Aussie Dubbin wrote:HI Craig, I have seen you talk about a rear solid and a mid-mount gearbox mount... have you fabricated anything here??? Are these kits in aid of using standard mounts ... or ... do we still need pretty beefy rear and mid mounts? (mid mount style i am thinking is similar to a gene berg mount with a plate mounted to the nosecone bolts and then supported to the frames via a utherane washer ((thick)) and a welded tab...)
Question is do we need solid mounts and do you sell them??? Pics
The K Bar kit stops the forks from flexing and also stiffens the chassis in the rear via the triangulation of the bracing..............what it doesn't stop is the gearbox moving in relation to the forks, this being caused by theflexing of the rubber mounts under load.
To get the FULL benefits from the K bar kit, then YES you need to uprate the gearbox mounting from the standard setup.
In my Ragtop (roadcar setup) I have used the CB Performance Rhino gearbox mount kit, with a strap over the bellhousing and and a mid mount strap kit. This works very well, but in some instances i get very minor tramp.
With my 76 road beetle that is now being used for street drags, I have solid mounted the gearbox via a custom cradle and the berg style mid mount that is solid (no urethane washer). This is the best solution for race applications and minor road use, but if you have a street beetle/daily driver then I would suggest the rhino mounts.
Would be interesting to see a kit for the type3. Thats the early ones with frame horns of course 👍
No use on late model unless you bolt on an early subframe first. Would have to be all weld on tabs because of the way the shocker bolts on at the top.
71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE
vlad01 wrote:Would be interesting to see a kit for the type3. Thats the early ones with frame horns of course 👍
No use on late model unless you bolt on an early subframe first. Would have to be all weld on tabs because of the way the shocker bolts on at the top.
The principle would be the same, but the cross bar wouldn't work obviously... There is no top shock bolt to link to.... I reckon if one was to fabricate a top plate that replaces the rubber grommet that fits between the body and shock tower, the cross bar and drop links could be made to work.... I've been thinking on this for a while now....
By the way Craig... Forgot to mention.... The 3 bar I got off you last year fitted really well.... But the LHS J tube of my Berg header (fitted when I briefly took the turbo off the POS) interfered with with LH drop link... I may have fitted the frame horn tab to close to the belhousing.... Is there a recommended distance from the bellhousing?
??????!!!!!!!!!!???????????? 🤪
Thats not a good idea. you need those rubber mounts. just make a similar bracket to these bar bits but do away with the thread and just make it weld on. (ie. 3 point weld on bracket)
I have been thinking about this a long time also, and I got a rear clip and sub frame to play with. there is tonnes of meat on the top towers to weld to.
Also I would rather all brackets weld on rather than bolt on.
71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE
vlad01 wrote:??????!!!!!!!!!!???????????? 🤪
Thats not a good idea. you need those rubber mounts.
I don't have them there any longer.... I fitted machined aluminum spacers to go there.... The rear subframe is now solid mounted to the chassis and will soon be tied into the body.... TIII's and Notch's in particular are very weak in the rear half of the body, so it all needs to be tied together better IMHO.... A rear engine/transaxle carrier will be the next thing to fabricate, and the 'K' bar set-up will be part of this...
Thanks to 56t4 my K Bar kits now fit beetles from 1954-1957 (Oval Pan had different shock towers!).........so ANY beetle from 54-76 can now enjoy the benefits of this performance kit 😎
Another 'batch' will be made shortly, so please PM me if you would like to reserve a kit 👍
Oh, ok ! I can weld the tabs onto the engine cradle (aftermarket cradle) if that helps ? This will mean you will have to remove the motor etc to fit it, but it will keep your pretty paint from being damaged !!!
