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Has anyone narrowed a front beam
Stanley - February 4th, 2004 at 07:11 PM

I've just bought a beetle as a daily driver that I plan to do everything to that I won't do to my '69.... within reason.
Plans are slammed, matt black, rag top (down the track) and other minor mods.
One thing i'm keen on is a narrowed front beam.
Now i've overhauled and welded adjusters into a beam but want to take the next step and go the narrowed beam.
Can anyone who has done it share the info so i can get it right first time (hopefully)
Thanks

vw54 - February 4th, 2004 at 07:51 PM

When you had the beam cut apart to fit the adjustors is when you should have narrowed it as well

Have you worked out how much you will be decreasing the width by ??? thats teh first step.

So is it a ball joint or King n Link beam front end ???

Bizarre - February 4th, 2004 at 07:53 PM

"So is it a ball joint or King n Link beam front end ???"

What difference does that make????

Stanley - February 4th, 2004 at 07:58 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by vw54
When you had the beam cut apart to fit the adjustors is when you should have narrowed it as well


So is it a ball joint or King n Link beam front end ???


It's a ball joint front end.
if you cut it and shorten in the middle won't you need to shift the mounting brackets.

and i'd only narrow far enough to fit wheels inside guards but without needing to cut body if thats possible.

vw54 - February 4th, 2004 at 07:59 PM

BARRY

If its a King n link you have to consider the shock towers other wise they hit the inner guards n you can only narrow a beam by so much other wise you have to make alternate arrangements.

Another thing Kafer69 WHY do you want to narrow a beam ???
Tyres, wheels, looks ???

Stanley - February 4th, 2004 at 08:02 PM

:cry.....ok ok it's looks.

Bizarre - February 4th, 2004 at 08:12 PM

So you can narrow a ball join beam more???

vw54 - February 4th, 2004 at 08:16 PM

No problems with looks but you can get wheels with different offsets so you can avoid doing this job.

BARRY yes.

vwtyp2 - February 5th, 2004 at 07:31 AM

I've got a narrowed adjustable beam if you're interested.
that narrow, you'd have to do some bodywork. max height is 2 1/2" lower than std, max drop almost touches the nose on the ground.
powdercoated nice shiny black.

Stanley - February 5th, 2004 at 09:07 AM

How narrow ?
I think I can probably go 3" before upsetting body to much.

Has any body done it themselves vwtype2 did you do yours your self or did you buy it.

Unity-28 - February 5th, 2004 at 10:52 AM

You can go 4in without damaging the body. Take it out of the middle, and move the brackets, that will be the strongest way, as their will only be the welds for the adjusters....

N!

Stanley - February 5th, 2004 at 05:20 PM

What about tie rods ?

BUGBOY - February 5th, 2004 at 06:42 PM

Big job but worth it in the end.
Check in members ride under ~Inchpincher or just another rat~
Ive done it all to a link+kingpin front.

But please note it`s not the type of thing for a person not skilled in this department to take on.

vwtyp2 - February 6th, 2004 at 08:19 AM

narrowed 5" or more. you WILL need to do bodywork to fit this beam.
it came out of the ragtop that 57 chookshed is selling.
I'm keen to swap or part ex for a set of link pin dropped spindles.

vw54 - February 6th, 2004 at 07:47 PM

Quote:

You can go 4in without damaging the body



I dont know what sort of VW you have been looking at but a pre 67 can only be narrowed by about 1/2 inch wither side before it hits the inner guard...

And a Ball joint front end about 1 inch from memory...

Otherwise you have to panel beat the inners and do a lot of work.

Buggyboy - February 7th, 2004 at 09:00 PM

Thank god for that last post, I had just pulled the guards off my beetle 5 min ago before reading this post and I know that there is only about an 1/2 inch of movement... I was thinking... what the f.. obviously someone has their wires crossed somewhere here