Aircooled VW South Africa

's up?

The '66... :s

Ever since we've had this car the suspension has been atrocious.

It shows no signs of having been dropped. No adjusters, etc.

I don't think it's lowered, although others have thought it may have been very slightly lowered.

The ride is hard...very hard. There is nothing modified underneath, short for a camber compensator which we added recently.

When going over a speedbump, for example, there is a Helluva 'clunk' from the front-end.

When you brake hard there is, sometimes, a 'clunk' up front can be heard/felt slightly...

The last two days, twice, I have heard a wierd rapidly-repeating noise when turning hard left...ie: a bend, left turn, etc.

There has also been a 'jingling' sound since we've had this car which we've never been able to find.

I'm not sure if the three are related but I'm convinced it's getting worse.

I watched another '66 going over a 'bump in Pretoria yesterday, and like our former '62, it simply 'wafted' over the 'bump. That's how it should be.

I'm getting scared to drive the car...

Please, if anyone has any ideas, let me know asap.

* We did recently replace all the grease in the front beam...which helped the ride slightly.

Thanks, N.

what are the chances that the car has has some springs removed from the front beams.
Wrong length shocks that bottom out on the slightest hint of travel???

I've suspected that for some time now, but have no idea how to check...

How do I check?

Can it be done with just the removal of the front wheels?

If it's the problem (one of them ), how hard is it to find more blades/springs?

The PO seems to have mod'd the car based on a popular '60s VW tuner book, hence the major engine makeover recently. Shims, flycuts, compressions changes, carb issues, etc.

The shocks look stock to me...I'll check exact details for you tonight.

Thanks, N.

If you know what to look for its not hard to find. On either side of the suspensions ends check link http://www.dansperformanceparts.com/bug ... 0front.htm
the red part is the place you check for the springs.. I think there should be 5 or 8 of them (cant remember). You might have to clean some grease away first. Cant remember if there is a cover over it or not. check both upper and lower tubes.

I know that in the past the guys also bent the front blades to drop the car and that made the bug very hard up front

Bugger wrote:I know that in the past the guys also bent the front blades to drop the car and that made the bug very hard up front

what the best way to do it (brop the ride?)

I would say fitting the front adjusters x2 top and bottom beam

If you bend them would they have to be heated up first and then bent? Are the blades not made from spring steel?

Thanks.

I'll rope my Father in and try and dismantle the beam this weekend...probably best to replace them all then?

Used from a scrapyard, or can they be had new?

Thanks, N.

I once owned a VR6 that the previous owner was hijacked in, they shot at him, and we could never find the bullet, it used to roll around in the door and make a noise. We eventually fitted a new RHS door

Sold the car as 300kms to a tank was a big heavy.

My point about the jingle is do some major investigations

Like I said follow this link.... http://www.dansperformanceparts.com/bug ... 0front.htm

putting a few marbles in the ceiling of someones cabin on a ship drives them up the wall....

i never been on a ship,

we cant all be perfect

vader wrote:If you bend them would they have to be heated up first and then bent? Are the blades not made from spring steel?

No just strip off the stub axles and a BIG pipe over the top arm and bend it up this makes the car lower and very much harder suspension