low job

robnjo Veteran Volks Folk

2,082 posts · joined Sep 2003 · 16 Oct 2003, 1:36 pm

#99854

so now I want to lower my Sbug.I am very happy with the quote to do the job but which one should I go for,(A)just replace the springs to the height I want or(B) new shocks,springs and shift shock towers.now the differance is$500and I was told that my shocks would have limited travel which makes sense.they told me to get the front done first before decide on how LOW I want the back.so can any body tell me ,if you have done this,which one?
rob😎

ps.this shot it had a pellet and a half of floor tiles and 3 bags glue.lol she struglled home lol!!!

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Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 16 Oct 2003, 2:15 pm

#99859

http://www.clubvw.org.au/struts.htm

First of all read this article

It all depends if you want to run stock tyres or wider

I run 6" x 16" on the front with 195's under stock guards with probabally 25mm clearance of the strut

I run the last version described in the story. Mine is a V Force adjustable strut with a King spring 85?mm Outside diameter spring and a Boge insert.
That said mine is a 1303 2 bolt'er not your 1302 3 bolter.

Also go to www.superbeetlesonly.com and then go to "Tech & Stuff" There are some brillant articles there on suspension and handling

If you just want stock wheels you can just get some stock struts and get the cups lowered. The next step would be to put a different insert in so you get better travel

I would first talk to Richard at V Force. He is very "super friendly" All the Oran Park boys except CT are supers
Jak = 1302
Deiter = 1302
Paul = 1303
Rudi = 1303

I know for a fact that Jak Deiter and Paul have a V Force strut set up.

S for your actual question my answer is

Version a) - If you are going to just run stock wheels then this is an acceptable way to go. I just sold a set of "sports" springs that gave about a 25mm drop. Just took the edge off the high front.

Version b) - If it is $500 more then i would consider doing it properly. Thin springed adjustable V Force struts are probabally just over the $1000 mark. If your b) was over the $750 i would spring the extra cause you wont ever be able to run a nice fat front with the wide stock spring in there.

Here is a picture of Blue 1 with the V Force struts

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Futue te ipsum!!!

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 16 Oct 2003, 2:19 pm

#99861

And here is Blue 2 with the wheels and suspension from Blue 1

Doesnt quite show the drop

By the way a 1302 is capable of a 5" drop and the 1303 is capable of a 2" drop. This is beacause of the different style of struts.

When you go to SuperbeetlesOnly go to the Topline site
There is heaps of information there as well

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Futue te ipsum!!!

robnjo Veteran Volks Folk

2,082 posts · joined Sep 2003 · 16 Oct 2003, 3:16 pm

#99868

thanks for the info and I'll check out that site too!
I want to run 165 or 185 on 5(if I can chase up some) or 5.5 rims(chrome) with my hub caps on the front,205(hopfully) on 5.5 rims.Iwant the car to sit super low on this combo?"superbugs sit to high I reckon!

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 16 Oct 2003, 3:32 pm

#99874

ok - then you are sitting on the fence.

I mean 165 can run on stock 4 1/2" rims and you could at a pinch run the 1185's but they would balloon.
The 5 1/2" would be a better choice

With that you would be getting touch and go to the stock spring.

The fact you want to go super low i would definitely go the second choice. Lowered perch and new inserts. New springs would help and if you look at the Topline site you can see their Sports Spring is sort of hour glassed shaped and this would help.

That said i would seriously look at the propper article and get an adjustable thin spring set up and leave the door open for some decent wheels later. Deiter is running 7" under stock guards with this set up.

Stece C (1302Steve) wrote the article. Have a look at his and Jaks set ups.

I would strongly suggest calling Richard on the weekend and having a chat. It wouldnt cost much to get a set of his struts sent up and just bolt them in.

Futue te ipsum!!!

robnjo Veteran Volks Folk

2,082 posts · joined Sep 2003 · 16 Oct 2003, 3:55 pm

#99887

...so should I go 5.5inch rims all round.go the $850 job but what size tyre?

squizy Thinking about another dub...maybe

4,082 posts · joined Dec 2002 · 16 Oct 2003, 4:20 pm

#99899

....and when I get time Barry I'll take a pic of my lowered sports springs setup, and how it's affected the ride height.

Squiz.......

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 16 Oct 2003, 4:44 pm

#99903

That would be great Squizzy

Rob - you may have guessed Sqizzy bought the sports springs.
We should have taken a before and after picture

Tyres - well, do you want to stay 15"?

Its a good time to go 16" - but that probabally means Porsche

Then again

http://www.aussieveedubbers.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=10013

These would look cool! Porsche wheels that come PCD130 4 bolt!
6" - you could run 185 on the front and 205 on the back.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/914_wheel_types/914_wheel_types.htm

There are some other choices in wheels

Futue te ipsum!!!

robnjo Veteran Volks Folk

2,082 posts · joined Sep 2003 · 16 Oct 2003, 5:47 pm

#99920

I do have my hart set on chrome rims (5.5) that will take my hub-caps(VW)plus there only $145 each.so 205 on the back and what on front 165,175,185???

