Perhaps I am wrong in assuming that most bajas and buggies are type 1's with the body cut or removed, raised, and probably strengthened, often with engine improvements. Other than that the mechanicals are unchanged, right?

What makes the VW so good off-road? Why not raise a mini, or a pulsar, and stick big tyres on and head out?

I am planning to make a baja-bus of my DC, and maybe even a beetle one day. I've been thinking about getting a locking diff made and put into the gear-box, but I now wonder if that is overkill. If most bajas are just beetles with big tyres, would I be wasting money with the locking diff? I would love to take the air-cooled DC to some 4wd only tracks round my way and cruise past the new Patrols ans Pajeros with my 4 kids and some camping gear.

The place where aircooled VWs have it over other cars when it comes to offroad use is suspension and weight distribution. Both these things seem to be just perfect for them to do amazing and downright cool things.

Smiley

Thanks Smiley. That's what I thought.

So, the suspension has a good amount of travel and most of the weight is over the drive wheels. This means that both the drive wheels will be on the ground basically all the time.
Is that right?
Is it the same for a kombi?

This is true. Because all the weight is out the back. On rough ground that puts a car on three wheels, with a Beetle/Baja/Buggy/Kombi they tend to lift a front wheel and both rear wheels stay in contact with the ground. Doog traction.

The suspension geometry allows the wheels to travel back and up away from bumps. So it absorbs and distributes forces better and doesn't break as easily, it also puts less force from bumps into your tires. So when you hit that really big bump you are less likely to bust a tire than a big 4WD with coil over shocks. Because their suspension can only move up and down, it doesn't pivot backwards at the same time.

I hope this helps.
Any more brain busters?

Smiley

So I probably don't need locking diffs on Dual Cab kombi with 30" offroad tyres? Plan to raise it a total of 4" above standard.

And they look way cooler than 4WD's

well that is always a plus!

i would not worry about a locker but i would think of putting turning brakes on, so if one of the back wheels lifts off the ground and start to free wheel you can apply the brake to that wheel and the power is transmited to the wheel that is on the ground and wala you are off and going again and the blokes in their 4x4s are picking their jaws up off the ground.

Kombi's go even better with a locker

but sourcing a locking diff isn't easy.
I think that adding a second handbrake - one for each rear wheel - would be relatively easy.

If you go the definately easier option of steering brakes, go with a hydraulic unit, cables stretch quickly and need to be constantly adjusted, even the brake shoes take a beating, but can get you out of a sticky spot

Cool. thanks for the info

Going on from the talk of this thread, I wondered what people thought of a T3 Transporter in baja form? (not syncro)

I know the topic as been discussed before, but my mechanic has lifted he's T3 and put 4wd tyres on it a while ago and reckons it is amazing, he's taken it up to Cape York and uses it on boat ramps pulling his boat out etc..

I've got a lovely trakka and when doing a lot of camping it would be great to have the flexibility of going off road. It doesn't need to be intense stuff, but a bit more freedom would be lovely.

My mechanic reckons at least a 2" lift and preferably 15" rims with good 4wd tyres.... I'd much prefer upgrading existing van with all it's entrenched memories, than look at a syncro..

You guys have any thoughts? I do trust my mechanic, but always great to have other opinions.

And what are VW's like going through water?...

Cheers,
Dustin

torsion bar ios the magic word to summ all the suspension talk :P No other 4 bi i know has it :P and its the reason behind the magic. as said... not just up and down travel... up and back at hte same time ( IE: rolls backwards).