Lowering S & L Beetle front struts

helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 9 Feb 2006, 9:30 pm

#454863

I have some pics for you all on the process I went through to lower the front of our 71 S Beetle.
The old strut inserts were leaking so I thought it would be a good opportunity to lower it at the same time.

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helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 9 Feb 2006, 9:31 pm

#454864

Original height

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helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 9 Feb 2006, 9:35 pm

#454869

Pretty sad looking with it's nose all hoighty toighty up in the air like that. Bloody tart. Rip 'em out

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helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 9 Feb 2006, 9:36 pm

#454870

Rip 'em apart and chuck in some urethane bushes. Hate that shimmy.

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helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 9 Feb 2006, 9:37 pm

#454872

Cut the original cup weld with an angle grinder. Don't cut too deep.

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helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 9 Feb 2006, 9:38 pm

#454874

Knock the cup out of the way.

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helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 9 Feb 2006, 9:39 pm

#454875

Grind back the old weld nicely. I used a belt linisher to do this one.

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helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 9 Feb 2006, 9:41 pm

#454878

Clean it up. get rid of the dirt and reposition the cup ready top weld.

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helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 9 Feb 2006, 9:42 pm

#454880

D.L.I approved welds. Helps when you have a MIG welder.

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helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 9 Feb 2006, 9:43 pm

#454881

This is the lowered position welded.

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helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 9 Feb 2006, 9:44 pm

#454883

Painted.

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helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 9 Feb 2006, 9:46 pm

#454885

Two lowered struts, cleaned, welded, painted, ready for my mate the mechanic to chuck back in tomorrow morning.

Took a total of 1 hour to do everything.

Total cost. $0 I didn't even have a beer.

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oval TOFU Bitte, ein Bit!

2,946 posts · joined Jul 2003 · 9 Feb 2006, 9:51 pm

#454889

Helbus wrote:Original height

Fark that is hoighty.. what you got in the back? a cast iron block?

Nice job on the lowering.. neat welding too...

...and Robert's ya father's brother...

helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 9 Feb 2006, 9:55 pm

#454893

Oh I didn't mention the distance difference did I?

60mm

At least the rear doesn't need lowering. 😀

Stock rims & tyres so the tyres should still fit under the front. The gap was 70mm.

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vw54 Administrator Always Waiting 4 Friday

16,723 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 10 Feb 2006, 6:15 am

#454962

wheres the new pic of the lowered car

I read it on FACEBOOK so it must be true

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=91278&page=1#pid848630

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=63561&page=1#pid624099

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=4832&page=1#pid452603

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=60650&page=1#pid574409

helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 10 Feb 2006, 7:54 am

#454978

It's getting put together today with the new strut inserts, so I will have a pic tonight. Hope I haven't gone too low. 🙂

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EgeWorks Wolfsburg Wizard

602 posts · joined Jan 2004 · 10 Feb 2006, 9:45 am

#454996

Good job. What sort of inserts did you end up going for?

mackaymanx Custom Title Time!

1,611 posts · joined Jan 2006 · 10 Feb 2006, 2:48 pm

#455073

Here is an example of how not to do it, note the undercut from grinding and the shit welding (these come of a 72 s bug I'm wrecking). These have been raised not lowered.👎

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Quote of the week
"Do I wish to send them to you again, nope, no interest can't be bothered really, to much hassle for little or no return."

[IMG]https://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate2-18600.png[/IMG]

helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 10 Feb 2006, 3:53 pm

#455086

That's horrific. Must have been a farmer, they often use stick welders.

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mackaymanx Custom Title Time!

1,611 posts · joined Jan 2006 · 10 Feb 2006, 5:10 pm

#455099

It wasn't the only scary thing I found, check out the seat belt.

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=48814

Quote of the week
"Do I wish to send them to you again, nope, no interest can't be bothered really, to much hassle for little or no return."

[IMG]https://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate2-18600.png[/IMG]

helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 10 Feb 2006, 5:52 pm

#455119

Hard to believe the front has been lowered 60mm.

Steers very nice now, and with the new strut inserts and urethane bushes, NO SHIMMY at all.

Stock strut inserts.

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helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 10 Feb 2006, 5:54 pm

#455120

Lucky it cost me nothing to do the lowering, because my mechanic nearly killed me with the bill for the rest of the labour. Only charges me $35 p/h cash, but I am sure he takes twice as long as he should. He is fussy and does a top job. I am not actually complaining, just a little shocked. I am very happy with the result.

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Vw nutter Wolfsburg Wizard

661 posts · joined Jun 2004 · 10 Feb 2006, 6:31 pm

#455133

Na pete should be lower!:P put it in the weeds!!
nice job though i like it, will you be at the jamba?,
im getting my RWC hopefully on monday so rego that weeks as well, so i hope ill see you there with my bus.
cheers

ps. u should have a beer now with all the hard work you have just done, enjoy cya soon:beer

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 10 Feb 2006, 8:02 pm

#455164

That looks really good!

What inserts have you used??
Golf or stock??

T'is amazing what 60mm can do!

Futue te ipsum!!!

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 10 Feb 2006, 9:17 pm

#455194

you dont need big power.

A super set up well with decent rubber and a 3/4 healthy 1600 is a good car.

Throw it into some corners and be surprised

Futue te ipsum!!!

beerdoc Insano Dub Head

838 posts · joined Jul 2004 · 11 Feb 2006, 7:36 am

#455251

Good stance now

love seeing some super stuff

Cheers Doc

reVOLKS at Fyansford Geelong
20th OCT 2007 STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS

Doug Sweetman Nil Bastardo Carborundum

2,128 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 11 Feb 2006, 3:26 pm

#455327

How did you end up getting the bottom of the struts out of the knuckle / atub axle thing ? I've tried twice with mine to no avail.

Looks like a rel nice job, well done.

helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 11 Feb 2006, 3:30 pm

#455330

Doug Sweetman wrote:How did you end up getting the bottom of the struts out of the knuckle / atub axle thing ? I've tried twice with mine to no avail.

Looks like a rel nice job, well done.

That was a tight fit, but came out no probs. I put on new ball joints too, so it all had to come apart anyway.

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barls Administrator Causer of Chaos and Mayhem

9,473 posts · joined Jun 2004 · 12 Feb 2006, 3:22 pm

#455540

Doug Sweetman wrote:How did you end up getting the bottom of the struts out of the knuckle / atub axle thing ? I've tried twice with mine to no avail.

Looks like a rel nice job, well done.

i had to use a oxy and hydraulic puller along with the bfh and it also took a lot of effort

“We all pay for life with death, so everything in between should be free.” Bill Hicks
the chaos project - click me

1303Steve Scirocco Rare

8,650 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 12 Feb 2006, 5:12 pm

#455579

Hi

When you put the stub axle back on the strut, make sure you put a big dob of grease on it. Those weld on the struts can be removed neatly in lathe. I also use a Mk1 Golf bump stop instead of the Beetle one, it can be trimmed down to give more travel and when its trimmed down the Beetle dust sleeves fit perfectly.

Steve