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veedubgirl
Samba Member
Joined: March 17, 2003
Posts: 292
Location: Gaston, Oregon! in the great PNW!
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 Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2024 5:09 pm Post subject: Best deal on adjustable beam? |
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Hey alll!
I’m in the market for an adjustable and slightly narrower beam for my 59.
I have a few questions.
What’s a good deal to you? I’m hoping to stay under 1k, is that realistic ?
Where’s the best place to get a beam
Thanks!! ☺️
?
How difficult is it to swap out?
_________________
Jenna
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~VW PURIST~
Living is driving a vintage VW!
I love my LULU the '59 beetle
and former owner of a
1963 beetle
1966 Riviera camper
1960 beetle |
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Busstom
Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2014
Posts: 4579
Location: San Jose, CA
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| Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2024 5:43 pm Post subject: Re: Best deal on adjustable beam? |
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| veedubgirl wrote: |
| How difficult is it to swap out? |
Difficult enough that you'll want to refer back to this thread 
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=66338
_________________
My name's Steve and it's pronounced "Bust 'em" (cuz people think I'm Tom)
| cory464 wrote: |
| if you aren't perfectly centered in the hole you will have issues when you tap it. |
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67rustavenger
Samba Member
Joined: February 24, 2015
Posts: 11040
Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2024 6:08 pm Post subject: Re: Best deal on adjustable beam? |
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Jenna,
Cb Performance is my go to these days for goodies.
https://www.cbperformance.com/product-p/6293.htm
You have a link pin beam. So lowering and narrowing the front end sometimes causes the front tires to rub on the headlight buckets.
Folks counter the rub by installing smaller front tires.
If this were a ball joint front end, I'd volunteer to give ya a hand installing the beam.
I've never worked on a link pin front end and have no idea how they go back together. 
I can take anything apart.
Just ask my now deceased Mom. I loosened all the dining room table leg screws when I was four.
Mom set dinner on the table and the whole thig crashed to the floor! 
_________________
I have learned over the years.
Cheap parts are gonna disappoint you.
Buy Once, Cry Once!
There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo!
2003 Astrovan? GFYS again, Xevin!
Don't let your bad ideas remain, ideas! |
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Busstom
Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2014
Posts: 4579
Location: San Jose, CA
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| Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2024 6:24 pm Post subject: Re: Best deal on adjustable beam? |
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| 67rustavenger wrote: |
| I've never worked on a link pin front end and have no idea how they go back together. |
It's cake, you can do it. Pins 'n Shims instead of ball joints 
_________________
My name's Steve and it's pronounced "Bust 'em" (cuz people think I'm Tom)
| cory464 wrote: |
| if you aren't perfectly centered in the hole you will have issues when you tap it. |
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veedubgirl
Samba Member
Joined: March 17, 2003
Posts: 292
Location: Gaston, Oregon! in the great PNW!
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| Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2024 6:30 pm Post subject: Re: Best deal on adjustable beam? |
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I’m fairly new at all the mechanical side of these guys but I’m fairly handy and have tinkered with other parts, just not the big stuff like engine, suspension etc.
I’ll look through that thread later. Thanks a bunch!! 
_________________
Jenna
----------
~VW PURIST~
Living is driving a vintage VW!
I love my LULU the '59 beetle
and former owner of a
1963 beetle
1966 Riviera camper
1960 beetle |
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veedubgirl
Samba Member
Joined: March 17, 2003
Posts: 292
Location: Gaston, Oregon! in the great PNW!
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| Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2024 6:33 pm Post subject: Re: Best deal on adjustable beam? |
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Uhhh that’s an old thread about my old bus, or am i wrong?
_________________
Jenna
----------
~VW PURIST~
Living is driving a vintage VW!
I love my LULU the '59 beetle
and former owner of a
1963 beetle
1966 Riviera camper
1960 beetle |
|
| Back to top |
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Busstom
Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2014
Posts: 4579
Location: San Jose, CA
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| Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2024 8:05 pm Post subject: Re: Best deal on adjustable beam? |
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| veedubgirl wrote: |
Uhhh that’s an old thread about my old bus, or am i wrong? |
Yes...I was suggesting that you'd need a mechanic, not necessarily Bus-related, a beam is a beam, generally speaking. No offense was meant, but based on your other threads and guesstimating your capability level, a beam swap is a heavy job, occasionally requiring two people if they're beginners, and, depending on those people, maybe a small floor jack (and for sure, a jack to get the car off the ground). And for sure, some very big mallets and occasionally a BFH, and often times involving cuss words and sweat, depending on the condition of your existing parts. Not to mention a whole swath of other tools. Then there's sometimes your worn-out parts that need eval and reconditioning. It's a good sized job for a weekend DIY'er, with potential pitfalls and many trips to TheSamba with "WTH is this?" questions.
