Off road modifications for your bus FAQ

[KrisBalfe]

If I felt it needed a battery door hinged on the rack bolts it would get one. Is there such a thing as bay window purists? If so I suggest not looking any further into this bus and apologize, as hurting them was not my intent. Yours truly the hacking hacker of hackville.

[Brian]

ngl (not going to lie) my drivers side battery compartment is hacked up with a big old hole. I was thinking of doing a pulley system to raise and lower a spare battery without a complicated door majigger
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Wash your hands

'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
'71 Bug
'68 Camper

Only losers litter

[notchboy]

Now lifted on Wagens West front/rear lift kit. 215/75/15's.

Now the fronts don't rub at all on the sway bar, the turning radius is now super tight. I have longer throw shocks coming, but for now the rears have extenders on them.

Link

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[KrisBalfe]

🤘🏽🤘🏽👍🏼

[Earl Bay]

looks the nuts!

[ImAddicted]

Had a little time today and the weather held for a few hours. $1 feabay LEDs “daytime running lights” make decent perimeter lighting, especially for the cost . Not really stealth but I think inconspicuous enough that won’t detract too much visually when off. Still planning one a few flood lights on the corners for after dark excursions. Think these little ones will do ok for camp lighting. Have on both sides, wired to be able to be switched on side or side or both.

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1979 Transporter (sold)
KC1MUR

[VOLTWAGEN]

Looking to change my diff, I will be looking at using my van more on dirt roads and sand, maybe some beaches, not much if any mud, will be running BFGoodrich AT's, looking to get to some more remote campsites in Western Australia

What're the thoughts on what would be more suitable/best, a true LSD like the ZF or a ATB like Quaife or Peloquin

Van is a 72 with a modified 2L and a 6 rib trans

[airkooledchris]

[notchboy]

[vwwestyman]

Dude, that looks pretty sweet!

Stuart told me he can barely touch the ground when sitting in the open slider door. (I think that may be a slight exaggeration!)

I'm curious about a couple things.

What's it like in the wind, being taller?

Are the tires noisy?

I told Stuart yesterday that I had swapped back to stock tires (just flip-flopped with the set on the '73) last fall because I was towing the Thing and wanted to bump the RPMs, but I was also pleasantly surprised that the stock tires seemed much quieter than the General Grabbers that were on there. So they've been swapped ever since.

My front beam is pretty bad and needs replaced. So now I'm thinking about the best way to go about that. And whether that might include things like raise spindles or some other way to raise it. (Weld in adjusters, maybe?)

Hmmm...
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[notchboy]

I haven't really driven it in the wind. It's taken a lot to get it here. It still needs ball joints as the ones on it are shot. So any sway issues could be attributed to that.

The tires have noise, but not bad. That's like the biggest question people ask? To me its like a shot in the arm. Everyone asks does it hurt. Sure, a little. Off-road and AT tires make noise. They have a bigger tread. I don't mind it and since they are not mud swampers or some other BS, the noise is minimal. Look at some of my vids on youtube. Just changing the VS muffler to a stock one has made the ride lots quieter. I will be going back to the VS though.

As I said, I have no real performance data. It's all too new and costs so much, I've spread it out. Who said it here? This is a connoisseur/hobbyist bus?

Some real data.

This last brake overhaul -
Rebuild calipers $150
Rebuild FAG kits $25
Rebuild Vac can $225
Master, pads, rotors, soft lines $178
WagensWest Lift kit - $1661
Hankook DynaPro MT RT03 Off-Road Tire - 215/75R15 101Q - $556.78
4 steel 15" AUDI rims - $100
Machining them - $160
KYB Rear shocks - $60
Brake fluid - $12

It's still not 100% - Close but not dialed in till the ball joints/tie rods are done.

That's $3,127.78 in the last 3 months? Mostly just to raise it? This does not count labor done by Stuart or myself. Misilanious shit like blots, cleaner, paint, carne asada burritos.
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[isaaccarrel]

Heres a look at the most recent modifications. Ej22 so no problem spinning these things no lift a little hammering of the front wheel wells and they fit. They are utv tires that are dot approved and have 10 ply sidewalls but it still feels lofty even with brand new suspension front and rear as well as upgraded swaybars front and rear. I plan on downsizing to the grabblers listed in this thread.Heres an overnight camping trip at sugar bowl

[yellowCOwesty]

I did about a hundred miles today on the Grabbers and they are a bit noisy but not terrible.

Also have a back dated exhaust and VS and it sounds so much better that the bungled and welded together stock leaking 78 system it had.
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'78 Westy
Currently yellow and white "Sunny"
A few other air cooled VW and Porsches over the years

[cdennisg]

[ImAddicted]

[SamboSamba22]

[borninabus]

[klcarrie]

[VOLTWAGEN]

[VOLTWAGEN]