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Looks like the same folks make them all regardless who you buy from. I bought mine from Gene Berg. They were the only vendor who knew how much angle a shim added; I believe it was 2 degrees 36 minutes. When installed I wound up with 6 degrees and change. Gene's shims are about 1/4" thick in the middle.

I don't have drop axles. To get the handling where you can drive you'll have to install a front sway bar and a camber commentator on the rear.

That's all I know about the subject...

Did you press them in or someone else? I ask because there are notches that have to be lined up for the ball joints to move freely. Failure to do this will create a very stiff suspension, as the ball joints won't have proper movement. The first pic shows the notches properly aligned when installed.

balljoint notch alignmentballjoint notch alignment- not correct

The 2nd pic shows an improperly installed ball joint, and how it has self- destructed.

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  • balljoint notch alignment
  • balljoint notch alignment- not  correct
Jim Gilbert - Madison, Mississippi posted:

Looks like the same folks make them all regardless who you buy from. I bought mine from Gene Berg. They were the only vendor who knew how much angle a shim added; I believe it was 2 degrees 36 minutes. When installed I wound up with 6 degrees and change. Gene's shims are about 1/4" thick in the middle.

I don't have drop axles. To get the handling where you can drive you'll have to install a front sway bar and a camber commentator  compensator (fixed it for you)  if it's a swingaxle or anti- sway bar (irs) on the rear.

That's all I know about the subject...

You'll find that a lot in the VW aftermarketplace- most people will tell you "just use this; it works!" while Gene Berg put the effort in to understand why, and probably (a lot of the time) did the original r&d and originated the part or brought it to the VW world in the first place while everyone else is opportunistically making a buck off something they put no initial investment into. Al

PS- For any one doing the initial alignment on their car- read again what Greg (@WOLFGANG) said just above. The alignment guy, unless he's an old VW guy, won't even know what caster shims look like, let alone have a set on the shelf. Be prepared, and if you don't use them they'll sell here easily. Or, for the less than the $15 or so they cost,  keep them in the garage on the work bench as a conversation starter ('cause I'd put money on no one else knowing what they're for!).

Ok, NOW I'm leaving...

Last edited by ALB
Brock B posted:

Ray, thanks ...waiting for the spring and bushing kit and the new output seals.

Todd, lol its this or mow grass lol......

Actually i mowed this morning for an hour to.

Are you retired?  My tentative retirement date is 7:30 am, March 1, 2021.  But then, who is keeping track?

My job has this irritating aspect in that it interferes with my life.

Pedals: Chapter 1 (starts about a third of the way down).

Chapter 2: Gas Pedal.

Chapter 3: adjusting the firewall.

Chapter 4: re-bushing & installation.

There'll probably be a Chapter 5: redoing stuff cuz I screwed it up somehow...

So far: 60(ish) hours. Russ's Fibersteel set look like a good deal at $1500—at least to me, a first-time fabricator who just decided to wing it. I'm thinking Brock will do 'em better than I did.

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