need advice: Tie rod hits the frame on Vaquero dune buggy

[dlyle]

I recently brought home a Vaquero and and am just starting to sort out the obvious issues.

The Vaquero (much like a Tow'd) is a tube framed buggy with a VW type 1 front and rear suspension. Mine has a 1960 front beam and the passenger side tie rod is hitting the frame. The spindles are stock as is the rest of the front end (still has the non adjustable tie rod on the driver's side). The front end of the buggy is very light so sitting level the suspension is up against the bump stop. At that point the tie rod is touching like in the attached photos.

I've read all the posts here on the samba and have gotten some ideas but would love to hear from others. One idea was to use a quick steer but mount it on top of the pitman arm. This will buy me a little clearance but don't like that it will quicken the steering.

It would be ideal if I could find a tie rod with a longer bolt that would raise it up. I've seen some of the heim set-ups too but those require a larger diameter tie rod and that is like one step forwards and then back again. Anybody have any ideas that will raise up the tie rod end just a bit? Trying to avoid just putting a bend in the tie rod.

Thanks is advance.

I'm pretty sure the leather has turned upside down and was an attempt to soften the clanking when the tie rod hits the frame. I need to tie down that brake line too!

This is a magazine photo of how it's set-up. It's a bit misleading because when you adjust the angle of the steering box to where it needs to be it lowers the pitman arm and causes the problem.

[OCD Garage]

Could you convert the rag joint to a universal and rotate the steering box back a few degrees until you have clearance?

[dlyle]

[OCD Garage]

I bought a universal joint and stub shaft from Cip1 and had a machinist weld it onto the input shaft of the VW steering box.

https://www.cip1.ca/c13-3143/
https://www.cip1.ca/c26-425-160/

[MrGoodtunes]

I pick'd one of these off from a Super Beetle in local salvage yard:

Cut it in two, and used one end along with a rag joint which made it easy to make the larger spline of the Super Beetle U-joint work together with the smaller spline of the standard Beetle steering gearbox input shaft. This was accomplish'd by simply using a Super Beetle flange on one side of rag joint, and standard Beetle flange on other side of rag joint:

But then, I didn't need a very drastic angled steering column; was just getting steering wheel into its most desireable location.

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Edit: Went out and took a better picture for you:

Left-to-Right: One end of Super Beetle U-joint, Super Beetle male flange, Super Beetle rag joint, standard early Beetle female flange (onto standard early Beetle steering gearbox)

[dlyle]

I put in new tie rods and rubber stops and that seems to have solved the problem. Thanks for all the input.