Hey everyone,
My bug has a type 1 back end in it (wheels slant in) and was wondering if i would get better ground clearance if i put type 3 IRS (wheels stay parallel).

Thanks!!

bug irs box and type 3 irs boxes are the same i believe

Yep, as Chris said, it's the IRS (independent rear suspension or double joint axle) you need. It came out on later bugs as well as later type 3's.
Can be fitted to your swing axle bug but you need to weld in the pivot boxes to your pan. Quite a job for experienced mechanics.

Sorry chris but i don't understand what u mean??

yes matberry i have IRS out of a later bug. to do it do i swap the torsion bars, just slide the type 3 in or what? yes i have the pivot boxes sorted thanks!!

I assumed u had a swing axle box (no diagonal trailing arms) as you said about the wheels slanted in.

If it already had the provisions for the later diagonal trailing arm suspension (AKA irs, although the earlier model supension WAS ALSO a form of irs but referred to by slang as swing axle), then it shouldn't have such a massively noticeable camber slant at all...

later irs type 3 gearboxes with the wheels parallel and no camber change are the same as the later type 1 bug irs boxes when irs in the bug was released (68 onwards from the autostick models first). ie: later bug boxes will have 'parallel ' wheels too...

I'm not sure if ur familiar with this or not, if you are, then i will shut up.

But if u got the later irs bug box already with the diagonal trailing arms, then it will be the same as the irs type 3 box. remember, i'm using the term irs as the slang version... By irs, i mean the later box style, not the early 'swing axle' style...

I hope i'm making sense lol, tell me of not mate.

IE:

swingaxle, the earlier form of rear bug suspension involves the changing camber... it is a form of irs, but called, swing axle... You should see it is swing axle if it hasn't got the diagonal traling arms and it only has grease boots on the axle at the gearbox, not at the hubs.

IRS, the later form, which is also... well irs... is called irs in slang, which does not involve an serious change in camber in its up and down travel, just like the 'irs' type 3 gearbox.

If you have the swing axle suspension, as Matt stated, you will need to weld the pivot boxes near the front of the gearbox for the diagonal arms to bolt into... its difficult as it requires some pretty good precision welding/aligning. A few jigs are going around, ask the boys on another thread if ur looking for a jig.

benefits of swinger, less parts to break. simpler, cheaper.

benefits of later irs: no mass camber change, more stable and safer ride, more bits to bust, more bits to manage.

I'm going to bed... lol

u know ur stuff chris!! Thanks heaps for that, you have cleared up a lot with terminology and how it all works!! thanks again.
yes i have the swing axel type in my bag ATM. from what i can see it would be better to go with the IRS. i have the box and every thing else for the IRS here. After i pull the swing axel suspension out and when i put the IRS in i'm assuming the torsion bars are the same and they will just slide in?

Yep, all the bits bolt in, just need to set up ride height.

Sounds great! thanks heaps for all your help fellas! very appreciative!!

It will all just bolt in, but only if your floorpan has the pivot boxes.



Smiley