| [ Total Views: 776 | Total Replies: 11 | Thread Id: 36961 ] |
|
|
 Yellow Booger
Learner Dubber
Posts: 12
Threads: 4
Registered: September 3rd, 2002
Member Is Offline
Location: Our Nations Capital
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: Ambivalent
|
| posted on March 31st, 2005 at 09:07 AM |
|
|
Need more ground clearance
Well, I found out what you guys meant about learning the limits of the Baja over easter. We drove 500km up to Lake maquarie to visit family,
reasonably uneventful although the generator nut worked it's way loose which damaged the top pulley and possibly the wodruff key and keyway. Is
there meant to be a spring washer under there?
On Easter sunday I decided to give stokton beach a go. I'd been there about 10 years ago in a suzuki sierra, so I thought it wouldn't be too
hard... got bogged on the access track in. The engine tin becomes a great shovel in reverse. A nice bloke in a GS Limo buggy suggested that we
lower tyre pressure down to 5 psi and, with lots of revs it got out of the really rutted stuff and onto the dunes proper. No real problems once we
were there, but I was a bit concerned about getting out. It was on the rough stuff that the rear tyres started to hit the gaurds on full bump. I
think the rear torsion bars have sagged a bit.
I think that somewhere during the day, one of the bumps must have shaken the accellerator pump nozzle loose, cos on our way home on monday, the car
started making an awful noise, which turned out to be the engine injesting the accelerator pump nozzel. thankfully it didn't appear to cause any
permanent damage and we were able to continue on our way through Sydney.
It was in Sydney that i realised the thump when applying the brakes was in fact due to one of the bolts on the front brake caliper falling out. It
appears that the locking tab had broken off and due to vibrations the bolt had worked it's way loose. Fortunately I was able to get a new bolt and
continue on without further dramas.
So I think if i'm going to continue with offroading the baja bug, i'm going to need to be more concerned about reliability and somehow find more
rear end ground clearance.
Whats the best way to do that with a swingaxle?
Stephen
|
|
|
VWCOOL
23 Windows of Awesome
Posts: 5158
Threads: 235
Registered: June 19th, 2003
Member Is Offline
Location: In the shed... Lake Macquarie NSW
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: happy to help
|
| posted on March 31st, 2005 at 10:49 AM |
|
|
Convert to IRS... 
Are you looking for more ground clearance (increased ride height), or more suspension travel (up and down)? Regardless of sag and suspension travel,
the tyres SHOULD NOT touch any components on the body etc. There should ALWAYS be limiters, bumpstops etc to prevent contact or damage
And now for your next lesson: a 'Spanner Check' of all suspension, chassis and brake bolts/nuts to correct torque and check locking tabs etc at your
next service!
[Edited on 31/3/2005 by VWCOOL]
[Edited on 31/3/2005 by VWCOOL]
Pay your debts, CxxT
|
|
|
Chewy
Fahrvergnugen
Posts: 889
Threads: 75
Registered: July 18th, 2004
Member Is Offline
Location: Geelong, Vic
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: Buggered
|
| posted on April 2nd, 2005 at 01:14 AM |
|
|
pre-load the rear torsion bars.
A good guide is to set it so that the bottem edge of the springplate covers half the lower rear spring-plate cap bolt hole.
If you dont know how to pre-load the torsion bars do a search, its not very hard.
.
|
|
|
WABaja
A.k.a.: Daniel
Insano Dub Head
Call ME when you need a TOW
Posts: 824
Threads: 40
Registered: November 25th, 2004
Member Is Offline
Location: Perth WA
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: Grumpy in the morning and moody at night
|
| posted on April 2nd, 2005 at 04:04 AM |
|
|
My first Baja tweaking consisted of fitting 150psi pump up air shocks to the rear, with the Biggest rear wheel/tyre combo I could fit in there...
That turned out to be 33x15 tyres on 10x15's... If you want to avoid a yellow sticker, I suggest NOT fitting such large wheels and tyres... I got
several stickers... A big wheel/tyre combo with BIG pump up shocks will take care of your clearance problem.. I ran my car like that for several years
before the current build.. It now runs a 4" body lift, 1600 Kombi box so the car was converted to IRS, reset front and rear torsion bars, disc brake
front end, full cage and bar work with harnesses and race seats...
Despite how tuff it's been built, I broke something last weekend, so don't get disheartened about things snapping off... It happens to most of us,
but it's a Great learning experience and most of the Baja guys on here will probably be very happy to give you advice or lend a hand...
Enjoy the ride...
I hate to admit it, but man, I think you're right....
|
|
|
MUD BASHING ANYONE ??
