Extra support for the front beam

As some of you know, I'm having my rear frame/suspension beefed up (kafer bar and roll bar supports). Now, I'm looking at the front. Has anyone done anything to beef up their front beam? In particular, the area at the end of the beam tubes, where they join to the shock horns. I'm thinking of fabricating brackets and connecting the beam ends to the frame.
Any thoughts on this?

You can buy these braces. Do a little searching. I think there is some discussion on the site.

EMPI makes them for upper and lower support.

http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=C26-413-151

http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=C26%2D413%2D150

Ron,
I have the lower brace on Penny.
It really helped to stiffen the front end.

Ron,

With an IM tube frame I'm not sure those braces for a pan based car would work or fit. I know you like to auto cross the car but I think Henry will have to fab something to fit if it is reall needed.

I still love the color....;-)

Isn't Ron's car pan based?

Ron, I had the Empi ones on my 83 IM and they did make a difference.

I have the lower ones but not the upper, would I feel any difference if I had them?

Yes, mine is a pan car.
Terry and Mickey, did they simply bolt on to your cars? I imagine they're made for a Beetle - did you have to do any fabricating? I can see the bottom ones bolting right on, but the top ones?
Wolfgang, thanks for the link.
Ron

It looks like uppers would bolt to the steel wheel well housing -oops!

Ron,
The lower brace bolts right in to the lower footwell location of the 2X2 steel integrated frame and then clamp on to the lower beam.

I have the same braces that Terry shows above, with one more modification. I have a flared body, and a 5 inch wider front beam with Fuchs wheels. The wider beam allowed for elimination of front wheel spacers and a considerable improvement in steering response. As you may imagine, the lower beam supports really stiffened up the whole front end.

The modification was, I reworked the supports and slotted the anchor brackets, to allow more outboard angle and thus fit the widened beam.

Oh, almost forgot, I also drilled a half inch hole in each beam cap to accommodate the existing zerk grease fitting on the lower beam. It all works.

I had some of the 4x3 tubing like VS uses to make the cab frame, I made a pair with that stuff They also bolt to the frame sides as well as the pan. At the beam they bolt around the beam and to the bumper brackets.. Very very sturdy!

Yes Ron, they bolted right up. I only had the bottom ones on. There are existing bolts for the frame head I think, and they bolt right to them. It's been awhile since I put them on but I think that was how they went on, I just remember it being a pretty easy install.

At the very least I'll install the lower supports.
Thanks for all the info.

Terry.
Where did you buy your's?
Troy

I got mine from John Steele at JPS.
But you'll save some money if you get them from Cip1.