| Author |
Message |
saltfactor
Samba Member
Joined: January 25, 2003
Posts: 507
Location: Wilmington, NC
|
 Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 8:11 am Post subject: Tires/Ride Height |
 |
|
Hey all. I want to lower the ride height of my '78 Bus. I don't want to mess with the suspension at this point. Later I'm going to consider drop spindles, but funds are all but dried up to finish this project. Anyway, I figure if I just run a tire with a short sidewall(performance) I'll get decent handling and a slightly lowered stance. I was ging to go with a light truck tire but all those are going to keep me around stock clearance. Any suggestions for the lowest profile tire that will mount on a stock rim? Thanks, -K-
_________________
'74 Westy
'60 11 Window Standard Microbus
'65 Standard Beetle
'61 Double-Door Panel (Sold)
'78 Standard Transporter (Sold)
'66 Panel (Sold)
'70 Fasty (Sold)
'70 Standard Transporter (Sold)
'68 Type 3 Fastback (Sold)
'69 Bus (On tour somewhere)
'70 Fastback (Sold)
'59 NSU Prinz!!! (On a racetrack someday in my dreams)
'66 Buick Wildcat (Sold)
"Come to kindly terms with your Ass for it bears you" - J. Muir |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
humfrydog
Trained Attack Dog
Joined: June 27, 2003
Posts: 529
Location: reno,nevada
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 1:36 pm Post subject: |
|
|
heres a link that will help. i beleive a stock wheel is 195 x 70 x 14 on a 5.5 rim or use whats on your bus to start with http://jrsauer.com/Tirecalc.html heres a good link for low price tires. most of the time theres a wharehouse nearby. so you can pick up tires and save shipping costs. i went to a local tire store to get mine mounted and balanced. the store offered to sell me a set at the same price just to post the sale. and i got free mounting only had to pay for balancing.http://www.tirerack.com/index.jsp hope these help 
_________________
Somebody stop the world spinning.I think I am getting dizzy.
OGJHC Nevada chapter |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
humfrydog
Trained Attack Dog
Joined: June 27, 2003
Posts: 529
Location: reno,nevada
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 1:42 pm Post subject: |
|
|
also theres flopping your spindle right to left. this gives you about 1 1/2 inch lowering. then your speedo is of the left side. i havent done that mod yet. but it looks and sounds simple enough. just labor and grease. also theres wagons west with drop spindles http://www.wagenswest.com/
_________________
Somebody stop the world spinning.I think I am getting dizzy.
OGJHC Nevada chapter |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
saltfactor
Samba Member
Joined: January 25, 2003
Posts: 507
Location: Wilmington, NC
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 4:02 pm Post subject: Tires |
|
|
Wow, that tire calculator page almost gave me an anurism. Thanks for the infor Humphrydog. Later, -K-
_________________
'74 Westy
'60 11 Window Standard Microbus
'65 Standard Beetle
'61 Double-Door Panel (Sold)
'78 Standard Transporter (Sold)
'66 Panel (Sold)
'70 Fasty (Sold)
'70 Standard Transporter (Sold)
'68 Type 3 Fastback (Sold)
'69 Bus (On tour somewhere)
'70 Fastback (Sold)
'59 NSU Prinz!!! (On a racetrack someday in my dreams)
'66 Buick Wildcat (Sold)
"Come to kindly terms with your Ass for it bears you" - J. Muir |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ratwell
Samba Member
Joined: April 26, 2003
Posts: 8717
Location: Victoria, BC
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 4:07 pm Post subject: |
|
|
The stock wheel is 185R14. The implied aspect ratio, zero is actually 82 so it's a taller tire than 195/75R14, the next closet size. No one writes 185/82R14.
The stock rims are stamped 14 x 5.5J in very tiny letters on the face under the hubcap.
_________________
'78 Westfalia CDN
'76 Doublecab
Read the Baywindow FAQ |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
saltfactor
Samba Member
Joined: January 25, 2003
Posts: 507
Location: Wilmington, NC
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 5:26 pm Post subject: Too much Information |
|
|
Hey Fellas, I have enough trouble finding one end of my torque wrench from the other. I don't know my a** from a aspect ratio. What I really need to know is what is the lowest profile tire that will fit on to a stock VW(late bus) rim. I appreciate the technical scoop though. Maybe some of it will soak into the tired old melon. 
_________________
'74 Westy
'60 11 Window Standard Microbus
'65 Standard Beetle
'61 Double-Door Panel (Sold)
'78 Standard Transporter (Sold)
'66 Panel (Sold)
'70 Fasty (Sold)
'70 Standard Transporter (Sold)
'68 Type 3 Fastback (Sold)
'69 Bus (On tour somewhere)
'70 Fastback (Sold)
'59 NSU Prinz!!! (On a racetrack someday in my dreams)
'66 Buick Wildcat (Sold)
"Come to kindly terms with your Ass for it bears you" - J. Muir |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ratwell
Samba Member
Joined: April 26, 2003
Posts: 8717
Location: Victoria, BC
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 6:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
If you are going non-stock then the tire choices available will simply have to conform to a rim width range that fits the 5.5" rim width. A quick survey tells me that 205/60HR14 is about as low as you can go although it will be seriously underspec to compared to a normal bus tire.
