Can't raise front end with adjustable beam

[uffdakev]

I have been trying to raise my front end with an adjusable beam I installed 10 years ago when I had the body off. All new bushings, tie rod ends steering damper, sway bar etc. I wasn't happy with how it steered so I am trying to raise the front end hopefully closer to standard. The attached picture shows the current setting for the adjuster grub screws. The lock plate is only there for demonstration.

I have the wheels hanging and the shocks released. I have bounced the tires. I have read that the wheels should drop and the car will sit at it's highest profile.
Nothing has changed. Any help?
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Kevin
70 Ghia vert

[Phat73]

try undoing your shocks, it may be that the shocks are maxxed out in their travel. JM2cW
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I succeed because I fail.

[jeffrey8164]

It’s actually a little more difficult as the upper and lower arms pre load on one another. Nothing will “fall”. It will need some coercion. Keep in mind that most all adjustable beams start a little lower than stock in their highest position.
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[TDCTDI]

With the shocks off, front of vehicle off the ground, remove both upper & lower clamps & push down on the wheels. You can also slip a 11-12mm deep socket over the clamping stud, insert an extension into the socket & try pushing up on the extension.
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[Onceler]

The sway bar might be holding things up
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1972 Karmann Ghia

[rcooled]

[TDCTDI]

[rcooled]

[uffdakev]

Ok, I have tried everything mentioned here. I had already removed the shocks, I removed the sway bar, I pried down on the tires while in the air with a 2x4, I lowered the car onto the ground and bounced on it, I put a nut on the grub screw and pried on it with a socket. No movement at all. I know I lubed the beam many years ago but maybe not enough. Would it be too late to add more lube? The car only has about 4 miles on it since the restoration.
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Kevin
70 Ghia vert

[c21darrel]

Can you adjust "up"? is it already at its lowest? Happens.
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[uffdakev]

I looks like there is a small amount of 'down' available, maybe one notch. But when I put the car on the ground and bounced it, no change.
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Kevin
70 Ghia vert

[didget69]

[TDCTDI]

Does this beam use original style torsion arm bearings or does it have the crappy urethane bushings?
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[uffdakev]

The car wandered when I drove it. I had aligned it myself, but it had 3" + play in the steering wheel so I rebuilt the steering box per the instructions here on the Samba. After that it drove worse. Admittedly I hadn't realigned it yet, but I thought that it having an adjustable beam I might raise it up to a normal height. This being the most easy fix attempt. (ha ha).

It does not have the urethane bushings on the front.
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Kevin
70 Ghia vert

[didget69]

Sounds like Caster may be out as well.

Bryan
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[ghiacrew]

If I am not mistaken, shouldn't those grub screws be pointing up toward the gas tank to raise the front end?

[uffdakev]

Yes, I am trying to get the grub screws to move up.
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Kevin
70 Ghia vert

[jbillow]

specially designed ball joints should be used with adjustable beams. They allow for sharper angles and extension. Yours could be binding. take your wheels off for a better look. you can also pop your ball joints out of the spindles (both sides) and see if the beam moves, as I suspect your issue is more in your spindle/ball joint as opposed to the beam itself.

[uffdakev]

I am redoing the steering box that I did incorrectly and then I am going to align the front end including caster.

Here are two pictures to show my front left ball joints (from front and rear).

This is with the car on jack stands and wheels off.
Do these look like the ball joint is binding?
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Kevin
70 Ghia vert

[TDCTDI]

Remove the center clamping studs on both upper & lower center adjusters, this will allow you to cycle the suspension to both extremes to see where the balljoints reach their limits.

Your balljoints are either clocked incorrectly or you're using modern balljoints that don't have the notches. If clocked incorrectly, you'll reach the max angle really quickly, if using modern balljoints, you may not have the original full range of motion.

I will say that your suspension travel has a much greater range of motion than your shocks appear to have.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.