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 16 Oct 2003, 6:59 pm

#99954

I would go 185's x 50 series on the front. With 5 1/2's on the front a 165 would be a little square.
Reckon that would sit nice

Futue te ipsum!!!

robnjo Veteran Volks Folk

2,082 posts · joined Sep 2003 · 16 Oct 2003, 7:23 pm

#99960

thanks again,185/50 front and 205/?...what profile on the back?
I want to put the tyres on before the job.

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 16 Oct 2003, 7:44 pm

#99966

Probabally 60 series?

I run 50 front and 55 back - but i run 16's - 1950 and 205

Have a talk to the tyre man and see what he says
thinking again maybe 55 and 60 would be the go.
I think stock is 65 - that is with a 155 tyre. So a 185 55 series would be about the same side wall.

If you went 205 x 60 it would be a little gigger than the front.

Make sense??

Would look the same as stock tyre height be be deeper.

Futue te ipsum!!!

robnjo Veteran Volks Folk

2,082 posts · joined Sep 2003 · 16 Oct 2003, 8:02 pm

#99972

cool thanks for that!!😀

BiX Veteran Volks Folk

2,499 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 27 Oct 2003, 9:45 am

#104529

I would go 185/65 r15 as this will keep ur stock rolling diameter for the tyres (or close enough). I used to run 185/65r15 all round on the L bug. They worked well(with 5.5 by 15 inch rims), they did roll a little when i went for a blast on the hillclimb track.

I now run falken st115, 195/60r15 on the front on 6.5 inch rims and 205/60r15 on 7.5 inch rims and they are great heaps of grip and very little flex in the tyres while cornering.

Jeza Officially Full-On Dubber

353 posts · joined Jan 2003 · 6 Jan 2004, 4:58 pm

#126804

Robnjo

I guess from your posts your aiming for more cal look / resto rather than German look hence the chrome wheels

As for the lowering job, like you said yourself- the budget method will have you running out of travel, ie hitting the bumps stops - bad news, or will not sit as low as your aiming for. As Blue74l said about the max you can lower a super on standard struts is 25mm. After that you need to shorten the strut body- and hence use shorter inserts (cause longer ones won't fit no more)

The reason for the shorter strut is so you still get that all important suspension travel.

So if you want low there is a couple of ways to go- the V-Force strut- and the bonus brilliant handling that will come with it. Or another aftermarket lowered strut such as the Topline one or Bugpack make one to- same size spring as original so it's a little cheaper- but the handling is basically stock- which is fine unless you want to take the car thru a corner with heaps of herbs and opposite lock 😀

As for your tyres and rims- work out what your after- ie if you want super low you may need to stay with a narrow or super low profile on the front- ie a 50 series 185 (ie side wall is 50% of the width (185mm). Otherwise you'll end up with tyre vs guard problems.

The original tyre has a profile of 80%- although I'm not sure if that is supposed to be 165 or 155- as real original was cross ply - and I don't really remember back that far 🙂 This link should help with keeping the rolling radius near to original
http://www.mr2.com/FORMS/tire.html

If you change you rolling radius too much (ie use a super low profile) then your speedo will be out- which may or may not be a problem- and if you change your rear tyres also your gearing will change- and may make motorway cruising more of a chore.

Hopefully this is of some help in making your decision- Best of luck

PS the pic is some one car off this forum- but I forget who... 71 super.

Cheers
Jeremy

......random gibberish for today.......

robnjo Veteran Volks Folk

2,082 posts · joined Sep 2003 · 8 Jan 2004, 8:25 pm

#127483

thanks guy,good info,now just got to save up again.bloody spent just over 1500 buck on this forum in the last month,not hard to do😀
rob

EgeWorks Wolfsburg Wizard

602 posts · joined Jan 2004 · 12 Feb 2004, 10:55 am

#138682

Wow, nice thread. I am in the same boat at the moment. (I'm the guy who ended up buying those porsche wheels). Also a bit of a VW n00b.

http://www.aussieveedubbers.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=10013

I've got a 73 Super with 1302 Suspension (even though it was manufactered in August 73). Is it worth the money to get a strut kit (i.e. V-force, Topline-do they sell them here?), or just do somethng cheap? At the moment I'm pretty sure that even 185s will not fit without rubbing on the stock springs as there is ~10mm max with stock(165) tires.

After reading all the articles linked to I kinda think I'll go with a new strut kit, but would just like to know some experiences first.

My current shocks are stock and on the way out btw.

Sorry to sort of hijack this thread, but I figure the more info here the more it will benefit everyone.

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 13 Feb 2004, 11:23 am

#139161

Yes - it is definitely worth it.

I am running 16" x 6" with 195's 50 series up front all under stock guards

You need the thin spring to make it work.
The adjust a strut from Topline is a stock spring. Or you can use the hour glass spring - but why not do it properly!
The Maxx is like V Force but doesnt support the strut well for my liking. (u wrap it in a bit of leather belt)

Give Richard a call on 02 9743 1247 or Alex on this site. That is his son.

It is a bolt on/off affair

Futue te ipsum!!!

EgeWorks Wolfsburg Wizard

602 posts · joined Jan 2004 · 15 Feb 2004, 1:41 pm

#139833

Thanks for that extra info. Will be definately doing this soon as I just finished polishing my rims, (by hand from 400-1500grit, ugh my aching hands!) all I gotta do is paint now and buy some tires. The bug is starting to look very tidy, can't wait to get rid of my pizza cutters!