Possible or not? barndoor hybrid Beam for splits?

[EmpiGT]

I know barndoor beams aren't just laying around everywhere. If one was to make special side plates could you not run barndoor torsions and trailing arms? That way you can run beetle spindle and get a 3.5 inch drop without flipped spindles, and have tons of brake options. There is something about flipped spindles that I never fully trust. With the link pins running from below and the weight and bumps pushing up on the spindle. I've ran flipped with no issues but just a lack of trust. So could this idea be done? Anyone ever tried?

[AlteWagen]

I asked this question years back and got told the spindles were not strong enough for a heavy bus.
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[EmpiGT]

Barndoor guys have been running bug spindles for years.

[Mr. OGPaint]

This is possible, but there is an easier path to where you’re headed than swapping the BD beam....and there are some challenges you may want to consider. Barndoor and 55-63 trailing arms accept the same diameter of Link pins so the first step of your swap is easily do able with later Parts.

Step 2, barndoor tie rods are located high in the chassis roughly parallel to the upper tube...while Post BD tie rods (and centerpin) are located lower in the chassis, roughly parallel to the lower beam tube. This is the challenge of the swap you’re proposing.

So, there are ways around this steering issue...but the subject gets quite complicated quickly and the level of fab necessary increases greatly. Also, remember that a barndoor beam would need to be paired with a BD steering box because the direction of draglink travel when turning is reversed.

A quick summary of what you gain and loose with a beetle or 356 spindle swap.
1. Approx 3” of drop
2. 4” of total track width decrease (narrow!), but all the narrowing is on the outside of the beam so you have a high likelyhood of tire rub on the torsion arms/springpack ends without the right wheel choice
3. Use bus linkpins with custom machined outer bushings
4. Less strong spindle
5. beetle/356 spindles have a high steering arm location similar to the BD

Finally...here’s another swap that I believe is possible and could have many of the things you want without the steering geometry issues.
Swap barndoor spindles onto your 55-63 Bus, and swap the spindles left to right and turn them upside down. You will have to deal with offset between the lower and upper tube being incorrect....but if you did this swap you would gain a 5” drop and the ability to easily mount Porsche drum brakes.I haven’t done this swap or even heard of it being done...but I’m confident it could be done.

Have fun!
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Patrick Hall

[EmpiGT]

Thanks Patrick. So does a barndoor running the center pin centered on the beam and a later split steering box and bug spindles drive horribly?
Or will this set up on a late bus put the tierods hitting the frame rails? I see that could put it all super close.

[EmpiGT]

I have figured out how to run 356 brakes on early 55-62 bus spindles. But the outer bearing is just a tad too wide. They mount up and work but the dust cap doesn't have enough meat left to slide in and stay in place. And in all the bearing catalogs I cant find one with the correct od and id that is any narrower. Plus then the spindles will need flipped. Just trying to figure out other options.
Thanks for the help.

[Mr. OGPaint]

[Mr. OGPaint]