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 kombi_kid
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| posted on June 2nd, 2003 at 10:19 PM |
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narrowing front beams
hey
just want to know whats involved to narrow a front end in both beetle and kombi??? what are the advantages/disadvantages? etc
cheers
rhys
it aint just cool its aircool'd
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 Dasdubber
A.k.a.: Alan Agyik
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| posted on June 3rd, 2003 at 08:14 AM |
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Not sure about the kombi but for beetle:
Narrowing involves cutting both torsion tubes and taking out whatever width you want and rewelding - often done when installing adjusters to minimise
number of cuts and welds.
If width is taken out of centre you have to relocate the mounts that hold the beam onto the pan as well as the steering box locating tabs - also cut
the torsion leaves to length and redrill the depressions which locate the torsion arms onto the leaves. Then you have to shorten your tie rods - do
the end with a right hand thread so you can retap it with a normal tap.
Link pin I think you can go 1.5-2inches without interfering with body, ball joint may be up to 2.5 I think. You can modify link pin shock towers
(replace the inside pressed section with a flat section) to get another 1 inch possibly. Others just hammer the body to make room!
Advantages - tuck wide wheels under stock gaurds and the skinny front look.
Disadvantages - affects handling - you are effectively decreasing track width and will therefore reduce cornering stability (to a degree).
Alan
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kombi_kid
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| posted on June 3rd, 2003 at 10:32 AM |
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hey alan
so there sounds like to be a fair bit of work!!!
what length is usually taken out???
cheers
rhys
it aint just cool its aircool'd
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Unity-28
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| posted on June 3rd, 2003 at 01:20 PM |
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The length taken out is what ever look you want to go for! Im going 4 1/2 inches on a ball joint beam! Hopefully without too much body work (will try
for no body work) Im making up some new shock towers! But thats the Look im going for, And the car really wont be driven that much!
N!:thumb
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Dasdubber
A.k.a.: Alan Agyik
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| posted on June 3rd, 2003 at 04:25 PM |
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Usually about 2inches is pretty standard - just have to be careful if you lower it a lot you'll start to rub the headlight buckets as well as the
outer edge of the pan - your turning circle will be reduced.
Cutting and welding the beam allegedly is not that hard but keeping everything aligned and straight is the hard part - you don't want a bent
beam!
How much you want to narrow does depend on what look you are after as N said - in a recent hot vws I saw a narrowed link pin beam with the shock
towers inside the body and the fuel tank raised up so it could accommodate the new tower location. You are only limited by time, money and expertise
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kombi_kid
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| posted on June 3rd, 2003 at 05:30 PM |
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so i spose a kombi would be easier because of no fuel tank!!!
something to ponder over next time i have a spare front end!!!
cheers
rhys
it aint just cool its aircool'd
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type82e
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| posted on June 3rd, 2003 at 09:48 PM |
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there was an article on it in VW trends? not that long ago have a look back maybe rhys I have it somewheer but it is on the bottom of the storage shed
now
marcel
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kombi_kid
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| posted on June 4th, 2003 at 08:14 AM |
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our newswagent could never get VW trends!! hows the move going marcel??? found any new parts in it???
cheers
rhys
it aint just cool its aircool'd
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2443TT
A.k.a.: Ian
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| posted on June 4th, 2003 at 09:03 AM |
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I've got this PDF file that is the actual article from the VW trends that covers the narrowing of a beam.
I'll be doing my link pin front end soon, and will be removing 3". There is a shock tower conversion kit from http://www.airspeedparts.com that allows you to retain the use of shock absorbers
when narrowing a link pin front end.
Cheers everyone!
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