Front Beam Replacement Questions

[vwwestyman]

The front beam in my '78 is rusted pretty badly-not much of the uprights is contacting the lower tubes any more. I welded it up a couple years ago and bought some time, but it cannot be done again.

I've found a clean bare beam from a '70 somewhat locally (couple hours drive). Since I'm assuming that shipping one of these things is a bitch, I'm guessing that may be my best bet.

Seller says that the only difference is I'd have to cut my booster mount off and weld to the earlier beam. Is that accurate?

In the classifieds, I've found a rebuild kit, but the seller says he doesn't include or have needle bearings. do those need replacing often? Anyone have a source?

Another option is buying a rebuilt beam from Way Out in Arkansas. Wife and I are tentatively thinking of heading that direction in August, so if I can go without driving the Bus that long, that could be a decent option. Waiting for a call back for a quote.

Other thoughts out there?
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

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

[skills@eurocarsplus]

always easier to find the correct part...

but yes it will fit as long as it's not the 68 only beam which used the same bolt pattern as a late split.

I know I've seen the bearings and seals out there for sale. if I have a chance i'll look
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[busdaddy]

The bolt pattern changed some time (early?) in 1970, get the guy to measure the hole spacing before driving all that way just to make sure.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=151765&highlight=beam+pattern
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[pioneer1]

It seems to me the spindles are different and there are no steering bump stops...and the brake calipers are different. .,?.
I think the next owner would really curse you out when he tries to buy replacement parts that dont fit
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[skills@eurocarsplus]

[orwell84]

Avery’s or Busted Bus? I think the beam itself could be shipped. Back when BusBoys was still around, I had a front beam shipped from California to NY. I would rather pay shipping for the right part than drive 4 hours for the wrong one. Have a garage swap the parts and replace what’s broke.

[busdaddy]

[SGKent]

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2347125
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[vwwestyman]

To clarify my query a little:

The 1970 beam I was offered is bare. So I would be swapping over my torsion arms, spindles, etc from my existing beam along with rebuild parts. That means, as far as I can tell, that anyone in the future trying to order parts should be fine with ordering parts for a 1978 Bus.

I'm thinking that if the only real difference between this 1970 beam and my 1978 beam is in fact the brake booster bracket, then unless I get offered a later beam for a somewhat similar price, this is my best bet. Rather than buying a newer beam for much more and still likely needing to swap in new parts.

Put another way, that classified ad, unless it has new ball joints and all that, means that I'd be disassembling the beam and installing some of that stuff, because why wouldn't I do that before installing?

So it seems to me that spending $80 and some gas is a better deal if the only other task is I'd have to weld the bracket. Unless there is simply some other part of the equation that I am just missing. And if so, please tell me what it is!

We'll see what a quote is for a rebuilt beam, hopefully on Monday, before I pull the trigger. I do know it is a pain in the ass to do some of that ball joint work.
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

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

[ivwshane]

Have you seen this samba seller from Oregon? He says he currently has cores available that he can rebuild.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw//classifieds/detail.php?id=2103092
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77 westy 2.0 FI
69 ghia coup 1600dp
70 single cab

[mikedjames]

There is also the chance that what looks good in a classified ad turns out to have paper thin metal and is only a year or two from being just as rotten.

I would buy from a supplier who sells several, or consider aftermarket with the heavy side plates on new metal.
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[vwwestyman]

The 1970 beam is being sold by a guy who does a lot of buying and selling of old VW parts, and I've bought from him before. I like that I can actually touch and inspect it before handing cash over, too. So far, anything else would have to be shipped, which would be expensive because it's so heavy and I'd just have to trust that it is good.

Basically, it's looking like my options are to buy the 1970 beam for $80 and a "rebuild kit" for something like $450 and put it all together myself for a total of somewhere around $600 total. Or I could buy a core beam from one of the reputable breakers for about $450, and still need to put it together. Or I could buy a spindle to spindle rebuilt beam from Way Out Salvage in Arkansas for about $1500.

Until I get going in my new job next month, I have more time than money. So I'm leaning toward the 1970 beam option assuming I can verify that it'll work with my Bus. (And assuming I don't find any rust or what have you.)
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

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

[airschooled]

Make sure it has adjustable limiting stops; the older beams for bias-ply tires are a tiny bit limiting, without them.

Robbie
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[vwwestyman]

[vwwestyman]

Well over a month later... I bought that 1970 beam. A couple weeks after I got it, I saw a '75 beam offered... Ugh. Oh well.

Finally started on it today. It only had a little scale and surface rust. Otherwise it's nice and solid. Today I ground that off with a wire wheel, then degreased and cleaned it up.

I do still need to figure out how to get the old bump stops off-anyone have any pro tips for pulling those clips out?

I plan to paint it with Masterseries paint to keep this thing from rusting away.

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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

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

[vwwestyman]

Couple other questions:

On ball joints-
From a couple shakes on the old beam, they may be still OK. I know the boots were torn for some time, but they seemed tight. Of course I'll be able to check more closely soon.

However, lets assume they are still tight. Would you all just keep them and replace the boots? I ask because I know that lots of the new ones are iffy at best.
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

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

[SGKent]

there are play specs for the ball joints. If they are within it just replace the boots.You can clean the ball joints and flush some new grease in there. If they are early ball joints they will have a plastic plug you can remove and install zerc fittings. I had a perfect set I replaced with some that were rebuilt and regretted it every since. Should have just cleaned, put in new grease and perfecto.

Use a spatula glued to a long stick to clean the old grease out. If you lack the tools and knowledge do not pull the bearings out. As to the spatula, you can use super glue to hold a stick to the handle and a thick staple to hold the rubber spatula onto the handle. It will scoop the old grease right out.
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[vwwestyman]

Good tip on scooping the grease out. I was looking at it this morning and thinking about that; I was thinking maybe taking it to a car wash and blasting it out, but this seems better.

I assume it doesn't necessarily have to be squeaky clean-just get most of it out?

Planned on leaving the bearings alone as long as I don't see any concerning issues.

Anyone have any ideas on getting the old bump stops off? The clips seem to be pretty well rusted.

I was thinking of ripping the old rubber off and drilling the studs. Other ideas?
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

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

[vwwestyman]

Have some free time this afternoon, so I'm going to go pull the beam out.

My brake lines were replaced in like 2003 so I figure I might go ahead and replace the rubber lines and flush all the fluids.

I'm kinda working on this project as time/money allows. Should I worry too much if the system is open for a while? Like I said, it'll have nice, brake fluid installed when I'm done.
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

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

[Cap10323]

I went through this exact situation last year. It's not an easy job, but it's a fairly straightforward one once you get everything out.


I would go ahead and replace the ball joints while you are in the process of rebuilding the beam. It is much easier to press out the old ball joints if you have the arms removed from the beam, and can put them in a hydraulic press. The joints on my replacement beam were so seized in the arms, the "C" shaped tool designed to remove them in the car actually broke. Which would've been a disaster if I had been trying to do the joints later in my driveway.

My solution to removing the bump stops was to slice the rubber mount off of the "stem" using a Sawz-All, and then purchase new stops and clips.

I would avoid leaving your brake system totally open to the elements. Maybe buy some plastic caps and cap up your master cylinder ports and brake lines. You don't want rust forming on the inside of the lines, to then be pushed further down into the calipers etc.


Also, what do you plan to do for the brake mounting plate? cut it off the old beam and weld it to the new one? I'm interested to see what you decide to do.
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-Ian

'77 Westfalia - 2.0 F.I