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Coffee Freak Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2015 Posts: 137 Location: Lexington, NC
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Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 3:51 pm Post subject: |
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I'd like to lower my 72 SB about 5" up front. It was set up as a Baja by the previous owner so the fenders are cut WAY back. I can drop 5" and not come close to them. If I start with some 2.5" springs, what else will I need? It looks like adjustable struts and inserts, correct? I'd like to keep it cheap as I only have $600 into the car so far including the 2.5" springs. If I can cut and weld stock stuff that's ideal. I've read this and there is a lot of abbreviations and conflicting info in this 25 page sticky. Not to mention the fluff posts. 😀 |
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RailBoy Samba Member
Joined: March 10, 2008 Posts: 2904 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 2:17 am Post subject: |
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If you do it do it right. Do it for the safty of it.. Toplineparts.com RB _________________ [quote="smitty24"]"HELP, I ported my own heads and now have fire coming out my ass" .[/quote]
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Coffee Freak Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2015 Posts: 137 Location: Lexington, NC
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Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 5:15 am Post subject: |
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RailBoy wrote: |
If you do it do it right. Do it for the safty of it.. Toplineparts.com RB |
I'm all about safety, but I just have a problem with plunking down money that I don't need to when I can make the same part myself. For example, I can go to Lowes and get a pair of conduit clamps for a buck each and voila, I have their "Brake Line Clamp kit" that they charge $8 for. They charge $50 a piece for strut inserts when you can order them from rockauto.com for MK1 Rabbits for around $15 a piece. I know they are a business and need to make a profit, but I'm a pretty resourceful guy. I will research the hound out of something before I spend the bucks. Honestly, I like the idea of the adjust-a-strut versus me cutting and welding the stock housing because when I like at the time I'd spend cutting and welding (I don't have access to a machine shop), I'd be money ahead with the adjust-a-struts.
So, if I can use MK1 struts in the adjust-a-strut housings and the 2.5" Mid America springs, I'd be about $200 into the setup. My question is how low will that combination get me? Is it a cumulative drop (meaning that you add the 2.5" to the 2-4" adjustable struts for 4.5-6.5" or does the adjust-a-strut dictate the final height? |
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RailBoy Samba Member
Joined: March 10, 2008 Posts: 2904 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2015 5:51 am Post subject: |
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Freak, those are questions to put in to the guys at Topline. Thing is it is there business is to lower Super Beetles and they do it right. Like you mentioned, they are "Plug & Play" so in an afternoon you are up and running.
Thing is they do make set-ups that puts your car on the ground to the point you have to do ball joint flips so they don't bind nor drag. Yep, real low, thing is also you said about heating springs to lower them, the point here is Topline Kits lower the car but keep your suspension working, not just bottoming out.
Also, yea, put the call into Topline Jon, he is a very nice guy and also knows about wheels, have you thought of the wheels & tires you plan to run? That is a whole nother topic for fitment has to be correct to keep them from rubbing, and yep, and if you go disk, you have the selection of Toyota, Honda, Porsche, all kinds of wheels, but the point here is what you have or plan to get, you have to know measurments of the diameters, widths, and ET's for proper fitment, also, on this topic, did you know the wheel bases change from year to year on the Supers over there whole production lifespan? RB _________________ [quote="smitty24"]"HELP, I ported my own heads and now have fire coming out my ass" .[/quote]
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obesepolice Samba Member
Joined: January 19, 2012 Posts: 151 Location: Ft. Worth
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2015 6:34 am Post subject: |
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Topline all the way! Jon is fantastic and so are his products. Here is how low my super was with adjustable struts springs on the lowest setting with 145/65.
It was way way to low, I hit everything could barley get out of my driveway. I switched up the wheels and put a bigger tire size in front to get the front sway bar off the ground a little bit while still tucking the tire.
Im running 195/65 in the rear down one inner click and 175/65 up front with topline struts and springs all the way down. With the bigger tires in front I now have about 4 inches clearence rather than 2. Much much better to drive. I dont have to swerve around everything.
ALSO I have a pair of almost new MAXX struts laying around that I might sell for cheap PM if interested. |
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RailBoy Samba Member
Joined: March 10, 2008 Posts: 2904 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2015 7:08 am Post subject: |
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Yea I bit the Bullet and went all the way Topline, Disk F&R, Rear Sway Bar, HD Front Lowered Sway Bar, plus drilled rotors for Porsche Wheels for they were the best deal going when I did mine. I am running 205/50/16" Fronts Tires, 225/50/16" for Rear Tires.
