Front beam help

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 8 Aug 2005, 2:46 pm

#394975

Ok - i know jack about beams

My friend has a Suth Effricun beetle. A 1968 drum all round job. Being restored now.
Ummm.... what is it?? ball joint or King and Link??? (see pics)

Now she wants discs on the front and to lower it

What should she do??
Dropped spindles??
Beam??

Going to run slightly wider stock wheels.
Is a narrowered beam necessary??
What width with what ET can you run on a stock beam??

When the beam is changed and we put a disc brake set up on do you need to keep it K&L if it is now or can she change to ball joint?? or do you need to change all the steering tie rods etc etc???

Extended shock towers necessary??

Yes - i could ring CBB and wate their time asking stoopid questions.
Want to try and get an understanding before i ring around.

The Classic VW beam excludes torsion leaves. How hard are they to cut??

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Futue te ipsum!!!

ruckus Veteran Volks Folk

2,118 posts · joined Jun 2004 · 8 Aug 2005, 3:22 pm

#394978

Looks like K&L to me.

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 8 Aug 2005, 3:25 pm

#394979

Thanks - thought so but i only know struts

Now - if i put a new beam in can it be a ball joint?? or does it have to stay K&L??

Who does the best brakes for K&L??

Futue te ipsum!!!

ruckus Veteran Volks Folk

2,118 posts · joined Jun 2004 · 8 Aug 2005, 4:06 pm

#394992

Pretty sure you have to change the whole pan because the frame head is different... but I might be wrong?nn[ Edited on 8-8-2005 by ruckus ]

56astro Custom Title Time!

1,772 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 8 Aug 2005, 5:19 pm

#395012

I don't know of any simple way to fit a BJ beam to a K&L frame head as the top and bottom tubes are spaced differently.

CB Performance do a K&L drum to disc (and lowered) stubs but they do increase the front track slightly.

No easy solution Barry.

VW car, VW engine ...... keepin it "real"
35MPG on 101.3kPa

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 8 Aug 2005, 5:25 pm

#395016

So the "easiest" solution is to do a 1976 pan swap???

IRS, BJ's, Discs all in one hit??

Futue te ipsum!!!

pyr0 flame-on

4,457 posts · joined Mar 2003 · 8 Aug 2005, 5:29 pm

#395017

while on the front end and if they can afford it, i'd suggest dropspindals to lower it, this keeps the travel in the suspension good ;) the down side is it widens your track a little so running slightly wider wheels maybe a problem, inturn to run wider wheels with drop spindals the beam may have to be narrowed a lil :tu:

Founding member of the C'town Rat-Pack

Adam_C Custom Title Time!

1,180 posts · joined May 2003 · 8 Aug 2005, 6:00 pm

#395029

Bizarre wrote:Ok - i know jack about beams

My friend has a Suth Effricun beetle. A 1968 drum all round job. Being restored now.
Ummm.... what is it?? ball joint or King and Link??? (see pics)

This is definately a king and link by what i can see.

Now she wants discs on the front and to lower it

What should she do??
Dropped spindles??
Beam??

If she wants disks and to lower it a touch then spindles and disks are the go. CB performance and the like do kits like these.

Going to run slightly wider stock wheels.
Is a narrowered beam necessary??

Depends on how wide and how low it goes. there are alot if people runing stock beams with larger wheels, If drop spindles are used a slight increase in track is there.... therefore it would be beneficial to narrow .... how narrow comes down to trial and error.... try it when the beam is stock. if it needs it narrow away.
What width with what ET can you run on a stock beam??

When the beam is changed and we put a disc brake set up on do you need to keep it K&L if it is now or can she change to ball joint?? or do you need to change all the steering tie rods etc etc???

Has to stay king and link as the horisontal tubes where the springs are are a different spacing.

Extended shock towers necessary??

Not at all if you use spindles,steering and suspension geometry remains the same, if adjusters are used and you are narrowing it more than

Yes - i could ring CBB and wate their time asking stoopid questions.

You could, but stick with the mechanics that you know.....

The Classic VW beam excludes torsion leaves. How hard are they to cut??

VERY hard steel. if you have the toold to cut hardened spring steel (or whatever the hell type of steel the torsion springs are made of)

any more Q's?

Adam
Adzslick@iprimus.com.au

Adam_C Custom Title Time!

1,180 posts · joined May 2003 · 8 Aug 2005, 6:02 pm

#395030

lowering can also be done by buying and fitting adjusters or an allready lowered adjustable beam..... you will have to investigate quality and price comparisons. but i will allways build my beams with the help of those who know much more about thier construction

Adam
Adzslick@iprimus.com.au

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 8 Aug 2005, 7:27 pm

#395069

So a dropped spindle disc brake kit is one option

http://www.cbperformance.com/catalog.asp?ProductID=1191

Does anyone know (yeah yeah - just asking first) if CBB does a version of this??
That is engineerable in NSW??

Why do i hear some people not like dropped spindles?? Is it the quality of manufacture that is in doubt??
(sorry - as i said b4 - i am a strut person. Just trying to help a beam-er)

Futue te ipsum!!!

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 8 Aug 2005, 7:30 pm

#395071

The disc brake kits with standard height spindles are the same price??

http://www.cbperformance.com/catalog.asp?ProductID=1190

Why would i go standard spindle with a lowered beam when i have to pay more for the beam???nn[ Edited on 8-8-2005 by Bizarre ]

Futue te ipsum!!!

Adam_C Custom Title Time!

1,180 posts · joined May 2003 · 8 Aug 2005, 7:35 pm

#395075

Barry its not worth me posting if u want more info u2u me im guna get whinged at if i post my opinion and what i would use.

Not worth posting on this site anymore.... nn[ Edited on 8-8-2005 by Adam_C ]

Adam
Adzslick@iprimus.com.au

HotRodMatt If it\'s old or rare - cut it!

3,616 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 8 Aug 2005, 8:26 pm

#395106

Have you seen the results of the tests Adam? Better than original.

And it is nothing like $1500 to get them approved.

bugeyedbabe Wheres her VW heart on her sleeve

3,945 posts · joined Jan 2005 · 8 Aug 2005, 8:56 pm

#395123

Edited..... Continue with the discussionnn[ Edited on 8-8-2005 by Adam_C ]

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VWCOOL 23 Windows of Awesome

5,158 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 11 Aug 2005, 10:57 am

#396269

The SA cars are an odd mix of bits depending on years, I think. My bro and I had one - it was like an Aussie 60s car but was a 72 model, I think.

Ocassionally, K&L front disc brakes come up for sale second-hand on here or Qld's Custom Off Road do a kit.

A '76 (or 68 semi-uto) pan swap is best... and while you are at it, do the shell to get larger glass, better electrics and better body with Super-style stronger door latches etc. Oh! It's another car!

Lowering a little for street use; just add an adjuster in the upper front tube of the front end. Forget all the talk of narrowed beamns etc etc. It's overkill effort and $ unless the car is to be 'dumped' or is for show...

Pay your debts, CxxT