Newbie spindle, front steering & suspension question.

[Technut27]

Rather than hijack this thread about buying spindles https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=751257 here is my question about them. I don't need them but I'm kind of fascinated by the Thing only parts given the limited OEM inventory that ever existed. New bug spindles seem to be plentiful, Things not so much.

Assuming I did need spindles and wanted to maintain something close to stock height but couldn't source a pair of originals can that height be achieved by the following?

- Stock Thing beam
- Stock Thing arms
- Bug lift spindles
- Bug ball joints installed correctly

Or would an adjustable beam come into play here? I'm sure I'm missing something.

[TDCTDI]

While you can make lifted Beetle spindles work to get the same ride height as stock Thing spindles, you not only get a weaker spindle due to the combination of welded parts & lots of unsupported leverage, but you now have the lower balljoint that is trying to (and will) pull itself apart to suspend the vehicle. Not a good plan if you want to go off-road.


On a stock beetle spindle, the stub is in between the upper & lower balljoint attachment points. On a lifted spindle, either the stub is cut off, a steel plate is then welded to the “upright” and then another stub is then welded to the plate, or, two sets of spindles are used. The stub is cut off one upright & the balljoint mounting points are cut off the other & the two are welded together. Either way, the stub is now fully below the lower balljoint & relying solely on the quality of the weld and the quality/condition of the metal used.

(Images stolen from Bryan’s gallery)
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[Technut27]

Thanks for the tips. I'm probably going to have some beam work in my future this year or next I'm soaking up the information.

Discussions and parts for lowering feel like they outnumber stock/raised topics 20/1. I like the stock ride height being on the tall side and would probably try to keep it that way.

[TDCTDI]

Install a set of Bilsteins, a pair of adjusters, reclock the rear torsion bars, & slip on some bigger meats. I have 12” of clearance with this combination.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.