Lowering a Bay FAQ

[FlatfourFrenchy]

[Typ24]

Still running good with 2.5" sideplates clearing from ground.

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https://www.facebook.com/artzwaken

[onurenka]

[FullFender]

If I cut and turned my stock beam real low and put some low pro tires on it would I still need tubbing?
How low could I go with out tubbing?

[cdennisg]

[Tcash]

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/search.php?search...ults=posts

[zwartePiets]

So I installed a WagensWest beam with weekend with 2.5" drop spindles. Eveything went in great got it adjusted to the desired height but after driving for a few min I am getting a groan and creak somewhere in the front end. I lifted the bus up on jackstands and checked everything and all was tight. Anythoughts? Possible adjusted wrong and now the spring packs are not happy?

M

[cdennisg]

Did you pump the beam full of grease through the grease fittings?
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Confusious say it takes it takes two wipes to know you need three, but it takes three wipes to know it only needed two.

[zwartePiets]

Yup filled it with as much as it would take.

[Tcash]

Pull the shocks and test. If noise goes away, shock bushing are squeaking.
Good luck
Tcash

[zwartePiets]

Shocks off but still no change. Got a little more grease in there but not much. To make sure I am not a idiot this is what my adjusters are set at.....
Lower

Upper

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[zwartePiets]

OK back working on the bus after a brake and found out the adjusters are correct. But I needed to adjust up dude to rubbing when anyone rides with me. I followed the WW site and loosened the adjusters and pulled down on the torsion arms but that damn center adjuster will not move anything but lower. Also getting alot of creaking and groaning in the front end. Any advise????

[petervalle]

Here is my 69. I just installed a 4" narrowed beam with adjusters. The spindles are still stock ones. The rear has the stock spring plates but it has a notched frame with air bags. The adjustable plates are coming soon. Tires are also the stock height 195/75/14. But big difference on the before and after picture.

[ben_dubai]

Hi guys,

I have a 1972 bay window and I need to bring it down. So the problem is I live in Dubai at the moment so I need to order everything in one shot as shipping is super expensive.

I checked a few sites like vintage v dubs etc and I am still not sure which way to go for. Shall I get a complete new narrowed beam or are drop spindles and horseshoe plates enough?
Can anyone who has this set up post a picture of his bus?

I am in Bali at the moment and I found a sweet bay window today and it looked perfect. I measure the height from ground to wheel arches with the following measurements:

Front: 61 cm
Back: 53 cm

Wheels and tires: 195x65x 14

I really like the way it looked. Do I get a bus this low by just using drop spindles and horse shoe plates or only by a narrowed beam?

I am so happy for your feed back

Ben

[petervalle]

Ben, I am not an expert but I can tell you that once you start lowering the Bus the front tires will hit the arches. That is why you have to get a narrowed beam. The narrowed and adjustable beam is the best way to go because you can adjust your ride height to your driving conditions and to the look you want. I purchased my set up from Vintage V-dubs and although the parts are nice and function great it did take them 3 months to build them and it was a headache with their promises and 100 phone calls. It is easier if you buy the whole set up from WagensWest, buy the front and rear setups complete and no worries. Narrowed beam, spindles, narrowed tie rods and for the rear get the adjustable spring plates and horseshoe, shocks. This way everything ships one time and have everything you need.

[lintbrush]

After I swapped in 2" drop spindles (Oldspeed) in an attempt to just level things out, I hated the nose-down rake. Since I wanted to replace my torsion donuts anyways I thought I could just adjust my spring plates up to bring the rear down a bit. I bought adjustable spring plates from Airkewld, but they didn't fit my torsion bars, but that's another story. Anyways, seems like at stock angle, there is little travel to the rear bump stop. Imagine that it would be against the bump stop if I lowered the rear? I ended up servicing the rear bushings and reindexing to stock and swapping my stock spindles back in. So I'm back to stock and have to admit enjoying the ride.

What's the best approach if I just want to lower the front to match the stock rear when unloaded? 2" was too much. Maybe adjustable beam? If I want to keep my 2" drop spindles and lower the rear 1-2inches, is it okay to do that with just inner/outer spline adjustment and have the bump stops hitting or should I get u-plates in the rear and notch the bottom of my spring plates to raise it up from the standard 3.25" drop?

Here was what it looked like with just the spindles and rear with a tiny bit of 40 year old sag. Can't tell much, but the nose is down much more than what I expected with a 2" drop.

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1970 Westfalia Campmobile - SF Bay Area
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[Trashman]

What type of shocks (part number too please) do you guys recommend for my bus at this height and even lower in the rear. I'm running 2.5 inch drop spindles, 5" narrow adjustable beam in the front. In the rear I have 3" drop plates and one spline down (going to be two splines once I notch the frame.)

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Bagged 1968 Neptune Blue "Deluxe"

[Aville]

I am planning on installing air bag suspension on my 71 in order to improve the ride while also lowering it. What is the common practice for doing this on the back of the bus. My plan is to notch the frame, and take pressure of the torsion bars and just use the air bags in their place. Is this what is normally done on bays?

Thanks for the help.
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"I will dream what no one else is dreaming, and will build what no one else is building" DaVinci I believe

'71 tin top
'91 tin top

[dgizzle2]

I would take the torsion bars out

[Tcash]