TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Jan 03, 2021 4:34 pm

I figured I should start a thread so I can ask questions and share pictures in one place as I go about this. Currently getting the cage bent up and tacked in. Ive got the main structure pretty much and need to add supports.

Next step I am going to get what I need for the rear suspension.
Im going 3x3 and looking at this kit https://www.pacificcustoms.com/ac598400.html

I believe this would be the correct kit for stock trans and running coil overs up through the tub to the cage?

Some day i will do a bus trans with a more powerful engine but the reality is it probably isn't going to get done this year considering all the other stuff i need to do...

Sun Jan 03, 2021 4:45 pm

I should add my goals...
-Roll cage
-3x3 rear with coil overs up to cage
-Either 6" wider king pin front beam or A-arm.com kit Im still struggling here. Chopping off the front of the frame is a scary thought.
-front disc brakes
-rims-tires
-figure something out with hood... seriously the dash with all the wiring is connected to the hood so you cant remove the hood?? wtf? probably will cut the hood off and make a new dash. I loved the curved style of this fiberglass body but you can tell the quality is pretty poor.

Tue Jan 05, 2021 9:27 pm

Looks like a fun build!

Mon Jan 11, 2021 9:29 pm

I will need to be ordering Coilovers for the 3x3's soon. I plan to go with fox. Torsions are eliminated so it will be strictly coilovers. Would the 2.0 with reservoirs be sufficient or should I step it up to 2.5's? Whats common? Again Its michigan so the riding will be 1/3 dunes, 1/3 rough trails and 1/3 to the local brewery.

https://accutuneoffroad.com/product/fox-2-0-coilov...h-springs/

https://accutuneoffroad.com/product/fox-2-5-coilov...h-springs/

Sat Jan 23, 2021 9:04 am

Update.
ordered and received the pacific customs 3x3 kit
ordered and received disk brakes kit
Ordered 14" 2.0 coilovers from accutune, they are working on them.
Ordered 2 rear wheels. 7x15 race trim series beadlock wheels. I'll mount to 29" street tires that I already have until I determine officially what tires i want to go with

3x3 kit came with one axle (EMPI...) that wasnt machined down as far as the other and I couldn't get spacers on it, they're sending me another. It wasn't even close. It was like 30 thousands too big...

Disk brakes shipping box was cut open on one side and half the parts were missing, theyre sending me missing parts.

Despite the issues, PC seems to have pretty good customer service.

The boxed 3x3's have 1 degree of positive camber on the passenger side and 4 degrees on the drivers side. Havent mocked up the tires yet, but that isnt going to look very good. Plus the torsion mount on the driver arm is like 1" further in on the bottom than the top, looks awful, but thats not a big deal for me since the torsion bar is eliminated anyway. The arms actually fit better upside down lol. I put the driver arm on the passenger side and it has 0 camber at ideal ride height, the passenger arm on the driver side has about 3 degrees positive camber.

After doing research (after the purchase...) it sounds like inconsistent camber one side to the other is common on the "cheaper" arms. WHere are these more expensive "corrected" arms people speak of? Ive heard kartek mentioned but I only see a microstub 3x3 not standard. I guess the other fix would be to cut them up and relocate the pivot on the arm, or cut off the mounts on the buggy frame and weld new ones. The former seems easier.

This sure would be more fun if everything fit properly.

Sat Jan 23, 2021 9:25 am

To answer my own question, Maybe these?

https://www.pacificcustoms.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Sc...ange_high=

Sun Jan 31, 2021 9:38 am

clearly no one cares. But nonetheless, for the rear I went with BFG KM3's mud terrains 31x10.5x15's and for rims the EMPI Race Trim Beadlocks 7" (I believe they're made by douglas?) They were a bear to get together. You get 1" bolts for the beadlock and its impossible to get bite. I ended up starting with 6 2" bolts , botteming those out but still couldnt get bite, then I went with 1.5" and was able to get the beadlock down close enough to the tire to get the 1" bolts in. basically had to step it from 2" to 1.5" to 1". My arm is sore.

Waiting on shocks now. Accutune is putting them together and swear that the springs I need are 100/100 and I swear they are wrong seeing how every one else with a 3x3 coilover setup runs at least 200/300. Im beginning to think they have no idea what they're doing. I might cancel my order with them and just settle for the stock fox tuning for now.

Sun Jan 31, 2021 9:59 am

Looks like a fun build,
Are you going to take the body off to do all the suspension work? And that sucks about the arms. I have read of others having similar problems. Don’t they use a jig shheesh?

Sun Jan 31, 2021 11:16 am

dirtkeeper wrote: Looks like a fun build,
Are you going to take the body off to do all the suspension work? And that sucks about the arms. I have read of others having similar problems. Don’t they use a jig shheesh?

I dont plan on taking the body off unless I get to a point where I have to. Making the body removable even with the cage would be ideal but not easy. The hood is removable so that makes doing the front much easier. I know some fiberglass buggies don't have a removable hood.

