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Wed Jul 24, 2002 5:29 pm

Hey All,

Need some help on lower the rear end of my 72 beetle with a drive axle suspension. Can anyone give me advice on how to do it? Is there an online source or other tech source I should know about?

Thanks! Pete

Wed Jul 24, 2002 10:17 pm

Lowering the rear end is much easier that the front end. Should cost very little or you could do it yourself with a little guidence.

To answer you question about shocks. No, adding adjustable shocks wont lower your car. Adjustable shock can take you higher that your suspensions lowest point, but not lower. It is commonly believed that shocks have something to do with your cars ride higth. This simply isnt true. Shocks are dampning devices, springs hold the car up. Whether they be leaf spring or torsions or coils. If shocks held your car up, then when you took them off your car would fall, and that just not how it works. Unlike oil shocks, gas shock may let some(very little) of the wieght off the suspension, but only noticable by a few millimeters. Now if you are useing air shocks to raise the car then your car is sitting on the air preasure in the cylinder. And if Im correct KYB gas adjusts are only adjustable in that the bottom-out point is adjustable. I know for a fact that the shocks themselves arent adjustable.

Thu Jul 25, 2002 6:14 am

Thanks for the insights about adjustable shocks--certainly answers my question. Now, to find a good source for adjusting the springs plates in back. I read the Haynes manual a few times, but it is not crystal clear to me, unlike the the front which I understood, although it was a pain in the ass. So, any advice on a good on line source, book or a the type of shop that might actually do that kind of work would be helpful.
Thanks!!!!! Pete