I need to rebuild my front suspension...worn out. Its a vw 4 lug disc ball joint setup...since everything is shot I'm starting over and go with wide 5 disc. I'd like an adjustable beam as well...just deciding on the width. Anyone running the narrowed beams? what wheels and tire widths and issues (rubbing) have you encountered? thanks for any constructive input.
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Good morning (insert first name here)- No one I know of here is running a narrowed beam, but with the added width of the wide 5 disc assemblies it may be a good idea. Most guys in bugs using them are running pretty short and not terribly wide tires, and are really not that concerned with the handling loss (and you won't convince me a car doesn't handle as well with a 4 or 6" narrower beam). Don't go any narrower than you need to.
The major issues with them is steering geometry (bump steer reportedly gets worse) and with wider tires they can hit the pan/inner fenderwell area in full turn. I think the steering geometry could be corrected somewhat by drilling the mounts on the spindles so you can flip the outer tie rod ends, but I'm only speculating here It may also be harder to find a narrower anti-sway bar; they used to be made, but I don't know about recently. A bar could be cut with the appropriate amount out of it and re-welded, but the welder will have to know how to weld spring steel.
In my Speedster (ball joint beam, Karmann Ghia discs, drop spindles, 6" Fuchs) with 195/55-15's the limiters on the steering box bracket needed to be adjusted so the tires didn't touch the pan edge. Are you going to use the 2 1/2" drop spindles as well? Some 15" wheels don't quite clear drop spindles and a little grinding needs to be done on the trailing arm around the ball joint. Al
CB Performance makes a sway bar for a narrowed beam:
I bought a basket case dune buggy - geeze, even the front beam was rusted out at the very bottom of each shock tower. A new Brazilian two adjuster beam fixed it right. I can't see a reason for a narrowed front beam. There is lots of in front wheel wells. Ok some off sets and big tires might brush inside wheel well splash area. I have 3/8' spacer on my 5.5" 2L Fuchs so inside of rims clear disk brake calipers and tie rod end. I could have gone larger to fill wheel well better. I wish I had also gone with lower disc brake spindle - they do add 1/2" each side to stance.
i made my own 3" narrowed BJ beam and front bumper bracket setup. I'm also running air and wide5 discs on drop spindles. no rubbing issues unless i'm fully air'd out and fully cranking the wheel. 185-60-15 tire size on mangel 5.5" steelies.
Does a tie-rod flip really do much if the beam has only been narrowed? I know it's useful when lowering (with an adjustable beam) as it corrects the horizontal angle of the tie rods back to a normal range and for tank clearance. But narrowing doesn't change the tie rod angle that much. The main reason bumpsteer increases with a narrowed beam is that the tie rods are shorter so they move in a tighter arc. With a tighter arc there is more left/right displacement of the tie rod ends as the suspension moves up and down.
honestly, i'd say there are not many others that run as low as i do and i didnt do a tie rod flip and have no issues whatsoever. i don't track race my car, but i do get on it pretty hard on the rare occasion
i can steer with one finger aired up or all out. and my tires are wearing perfectly even.
what sized tires and width/offset rims are you planning on running? what wide5 brake kit? what spindles?
all these are key to know before you decide what sort of beam you'll need.
do you like the tucked look? do you hate it?
you planning on running static low? (ie: dumped with no adjustable suspension)