But for someone like 67RA, who knows his way around these cars, and has a ton of tools, it's a much easier proposition.
_________________
My name's Steve and it's pronounced "Bust 'em" (cuz people think I'm Tom)
| cory464 wrote: |
| if you aren't perfectly centered in the hole you will have issues when you tap it. |
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esde
Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2007
Posts: 6323
Location: central rust belt
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| Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2024 8:49 pm Post subject: Re: Best deal on adjustable beam? |
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I would get a 2" narrow beam from CB, and a 4" beam from Type E
If Type E made a 2" beam, that would be my choice but they don't ..
It's a 2 person job to swap the first time, and setting it all up is a greasy day. If you're comfortable with that then have at it, it's not hard.
Getting the greasy springbuck into a beam, without knocking the center out of the adjuster is a trick, and where several friends have gotten stuck. Figuring out the link pin shims is just measuring and following directions..
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modok wrote:
Bent cranks are silent but gather no moss. I mean, ah, something like that. |
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rcooled
Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2008
Posts: 2755
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Fri Jun 07, 2024 1:54 pm Post subject: Re: Best deal on adjustable beam? |
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| veedubgirl wrote: |
| I’m hoping to stay under 1k, is that realistic? |
It is...
Here's a 2" narrowed linkpin beam for just over $300 → https://www2.cip1.com/acc-c10-4201/
Figure another $350 for a set of narrowed torsion leaves, shortened tie rods, new seals, etc. and you'll still be well within budget.
If you don't drop the front too much, you can still use your standard shock absorbers with the new beam. If you go real low, then shorter shocks will be needed too.
| esde wrote: |
| Getting the greasy springbuck into a beam, without knocking the center out of the adjuster is a trick, and where several friends have gotten stuck. |
If the beam's off the car, stand it straight up on end, then drop the well-greased & stuck-together torsion packs, with one trailing arm attached, straight down from the top.
The center pucks on PUMA-style adjusters are held in place as the torsion packs are dropped in.
_________________
'63 Ragtop (current)
'65 Ghia coupe (totaled)
'67 Ghia convertible (current)
'69.5 Ghia convertible and
'62, '63, '65, '69 Bugs (all long gone) |
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Kafer_Mike
Samba Member
Joined: June 23, 2004
Posts: 387
Location: Noblesville, IN
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| Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2024 11:01 am Post subject: Re: Best deal on adjustable beam? |
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The last beam I had from CBP was crap (bad welds, non-penetrating spot welds, etc.), but that was a number of years ago so maybe they are better these days. I always recommend Sam @ Autowerks Suspension. He uses all new materials, hand jigged and welded. I have never seen a bad one or heard a complaint on his beams. https://valleyautowerks.com
_________________
Kafer_Mike
Build 'em fast...or let 'em sit.
Last edited by Kafer_Mike on Tue Jun 11, 2024 11:10 am; edited 1 time in total |
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67rustavenger
Samba Member
Joined: February 24, 2015
Posts: 11040
Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2024 5:21 pm Post subject: Re: Best deal on adjustable beam? |
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| Kafer_Mike wrote: |
| The last beam I had from CBP was crap (bad welds, non-penetrating spot welds, etc.), but that was a number of years ago so maybe they are better these days. I always recommend Sam @ Autowerks Suspension. He uses all new materials, hand jigged and welded. I have never seen a bad one or heard a complaint on his beams. https://valleyautowerks-com |
Mike, I fixed your link to valleyautowerks below,
https://www.valleyautowerks.com/
_________________
I have learned over the years.
Cheap parts are gonna disappoint you.
Buy Once, Cry Once!
There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo!
2003 Astrovan? GFYS again, Xevin!
Don't let your bad ideas remain, ideas! |
|
| Back to top |
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