Skip to content
Aussieveedubbers

66 front beam clarification - urgent.

0 likes
Share Share on Facebook Share on X Share on Reddit
Log in to reply

KalgoorlieGreg Seriously Crusin Dubber

196 posts · joined Aug 2016 ·

#1035335
Hi all,

What front beam should a 1966 Aussie Standard have?

Mine has a King/Link Pin beam, which is damaged and needs replacing.

Found one in another 1966, but it's a Ball Joint beam.

What's going on? I know they aren't a straight swap.

Cheers, Greg.

Governor Wolfsburg Wizard

414 posts · joined Nov 2008 ·

#1035337
As far as I was aware all had K&L till after 67?

vwo60 Veteran Volks Folk

2,036 posts · joined Feb 2007 ·

#1035338
Does it have four stud wheels all round and discs on the front end, 68 on have the ball joint front end but the US model had the 67 with a ball joint front end with 5 stud drums. Link pin and ball joint front ends are not interchangeable as they have different tube spacing. it would require the frame head change to fit the latter beam
http://www.clubvw.org.au/austvw001

psimitar Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,506 posts · joined Jan 2009 ·

#1035359
Aussies are terrible at whacking one year of body onto another year of floorpan and then say it's a whatever based on the body. If you look up the chassis number that will tell you fairly certainly what year floorpan you have and hence whether it should be a KP or BJ beam. Well unless someone decided to do a framehead swap but that's somewhat unlikely.

Oh, and whatever beam you currently have fitted. Well a KP/LP beam has straight upright shock towers that only angle towards the rear of the vehicle. BJ beams have the shock towers lean backwards and outwards.
madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍

KalgoorlieGreg Seriously Crusin Dubber

196 posts · joined Aug 2016 ·

#1035362
I have upright shock towers, drum brakes and wide 5's.

I don't know what hubs were on the other 66 beam I was looking at because they were gone. Shock towers were leaning out.

Both are 66 Beetles. Mine must be early in the year, his must be late and started using the different 67 setup.

vwo60 Veteran Volks Folk

2,036 posts · joined Feb 2007 ·

#1035365
68 was the first year of the BJ beam and 4 stud wheels, the 67 I had was LP and 5 stud wheels, if it has the BJ beam some one has changed the frame head, how is the pan, you could do a pan swap and use the BJ beam. swapping the pan is very straight forward.

KalgoorlieGreg Seriously Crusin Dubber

196 posts · joined Aug 2016 ·

#1035368
Pan isn't available. Only the beam was for sale.

dangerous 23 Windows of Awesome

5,901 posts · joined Jan 2005 ·

#1035371
66 Euro bugs had ball-joint beam and wide five drums.
From memory the tie rods' taper and thread are smaller than the 68-on,
and the stub has at least one size smaller than the later ball joint stubs.
westi wrote:That's mad Alan.

psimitar Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,506 posts · joined Jan 2009 ·

#1035374
KalgoorlieGreg wrote:I have upright shock towers, drum brakes and wide 5's.

I don't know what hubs were on the other 66 beam I was looking at because they were gone. Shock towers were leaning out.

Both are 66 Beetles. Mine must be early in the year, his must be late and started using the different 67 setup.
I be surprised if someone went the extent of doing a frame head conversion. More likely it's a later entire pan under a 66 body. Doing a pan swap is extremely simple compared to a framehead swap. Not that I'm saying it isn't an option.

Anyhow, from what you've said you now have a BJ beam that is of no use to you unless you either change the pan to a BJ pan or do a framehead conversion.

If you really want disc brakes then for the LP beam you'll have to look at kits specifically for the wide 5 wheel bolt pattern.
madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍

KalgoorlieGreg Seriously Crusin Dubber

196 posts · joined Aug 2016 ·

#1035377
psimitar wrote:
KalgoorlieGreg wrote:I have upright shock towers, drum brakes and wide 5's.

I don't know what hubs were on the other 66 beam I was looking at because they were gone. Shock towers were leaning out.

Both are 66 Beetles. Mine must be early in the year, his must be late and started using the different 67 setup.
I be surprised if someone went the extent of doing a frame head conversion. More likely it's a later entire pan under a 66 body. Doing a pan swap is extremely simple compared to a framehead swap. Not that I'm saying it isn't an option.

Anyhow, from what you've said you now have a BJ beam that is of no use to you unless you either change the pan to a BJ pan or do a framehead conversion.

If you really want disc brakes then for the LP beam you'll have to look at kits specifically for the wide 5 wheel bolt pattern.
I didn't end up buying the beam. We spotted the difference before money changed hands, luckily.

I'll keep on looking for a LP beam. Not in a rush but would like everything sorted, just for piece of mind.

Massive thanks to everyone for their inputs.

AA003 Custom Title Time!

1,189 posts · joined Oct 2011 ·

#1035393
All 6v wide 5 Australian Beetles had king pin beams.

Ball joints were on 12v fully imported and CKD Beetles. ('68-'76 )
I read it on samba, so it must be correct.

Sometimes Volkswagen dealers sell spare parts. Amazing isn't it!😂

psimitar Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,506 posts · joined Jan 2009 ·

#1035417
KalgoorlieGreg wrote:I didn't end up buying the beam. We spotted the difference before money changed hands, luckily.

I'll keep on looking for a LP beam. Not in a rush but would like everything sorted, just for piece of mind.

Massive thanks to everyone for their inputs.
What's wrong with your current LP beam? Maybe it'll be better to rebuild it rather than get a second hand one that may need new bearings and seals too.
madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍

KalgoorlieGreg Seriously Crusin Dubber

196 posts · joined Aug 2016 ·

#1035418
Bent beam.

It's bent. You can't straighten pipe properly. It'll always be bent out of shape.

HappyDaze Superannuated

2,887 posts · joined Jun 2009 ·

#1035423
Easy enough to straighten...I've done quite a few of 'em. 👍

All you need is a good quality chain, and a hydraulic jack.
I'd rather wear a Beetle out by racing it than by polishing it!

psimitar Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,506 posts · joined Jan 2009 ·

#1035427
KalgoorlieGreg wrote:Bent beam.

It's bent. You can't straighten pipe properly. It'll always be bent out of shape.
Ah, I see. It could be straightened but unless you have the time, tools and experience then a good second hand one is definitely the simpler option 🙂
madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍

KalgoorlieGreg Seriously Crusin Dubber

196 posts · joined Aug 2016 ·

#1035431
I have the tools at work, but as it's a multinational mining company with restricted site access, I can't take it in!

And starting with a fresh beam let's me build it up while keeping the pan rolling.

psimitar Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,506 posts · joined Jan 2009 ·

#1035438
KalgoorlieGreg wrote:I have the tools at work, but as it's a multinational mining company with restricted site access, I can't take it in!

And starting with a fresh beam let's me build it up while keeping the pan rolling.
Yup, I know how that goes. All the best with your search 🙂
madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