Setting up 3x3 arms for a noob

[Bad_chopper]

Yes it is common, the trans builder I get a lot of my stuff threw advises his customers to only use the clip on the transaxle side.

I'd still try the pvc cut to 20 and one cut to 19.25 and see if you have enough axle. I cut a small grove on one end for the retainer clip then bolted everything together. And used a sharpie to mark the extreme ends when I cycled the suspension. Probably find out there isn't much difference in movement.
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my build page http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=536267

[thesatelliteguy]

I got a chance to go to the hardware store today for some pvc. I found the 1/2” is too small on the OD and the 3/4” was too big on the OD.
So I settled on some 3/4” EMT conduit with the ends wrapped with tape. I put enough wraps of tape on the ends of the conduit so that the cv would slide on there with a small amount of force.

With a 20” piece of conduit I put the mock-up assembly in the car and bolted down the cv joints. I can’t put the axle clip in place bc it will just slip off the conduit. So I measured the axles I have (stock Porsche 944) and found that the splines are 1-3/8” long. I made a mark on the tape on my conduit at 1-3/8” and pushed the axle into the cv until I got to that mark. (This part confused me and I’m not sure I should be taking the spine length into consideration being that it seems like with aftermarket axles, the axle is able to slide in and out on the inner cv race, right? Do I have this understood correctly?)

At level I had about 1/8” to 3/16” of axles movement.

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Toyotas are so bumpy it makes me sick, literally.

My build Page http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=383878

[thesatelliteguy]

Also something I’m considering, should I just swap everything over for 930 CV joints? I don’t really wanna spend the money right now if I don’t have to. But if I’m going to buy axles, that’s another $300 plus that I am spending on the 944 CV joint setup. The 944s also limit my travel in comparison to the 930s which would mean I could get a bigger shock in there.

I really don’t wanna bite the bullet and spend the money to get not only the CV joints and axles, but also transmission drive flanges and stub axles.
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Toyotas are so bumpy it makes me sick, literally.

My build Page http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=383878

[Bad_chopper]

This is a lot of work this way, but it's a good test. Now drop the trailing arm to what you think would be your max angle. Not sure what type 4s are but since you know how much spline sticks threw from that line you can get a good idea of where the splines would be at full droop if you only let the inner side come out enough to hit the imaginary retainer clip.

I think after chromoly cages, and a high quality cv and good boots and retainers I am about 150 per cv, plus polishing drums, and grease.

Your thinking about upgrading just like I was, then I finally bit the bullet for the same reasons. I think empi chromoly axles $250 or so, and quality cv's to hold up to that awesome subby power.

The axles you would buy have longer splines then stock. Plus no weird bumps. The cv's can go past the splines

If I'm not mistaken, most 3x3 kits come with 19.25 axles. So with a 20 inch piece of tube you have an ⅛ inch movement in and out that would make 19 an ⅞ after subtracting ¼ overall soreally you would have to round down 19 ¾ for clearance, which means your only talking a half Inch diff. I'd bet that half inch would never get used in droop anyway.
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my build page http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=536267

[cbeck]

Buy once, cry once.
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My cut in half and rebuild thread
www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647779

[thesatelliteguy]

[21golden007]

the Pacific Customs 930 kit with EMPI stuff is what I have. Everything seems of good quality except I had issues with the Stub axles. One of them assembled great while the other one was clearly a larger diameter (not the wrong part, just bad quality control) and I could not get the spacers over it. It wasn't even close. I sent it back. They sent me another one and it looked like a completely different brand with a thicker mounting surface, but the diameter was right. I said screw it and just used it anyway. The chromoly axles, CV's and flange adapters all look good and assembled good. No miles on anything yet.

[thesatelliteguy]

[Bad_chopper]

I went with a company called accutune offroad I think is the name they will take all your vehicle information. Weight arm length shock mount point ratios angles all that stuff and custom valve the shocks let you swap out springs ect. I don't exactly remember what mine are but I think 350 and 400 ill have to do some digging. I went with 12 inch 2.5 external resiviour with the dual rate adjusters. I could have gotten away with 10s maybe I think.
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my build page http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=536267

[thesatelliteguy]

Ok cool. I’ve been looking at accutune. I checked out their order form that requires all the vehicular information. I was hesitant to fill it out bc the trailing arm suspension they show on their form isn’t quite the same geometry as a vws trailing arm suspension. Glad to know you used that form and got good results anyway.
_________________
Toyotas are so bumpy it makes me sick, literally.

My build Page http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=383878

[dustymojave]

There seems a lot of truth about long lead times for shocks these days. My son and I waited several months for new shafts for the Fox coilovers on our Chenowth buggy that we were rebuilding due to a bent shaft in one of them. You MAY get lucky. You MAY find someone who has a pair of shocks for sale used.

What length shock you need depends on where on the trailing arm you put the mount. Closer to the pivot takes a shorter shock. Closer to the axle takes a longer shock. Closer to the axle provides more precise shock function. I suggest going for 2.5" shocks for it. A single shock per side should do for your use of the car.

The mounts should have the mounting bolts upper and lower all parallel to the pivot bolt for the arm. Yes, if you mount them so the bolts are square to the car the heim ends will allow for them to work. And even old school rubber bushing shocks will work to a point. But it's better to do it right the 1st time. The heims will last far longer. And they aren't cheap thees days, neither are bent shafts that are more likely to happen. (Note: the bent shaft on our Chenowth was due to a broken spindle stub causing the trailing arm and link to contact the Mojave Desert directly - the car still had stock VW spindles with gussets on the steering arms - Combo spindles were already ordered)
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Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[thesatelliteguy]

Ok so I’m actually back to the cv joints faster then I thought. I checked accutune and it seems I need to know my ride height, full compression, full droop and a few other things which means I need to put my axles in on BOTH sides and cycle the suspension so I can figure all that out.
I got to work today installing the other axle and I re-leveled the car on the Jack stands.
To find full compression I’m planning on having my suspension bottom out 4” before the chassis hits the ground.
To find full droop, I kept lowering the trailing arm until the axle was at 25°. I gave the stub axle a spin to see if there was any CV joint binding and it kind of seems like there is. But it’s hard to tell because these CV joints are brand new (tight clearances even though I hit the ball bearing tracks with a polishing stone). And I have never done this before so I don’t know how much tension is from the CV joints binding.
The axle still has in and out movement.
I’m not sure if this is my lower limit or not, but I got about 13” of travel.

But what should my ride height be?
Accutune said you want to leave about 1/3 to 2/3 of your travel exposed on the shock.
But thirds is pretty vague. Lol
Knowing I have 13” of travel, where do you think my ride height should be?
Right on the middle at 6.5”?
_________________
Toyotas are so bumpy it makes me sick, literally.

My build Page http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=383878

[cbeck]

If you think they are binding, try to slide the axle in and out. If not, raise the control arm up until the axles slide in/out. If they never slide in/out easily, you need to figure out why.
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My cut in half and rebuild thread
www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647779

[c54fun]

You can set up your ride height using droop %. Racing, street, on/off all can use different droop settings. Ask around on what people use as droop and this can give you an idea. Mine is around 40% droop but its a different set up than yours. 30% may be a good starting point for you. 30% of 13 would be 3.9 inches of droop. This would give you your ride height.