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vwboat Samba Member
Joined: July 21, 2011 Posts: 95 Location: Phoenix,AZ
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2018 7:04 am Post subject: bent front beam? |
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Ran off the road in the dark and hit a small tree. after pulling myself back on the road noticed that the car wanted to pull to the left. Next morning I check car and can not see any thing bent or even appear to be hit or bent,
How do I check if my beam is bent? Thanks for any help/info. |
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dustymojave Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2007 Posts: 5802 Location: Lake LA, Mojave Desert, SoCal
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2018 12:29 pm Post subject: Re: bent front beam? |
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You would need to unbolt the beam and put a straightedge across the back of it. You may have bent trailing arms also. Those are harder to measure. Another thing to check for bent is tie rods. Damage is more visible for these. You may also bend a steering arm on a spindle. Or even the spindle shaft.
It seems you need to take it to an alignment shop that is familiar with beam front ends on old school VWs. Lots of people working at alignment shops these days have NO CLUE about such front suspension. _________________ Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet. |
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earthquake Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2008 Posts: 3984 Location: SANDY VALLEY, NEVADA
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Posted: Thu May 24, 2018 10:22 am Post subject: Re: bent front beam? |
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The driver side lower tube on my front beam is bent a bit, I must have nailed a big rock at one point. Its bent back about 1/4" from the stock front mount, I am going to try to straighten it out with a piece of chain and a bottle jack one of these days, I have too much work in it just to toss it out.
Casey _________________ 74 CLASS 11 LOOK-A-LIKE
69 DUNE BUGGY
79 INTERNATIONAL SCOUT II
05 SCION XB SERIES RELEASE 2[#437]
95 Chevy C3500 dually
98 Ford E150
Link to Kelly J. Nolte 3/20/53 - 11/6/08
https://time-zonelabs.blogspot.com/p/about-kelly.html
DEATH TO CHINGERS!
[From a military recruitment poster in the novel "The Stainless Steel Rat" By Harry Harrison] |
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dustymojave Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2007 Posts: 5802 Location: Lake LA, Mojave Desert, SoCal
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Posted: Thu May 24, 2018 3:24 pm Post subject: Re: bent front beam? |
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As long as the tube is not kinked, that will work. _________________ Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet. |
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vwboat Samba Member
Joined: July 21, 2011 Posts: 95 Location: Phoenix,AZ
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Posted: Fri May 25, 2018 4:00 pm Post subject: Re: bent front beam? |
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Thanks for the reply's Trusted alignment shop confirmed beam and trailing arms bent. Have found good buy on two used beams. Have to check them out but got for a very very small amount.
Thanks again for the reply's and help. |
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