Front suspension question

I have absolutely no shock absorption in my front suspension. I had been reading about replacing the ball joints and shocks as a starting point. However, after going out to the driveway and inspecting things today, it appears that the front suspension is completely bottomed out. I don't think replacing the ball joints and shocks would help that at all. My guess is that I would have to lift things up a little bit before they can function properly.

I think the car has dropped spindles. Would the adjustment of the torsion bar have anything to do with the ride hight?? Is there anything else I should look for?

Any suggestions you can offer would be greatly appreciated. My bladder takes a beating every time I drive over a mosquito.

I apologize if this has been covered before, but I couldn't find an answer when I searched the forum. Plus, I love it when everyone just spits out all of their knowledge in response - I learn something new with every post I read.

Thanks!
Adam

Maybe your car has an adjustable front beam (most of these cars do) so that you can adjust ride height. I just read in another post about this kit from JPS which looks very interesting:

http://www.jps-motorsports.com/suspension.html

Adam,
If the car was lowered by using drop spindles, then you may just need to buy new shocks. The drop spindles allow you to drop the front of the car 2.5 inches without affecting the front suspension.

If the car was dropped by either cutting and turning the center adjuster or installing a select-a-drop front torsion tube adjuster then the chances are that you will need shocks specifically designed for this, commonly refered to by the VW parts houses as "shorty" shocks. If you run stock length shocks on this type of setup, they will be bottomed out completely and offer no travel at all. With the weight of a speedster, you also want to buy the el-cheapo shocks for the front. I'm sure others will offer their opinion on this subject, but based on my experience with VW, the cheaper shocks give the most comfortable ride.

Good luck,
Jim

i had a similar problem early on with a pair of gas shocks they stuck up and would not move I removed them and then saw what was going on. I could then re ajusted the front end as needed. Im told a old pair of wore out shocks actualy give you a better ride. Well it worked for me.

I put some KYB gas shocks on the rear. The downside of this was it raised the rear an inch or so. In my case it was a trade off. With the old el-cheapos, the car looked mean with a nice squat but when I hit a bump it bottomed out. I get a smoother ride with the gas models.
I left the old shocks on the front but may be in for a change as the car is starting to porpoise a bit on the highway.

Verify the top torsion arms. Jack up the car by the beam and pay attention to the upper torsion arms. Are they letting the wheels fall a bit or are the wheels staying tucked to the car. Could be you need knew upper arms. They can freeze if the beam is not greased every oil change. Happened to ny Ghia. Felt like the rubber in the tires was the only suspension and that's not that far off actually.

Adam,
Just to clarify why everyone is telling you to get "el cheapo" shocks for the front suspension. The front end of your speedster has considerably less weight than the original VW bug. Hence, "stock shocks" for a bug are way too stiff for your vehicle weight. I guess they don't make pliant shocks in our size for lighter vehicles. Even my manufacturer, JPS, told me to use "worn out shocks" if I ever did a replacement. I have KYB and a very stiff suspension - by choice.

As for the front suspension, you need to educate yourself on the difference between dropped spindles and an adjustable beam. Then do an under car inspection and determine which setup you have. Only then can you determine a proper course for action. I went through the same anxiety when I got my speedster. I knew literally nothing about VW technology, having never even driven a stock bug. Buy magazines, (Hot VW and Dune Buggies), buy books, and make lots of google searches. You shall preservere!