Steering Box stock angle determination

[vamanx]

Can anyone tell me how to replicate/determine the steering box stock angle? I replaced the front beam and installed a new steering box. Unfortunately, I hadn't taken any measurements as I thought the lower clamp would jig up the box to the stock angle. Tie rods/damper/aren't striking the top of the frame or anything else but that doesn't mean the box angle isn't wrong and i'll get bump steer. Thanks

[jspbtown]

There should be a tab on the beam that the lower half of the clamp indexes on.

[JaredJ]

Yep, there should be some nipples on the front beam that position the box in its location.

[57BLITZ]

Take a look here for a photo of the clamp . . . it sets the angle of the box . . . one position for Bugs and one for Ghias . . . https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695725
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[vamanx]

Thanks for the feedback. Both the original and the rebuilt front beams have no tab for the lower bracket to index into. They must have rusted off or were knocked off at some point. There are two square blocks attached to the beams that center the steering box on the beam, but no other blocks/tab. I'll clean and check the original beam tomorrow to see if i can find a spot weld hole for the missing tab.

[Vanapplebomb]

Older link pin beams did not have the two dowels on them. I think this changed in 1961, or there about a when the new worm and roller steering boxes came out. From that point forward they had downed for alignment.
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1800 Type 4 Berrien 295

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=487021

[andk5591]

Cant help you with left to right, BUT I concern myself more with lining up the angle of the T on the steering box with the T on the steering column. Have your steering box bolts a little loose and have the T vertical. Rotate the column the same way and you want them to be parallel or close. Crank down the box bolts and install your coupler and call it a day.

This is also a problem if you install caster shims and the beam has tabs. The tabs are no longer correct, so I may have to open up the slots on the clamp.
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