I talked to Ken at pacific customs about the arms and he told me they fixed the bad camber of years past and he was involved with the Taiwan manufacturer in getting the Jigs setup properly. He recommended trying to tweak it to the right position when the tire is on and then tighten down the main pivot bolt and also tweak it to the right position when drilling the additional holes in the torsion mounting plate. Seems pretty impossible but I'll try it. Worse comes to worse Ill probably just cut the inner pivot on the arm about 3/4 of the way, tweak/bend the arm where I want it, and then re-weld the pivot. Ive read other people have done that. It sucks but whatever. Its entirely possible that the mount on the buggy itself isn't 100% perfect.

Sun Jan 31, 2021 11:27 am

Pics of the camber difference driver side to passenger side. Glass half full mentality= I'll only have to cut up the driver side!

Thu Feb 04, 2021 11:26 pm

I ended up cutting the pivot out of the driver side trailing arm to correct the camber and match it with the passenger side. Its about 2 degrees camber now on both, at least they're the same now. it wasn't too difficult.

Fri Feb 05, 2021 9:30 am

Looks great. Nice job !! =D>

Fri Feb 05, 2021 11:37 am

What is going on with the star nuts at the front?

I have a similar buggy, but struggled with the front end design. Ended up bending a brushgard / lightbar

Fri Feb 05, 2021 1:40 pm

heywebonya wrote: What is going on with the star nuts at the front?

I have a similar buggy, but struggled with the front end design. Ended up bending a brushgard / lightbar

Apparently to hold the hood on. Two threaded rods come through that those star nuts go on. I like your front brushgard. Simple and not too gaudy.

Wed Feb 17, 2021 8:21 am

So this is my intention for upper shock mount. A bar acrossed with the double shear shock mount welded to it and a cross bar to the connecting point (where blue tape is). Anyone see an issue with this?

Thu Feb 25, 2021 8:35 am

Does anyone know the max tire size for a 4" wide beadlock rim? These rims I got only come in 2 sizes, 7" (which I got for the rear) and 4". Im considering the 4" for the front. I want to get matching BFG km3's for the front but the smallest they have are 215/75R15, these are 8.5" wide. is 8.5" wide tire on a 4" beadlock rim feasible?

Thu Feb 25, 2021 2:05 pm

21golden007 wrote: Does anyone know the max tire size for a 4" wide beadlock rim? These rims I got only come in 2 sizes, 7" (which I got for the rear) and 4". Im considering the 4" for the front. I want to get matching BFG km3's for the front but the smallest they have are 215/75R15, these are 8.5" wide. is 8.5" wide tire on a 4" beadlock rim feasible?

Yes it will work just fine. It actiually helps protect the sidewall too

I run 4" Methods on all 4 corners. The rear tires are Yokohama Super digger 33x10.50 on 4" wheels

Thu Feb 25, 2021 4:59 pm

Tire store weenies who don't know about such things have very limited thinking about tire sizes vs rim sizes. They would not approve of what I do for offroad vehicles. And they wouldn't approve of what my next door neighbor does for his low riders.

When I bought my 1961 F100, nearly 50 years ago, it had 7.00-15s on the factory 4.5" rims. Offroad racers use 7.00-15s, 33 x 9.50-15s up to 33x 12.50-15s on 4" wide rims. BFG even makes 35" tires intended for use on 4" wide rims on Class 5 unlimited and Class 10 offroad race cars. Many tire shop guys would tell you that your VW Bug based buggy should roll on 165-15 tires on 4" wide rims. Then they'll turn around and sell a kid with a Honda Civic a set of 225-18s on 10" wide rims for the "stretched" look.
:roll:

But lacking really stout spindles, link pins, trailing arms, power steering, beam, steering gear, etc., I don't recommend wide tires on the front of any VW-based Bug or buggy. It might provide a "look" for posing, but does NOT work well. Steering effort, turning circle, strain and damage to components all go way up.

This buggy I built the cage for and have driven quite a few miles on and offroad works pretty well with its wheel and tire package. But when the owner it was built for wanted same size tires all around ... no bueno dude. So back to these for the next owner and the current owner (all 3 friends of mine).

Thu Feb 25, 2021 8:55 pm

You mean the below might not perform great :D :D

Thats a nice buggy. What are the front tires on it?

I did pull the trigger on the pacific customs front kit which has pretty stout components (it better for the money spent), so I'm not too concerned about component failure, but I am concerned about performance, turning, no power steering. etc.

https://www.pacificcustoms.com/ac498900.html

Thu Feb 25, 2021 9:07 pm

I will say that as far looks go the hoonigan scumbug running the KM3's takes the cake for me.
I believe they are running 33's in the rear and 235/75/15's in the front.
My thought was to emulate this with the KM3's but one step down since my buggy is a little shorter, so 31's in the rear and 215/75R15 in the front. look wise I'd love, performance wise...I have no idea