bajachris88 wrote:and now that you got the bolts in there already, you atleast know the thread should be nice, clear and clean for reinstallation compared to how it was initially maybe ???
The issue was more that the holes didn't line up because the framehead I bought wasn't built to the greatest tolerance.
When I put the body on I had to start them first and then move the body around to get everything else to start.
Smiley
😎If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
maybe worry bout beam braces when you have an offroad beam and lift kit prepped to go, then smash it out?
are they necessary if you run a stock beam and don't intend on having massive front end knocks on boulders?
(ô_!_/ô) (ô_!_/ô)
69' baja: kombi box, thing spindles, irs, disc front, type 3 rear drums, 2 inch lift kit, 31x10 rears. 👍
New engine in process: 94mm p&bs, 74mm C/w chomol Crank, 35.5x39 SP heads, turbo. Wierd combo, hopeful torque monsta!
bajachris88 wrote:are they necessary if you run a stock beam and don't intend on having massive front end knocks on boulders?
Mate, stock beetles in 1950 were fitting them because the frame heads cracked. That was when they were new. I fit them to every car that has anything improved over stock. The ones pictured above that only attach to the lower tube are very close to useless. They really need to support both tubes with a diagonal brace rearward, or tie to the shock upright between the tubes, and rearward to the 2 M10 bodymount bolts.
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE
bajachris88 wrote:maybe worry bout beam braces when you have an offroad beam and lift kit prepped to go, then smash it out?
are they necessary if you run a stock beam and don't intend on having massive front end knocks on boulders?
As I have proven they are necessary if you have adjusters welded to your beam.
The stock beam flexes back and forward even on a stock road going Beetle. Once you cut it in half and weld in adjusters you introduce a weak spot which happens to be at the center of the beam which is flexing back a forward. Adding the braces helps to significantly reduce the ends of the beam moving back and forward.
I should have added them when I built the car and now I'm paying the price.
Smiley
😎If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
Back and forward is some of it Smiley, but worse is the rotational/torsional loads, that is why the braces need to tie to both tubes.
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE
matberry wrote:Back and forward is some of it Smiley, but worse is the rotational/torsional loads, that is why the braces need to tie to both tubes.
These are the mounts that hold my front bar on.
If I run a tube from here (lined up with the bottom torsion tube) back to my floorpan, then run a tube or plate from the top of this mount back down to the bottom tube will this be enough for my mild Baja for the time being?
Smiley
😎If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
It sure will mate. 👍👍
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE
It sure will mate. 👍👍
The diagonal could be tube, solid of even flat bar, on edge set diagonally.
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE
bajachris88 wrote:OH! those kinda braces...
I went with the idea your dreading with off the shelf beam braces from cip1. There were two kinds, lower braces (bolt in the body bolts) and upper braces that bolt into the front firewall.
I didn't like the idea of bolting in there, because the image of a front end acident and the steel bar driving into my leg was a bit of a turn off.
These braces are solid as though. and now that you got the bolts in there already, you atleast know the thread should be nice, clear and clean for reinstallation compared to how it was initially maybe ???
Hi Chris
You will need extended grease nipples to grease Your torsion bar bearings , as they look too close to the brackets...
those brackets look a good idea....
Lee
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---
hmm! i have an old beam brace like what u describe Matt that used to be on my 67 baja, but didn't fit the balljoint beam because of clearance issues with all the nick nacks about.
i have 1 intact in the backyard, will take photo soonish.
1 i cut up to mod to fit the balljoint but never finished. its been hacked up bad.
heres a pic of what it looked like. didn't ahve diagonal brace, it was a steel angled rod, connecting to the beam tubes clamp and tube backing up to the m10 bolts
(ô_!_/ô) (ô_!_/ô)
69' baja: kombi box, thing spindles, irs, disc front, type 3 rear drums, 2 inch lift kit, 31x10 rears. 👍
New engine in process: 94mm p&bs, 74mm C/w chomol Crank, 35.5x39 SP heads, turbo. Wierd combo, hopeful torque monsta!
That's one locally made, prolly by Custom Off Road Components, they have been making them fo 35-40 years, reckon there's a few sets out there.
