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bomberbob
Samba Member
Joined: May 17, 2015
Posts: 688
Location: Iowa
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 Posted: Sun May 24, 2015 6:54 am Post subject: coil over shocks |
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More work on my ebay derelict. Previous owner donated the car to a boys ranch, who auctioned it off on ebay. I thought I could rescue it and bought it. Everything I touch is put together wrong. The engine seal on the back of the compartment was installed upside down, so you could see right down through the big crack. One example of many.
PO had chrome spoke wheels, which were offset so they would rub. He counteracted that by putting shocks on the car with coil over springs (I think). Car came with new parts in a box, there are a brand new pair of front and rear shocks, also with the nice chrome coil over springs.
Is this just a simple matter of installing some stock shocks and throwing whats on it away? I don't want to install new shocks and have the same problem, and find out the PO monkeyed with something else. |
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MagmaJctAz
Samba Member
Joined: November 26, 2011
Posts: 289
Location: Mesa, AZ
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| Posted: Sun May 24, 2015 11:07 am Post subject: |
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I can't help you. 
But here is another example why I have a hard time accepting people who buy perfect specimens of vintage vehicles, then butcher them all to hell. Sure, it's legally their vehicle, and they are legally allowed to do as they wish with them.
But they soon grow bored with none of their "re-engineering" working right, and they get rid of it. People need to learn no one is making these cars anymore! If you want to butcher something, find something that's already been butchered, and leave the perfect specimens for people like us who wish to restore them.
Okay, rant mode off. Thank You, I needed that!
Regards,
Mike
_________________
1974 Super Beetle. Owned since 1995. Daily Driver. Turned over odometer twice!
1971 Fastback. Check out my Fastback resurrection thread!
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=627711&highlight= |
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Brian
Samba Moderator
Joined: May 28, 2012
Posts: 8340
Location: Oceanside
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| Posted: Sun May 24, 2015 1:42 pm Post subject: |
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Shocks are super simple to replace, and those Chrome Coilovers are junk that will give you a nice and funky ride.
You have a '68? Do you know what type of suspension it has in the rear? You can get some nice OE style shocks here: front and rear (rear one if you have swing-axle suspension)
But no, if the wheels have a stupid offset on them and you put on some stock shocks they're probably going to still rub. I would just get rid of those wheels, stock wheels are out there in the plenty. Chrome Mangles are available, they have workable offsets.
_________________
Wash your hands
'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
'71 Bug
'68 Camper
Only losers litter |
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kbowren
Samba Member
Joined: April 25, 2015
Posts: 13
Location: Burbank
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| Posted: Sun May 24, 2015 5:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Don't know if this helps, but my 70 convertible I bought several months ago had coil overs on the front. Car sat way high in the front and rode like a buckboard. I changed them out for a set of Monroes from Pep Boys. It lowered the front about an inch, but still rides rough. Hardly any give at all when I push down on the front. My 195/65/15's will never rub! |
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Brian
Samba Moderator
Joined: May 28, 2012
Posts: 8340
Location: Oceanside
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| Posted: Mon May 25, 2015 1:08 am Post subject: |
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Nor will 165R15 on stock wheels with OEM style shocks.
_________________
Wash your hands
'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
'71 Bug
'68 Camper
Only losers litter |
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kamesama980
Samba Member
Joined: June 22, 2014
Posts: 323
Location: Columbus, IN
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| Posted: Mon May 25, 2015 6:42 am Post subject: Re: coil over shocks |
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| bomberbob wrote: |
| ... I don't want to install new shocks and have the same problem, and find out the PO monkeyed with something else. |
You'll have that until you fix it all  . Those are cheap load-assist shocks, not a true performance coilover. They're cheap shocks with cheap springs. cheap shocks, like gabriel or monroe will always ride bad. Either way, spring-assist shocks aren't a solution to the tires/wheels being the wrong size, they're just a bandaid.
