Skip to content
Aussieveedubbers

Narrowed beam

0 likes
Share Share on Facebook Share on X Share on Reddit
Log in to reply

TheGermanFolks Officially Full-On Dubber

248 posts · joined Mar 2003 ·

#96864
heres a little something.
Scott R.
PRAISE THE LOWERED

TheGermanFolks Officially Full-On Dubber

248 posts · joined Mar 2003 ·

#96876
if you look closely, the white car in the front is my bucket right after i got it narrowed. you cant even see that there is a five spoke inside there. Also, oval fenders are 3/4 of an inch wider than a later fender. Im shaving off the bullets ( the vintage guys hate me, lol) and putting italian turnsignals on.

1 attachment · Log in to view

Scott R.
PRAISE THE LOWERED

TheGermanFolks Officially Full-On Dubber

248 posts · joined Mar 2003 ·

#96877
the bucket the way it looked 2 days ago. i started stripping the crap off of it, i might just roll it around in bare metal. and its got a 5 inch narrowed beam WITHOUT SHOCK TOWERS, dropped spindles, castor shims, quicksteer, and of course 135's. and it rides better than stock.

1 attachment · Log in to view

Scott R.
PRAISE THE LOWERED

kustomkool BEING KOOL AINT CHEAP

1,611 posts · joined Nov 2002 ·

#97141
Thats the shit Scotty boy...Keepin it rEAL..
speak to ya 2nite...

debugged Learner Dubber

1 post · joined Oct 2003 ·

#97373
hi dubbers i am only new to this site. my mate had hes front beam narrowed with no shocks and it handled like a pig. then after about 6 months the nose of the chassis craked and was ready to snap off. un less set up properly ( with shock absorbers, heavy duty sway bar, castor shims, engineers certificate) i wouldnt do it to danger yours and other peoples lives just to look cool.

Cam Custom Title Time!

1,535 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#97377
Give it a go dude. Logic tells me it will bounce, shockers basically keep your springs in check to keep the tires on the road. So shortening will stiffen the springs inside your beam and basically enhance this effect. But give it a go anyway, you're obviously a responsible guy who will sort it if things get out of hand :thumb

Golde60 Fahrvergnugen

858 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#97404
hey- glad the other post has died. i was reading it but i didnt want to contribute to such negative shiit.

i reckon good for you dames.
hope it works for you....
... i do tend to agree with cam, but different strokes for different folks (volks).

my idea for a narrowed beam is different and certainly more conservative than yours, and i certainly would nt want people criticising me cos its not the same as u.

keep it positive folks. no one else has the guts to try it. if it doesnt work, then more mods may be required....
...in my book thats progress!

go the drippers

when are we gonna catch up for that beer dames? do you still do the north melbourne public bar thing?
...................( O \ l / O ).....................

kustomkool BEING KOOL AINT CHEAP

1,611 posts · joined Nov 2002 ·

#97527
ive always been into hot rodding cars,I think thats what the Automotive kulture is all about pushin bounderies.Much love Cam and Kim your opinions count thanx for sharing it in a constuctive way.Kim we trying to orginise a drink this weekend call me if ya want.

SKEWtYpe3 Custom Title Time!

1,859 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#97556
whens it in the car and when we in the garage?
u scope one out yet?
:bounce

Unity-28 TOO LOW? NEVER

1,742 posts · joined Nov 2002 ·

#97768
BOOOOOM! About time someone with REAL knowledge on this matter posted on here (sorry SCOTT😀)

N!

[Edited on 10-10-2003 by Unity-28]

Trayle D. the real oggfk Casual Dubber

43 posts · joined Apr 2003 ·

#97773
Trayle D. the real oggfk wrote:Lets just clear the miths from the facts. Shocks do not hold your car up. They are merely a dampening device. The are to keep the wheels on the road. Running without shocks is not dangerous, it can be uncomfortable in some cases, but not dangerous. The comment earlier about the front end of the car being ready to crack off has nothing to do with a beam narrowed without shocks. It would actually be safe to say that because of the added tension that shocks add to your suspension, running shocks would have done this more than not running them So this makes no sence. Think about it.