It is set-up for back roads driving with Chatter Bumps and All so I Run Oil shocks on all Four Corners, I figured that GR-2's(Excell G's) would be to stiff for the chatter bumps of the crummy back roads, and we all know that KYB Gas Adjust are even to stiff for race tracks do to how light Beetles are.
But here are some photos, have enough suspension movement to handle daily driving condictions which was the plan for the car. Something else it was all second hand with the suspension, just checked the classifieds for a while to find it, but the disk were new and a few other parts, and as for the brake line brackets, zip-ties, even cheaper....
Thing is there are 3 companies world wide that makes these kits and all, one out of Germany that uses Porsche Stuff, then out out of Australia, which both I forget the names of, but google it for a bit, maybe you will get a better price, after shipping and machine work which the German Company one requires. RB
_________________ [quote="smitty24"]"HELP, I ported my own heads and now have fire coming out my ass" .[/quote]
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TheAmazingDave Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2013 Posts: 788 Location: San Jose, CA
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2015 9:25 am Post subject: |
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obesepolice wrote: |
Topline all the way! Jon is fantastic and so are his products. Here is how low my super was with adjustable struts springs on the lowest setting with 145/65.
It was way way to low, I hit everything could barley get out of my driveway. I switched up the wheels and put a bigger tire size in front to get the front sway bar off the ground a little bit while still tucking the tire. |
Reminds me of what I did. Put my struts on at the lowest spring setting, and after a few weeks, the new springs settled and the front was much lower that I anticipated. I brought the rear down to match, but it was just too low. Looked great, drove like shit. I also neglected to flip my tie rods, and they got crushed against the body. Had to raise the front up a bit after munching my frame head on a few pot holes. Luckily, it didn't destroy the frame head, but I'm going to need it on a rack to make sure my control arm mounts are still straight. It aligned okay, so not too worried about that yet. It's on my list...
So I lifted it back up one "click" and put on much shorter tires. Here's how he sits now.
And my clearance at the frame head, no passengers and a quarter tank, clears a Bic by about 1/4".
Then, I did an engine refresh a few weeks ago, which included a merged header and "phatboy" exhaust. Now I found the rear too low. Header was dragging everywhere with a slight incline, and I destroyed the first muffler in a week (6 days and 22 hours). I like the way it sits though so instead of re-indexing the rear again, I installed some Monroe air shocks to lift the back when I'm out running errands and I know I have driveways to hit. Works great.
I am probably going to step back up to bigger tires to close the fender gap back up, and I'm debating whether I want to add air management for the rear shocks, or just save my pennies and do a full air ride.
Don't forget the tie rod flip kit! Can you spot the carnage?
_________________ Just call me Big D. (formerly xBigDx408x)
TheAmazingDave.net
Deutschland Dubs 2015 at Presidio Trust |
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obesepolice Samba Member
Joined: January 19, 2012 Posts: 151 Location: Ft. Worth
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2015 9:37 am Post subject: |
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I had mine really low but it was terrible to drive plus with the OG sprint stars there is no way with the offset.
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TheAmazingDave Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2013 Posts: 788 Location: San Jose, CA
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2015 9:41 am Post subject: |
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obesepolice wrote: |
I had mine really low but it was terrible to drive plus with the OG sprint stars there is no way with the offset. |
Did you do anything to your rear end to get it down that far? In my top pic above, that's sitting on the stock bump stops. I took them off (the rubber bumpers) as a test, and only had about an inch of clearance between the stop mount and the stop "plate". It was not drive-able like that, and not as low as yours is there. Curious how you got the extra clearance. _________________ Just call me Big D. (formerly xBigDx408x)
TheAmazingDave.net
Deutschland Dubs 2015 at Presidio Trust |
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obesepolice Samba Member
Joined: January 19, 2012 Posts: 151 Location: Ft. Worth
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Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2015 7:37 am Post subject: |
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[quote="xBigDx408x"]
obesepolice wrote: |
I had mine really low but it was terrible to drive plus with the OG sprint stars there is no way with the offset. |
Did you do anything to your rear end to get it down that far? In my top pic above, that's sitting on the stock bump stops. I took them off (the rubber bumpers) as a test, and only had about an inch of clearance between the stop mount and the stop "plate". It was not drive-able like that, and not as low as yours is there. Curious how you got the extra clearance.[/quote
That set up was with two inner clicks and 165/80. All I did was cut the bump stops. It basically rode on the bump stops. |
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acidjzaz Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2004 Posts: 25 Location: NorCal
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Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2015 12:44 am Post subject: |
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Hey all I know this has probably been listed and documented somewhere
I have a 74 superbeetle -2 bolt. If I wanted to move to a 73 -3 bolt. I would just need
1973
Center tie rod
Left and right tie rods
Ball joints
3 bolt struts
Both control arms
Spindles
Then out of that I could really get everything from topline, except the control arms and spindles, correct?