Keep in mind you're working on a very light 45 year old car, it won't meet the same standards as today or the last 20 years for ride quality
_________________
-Russell
"You don't get to blame me for how I fix what you break"
1970 VW Beetle
1994 Pontiac Firebird
2001 BMW R1200C
2003 Subaru Baja |
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bomberbob
Samba Member
Joined: May 17, 2015
Posts: 688
Location: Iowa
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| Posted: Mon May 25, 2015 8:53 am Post subject: |
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I got a set of 4 old steel wheels from Bobs salvage yard. These chromes and tires will go on craigslist or something. I don't want them. No pedal stop, PO welded some metal piece in to prop them up. I cut that out. Put clamps on the hoses to the master cylinder and crushed the plastic fittings, so I replaced the master cylinder. The two bolts holding the pedal cluster in: they tried to use bolts with the wrong thread pitch. Since the bolts would only go in a little and then seize, they put a bunch of washers under the head to take up the extra space. What the? No telling what kind of maintenance malpractice they did with the brakes, hopefully they didn't split the case and monkey with the motor (this rod bolt doesn't fit right, lets just put some extra washers under it.....)
Mike I agree with you. Legally they can do what they want, but it seems people should know their limits when it comes to stuff like this. |
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kamesama980
Samba Member
Joined: June 22, 2014
Posts: 323
Location: Columbus, IN
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2015 10:30 am Post subject: |
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| bomberbob wrote: |
I got a set of 4 old steel wheels from Bobs salvage yard. These chromes and tires will go on craigslist or something. I don't want them. No pedal stop, PO welded some metal piece in to prop them up. I cut that out. Put clamps on the hoses to the master cylinder and crushed the plastic fittings, so I replaced the master cylinder. The two bolts holding the pedal cluster in: they tried to use bolts with the wrong thread pitch. Since the bolts would only go in a little and then seize, they put a bunch of washers under the head to take up the extra space. What the? No telling what kind of maintenance malpractice they did with the brakes, hopefully they didn't split the case and monkey with the motor (this rod bolt doesn't fit right, lets just put some extra washers under it.....)
Mike I agree with you. Legally they can do what they want, but it seems people should know their limits when it comes to stuff like this. |
that sucks. My last truck was like that. Bunch of 1" wrinkle/crimp bent pipe "because these motors lose all the torque without enough backpressure" 2.4l 4 cyl was so stopped up... and for security, he cut all the wires from the ignition switch and ran them to a switch on the left side of the column and a button to start on the right side. Not hidden, both in plain sight easy to reach. seats, rest of the exhaust, paint...list goes on. shoulda passed on it but oh well.
_________________
-Russell
"You don't get to blame me for how I fix what you break"
1970 VW Beetle
1994 Pontiac Firebird
2001 BMW R1200C
2003 Subaru Baja |
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Old n' slow
Samba Member
Joined: October 29, 2012
Posts: 619
Location: Western Maryland
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2015 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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| kbowren wrote: |
| Don't know if this helps, but my 70 convertible I bought several months ago had coil overs on the front. Car sat way high in the front and rode like a buckboard. I changed them out for a set of Monroes from Pep Boys. It lowered the front about an inch, but still rides rough. Hardly any give at all when I push down on the front. My 195/65/15's will never rub! |
. Your VW is very light in the front compared to modern cars. Most after market shocks are way too harsh. Get VW Original equipment shocks or shocks made by someone who knows Air cooled VW's.
_________________
Currently own : 1969 Beetle w/ 1600cc, Single Port, Solex 30 PICT 2, Dist. 113 905 205 T, stock exhaust.
All my daily drivers gone but not forgotten;
1964(sunroof)1967 & (2)1968 Beetles , 1968 Squareback , 1963 (23 window )Deluxe Sunroof Bus , 1969 Westphalia camper, 1974 Dasher , 1985 Vanagon , (2) 1981 Rabbit Diesels & a 1991 Jetta Diesel . |
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kbowren
Samba Member
Joined: April 25, 2015
Posts: 13
Location: Burbank
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2015 10:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Old n Slow, what shocks to you recommend? |
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Old n' slow
Samba Member
Joined: October 29, 2012
Posts: 619
Location: Western Maryland
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| Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 3:50 am Post subject: |
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| kbowren wrote: |
| Old n Slow, what shocks to you recommend? |
I had Napa gas shocks on the front & coil overs on the rear. I hated the ride .
