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Fri Feb 13, 2004 12:17 pm

Can Barndoor spindles be lowered in the "flipped" manner as it is used on the later spindles?

If not, is there a reason?

If yes, is it identical as lowering thel ater spindles?

Thanks,

Peter

Fri Feb 13, 2004 1:50 pm

I thought spindles were the all the same pre-63....is this incorrect?
I'm sure BBJ or Money Mike could enlighten us....

Fri Feb 13, 2004 2:06 pm

I thought that Barndoor spindles were already in the "low" position geometrically and flipping them wouldn't do the same thing as later. Not positive, but I think that this is correct. As far as I know, BBJ uses later spindles and that way you can do the same dropped spindle setup as later Buses.

Fri Feb 13, 2004 3:46 pm

barndoor spindles are 1949 to march 55 only items. :D

Fri Feb 13, 2004 4:03 pm

as far as i know 55 to 62 spindles are the thing to use if dropped spindles are your fancy on your barndoor. the early small diameter linkpins will slot in.
Should give a bigger braking surface, easier to get wheel cylinders etc etc.

Fri Feb 13, 2004 6:40 pm

this is just hearsay but I was told the guy who bought Thoms old 54 RHD Deluxe sent his barndoor spindles to Wolfgang for modification. I never looked into this or anything but it would be easy to call them and verify. Good luck

Fri Feb 13, 2004 11:56 pm

The barndoor spindles are not flipped yet, see pic

As far as I can see in the pic they look similar (the principle) to the later spindles so I would think the same can be done with these spindles as with later spindles to lower them.

I was told that the BarnDoor spindles have a dampening portion in the form of a2 inch coil spring looking part in the center of the kingpins somewhere. On a later spindle you would see just a spacer block in the same place... But no-one has been able to confirm this yet.

Is this dampening portion needed or can we replace it with a spacer as the later spindles?

55-63 spindles should work since they use the same 20mm linkpins, but I would like to use the BD spindles.

Thanks

Sun Feb 15, 2004 7:43 pm

Funny I just had this conversation with BBJ the other day! The reason why we use the later spindles is for the brakes and the drums, they are much easier to come by. As for the barndoor spindle BBJ says if you flip a pair of those it will slam the shit out of your ride, they are just not practicle.

Sun Feb 15, 2004 11:51 pm

Barndoor front axle:

Later front axle:

Spot the difference?

Mon Feb 16, 2004 12:12 am

Yeah, that was it. The tie rod connects on the top, not the bottom like later spindles.

Mon Feb 16, 2004 12:19 am

Mon Feb 16, 2004 1:48 am

I've heard, but never verified or even tried, that you could use link pin Bug spindles and get the lowered effect. If this is true think of the options...

Mon Feb 16, 2004 1:53 am

Lowering Barndoors??

Mon Feb 16, 2004 2:04 pm

OK, I see the difference in the 2 pictures. The tierod connect on top of the spindle in stead of at the bottom, but other then that is is the same so in my opinion it should be possible.

What I do not get is why it would slam the shit out of your ride??? Flipping them should give the equal amount of drop as a later spindle since the kingpins assembly seems the same.
I could think of a clearance problem with the steering arm since this connect at the top of the spindle (but I'm not sure since I never checked in detail the BD body in this area)

Can anyone shed some light on the dampening part (number 25 in the BD schematics)? Is this correct since in the schematics I do not see any difference...

Thanks,

Peter

Tue Mar 27, 2007 2:17 pm

I've just dropped the spindles on my 563 Barndoor, pics available if anyone wants to see them!?

Basically the arm is on the top, so it raises the arm 3.5" higher, then you drill in the tie rod end from underneath, bush it - we (well my machiner) drilled if for later Beetle tie rod ends.

Not got the steering properly 100% sorted yet though, but i have driven it on a test run.

Cheers
poze

Wed Mar 28, 2007 10:37 am

[email protected] wrote: I've just dropped the spindles on my 563 Barndoor, pics available if anyone wants to see them!?

Basically the arm is on the top, so it raises the arm 3.5" higher, then you drill in the tie rod end from underneath, bush it - we (well my machiner) drilled if for later Beetle tie rod ends.

Not got the steering properly 100% sorted yet though, but i have driven it on a test run.

Cheers
poze

Please post some pics :D

Wed Mar 28, 2007 11:00 am

Peter - Belgium wrote: OK, I see the difference in the 2 pictures. The tierod connect on top of the spindle in stead of at the bottom, but other then that is is the same so in my opinion it should be possible.

What I do not get is why it would slam the shit out of your ride??? Flipping them should give the equal amount of drop as a later spindle since the kingpins assembly seems the same.
I could think of a clearance problem with the steering arm since this connect at the top of the spindle (but I'm not sure since I never checked in detail the BD body in this area)

Can anyone shed some light on the dampening part (number 25 in the BD schematics)? Is this correct since in the schematics I do not see any difference...

Thanks,

Peter

Why are you waisting time with the barndoor spindles anyway? What are you gaining by using a barndoor spindle?

Wed Mar 28, 2007 11:43 am

mike, who is standing between you and john solana in your avatar?

Wed Mar 28, 2007 7:27 pm

UZI wrote: mike, who is standing between you and john solana in your avatar?

Gibbs, That is the worlds skinniest fat dude!

Wed Mar 28, 2007 9:18 pm

Oh...............Hey miKe