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Type 1 swing-axle to Type 3 IRS
Jamox - January 17th, 2003 at 08:09 PM

If I was going to convert my baja swing-axle suspension to IRS, is it worth going to Type 3, or should I just pinch some off a superbug? Am I correct saying that the Type 3 is better/stronger because it has two trailing arms(?) on either side????

I have read about it but the info dissolved into brainy nothingness. ;)

Che Castro - January 18th, 2003 at 07:25 AM

do u mean weld the IRS pivots and stuff onto ur swing axle pan?

its easy to just swap the pan completely to a later one

56astro - January 18th, 2003 at 08:10 AM

My beetle has twin spring plates, so I don't think they are specific to type 3.

As fot the conversion; sorry, can't help.

Craig Torrens - January 18th, 2003 at 09:42 AM

Most early 70's superbugs will have twin spring plates. Later beetles like the 76 have single. As for the actual trailing arm, they are all the same. The benefit of using a TYPE 3 as a doner car is that you then get larger torsion bars and bigger drum brakes, all these you can then use on your Baja.:)

Jeza - January 19th, 2003 at 09:10 AM

Hello

Craig - do you mean the IRS arms are the same throughout? I'm trying to find out if the Squareback ones are the same as my 1302 ones.

Then I can tidy these ones up and put my new bushes in them with minimum down time on the car.

Cheers
Jeremy

[Edited on 18-1-2003 by Jeza]

DeRrO - January 19th, 2003 at 03:01 PM

Im am doing the this conversion mysefl. I found a irs beetle chassis but the guy want $700 fo it which is way to much. So i decided to convert one. Also if you have a baja you want to stay with either king and link of ball joint front end. Mcpherson strut not so good for offroad.

Serch for blindchicker racing they have the conversion step on there web. The owner posts alot on the shoptalkforums. Hope this helps.

Joel

Jamox - January 19th, 2003 at 05:23 PM

BUM-STEER on the trailing arm business!!!:P

I did mean to weld the IRS stuff onto the swing-axle pan. But, if I am going to put a lift-kit on eventually and raise the front and rear etc, I might as well get a later pan, do all the mods to IT, and then change them over -rather than having heaps of down-time while I do the mods to my only and existing pan.

Great work, it really helped.
Cheers
Jamie

mattie182 - January 19th, 2003 at 08:14 PM

Have just finished that conversion on my buggy!!!!!
Will post some pics some as I upload them.
i used the type 3 stuff, larger brakes - stop better, larger torsion bars

Simple as, really, well worth the effort


matt