For those that have done the conversion.. was it worth it for that extra few inches.
Thanks |
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acidjzaz Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2004 Posts: 25 Location: NorCal
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Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2015 7:15 pm Post subject: Re: Official "Super Beetle" lowering topic |
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74 Sunbug here
I did the 3 bolt conversion
73 control arms
tie rods
73 spindles
73 ball joints
Topline Super Low Kit and Sport + Springs
flip kit
I went 2 spindles in the back and third rung from the bottom on the strut
175/65 all around
The height of it looked great but it rode pretty bad .. steering was pretty jumpy and harsh.
Did I go too low??
I am going to try and have my shop raise it one rung next week.
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JasonBaker Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2010 Posts: 1642 Location: Cleveland, TN
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Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2015 7:51 pm Post subject: Re: Official "Super Beetle" lowering topic |
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It sounds like you have bumpsteer. You need the flip it kit from topline. |
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galencurrington Samba Member
Joined: March 16, 2004 Posts: 426 Location: bowling green, ky
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Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2015 8:02 pm Post subject: Re: Official "Super Beetle" lowering topic |
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I just finished lowering a 71 with all topline stuff which is awesome but no one had talked about get the front end aligned did anyone have to buy the extra camber kit that they sell to get it to align up correctly I lowered it about 3.5 to 4 inches. Let me know. _________________ "asking and getting are two different things" |
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acidjzaz Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2004 Posts: 25 Location: NorCal
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Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2015 8:20 pm Post subject: Re: Official "Super Beetle" lowering topic |
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i raised mine up one rung and its just right.. I also used the extra camber kit. |
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Goldbug3318 Samba Member
Joined: September 06, 2014 Posts: 210 Location: Jacksonville, FL
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Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2016 9:44 am Post subject: Re: Official "Super Beetle" lowering topic |
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Pardon my ignorance....When I bought my car I got a set of 2.5 lowering front spindles that were never installed by the PO. I just want to lower the front. Is this an acceptable way?? Has anyone gone this way?? Had planned on installing this weekend.
BTW, I went on the topline website, wow great products!!
Mike _________________ 1971 Super Beetle 1302S
1641 DP, lowered, 914's, etc...
1990 Ford Mustang Coupe
2008 Ford Mustang Coupe
2003 Chevy Corvette |
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beetlenut Samba Member
Joined: May 27, 2009 Posts: 2980 Location: RI
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Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2016 1:09 pm Post subject: Re: Official "Super Beetle" lowering topic |
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galencurrington wrote: |
I just finished lowering a 71 with all topline stuff which is awesome but no one had talked about get the front end aligned did anyone have to buy the extra camber kit that they sell to get it to align up correctly I lowered it about 3.5 to 4 inches. Let me know. |
Don't hold me to this, ask Jon at Topline instead, but I think if you go lower than 2 inches, you need the camber kit. _________________ scrapyards are for quitters
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Wetstuff wrote: |
... I spend more time shaking it than directing it?! I get a pretty decent blast for 8sec. then have to shake it again. |
- Words to live by right there!
My 74 Super rebuild thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6507104#6507104 |
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Lingwendil Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009 Posts: 3987 Location: Antioch, California, a block from the hood
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EXJAY Samba Member
Joined: October 04, 2009 Posts: 1109 Location: Myrtle Beach, SC
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Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2016 4:19 am Post subject: Re: Official "Super Beetle" lowering topic |
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Going to to a 2" drop up front (cut/re-weld strut housing). What year/type of Scirocco strut insert will fit the factory housing cut down 2"? _________________ EXJAY
'74 Superbeetle (Family owned since new)
'73 181 Thing (sold) |
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vamram Samba Member
Joined: March 08, 2012 Posts: 7276 Location: NOVA
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Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2016 4:33 am Post subject: Re: Official "Super Beetle" lowering topic |
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Why cut good original housings? I'm sure someone out there would buy those for a stock resto (I just bought a pair) and u can find good used drop housings out there too (I have a pair). _________________ Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!
'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!! |
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