| [ Total Views: 1477 | Total Replies: 23 | Thread Id: 110826 ] |
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 scm048
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| posted on April 12th, 2016 at 02:56 PM |
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Lowering a 74 L Bug
Hi all, have just picked up my new toy, a 74 L Bug which is totally stock standard.
Have ordered a new set of Cosmo 5 15" rims and tyres (195/65-15 rears and 175/65-15 fronts).
http://www.vollks.com.au/store/Cosmo-5-Gloss-Black-and-Polished-Lip-4x130.html
What is the best method to lower the front end? Hoping to drop it around 2.5"
Car will be used as a daily driver, but also hoping to take it out on track occasionally at the nationals and Valla once I get it sorted.
Also, any recommendations where to get the work done, I live on NSW Central Coast between Newcastle and Sydney.
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scm048
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| posted on April 12th, 2016 at 04:52 PM |
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Spoke to Volksbahn and Vintage VW. Sounds like modified struts is the way forward. Any other recommendations?
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 Bizarre
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| posted on April 12th, 2016 at 05:04 PM |
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The Cosmos are an off set of ET20
They will rub when you lower it
A 6" wheel should have an offset of around ET36 to work
Futue te ipsum!!!
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Bizarre
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| posted on April 12th, 2016 at 06:15 PM |
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Ok - more pictures here
http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=36756&page=1
The front wheels are 15" x 6" ET36 - same as Cookie Cutters
The rears are 15" x 6" ET20
Ideally Supers need different offset front and back
[
Futue te ipsum!!!
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Bizarre
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| posted on April 12th, 2016 at 06:16 PM |
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you can see in the last picture - 15mm further out and it would rub
The Cosmos are fine for a beam, or a non lowered Super
Futue te ipsum!!!
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scm048
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| posted on April 13th, 2016 at 07:36 AM |
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Thanks Bizarre, Nice looking car.
I'd better cancel the order for the Cosmo's which I was told would work on a lowered L Bug.
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scm048
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| posted on April 13th, 2016 at 07:37 AM |
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What size tyres are you using front and rear?
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Bizarre
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| posted on April 13th, 2016 at 08:04 AM |
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Not my car any more 😂
Moved onto T3's (Vanagons)
Still around with the Porsche Boxsters
I was running 195/65 rear and 195/60 front.
L bugs are tricky to get the right wheel to suit lowering.
Have a look on Super Beetles Only for ideas
A lot of people go with fibreglass flared guards to fix the issue but not my cup of tea
The Spiders I had are no longer available.
Futue te ipsum!!!
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1303Steve
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| posted on April 13th, 2016 at 08:10 AM |
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Hi
Is your car 2 bolt or three bolt on the base? It should be 2 bolt but many things can happen over the years.
Going skinny struts give more inner wheel clearance, I was running 17x7 ET 55 on my sons 74, but the wider you go the less inner clearance you end up
with so less steering lock.
Steve
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scm048
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| posted on April 13th, 2016 at 08:51 AM |
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Hi Steve, it's a 2 bolt, so from what I understand getting the right size rims and tyres can be tricky.
The rims arrive today, and I've ordered 175/65-15s for the front and 195/65-15's for the rear.
Will put them on with stock suspension and see how it goes. Would prefer to maybe modify the guards slightly or change struts if need be to keep the
Cosmo's when I lower it.
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Bizarre
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| posted on April 13th, 2016 at 10:32 AM |
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You can roll the lip of the guard flat with a smooth piece of wood.
Futue te ipsum!!!
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beetleboyjeff
A.k.a.: Jeff Walsh
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| posted on April 13th, 2016 at 10:06 PM |
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I widened my front guards by having the guard near the inside lip (where it bolts to the body) cut off, and adding about 25mm in there. It still looks
stock. No one picks up that the guards are widened.
From your ole' mate Jeff
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Bizarre
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| posted on April 14th, 2016 at 07:43 AM |
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^^^^^ one of the better efforts
Futue te ipsum!!!
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1303Steve
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| posted on April 15th, 2016 at 06:06 PM |
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Hi
The strut bottoms on a 2 bolt car are the same as Mk1 Golf, so on my sons car I filed out the upper bolt hole to fit camber bolts from a Mk1 Golf then
I had 2 camber adjustment points, using both of them I could adjust the camber to make the track as narrow as possible.
I gave it maximum negative camber on the strut leg and corrected it using the camber adjustment on the lower control arm.
Steve
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scm048
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| posted on April 16th, 2016 at 07:17 PM |
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Got the new rims and tyres fitted today. Definitely needs to be a lot lower. Hoping to drop down 2.5" front and rear without having to change struts
or modify guards. Fingers crossed!
http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/scm048/media/Beetle/IMG_2853_zpslvjsgjxm.jp...
http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/scm048/media/Beetle/IMG_2856_zpszohivtdg.jp...
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Bizarre
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| posted on April 17th, 2016 at 07:45 AM |
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have you got a shot showing how far the rim / tyre sticks out?
You may ba able to lower the cup / spring perch on the strut
Have a look here
http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=48798&page=1#pid454881
Futue te ipsum!!!
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scm048
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| posted on April 17th, 2016 at 09:04 AM |
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They only stick out around 5mm.
[img]http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/scm048/media/Beetle/IMG_2868_zpswdjtbrwn.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0[/img]
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1303Steve
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| posted on April 17th, 2016 at 09:16 AM |
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they look great, how much spring to wheel clearance do you have? Is it only 5mm on the front?
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modnrod
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| posted on April 17th, 2016 at 11:15 AM |
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I wouldn't worry about 5mm, the tire markings stick out nearly half of that!
I'd just run those wheels like that myself, I think it looks great, throw in 2" lowered springs if you want to and call it done.
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Bizarre
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| posted on April 17th, 2016 at 11:46 AM |
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Change to 3 bolt and grab the V Foce struts for sale
Bargain at that price
Futue te ipsum!!!
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1303Steve
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| posted on April 17th, 2016 at 11:49 AM |
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maybe you could get them under with my mod to the camber adjustment
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1303Steve
A.k.a.: Steve Carter
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| posted on April 17th, 2016 at 11:51 AM |
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Or maybe we could work something out, my son wants to go 3 bolt on his car, he has V Force 2 bolts in it now, maybe we could do some swapping, we buy
the 3 bolts for my sons car and sell you his 2 bolts
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scm048
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| posted on April 20th, 2016 at 07:54 PM |
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Thanks Steve,
Spoke to my brother in law (mechanic) and he thinks he can modify the existing struts based on some of the advice above. If that doesn't work out
I'll get back to you about the 2 bolts.
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scm048
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| posted on July 13th, 2016 at 05:38 PM |
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Gave up on the Cosmo's and took the easy route - have just received my Topline Maxx struts and bought a set of Boxster 16" rims.
Now I need to try and fit them all before Valla....
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