I took them off and put Cofap shocks on all around for a stock ride. Sachs is also very good . Do a search on Samba you will find many opinions on shocks.
_________________
Currently own : 1969 Beetle w/ 1600cc, Single Port, Solex 30 PICT 2, Dist. 113 905 205 T, stock exhaust.
All my daily drivers gone but not forgotten;
1964(sunroof)1967 & (2)1968 Beetles , 1968 Squareback , 1963 (23 window )Deluxe Sunroof Bus , 1969 Westphalia camper, 1974 Dasher , 1985 Vanagon , (2) 1981 Rabbit Diesels & a 1991 Jetta Diesel . |
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Old n' slow
Samba Member
Joined: October 29, 2012
Posts: 619
Location: Western Maryland
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| Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 4:06 am Post subject: |
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I put Cofap on because I read that it was an OEM supplier to VW of Mexico and I wanted a stock ride. I'm sure there are better shocks for performance driving but these have served me well for about 8k miles so far.
_________________
Currently own : 1969 Beetle w/ 1600cc, Single Port, Solex 30 PICT 2, Dist. 113 905 205 T, stock exhaust.
All my daily drivers gone but not forgotten;
1964(sunroof)1967 & (2)1968 Beetles , 1968 Squareback , 1963 (23 window )Deluxe Sunroof Bus , 1969 Westphalia camper, 1974 Dasher , 1985 Vanagon , (2) 1981 Rabbit Diesels & a 1991 Jetta Diesel . |
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kamesama980
Samba Member
Joined: June 22, 2014
Posts: 323
Location: Columbus, IN
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| Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 9:43 am Post subject: |
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| kbowren wrote: |
| Old n Slow, what shocks to you recommend? |
That's a loaded question: How do you drive? How do you expect the car to ride?
I have the stock bouncy seats that absorb most of the road and drive "spiritedly" and auto-cross so I find gas-shocks to be a fighting start for the money. I had oil-shocks on back and old cheap gas shocks on the front of my bug and thought it rode rather lousy. Again though, it seems I don't drive my bug like most others do.
FYI I have KYB Gas-A-Justs all around. Rockauto has them cheapest around plus there was a $40 rebate when I got them. I like Bilsteins but $$$ and other things to do on the bug before the quality difference makes a difference.
_________________
-Russell
"You don't get to blame me for how I fix what you break"
1970 VW Beetle
1994 Pontiac Firebird
2001 BMW R1200C
2003 Subaru Baja |
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kbowren
Samba Member
Joined: April 25, 2015
Posts: 13
Location: Burbank
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| Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 9:58 am Post subject: |
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| Well... I'm 65 years old and retired... so I drive it like a teenager! |
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Brian
Samba Moderator
Joined: May 28, 2012
Posts: 8340
Location: Oceanside
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jhicken
Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2003
Posts: 9466
Location: Fallbrook, CA
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| Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 10:42 am Post subject: |
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CoFap, Boge or Sachs shocks were stock, they are designed to give you a reasonably comfortable ride. Any air or gas shocks will provide a harsher ride.
-jeffrey
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Der Kleiner Kampfwagens |
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Old n' slow
Samba Member
Joined: October 29, 2012
Posts: 619
Location: Western Maryland
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| Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 1:51 pm Post subject: |
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| kbowren wrote: |
| Well... I'm 65 years old and retired... so I drive it like a teenager! |
I'm 66, retired and drive like I have all the time in the World . Yes , it's definitely a very personal choice determined by how you will drive it. Cofaps give me the stock ride I remember from the first time I feel in love with VW's back in the 60's. To me it's a time machine transporting me back to a simpler, less rushed day.
Although I wouldn't mind having a full out off road VW Baja bug either : )
_________________
Currently own : 1969 Beetle w/ 1600cc, Single Port, Solex 30 PICT 2, Dist. 113 905 205 T, stock exhaust.
All my daily drivers gone but not forgotten;
1964(sunroof)1967 & (2)1968 Beetles , 1968 Squareback , 1963 (23 window )Deluxe Sunroof Bus , 1969 Westphalia camper, 1974 Dasher , 1985 Vanagon , (2) 1981 Rabbit Diesels & a 1991 Jetta Diesel . |
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