body lift on a Super with struts anyone done it??

[rterfert]

something like this?

Or this

Is it possible to do like a 3 inch body lift with a strut bug?

[runslikeapenguin]

yes its possible, you would have to fab up strut towers that will retain the stock height. not sure hhow safe a 3" spacer for the upper mount would be.

but ive never seen it done. would be interesting to see it done.
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never forget 1-31-07

[takotruckin]

The lower control arms mount to the pan, and the struts mount to the body. You may be able to make a spacer for the strut the same height as the lift and keep the stock geometry, otherwise you will be lowering the front of the car.
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Member of the baja's that don't run club, for now!!

[kbwakesk8]

GO FOR IT take pic's

[shakira]

i have a lifted superbeetle myself. i just cut the bottom spring purch and moved it up an inch or so.

when i get some pics ill post em
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Black 64 standard

[LSK]

seams like a lot of work considering how easy a LP conversion is.

[shakira]

nah just some grinding and rewelding

lifting the rear is where it starts to suck lol
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Black 64 standard

[rterfert]

[takotruckin]

my spacers looked ALOT like that. the reason they didn't work is because it threw the geometry out of whack. Your idea may work, if the spacer is exactly the same height as your body lift. I do see one possible problem though. I havn't had strut towers on my super for quite a while now, but i think the struts are mounted at an angle, and adding a spacer will also make the strut mount slightly further outwards, which will REALLY screw up suspension geometry. You will need to check the angle and compensate for it.
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Member of the baja's that don't run club, for now!!

[shakira]

if its a 74 and up just get some camber bolts like this...

http://www.rocky-road.com/media/kick_align2_green.jpg

http://www.rocky-road.com/media/kick_align1.jpg

thats how mine is set up..but if its a 73 and earlier...idk
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Black 64 standard

[runslikeapenguin]

the spacers will work without throwing off the geometry as long as they are the same height as the lift. so that everything stays the same.

also if you do the body lift and the spacers im thinking some kind of strut tower brace would be a good off road investment.
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never forget 1-31-07

[alexvw]

Any follow ups on this?
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1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT SL
1974 Volkswagen Superbeetle( Mitsubishi 4G63T Swap in Progress )


http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=575769&highlight=

[Mal evolent]

setting aside the age of the post - the answers don't match the question.

the lifted cars shown have SUSPENSION lift. identifiable by the fact that the axles are below the pan, indicating that the pan has been raised.

the question was about BODY lift. the OP posted the pictures of lifted suspensions in a post about body lift.

so you are asking confused people with comprehension difficulties for advice about how to do an inadvisable thing.

Proper advice: dump the superbeetle, buy a standard, get a fresh start with the right foundation.

body lift without chassis lift. note wide band betwen body and pan, and axles in line with pan:

unlifted car:

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73 Beetle Baja, Ghia front brakes, Type 3 rear brakes, 2220 ( 94 X 80 ), Weber Progressive, Bosch SVDA, '97 Mustang seats

Baja Bugs for Volkswagen Virgins: Index

[alexvw]

Well your advice is garbage. Thanks
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1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT SL
1974 Volkswagen Superbeetle( Mitsubishi 4G63T Swap in Progress )


http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=575769&highlight=

[Derek Cobb]

I'd be welding a LP frame-head onto that Super Beetle. Re-engineering that flimsy strut front end just sounds like a recipe for disaster.

[BugMan114]

always makes me laugh when people talk about how weak struts are. those people are so clueless, and have obviously never been offroading with a super. the strut suspension is no weaker then a stock LP suspension. I've bent, and destroyed a few wheels with my 74 super and still have yet to cause any damage to the suspension. once hit a curb at full speed, destroyed the wheel and tire, but no suspension problems, lol. and yes i've had the wheels off the ground more times then i can remember. infact when they closed the road i take to my buddies house, i would always take the path behind his house that was a clearing for powerlines. there was one particular hill i would always take at around 50mph. the hill was made so perfect, that i would easily get 2 feet off the ground. never hurt a thing. landed pretty hard too. i'm sure for a true off roader, you'd want to tie in the front body, and stut towers to the cage (reduce flex), and if you have a late model super, to convert to the thicker early style control arms (tho i never had a problem with my late model stamped steel arms, other then getting dented, and rusty over time, lol). i've converted my front suspension on my super to early style (you'd need early style ball joints, struts, control arms, spindles). the tierods, centerlink, is the same. and i believe the swaybar is different, but not 100%. i bought an early model top line kit, and don't recall if the sway bar was different of not. too lazy to look it up, lol.

and if you put a body lift, and a spacer under the strut, you are simply lifting the body. the suspension will stay at the exact same height. perhaps just grind off the welds on the lower spring holder and weld them exactly where you want to raise the suspension.
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1974 Super Beetle: Custom resto in progress
1972 Super Beetle: Daily Driver
1971 Std. Beetle w/ 1929 Mercedes Benz Gazelle kit
1960 Baja Bug
1969 Baja Bug
Sand Rail- Homemade
Sand Rail- FUBAR

Aircooled Airheads

Why the hell do they call it a gland nut. its obviously a big fat bolt!!!