TheSamba.com :: View topic - Have you ever cut these out? (Bumpstop "perch"?)

Wed Sep 27, 2006 3:27 pm

Check the pic below. In the yellow oval you will see the "perch", for lack of better terms, for the bumpstops. I was talking to someone a while back (62type3square, I forgot!) about cutting these off. I know what they are for and why they are there. What's your opinion about cutting these out?

If I cut these out, my hopes are that my Squareback will sit just a tad bit lower. As of right now, my bumpstops (without the rubber) rest directly on the lower trailing arms. This makes for a pretty shitty ride, which is why I want to cut them off. 8)

Wed Sep 27, 2006 3:54 pm

I have seen those cut off before. You will just bottom on the shock.

Wed Sep 27, 2006 4:02 pm

If you lower the car enough to hit those, then cut them out. the car will ride a lot smoother with them out anyways. Make sure to buy shorter shocks whenever possible.

Wed Sep 27, 2006 4:06 pm

Ditto-

you will gain suspension and smooth out the ride.
Cut away. :D

Wed Sep 27, 2006 5:04 pm

All the time. If you are good enough with a grinder you can grind all the material flush, fill in the gap and paint and you cant tell they were ever there. 8)

Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:19 am

thats the first thing that gets cut off

Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:23 am

I cut mine and the ride is better and also sat the car lower. But make sure you get the proper size shocks.

Thu Sep 28, 2006 11:47 am

So are you saying that w/o the perch, my Square will ride smoother/lower?

When I originally lowered, I left all that intact. The arm actually rested on the rubber stop. Over time, the rubber stop cracked/broke/fell away, and now, bumps can be bone jarring. Cutting away the perch will make it smoother? I have stock size shocks.

Thu Sep 28, 2006 12:05 pm

Okay, I'll bet crapped on for saying this, but man, I never understood the idea of lowering it so far you have these problems. Cars are made to be driven, not just looked at, and the stock ride, or maybe a little lower, makes a good handling car. To each his/her own, of course, but I just can't work up sympathy for problems like this, or busted torsion bars, or rubbing undercarriages. I guess some of it comes from having to sit behind someone who is afraid to go over a speed bump or turn into a driveway, holding everyone up because they think it looks cool.

Okay, here it comes...

Thu Sep 28, 2006 12:24 pm

KTPhil wrote: Okay, I'll bet crapped on for saying this, but man, I never understood the idea of lowering it so far you have these problems. Cars are made to be driven, not just looked at, and the stock ride, or maybe a little lower, makes a good handling car. To each his/her own, of course, but I just can't work up sympathy for problems like this, or busted torsion bars, or rubbing undercarriages. I guess some of it comes from having to sit behind someone who is afraid to go over a speed bump or turn into a driveway, holding everyone up because they think it looks cool.

Okay, here it comes...

and I will agree with you... but there will be a vocal minority in here shortly....

Thu Sep 28, 2006 12:29 pm

*poop*

Haha, I don't think anyone will hate you for having your own opinion Phil. To be honest, I just think it looks bad ass!

Thu Sep 28, 2006 12:42 pm

Air-Cooled Head wrote: So are you saying that w/o the perch, my Square will ride smoother/lower?

When I originally lowered, I left all that intact. The arm actually rested on the rubber stop. Over time, the rubber stop cracked/broke/fell away, and now, bumps can be bone jarring. Cutting away the perch will make it smoother? I have stock size shocks.

The bumpstops are half your problem. you also need to get proper size shocks. I cut my bump stops off as well as the shocks then set the car on the ground and with some difficulty measured the distance from each of the shocks mounting points took that number to my parts house and they got me the right shock. Now my car rides great

Thu Sep 28, 2006 12:46 pm

blankmange wrote: KTPhil wrote: Okay, I'll bet crapped on for saying this, but man, I never understood the idea of lowering it so far you have these problems. Cars are made to be driven, not just looked at, and the stock ride, or maybe a little lower, makes a good handling car. To each his/her own, of course, but I just can't work up sympathy for problems like this, or busted torsion bars, or rubbing undercarriages. I guess some of it comes from having to sit behind someone who is afraid to go over a speed bump or turn into a driveway, holding everyone up because they think it looks cool.

Okay, here it comes...

and I will agree with you... but there will be a vocal minority in here shortly....

I'm not too vocal but to each their own. I scrap the ground from time to time and if I was to break something I'm not going to cry about it I did it to the car and I will have to fix it if it breaks.

Now I don't like the cars that are half assed put togther and pretty much a road hazzard. AKA HOODRIDE

Thu Sep 28, 2006 12:56 pm

Uh-oh, I think I turned this thread into a "what VWs do I hate" thread...
:shock:

Thu Sep 28, 2006 3:07 pm

Does the upper trailing arm come out? I am asking because it getting in the way of me cutting that "perch" off. Thanks...

EDIT: Nevermind. Looking through my Bentley, it seems like more pain than it is worth.

Thu Sep 28, 2006 3:24 pm

spoon wrote: Does the upper trailing arm come out? I am asking because it getting in the way of me cutting that "perch" off. Thanks...

EDIT: Nevermind. Looking through my Bentley, it seems like more pain than it is worth.
if your trading or getting rid of the car why are you worring about cutting that out?
shouldn't you save that for the next owner to decide?

Thu Sep 28, 2006 3:30 pm

Foxx4086 JHC wrote:
if your trading or getting rid of the car why are you worring about cutting that out?
shouldn't you save that for the next owner to decide?

So it doesn't ride like complete shit when I actually DO trade it away. What makes you so sure that the trade is gonna' go through? :?

Thu Sep 28, 2006 3:36 pm

spoon wrote: Foxx4086 JHC wrote:
if your trading or getting rid of the car why are you worring about cutting that out?
shouldn't you save that for the next owner to decide?

So it doesn't ride like complete shit when I actually DO trade it away. What makes you so sure that the trade is gonna' go through? :?
spoon's samba ad wrote: 1969 Type 3 Squareback - TRADE PENDING
it was a valid question,
i won't be an asshole here.. thats for the rants.

I just know how often i see people cursing PO's for doing shit they didn't want done.

Thu Sep 28, 2006 3:48 pm

Perhaps my prejudice against lowered cars also stems from living for 8 years on a bumpy dirt road that crossed a creek, so I preferred MORE ground clearance, not less, than stock.

My bug once sank to the floorpan in clay mud, and we needed a bulldozer to pull it out. Chained the front beam to the dozer's blade and popped it up out of the dried mud/dirt. After that I learned how to drive in mud/snow and keep it moving. I know my poor T3 never liked that treatment, so now I'm fixing it up and making amends to the poor girl.

I once saw a squareback someone had raised a bunch with fenders cut out and big knobby tires, and I thought...that's one FUGLY car... and it's also just what I need some days to cross the creek!

Thu Sep 28, 2006 4:04 pm

Foxx4086 JHC wrote: I just know how often i see people cursing PO's for doing shit they didn't want done.

I am with you on that! But, it also seems like this is pretty common, to cut out the bumpstop perch. I feel like I am on a teeder-todder about this one.