Wolfsburg Wizard
Posts: 591
Threads: 23
Registered: May 27th, 2004
Member Is Offline
Location: Gold coast
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: Need to be inspired !!
|
| posted on April 2nd, 2005 at 03:24 PM |
|
|
There is no reall need to go to irs unless you want big big but my old swinger has eaten more irs cars than i can count now that we have that cleared
up. start by taking the back up one outer spline that will make a few inches difference the front is easy but if your not mechaniclly minded you could
take it to some one to do it for you but all you have to do is take your front beam out link pin to ball joint same thing just not as far with
balljoint take it all apart make two cuts about an inch ether side of the lock screew one a side top and bottem and now turn the bit around as much as
needed and weld you will have to cut the bump stops off and run kombi frot shocks if you go big big have fun
You only need two tools
Wd40 if it don't move and it should
Duct tape if it move's and it shouldn't
|
|
|
VWCOOL
23 Windows of Awesome
Posts: 5158
Threads: 235
Registered: June 19th, 2003
Member Is Offline
Location: In the shed... Lake Macquarie NSW
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: happy to help
|
| posted on April 2nd, 2005 at 03:58 PM |
|
|
| Quote: | Originally
posted by WABaja
A big wheel/tyre combo with BIG pump up shocks will take care of your clearance problem..
Enjoy the ride...
|
No, not quite... it simply limits travel so the tyre/body clearance problem isn't so obvious. It's much better to have full suspension
travel (it's there - might as well use it!) and adequate clearance all through that travel
Pay your debts, CxxT
|
|
|
68AutoBug
A.k.a.: Lee Noonan
Aircooled Master
Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138% - YIKES --
Posts: 11654
Threads: 449
Registered: August 31st, 2002
Member Is Offline
Location: SCONE in UPPER HUNTER VALLEY NSW
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Yellow
Mood: Really Mentally Ill - all of the time -
|
 posted on April 2nd, 2005 at 06:00 PM |
|
|
Any of You Guys interested in a pair of KYB used Gas shocks in good condition....?
$40 plus postage...
I don't have any pics of them as yet....
I will also measure them...
they fit the front end of a late torsion bar Beetle...
one nut at the top and the bolt thru the bottom....
they look like they are longer than normal......
but I haven't measured My Beetles shocks as yet....
Lee Noonan -- Scone 2337
vk2lee@qsl.net or U2U
- [size=4]Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY--- [/size]
|
|
|
seagull
Compulsive Aussie Vee Dubber
Posts: 4979
Threads: 752
Registered: December 25th, 2003
Member Is Offline
Location: PerthWA
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
|
| posted on April 4th, 2005 at 12:28 AM |
|
|
I bet you painted them Lee
Looking for that special lady : PM me for coffee & cake
|
|
|
WABaja
A.k.a.: Daniel
Insano Dub Head
Call ME when you need a TOW
Posts: 824
Threads: 40
Registered: November 25th, 2004
Member Is Offline
Location: Perth WA
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: Grumpy in the morning and moody at night
|
| posted on April 4th, 2005 at 01:27 AM |
|
|
| Quote: | Originally
posted by VWCOOL
| Quote: | Originally
posted by WABaja
A big wheel/tyre combo with BIG pump up shocks will take care of your clearance problem..
Enjoy the ride...
|
No, not quite... it simply limits travel so the tyre/body clearance problem isn't so obvious. It's much better to have full suspension
travel (it's there - might as well use it!) and adequate clearance all through that travel
|
He said he needs more ground clearance, not wheel travel...
Big tyres and a jacked up ass end, WILL give more Ground Clearance....
I hate to admit it, but man, I think you're right....
|
|
|
Yellow Booger
Learner Dubber
Posts: 12
Threads: 4
Registered: September 3rd, 2002
Member Is Offline
Location: Our Nations Capital
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: Ambivalent
|
| posted on April 4th, 2005 at 09:06 AM |
|
|
Thanks for the advice everyone,
I'e already got avis adjusters on the front, but only 195x70 r14 tyres, so I think slightly larger diameter tyres on the front will help a bit.
The local VW guy suggested that coil over shocks at the back with adjustable spring tension would allow me to run reasonably straight axles when on
road and then go to fully wound up rear axles for off road. Sounds reasonable to me, any thoughts?
Yellow Booger :-)
|
|
|
VWCOOL
23 Windows of Awesome
Posts: 5158
Threads: 235
Registered: June 19th, 2003
Member Is Offline
Location: In the shed... Lake Macquarie NSW
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: happy to help
|
| posted on April 4th, 2005 at 10:35 AM |
|
|
Yeah, I just thought I'd clarify the intent of his question as some people get the terms and concepts of suspension 'travel' and 'clearance'
mixed up.
With his rear tyres already rubbing on the guards, bigger ones will only cause more problems... Time to modify rim offset/track etc etc or go IRS, I
reckon!
[Edited on 4/4/2005 by VWCOOL]
Pay your debts, CxxT
|
|
|
Chewy
Fahrvergnugen
Posts: 889
Threads: 75
Registered: July 18th, 2004
Member Is Offline
Location: Geelong, Vic
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: Buggered
|
| posted on April 4th, 2005 at 10:50 AM |
|
|
| Quote: | Originally
posted by Yellow Booger
The local VW guy suggested that coil over shocks at the back with adjustable spring tension would allow me to run reasonably straight axles when on
road and then go to fully wound up rear axles for off road. Sounds reasonable to me, any thoughts?
Yellow Booger :-)
|
The problem with coil over shocks is that the VW shock mounts/towers were only designed to withstand the stresses from the original oil dampers,
putting a coil shock on puts a lot more stress on them than they can handle.
I would not use them without beefing up the shock towers in some way first.
However the idea of easily adjusting ride height would be great.
.
|
|
|