Now my name is Trayle Duncan, you may or may not have read my name in Volksworld, VW trends, Hot VWs, and other international publications. My business is suspensions. I have a degree in Automotive and Automotive technology so my knowlegde is based in theory as much as experience. Now having said this I have narrowed no less than 100 beams over the years, ranging from as little as 1 inch to as much a 7 inches.

On a link pin beam narrowed less than 4 inches custom shock towers are an option. Though the closer you get to 4 inches the less they(shocks) become relivant. More than 4 inches and the need for them compared to the cost and labor involve in manufacturing a custom tower to miss the body makes no sence. It has been mentioned by someone here that narrowing the Leafs(some call them torsions) stiffens the ride. This is true. It also lesses the sping. So by narrowing a beam you are stiffening sping tension. thus lessening the need for a dampening devise. You wouldnt need a dampner(shock) on a car with a straight axle and no suppension would you? It would be useless. I invite any of you to come and take a ride in any car that has been installed with one of my beams without shock towers. You will be singing a completely different tune than what Ive read here.

There are lots of ways to make a narrowed beam ride well. I can make a narrowed beam without shocktowers ride so well that you would swear by them. There are angles that are built into a stock beam that must be reset when you add adjusters. You cant just set the adjusters where you want the car to sit and be done. You much have one beam tension fighting the other. "Steering axis inclination" is big part of handling. So proper shiming of the spindles is a must. Caster is a big part of drivability. Caster is a angle that is built into the beam. Its the anlge that the king pin sits in relation to the car. So shiming the beam to regain proper and OE spec. caster is a must. And on a narrowed beam a good(new) steering dampner is a must. Other wise you will have bad bumpsteer. The front end of a beetle weighs next to nothing. Seiously a mear weakling and lifted the weight of the car off the suspension. So by increasing the sping tension in the beam on a car that is so light you lessen the need for shocks. Ive been doing this for almost 10 years and have not had one complaint. People never believe it can be possible. But it quite simply is.

Now having said this, this is not true for a bus (splitty). The front of a bus weighs supstancialy more than a beetle and needs something to dampened spings from bouncing under the weight of the car.







[Edited on 10-10-2003 by Trayle D. the real oggfk]

Unity-28 TOO LOW? NEVER

1,742 posts · joined Nov 2002 ·

#97774
Trayle, Isnt it "easier" to narrow a bus beam and keep the shoch towers anyway, due to the fact the shock towers are quite wide, so therefore getting your narrowing out of that section, while retaining your shock mount?

N!

SKEWtYpe3 Custom Title Time!

1,859 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#97777
Scott be good and the subject, Trayle be the god on this subject !
:bounce

Trayle D. the real oggfk Casual Dubber

43 posts · joined Apr 2003 ·

#97778
I make custome shock towers out of 3/8 inch plate steel for my bus beams. A bus beam is narrowed a little differently than a bug beam.

SKEWtYpe3 Custom Title Time!

1,859 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#97780
here we go........

heheheheee

Trayle D. the real oggfk Casual Dubber

43 posts · joined Apr 2003 ·

#97781
The reason its easier to narrow a bus beam and keep shock towers is because there is like 3 inches of beam outside of the mount to the body. So you can loose that much meat from the beam and still have room for custom towers. Like I said, becuase of the wieght of a bus shocks are a must.

Unity-28 TOO LOW? NEVER

1,742 posts · joined Nov 2002 ·

#97783
Cheers! Trayle, whens that euro bug gonna be finished?

N!

Trayle D. the real oggfk Casual Dubber

43 posts · joined Apr 2003 ·

#97786
Soon my friend. Soon. Thats as close to a sneak preview as youre gonna get though..LOL.. I just coldnt find a picture of a wheel tucking as much.

