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kombi narrowed beam (ball joint)

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t2 stop taking life so serious

1,102 posts · joined Mar 2004 ·

#291648
hi all,
sorry if this has been asked b4.
i am going to pull out my front beam soner or later and want to narrow it and fit some wide 5 front discs (when i save more $$$$$$$) anyway how far can i narrow it before having to custom make some side plates for the beam and without having to tub or do any mods to the body or chassis, and how is it done?, the beam is a out of a 68 bus anyone got any info or good links with how tos?
also the man down at the tyre shop says that any tyre smaller than a 165/15 is not safe and i am constantly seeing these slammed buses running 135s in differet forums around the place anyone got any comments on the tyre for the front and what good small tyre can be used? i have 195/50/15 at the moment but want to put on the og width rim with a small 135 style tyre for the good looks they give?
just fishin for pros and cons and any other safety issues

57kombi Hannover Elder

2,544 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#291833
Darren.
Might not be correct but this is what I have gathered.
The reason the tyre bloke says that anything below 165's are unsafe is because the split is still a commercial vehicle and carries a lot of weight unloaded, and with two people in the cab there is a lot of weight directly over the tyres.
Could seriously void your insurance if you have an accident and they are noticed.

Why do you want to narrow it, if you are going for a stock size rim you dont have to.
If its for the looks I believe you can go 1and a quarter inches each side, before you have to start altering inner guards and tubbing it.
but the cost is pretty drastic just for looks as you have to also cut down the leaves and also the tie-rods etc.
Also I think you have to modify the top shocker mounts.
If its to fit discs, You could get CSP wide 5 discs to fit you standard king and link pin beam, or your bay one, these dont add any more offset like the Sharman ones, Roy is bringing them in.

Hope this helps some
Cheers
Dave
That is the way I am going.

Daniel Seriously Crusin Dubber

191 posts · joined Oct 2003 ·

#292959
You'll have to do some customising to the shocktowers if you alter the width, basically because of the way the beam attaches to the outside of the chassis rails. You could narrow it 2 inches (overall) and modifiy the insides of the shocktowers to fit. That way you can still have mounts for the bumpstops.
Seeing as you're using a ball joint beam you might want to go for the full 4 inch narrowing, as the ball joint beams (when stock) are around 40mm wider than link pin. I'm using a custom disk set up which narrows my front further to counter this. Although I am using some adapters so I can run my empi 5's, so overall I have just over 3 inches narrowing.

I've got 195/50's on the front and they don't scuff at all, the offset of the empi's sits the wheels right under the highest part of the wheelwell. Let me know how you get on with the 135's, I've read comments about them not being very good in the wet.

[Edited on 13-1-2005 by Daniel]

BenettonVW Administrator AVD Forum Founder

3,125 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#293463
I have 135's on the Notch. Looks good.. other than that.. not awesome performance if that is what you are after, and Dave is right, this is still a very heavy car unlaiden, so it might be an idea not to go with em.. I dunno. If I was running 15's on my bus, I would be very tempted to run 5's with 135's, and for that matter, still am.

I will be running narrowed beam, 4 inch, but mine will be K & L. If it is a big drama, you could always import a done one from over the pond, either US in several places, or Weedeater stuff from Creative (http://www.creative-engineering.com ) but it is pretty big bucks..

THE LOWEST WITH THE MOSTEST BLING BLING WINS!!

Menangler Custom Title Time!

1,991 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#299564
Daniel,
A ball joint beam is exactly the same width as a king and link beam, measured drum to drum and then disc to disc on the later beam.
I just put one in my split ute, they are the same unless your New Zealand busses are different!!

I am using wide 5 adapters on stock '76 discs which are 10mm thick, my Flat 4 sprintstar wheels with 195 x 65 tyres just fit under.

[Edited on 27-1-2005 by Dave Becker]
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Daniel Seriously Crusin Dubber

191 posts · joined Oct 2003 ·

#302021
Chief from Kruizinwagon first told me about the different widths, and the ball-joint ones I measured were wider.

pete wood 23 Windows of Awesome

6,828 posts · joined Jan 2004 ·

#310033
said it b 4 the crash, what about stepped adaptors?

I reckon you could probably step them inwards up to 1/2 and inch. that would be the same effect narrowing the beam only heaps easier, and might I add, probably safer.
"stoopid is stronger than axles"
http://drivingnotpolishing.blogspot.com.au/

ClassicVW(pacific) Custom Title Time!

1,627 posts · joined Jul 2004 ·

#310201
Weedeater front beams are narrowed by 83mm and including multi position adjusters.
Hollow turrets etc etc
For more info give us a call