adjusting a select a drop front end

chal420 · Samba Member Joined: February 14, 2005 Posts: 8

i just got this bug and i am prity shour that it has a [select a drop] front beam but i dont know how to adjust it. it seems that it is as low as it can go right now because it as no suspention can any one help me with this i tried jacking up the front end and pulling down on the tire to get it to come down but nothing i dont know even were to start

ladybug89 · Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2005 10:23 pm Post subject:

u have to losen the bolt in the middel of the beam to raise it or tighten to lower.
_________________
1958 bug - 1958 baja - 1962 vert - 2000 Golf

chal420 · Samba Member Joined: February 14, 2005 Posts: 8

ok when you are looking at this thing there is two big bolts and one long bolt running threw both of the bug bolts. there are also nuts on top in the middle and at the bottom of the long bolt. wich one of these do i loosen first and then what please help me out if you have used one of these[/img]

chal420 · Samba Member Joined: February 14, 2005 Posts: 8

ok when you are looking at this thing there is two big bolts and one long bolt running threw both of the bug bolts. there are also nuts on top in the middle and at the bottom of the long bolt. wich one of these do i loosen first and then what please help me out if you have used one of these[/img]

ladybug89 · Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 5:58 pm Post subject:

just the bottom of the bolt. if u want to raise it, it wont come "up" Laughing

u have to drive it, so it will raise it on its own.

the long bolt, in the "hoop" is the one to adjust
_________________
1958 bug - 1958 baja - 1962 vert - 2000 Golf

chal420 · Samba Member Joined: February 14, 2005 Posts: 8

what do you mean drive it, like drive it on the road i did that nothing happend i just found out that there is no front suspention. went to try to turn the nut but the long bolt is bent so when it turns it rubs in to the sway bar i think i might need to rebuild it or get a new front beam but i still want to find out how to rase it up

ladybug89 · Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 8:27 pm Post subject:

the bolt is probably bent, it should straight. if u are turning it and the bolt isnt straight, u have problems. it might have been too low and bottomed out and bent it.

if u still are having problems u can PM me or AIM me.

the driving part is so the front end will raise up, so the torsion bars will flex. or the PO could have taken out some torsion bars and then had the select-a-drop put in.
_________________
1958 bug - 1958 baja - 1962 vert - 2000 Golf

krazkayaker · Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2006 9:24 pm Post subject:

OK so excuse my ignorance but how is it that the select a drop can lower the front end...it is only fixed to the two main bars on the beam right? I am not clear of the names of the horizontla bars on the beam or the vertical brackets either. If the two bars are then suppprted by the brackets on wither side how is that this system works?
I have found a picture of the select a drop but am not sure how it works.
Thanks for any info.

krazkayaker · Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2006 9:30 pm Post subject:

Here is a shot of the pic I found somewhere on this site ( I think) but now for the life of me can't find it. Do you actually cut into the tubes...if this is a weld on I can't see how it works.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

mailman · Samba Member Joined: March 24, 2005 Posts: 1663

From what I can tell from the picture, the set-up that is shown has nothing to do with lowering (or raising) the front end.
This thing is all external to the beams, and has no connection to the torsion bars. I can only guess that perhaps it was intended as a towing point...I really don't know.
If your suspension is bottomed out, I'd guess the PO removed some torsion bars.

krazkayaker · Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 3:40 pm Post subject:

I thought it to be a select a drop system. Am I wrong? Here is another I found

Look more like it?

mailman · Samba Member Joined: March 24, 2005 Posts: 1663

Now that view shows a different story....I can see how the center of each tube could be rotated with relation to the beam, thus raising or lowering the beam.
This is a system I'm unfamiliar with, so I'd better bow out and let someone else help you out. I'm sure someone here will know....

krazkayaker · Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 4:09 pm Post subject:

Yeah..the second one helped me figure it out a little better but the first pic l found seems just slapped on, not cut into the beam itself. The second one seems to take away some of the strength of the beam though. Wondering how safe it would be.
Thanks for your thoughts.

akokarski · Samba Member Joined: May 24, 2004 Posts: 2098

man, I would just replace it with one of the cb performance beams. they are around ~$120 or so. You get new beam and with puma adjusters, those are the best. you can also go for 2" narrowed beam those fit perfectly without having to cut any body parts.

The Man of All Men · Samba Member Joined: March 05, 2006 Posts: 202

I have a 67 bug with that type of beam and it is an old school select a drop front beam. I talked to the guys at old spped and it is not a bad set up. My car rode like a brick for the longest time but what I found out was the shocks I had where the wrong type for that beam. My beam only has the 4 main leaves in the top and bottom beam with some modified CONFAb shocks that work best with that type of beam and my car now rides like a cadillac for only being 3 and a half inches off the ground.Try the guys at oldspeed.com they have educated me on alot of things.

krazkayaker · Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:22 pm Post subject:

By modified do you mean shorter? Stiffer? I was just think of stock shocks...should I replace mine?
Thanks for the support....i have an old school select a drop on the way and want to be sure it is a safe setup.

The Man of All Men · Samba Member Joined: March 05, 2006 Posts: 202

What I mean by modified is that you get the stock shock but there is NO way it will bolt up. What you got to do is cut off the canister to expose the chrome rod and then cut out the lower 3/4 of the peice of rubber that is in there. You cant miss it. And that way you will get 2 inches more travel out of that shock and it will bolt up no problem. Alot of these aftermarket shock got valving that is to stiff for the light car that a VW is and if you get the soft riding stock shock that is made for a VW the ride is ALOT better. My girlfriend never liked riding in my car when it had the old shocks on cause it was to stiff and made her boobs bounce to much Very Happy

but I siad is that really a problem? With the stock shocks on the car rides almost like a cadillac but I will have to admit that it is alot nicer to drive.

KantDriveFast · Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 7:32 pm Post subject:

The "Select-a-Drop" Lowering kit (pictured), has been around since the 70's, and for a while was the only kit available to lower your VW...most people just pulled some splines out till it was low enough...Ahhh, the good 'ol days.

krazkayaker · Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 8:23 pm Post subject:

Thanks for clearing that up. I was only a tot in the 60's and the only thing I knew about Beetles were that they are cool and I wanted one....wel it only took another 30 odd years...but I never gave hope.

When my beam comes in and I start trying to put it in I'll surely need some help...if you don't mind. Thanks guys!

(.....to be continued)

krazkayaker · Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 10:10 pm Post subject:

Ok so here goes part II....I was searching for some info after I posted this thread so maybe one of the three of you guys that have this dinosaur can help me out. I unfortuantely started a new thread but have a look for me please at http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=143094&start=100

Thanks guys


Hello! Log in or Register \| Help \| Donate \| Buy Shirts	See all banner ads \| Advertise on TheSamba.com

	Forum Index -> Beetle - 1958-1967	All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time
Page 1 of 1