Narrowed beam handling and turning circle question

vassy66T1 Wow ... are U reading this?

2,120 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 2 Sep 2007, 8:15 am

#609794

Hey

I know a lot of you have done the front beam narrowing and I am looking to dothe same on the BJ beam under my '66 beetle (have a semi-auto pan converted to manual).
How does it impact handling as I am hoping to build the beetle into something I can motorkhana and hill climb? Also is there an impact on turning circle?
Cheers for your advice

vassy

noslug Casual Dubber

31 posts · joined Jun 2006 · 4 Sep 2007, 12:44 pm

#610169

Mine is narrowed 3" - hardens the ride (shorter leaves) and reduces the turning circle.

I would say with what you are planning to do with your car it would be completely the wrong thing to do. Not so critical in a drag situation.

Craig Torrens 6 times Australian, 7 times State Hillclimb Class Champion

8,040 posts · joined Jan 2003 · 4 Sep 2007, 7:19 pm

#610227

I have a narrowed beam in one of my cars, turning circle is poor and it doesn't handle that well.

VWCOOL 23 Windows of Awesome

5,158 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 5 Sep 2007, 9:39 am

#610334

You want to widen the track for handling, not narrow it!!
Widening wrecks turning circle, introduces tyre/body clearance problems, reduces the ability to run neg camber, throws ackerman (steering angles) out the window... In short, forget you ever heard the words 'narrowed front beam'

Pay your debts, CxxT

vassy66T1 Wow ... are U reading this?

2,120 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 5 Sep 2007, 12:19 pm

#610361

Thanks guys.

It is what I expected ... I like to ask the dumb questions to be sure.

Is there many running an early beetle on a late pan and doing some hill climb style racing?
Keen to talk set ups etc. Particularly heights of front and rear and suspension set ups to get a starting point for my rebuild.

cheers

🙅

Joval Learner Dubber

19 posts · joined Aug 2007 · 6 Sep 2007, 12:54 am

#610485

Interesting article here -

http://www.aircooled.net/gnrlsite/resource/articles/handling.htm

VWFREAK VWFREAK

2,577 posts · joined May 2004 · 6 Sep 2007, 10:01 am

#610518

What turning circle?

I'm running a 4 1/2 inch narrowed beam.

Stick with what you've got for your application / intentions.

VWCOOL 23 Windows of Awesome

5,158 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 6 Sep 2007, 6:51 pm

#610617

vassy66T1 wrote:Thanks guys.

It is what I expected ... I like to ask the dumb questions to be sure.

Is there many running an early beetle on a late pan and doing some hill climb style racing?
Keen to talk set ups etc. Particularly heights of front and rear and suspension set ups to get a starting point for my rebuild.

cheers

🙅

It's really only the pan that matters, the body - apart from half a kilo here and there - doesn't have much influence on the handling BUT later bodies are stiffer and have stronger door latches

Joval, nice find - I'd forgotten about Greg's article!!

[ Edited on 7-9-2007 by VWCOOL ]

Pay your debts, CxxT

fullnoise Fahrvergnugen

964 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 7 Sep 2007, 11:08 am

#610763

I'd choose some 175 wide tyres, clearance the shock tower on the beam. You can grind them back to the spot welds and even through some then braze or reweld the beam after that. You can also have the lips on the guards rolled in. Then just use spacers and wheel alignment settings to balance where the tyre sits between the two. I managed to get 203mm wide tyres uner my front end but have since gone back to 195s. Also look at different tyre designs and avoid the ones with really square shoulders.

Hopefully then you can have a lowered car with good handling and a reasonable turning circle.

I hope that helps.

esratrams

vassy66T1 Wow ... are U reading this?

2,120 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 11 Sep 2007, 7:41 am

#611373

Thanks full noise and VWcool and others

I am sure the questions will continue to come as I get the body off the pan and set about making my little weapon of mass destruction :thumb

The help and knowledge from this forum is very 😎

[ Edited on 10-9-2007 by vassy66T1 ]