"Priase the lowered"

Unity-28 TOO LOW? NEVER

1,742 posts · joined Nov 2002 ·

#97789
DAmn, I was trying to get a pic out of you! Nah its cool, I havent shown anyone what my 63 looks like yet either (prolly cause it dont look like much at the moment!)

N!

Mr Bubble Head Insano Dub Head

829 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#97910
Well said Trayle its just a matter of time before people start changing there mind

A quick Q will the steering damper clear the fuel tank of and oval or will the mount have to be lowered/modded on the beam?

nIck
recycle, restore, enjoy

kustomkool BEING KOOL AINT CHEAP

1,611 posts · joined Nov 2002 ·

#97944
So there you have it kids,so rip those beams out chop em up.And ride like a PIMP ASS ....Mudda phucker


PRAISE THE LOWER....OILDRIPPERS WORLDWIDE ...Peace out to Trayle and Scott for the information and facts...
The has been a PHATTERTHANFUCK production....

Trayle D. the real oggfk Casual Dubber

43 posts · joined Apr 2003 ·

#97979
Nic the dampner will clear the tank no problem. It mounts to the inside tierod end and to the beam itself.

Hers a shot of a 6" beam from under the tank.





"Picture me rollin"

TheGermanFolks Officially Full-On Dubber

248 posts · joined Mar 2003 ·

#98005
well said Trayle.
Scott R.
PRAISE THE LOWERED

Mr Bubble Head Insano Dub Head

829 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#98339
Well I know what I'll be doing next weekend once the beam comes back from the blasters

out with the hackie and lose those shocks

Any tips on adjusting the steering ?

cheers

nIck
recycle, restore, enjoy

Golde60 Fahrvergnugen

858 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#98420
sorry man, just checked the forum and i guess i missed out this weekend.

thats ok cos i had enough drinks on saturday night for everyone.

head hurts🙁
...................( O \ l / O ).....................

TheGermanFolks Officially Full-On Dubber

248 posts · joined Mar 2003 ·

#98622
bubblehead- adjusting your steering is the same as with a stock beam, although, if you are narrowing more than 3.5 inches, i would recomend a quicksteer. they are made by bugpack. it extends the pitman arm.
Scott R.
PRAISE THE LOWERED

amazer kombi pilot

3,187 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#98677
Against better judgement I enter the conversation again, merely to gain clarification from an expert. I have an insatiable thirst for knowledge and so need to learn these things.

From previous comments I gather the type 1 doesnt need shock absorbers when narrowed because of its light weight. I'm wondering why all these guys are persisting with them in their formula vees then? I assume that the front end of a formula vee would be even lighter than a beetle.


A type 2 however is a heavier vehicle so it does need shocks. I am wondering why being a heavier vehicle, being a commercial designed to carry loads, why wasnt it fitted with heavier springs, and why wasnt it fitted with MUCH heavier springs to begin with cancelling out its heavier unladen weight, allowing it to run without shocks as per the type 1.

When a front wheel's suspension is compressed by uneven road surface (assuming that there is no such thing as a road flat as a sheet of glass - not in my part of the world at least), assuming that it indeed does compress after all it does "ride well" (assuming that means your fillings dont fall out) when that spring bounces back, what keeps that wheel in contact with the road? I assume that a car with wheels in the air doesnt handle too well (although would be comfortable providing there is no turbulance)
Lets just clear the miths from the facts. Shocks do not hold your car up. They are merely a dampening device. The are to keep the wheels on the road. Running without shocks is not dangerous, it can be uncomfortable in some cases, but not dangerous.
Doesnt the fact that the wheels leave the road make things even a little bit dangerous?

Will a 1965 volkswagen 1300 with a lowered and narrowed beam running 135's and no shocks, grip the road somewhere within kooee of a 1965 volkswagen 1300 with standard front height, track, shocks, and 165 tyres (the standard replacement)?
Chris.... kombi pilot, oval dreamer... finisher #26971 2005 city to surf