52 pm

steponmebbbboom wrote: Those loops will crack, the through bolt will slip, and your spine will compress if you hit a bump that puts the suspension to the test.

So you have seen this happen before with this adjuster?

Thu Mar 16, 2006 3:52 pm

I think the question you should be asking is have they tested it properly. Welding it into a bus and then putting a few hundred or even a few thousand easy miles does not constitute real world testing, you need to factor in stress cycling, and emergency situations like an accident avoidance, pothole or elevated train tracks, and from what I can see of that picture all you have holding the ring inside the tube is the tension of those two nuts against those two smooth slots. There is no positive locking there at all.

Take a look at the weld on the front slot at the 12 oclock position on the tube. Looks close enough to interfere with the travel of the nut and washer through the slot. And the slot is only welded on the one side! How is this assembly going to hold up over time as it fatigues and work hardens and stretches. With welds that careless, how well do you think the rest of it is thought out? What grade of steel was used?

You do your own research and make up your own mind, Im not about to buy this piece and test it since I have no use for it in the first place. But I strongly suggest that you ask yourself these very questions and consider them very carefully instead of just trusting the manufacturer because it is YOUR ASS sitting behind the wheel, not theirs. I have enough engineering background and do enough failure analysis in my job to see several obvious red flags in that assembly, and it is just a low res photo of it. The speed equipment aftermarket is not known for safe and practical engineering for daily drivers, their hallmark is "form over function", "sign this release please", "use at your own risk", "offroad use only" and several other excuses for not holding themselves accountable for their design work. Dont trust me, dont trust them, trust YOU. Do the research, ask the questions, and choose carefully. Its your life.

Thu Mar 16, 2006 5:34 pm

Um, I was just asking if you had seen that damage happen before. Thanks for the explanation though.

Thu Mar 16, 2006 5:42 pm

No problem Ron, I am glad someone asked. But dont take my word for it!

Thu Mar 16, 2006 7:47 pm

For what it's worth, they are not a new product: the "beam adjuster" has been made by that company for several years now. Certainly, if there had been problems with the design they would have had a chance to have it sorted by now. Maybe some of our UK pals will speak up.