I don't think any low profile tire available for a 14x5.5 rim will be so wide that it will rub the shock absorbers. It will prefer a wider rim and you'll be squeezing it so that helps also.
Keep in mind the lower profile the tire, the more error you will experience in your speedometer. Although 5% difference is what's computed by punching the tire numbers into a calculator, the actual measurement based on the narrowed rim probably won't be noticeable. You'll may rack up imaginary miles on the odometer over time but I don't think that matters to you, right?
_________________
'78 Westfalia CDN
'76 Doublecab
Read the Baywindow FAQ |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
saltfactor
Samba Member
Joined: January 25, 2003
Posts: 507
Location: Wilmington, NC
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 8:58 pm Post subject: Tires |
|
|
Thanks for the breakdown Ratwell. I get that a lot better. My head still hurts a little from looking at that calculator page, whew. I am intrigued about the spindle swap though. I think I'm gonna have to check that out. I really dig that it'll only cost time and some grease. Is the speedo cable long enough to reach the other side? Thanks fellas. Later, -K-
_________________
'74 Westy
'60 11 Window Standard Microbus
'65 Standard Beetle
'61 Double-Door Panel (Sold)
'78 Standard Transporter (Sold)
'66 Panel (Sold)
'70 Fasty (Sold)
'70 Standard Transporter (Sold)
'68 Type 3 Fastback (Sold)
'69 Bus (On tour somewhere)
'70 Fastback (Sold)
'59 NSU Prinz!!! (On a racetrack someday in my dreams)
'66 Buick Wildcat (Sold)
"Come to kindly terms with your Ass for it bears you" - J. Muir |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
humfrydog
Trained Attack Dog
Joined: June 27, 2003
Posts: 529
Location: reno,nevada
|
| Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 8:03 am Post subject: |
|
|
the spindle swap info i suggested may be incorrect. it is the way a guy described it to me. i have done it yet. i was at franklin vw works webpage. they offered " the classic flipped spindles" for $300.00. i dont now if this is the same thing. i will talk to the guy that gave me this info and get back to you soon.
_________________
Somebody stop the world spinning.I think I am getting dizzy.
OGJHC Nevada chapter |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
saltfactor
Samba Member
Joined: January 25, 2003
Posts: 507
Location: Wilmington, NC
|
| Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 8:29 am Post subject: Spindles |
|
|
Right-on Humphrydog. I was kinda trying to visualize on how that would work out. I haven't actually climbed up under the old girl to scope it out yet. She's still in primer and the precip scene has been sketchy the past couple days so she's chillin' in the garage.
_________________
'74 Westy
'60 11 Window Standard Microbus
'65 Standard Beetle
'61 Double-Door Panel (Sold)
'78 Standard Transporter (Sold)
'66 Panel (Sold)
'70 Fasty (Sold)
'70 Standard Transporter (Sold)
'68 Type 3 Fastback (Sold)
'69 Bus (On tour somewhere)
'70 Fastback (Sold)
'59 NSU Prinz!!! (On a racetrack someday in my dreams)
'66 Buick Wildcat (Sold)
"Come to kindly terms with your Ass for it bears you" - J. Muir |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
humfrydog
Trained Attack Dog
Joined: June 27, 2003
Posts: 529
Location: reno,nevada
|
| Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 10:28 am Post subject: |
|
|
heres how it was explained to me. you can contact jeremy at lynch fabrication to have this done. press the spindle apart.
-knock out the dust cap.
-take the centre linkpin carrier, seals, and fiber washer and that stuff gets flipped over.
-now rotate it 180 from the dirrection it was(that is how it will install), now see how it hits the back of the spindle? that area needs to be clearanced so it can rotate 360 freely
-once it is clearanced, make a gusset for the front of the spindle to reinforce the material you have removed.
-reinstall the center assembly and install the upper kingpin but this time from below and without the fiber washer and seal(there is no room for them now)
-press it back together and reinstall the setpin
-tack weld the dustcap on the top of the spindle
-use a diegrinder and retaper the tierod hole from below so you can flip yout tierods to get rid of bumpsteer.
there will be linkpin dust caps that do not get reused and also cupped washers between the spindle and trailing arms that dont get reused either.
hope this helps ya if not let me know and i can build them for you.
Jeremy
_________________
JHC MEMBER# 1,231,766 Nor-Cal Chapter
VW ranch opening dec.31st
Support your local Red & White Chapter
_________________
Somebody stop the world spinning.I think I am getting dizzy.
OGJHC Nevada chapter |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
humfrydog
Trained Attack Dog
Joined: June 27, 2003
Posts: 529
Location: reno,nevada
|
| Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 10:32 am Post subject: |
|
|
in case theres any confusion. humfry"s real name is rob. the "jeremy" at the bottom of my post is jeremy from lynchs fabrication. that is his email to me explaining how to do it on my bus. i just copied and pasted it here to try and help. jeremy also does great work at a fair price. you can find him on the samba.hope that clears everything up.
_________________
Somebody stop the world spinning.I think I am getting dizzy.
OGJHC Nevada chapter |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