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE
actually, it musta worked well, cos out of everything that was on that POS car, the beam was one of the very fuew straight un-farked components i got out of it 🙂
btw, thanks Matt for the heads up. i'd aught to get some tube angled to the top bars then. I was more inclined on the road bumps and torsion bar response puting teh beam back at the ends and producing a moment about the frame head than radial of top twisting over bottom (well visa versa)
(ô_!_/ô) (ô_!_/ô)
69' baja: kombi box, thing spindles, irs, disc front, type 3 rear drums, 2 inch lift kit, 31x10 rears. 👍
New engine in process: 94mm p&bs, 74mm C/w chomol Crank, 35.5x39 SP heads, turbo. Wierd combo, hopeful torque monsta!
They are 100% necessary IMO, but you don't have to take my word for it, just ask Smiley....hey, it's his thread. 😂
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE
Well I have been thinking about beam support as mentioned here but haven't done it yet. Better get onto it, but am glad I haven't yet welded in beam adjusters. Hope you get it back together quick smiley!
68 Baja - It's a growing pain!
58 Baja ute - and the pain spreads!
85 T3 Kombi - still growing
89 T3 Kombi - parts car
matberry wrote:They are 100% necessary IMO
SECONDED!!!!
Matt, do you have any pictures of the setups that you have built? Do you run into issues with the tie rods clearing the top brace??
Smiley
😎If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=57446
i have a few sets of these, interestingly the stoko beetle recently aquired has a set too.
Very nice. I'm going to make something similar to this but it's going to be welded to the floorpan instead of bolting on.
Once I get around to doing my lift kit I'll cut them off and remake them to tie into the C-channel.
Smiley
😎
If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
Sorry Smiley, only digital pics are ones you have seen already
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE
Ok. I haven't really had much of a chance to work on the car this week.
On Tuesday afternoon I put the spare beam in. And assembled the front end with everything except the torsion bars installed. This way I can cycle the suspension and make sure that none of the steering or suspension is going to hit my brace bars.
Smiley 😎
If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
You can see in these next few pictures that even on the drivers side with the steering on full lock and the suspension at full droop that I'm going to have plenty of room to run the bars.
Smiley 😎
If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
I picked a bit of scrap tubing out of the bin at work that I'm going to use for the braces. Going to make use of the bends in the tube to keep the bar as close the the body and out of the way of the tyre. I think I'll only have very minimal rubbing. This setup is also only temporary too, because when I install a lift kit into the cars I'm going to redo all the bracing/front barwork etc.
Smiley 😎
If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
You can see here that there will be no clearances issues in any way on the passengers side.
When I undid everything off the beam and disassembled it, it literally fell in two.
And you should have seen the amount of sand that was in the bottom torsion tube when it came apart! It must be getting in through the adjust.
Does anyone else have this problem?
What have you done to prevent it??
I hope to get the braces made up and tacked in tomorrow afternoon at a minimum. But I'm going to try and have the car all back together and drivable again by Saturday lunchtime at the latest.
Thanks for looking
Smiley 😎
If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
Got another half hour of time this afternoon to do a tiny bit on the car.
I made the RHS beam brace up. That is all. More soon hopefully.
Smiley 😎
If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
The ones I have flatten out and use the two large body bolts to attach to the body. I'll take some pics later
65 Meyers Manx
68 Country Buggy (KO 367)
68 Country Buggy (KO 669)
68 Country Buggy (KO 789)
68 Country Buggy (KO 815)
68 Baja Bug
76 Baja Kombi Twincab
Got the tubes all welded in last Friday afternoon.
Just need to put the front hubs back on, wheels and bleed the brakes! She should be driving by the weekend.
Smiley 😎
If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
And look what came in the post today!! I didn't know it was Christmas!!
Ceramic coated exhaust.
I'm excited!!
Smiley 😎
If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
You really need the added bar to make the brace work properly
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE
Woo hoo new engine 👍
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE
matberry wrote:You really need the added bar to make the brace work properly
That is the intention. I need to get it to work around the tie rods too. I think I'll add some flat bar from the top down.
Similar to this.
Smiley
😎If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
👍 🙂
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE
