Robert M posted:I installed mine in my garage. I jacked the car up as high as I could and crawled under to install it. It was very easy. Took less than 30 minutes. I removed the four studs from the transmission housing and installed the longer studs then bolted it on.
Longer studs?!?!
I'll have to look at my packaging CB sent me this afternoon, but I don't recall receiving any hardware with the camber compensator...
This reminds me. I need to call Berg about my 5 speed...
TRP posted:This reminds me. I need to call Berg about my 5 speed...
Glad I could help 
Ok, so I talked to Arin (spelling?) at CB Performance. REALLY REALLY NICE GUY! He likely thinks my trans has smaller studs and they need to be replaced with longer ones. I kind of wish the site explained this a better. Oh well. Not a complicated change but just adds to the list of things to do before the body is finished. I don't mind spending time in my man cave working on my Speedster
And to my surprise when I got home... my other shipments arrived!
*LongFella posted:Ok, so I talked to Arin (spelling?) at CB Performance. REALLY REALLY NICE GUY! He likely thinks my trans has smaller studs and they need to be replaced with longer ones. I kind of wish the site explained this a better. Oh well. Not a complicated change but just adds to the list of things to do before the body is finished. I don't mind spending time in my man cave working on my Speedster
The new studs should be about 10-12mm longer than the original studs.
Does anyone here know what the stock size case studs are that the Camber Compensator attaches to? It attaches on the sides of the transmission housing.
Robert- If memory serves me correctly, the side plate studs are 7mm?
I guess I know what I will be working on this morning. Transmission stud removal, measuring, and ordering longer ones... 
Got a few things done this morning before the baby woke.
Doesn't that refurbished steering coupler look all nice and pretty?
I also had to replace the swing axle boots on the transmission. A neighbor helping me install the trans punctured one. I got a set of EMPI (bad word, I know) ones... they were a bi&*h to get on and I'm not sure I like them... Any thoughts/recommendations on a set that folks have used and liked??
I'm thinking I should have just gotten the OEM German axle boots. Not liking how much stretch and a pain in the a@@ these were to fit properly... :-/
You mean, Will, you had the opportunity to buy OEM and you chose Empi? Not much more to say here...
ALB posted:You mean, Will, you had the opportunity to buy OEM and you chose Empi? Not much more to say here...
Glad my name isn't Will... Haha!
Nonetheless, I know better...
Ok, Brian, I stand corrected! 
Still, you bought Empi (and are complaining; no surprise there...) when there was oem available. I won't say any more...
It was more like wallowing in self-pity
On a brighter note, I got the last piece I ordered in the mail today. Thanks to TRP for posting about this. I really didn't like the stock pedal feel. This should make it a little better
The steering rag joint looks like urethane in the photo, they have a nasty habit of cracking over time. The stock reinforced rubber is a much better & safer choice. T You'll want to use a hardened bolt with either a fold over locking tab or nyloc nut for the slip over coupler to splined shaft. Not to nit pick but suggestions for your safety. Nice attention to detail on your build !
Alan Merklin posted:The steering rag joint looks like urethane in the photo, they have a nasty habit of cracking over time. The stock reinforced rubber is a much better & safer choice. T You'll want to use a hardened bolt with either a fold over locking tab or nyloc nut for the slip over coupler to splined shaft. Not to nit pick but suggestions for your safety. Nice attention to detail on your build !
I will take ALL the advise and thoughts I can get from you and the rest on this forum. You guys know a LOT more then I do; I'm learning as I build. This is my first ever chassis up build. I budgeted extra just in case I had to re-order parts.
The steering rag joint coupler I purchased from CB Performance. I don't believe it is urethan. Here is the link to the part (http://www.cbperformance.com/P...asp?ProductCode=6213). Should I replace it with the stock reinforced rubber one???
I was concerned about the slip cover nut too. I used blue loctite to secure it. All the other nuts are nyloc. It is an easy swop if you think the blue loctite won't be sufficient??
I thought the rag joint pictured looked like urethane, but the "insoform" material ( rag joint) is new to me & maybe someone can chime in on that. The coupler main bolt VW supplied oem as a hardened bolt with the nut lock, is the right hardware. The only reason I post this for safety sake is years ago I had an unrelated column failure turning into my driveway just after driving 65- 70 mph plus on back country roads.....
Alan Merklin posted:I thought the rag joint pictured looked like urethane, but the "insoform" material ( rag joint) is new to me & maybe someone can chime in on that. The coupler main bolt VW supplied oem as a hardened bolt with the nut lock, is the right hardware. The only reason I post this for safety sake is years ago I had an unrelated column failure turning into my driveway just after driving 65- 70 mph plus on back country roads.....
Do you have a link or place you prefer to pick up the specific nut/hardware?
When I stopped by VS, I usually pick up nuts/bolts from their shop and this is what they provided :-/
"Insoform" is not to be confused with "Isoform," apparently.
Insoform has been around a while in different incarnations. We used to use it on caster wheels for computer cabinets. It didn't flatten on the bottom (fully loaded disk cabinets were HEAVY) and didn't make as much noise when rolling across the data center floor (not that you could hear much in there with all of the equipment noise, but there you go). Very high sheer strength (meaning that it probably won't rip) even though it can be formulated to "give" (making it good for the steering coupler). I've also seen it used for anti-abrasion coatings on struts and cables, and the Rhino folks use a lot of it in their parts. That's what my motor mounts are made of and I like 'em. The stuff feels slightly slimy, compared to Urethane - don't know why.
I can't speak to longevity, even though the sources we used said the casters were good for 20 year service - no commercial data center I knew back then ever kept equipment over ten years due to evolution.
I wouldn't hesitate to use a Rhino steering coupler, but I wouldn't use an obviously Urethane one. Either way, I always check those things (and a lot more around the car) every spring for cracks and such.
Thank you, Gordon!
I also purchased the shift coupler that is made of the same materials (https://www.cbperformance.com/...asp?ProductCode=6110). The one Kirk at VS gave me was the red urethane one and I've learned from all you to stay away from that red stuff...
BTW: Here is a picture of the cabinet casters we used - they had 3 suspension springs and little shock absorbers on them (also made of Isoform, IIRC) and were designed for a max load rating of 600 lbs. each!
This was a vendor sample that we rejected and went for higher load ratings. They are big and heavy. You can see the springs inside the opening and there is an Isoform block inside acting as a shock absorber. I've used these for heavy workbenches so I can move them around the shop.
Just remember, Brian, that the more polymers you use in place of rubber, the more noise and vibration will be transmitted to the driver. Everything has it's price.
Gordon Nichols posted:
...We used to use it on caster wheels for computer cabinets...
...used for anti-abrasion coatings on struts and cables..
...my motor mounts are made of it...
And it's great on pancakes, too.
*LongFella posted:Thank you, Gordon!
... and I've learned from all you to stay away from that red stuff...
I have a ripped red urethane front trans mount hanging on my garage wall as a reminder (from my Cal Look bug days) as a reminder of the quality of that material....
The best cradle and front mount are the type 2 mounts. They look the same as the 113 part but begin with 211 designating bus mount. It has a harder composition rubber material. If any body is running a performance motor and you like to keep your foot on the gas you should have a berg mid mount and if your can find a bug pack kafer bar set up (empi owns bug pack) but I don't know the quality of their kafer bar.
Ask your parts supplier for the 211 part numbers. i do have some
What really bothers me about the Urethane products that we associate with our hobby, is that they should be good products. Urethane should have all of the properties we need to be used for motor mounts and steering couplings and such. I've seen Urethane used in a LOT of computer mechanical assemblies, some placed in more stressful environments than our cars would put the stuff. The trouble is, we used to work with the designers of the Urethane parts to ensure that they knew our environment and stresses involved and designed to it with a specific resin formula for our needs. I fear that the material we get for the VW crowd are parts cast using a stock, "one-of-ten-or-so" formulae used and what we get are parts that should be OK, depending on ambient temperature, oil or gas vapor in the environment, phase of the moon and position on the Mayan calendar.
OTOH, I'm using front beam bushings from Prothane (6+ years, now) and they're holding up very well. I had to drill them to accept grease fittings and shoot them with CV joint grease to keep them from squeaking, but that's about it.
The folks at Rhino seem to have taken the time to look at the stresses and environment involved in our motor mounts and tweaked their resin formula to make a product that actually performs as expected and lasts. Let's face it - the typical motor mounts in a VW sedan leave a LOT to be desired and were designed for about 40hp to the wheels, so coming up with a modern material that lasts for ten or so years, given the 3X+ HP we're torquing them with, is pretty damn good, in my book.
Still, given all that, I will STILL give them a close look (at least the one in the nose that I can actually see) every spring dust-off. You can't be too sure.
I agree, Gordon. What I don't get is that people in the biz/hobby have known that (for example) the red urethane transaxle mounts are garbage for some 35 or so years now, they've never been improved and they're still selling the same crap. Further proof that people like Empi are only after your money and have no real interest in furthering the hobby.
What do you guys recommend for a front sway bar?
Does this work, but use stock rubber instead of the urethane? (http://www.cbperformance.com/P...asp?ProductCode=4023)
I'm sure you would need to open up the stock rubber hole diameter to fit this size sway bar...
The urethane is captured here, Brian, and although the stock rubber bushing would probably give a smoother ride the "red crap" seems to work fine here. Btw, if you have a way of opening up the diameters of rubber bushings (doesn't really work with a drill) I'm all ears. I'm thinking rear torsion bar/swingplate bushings here...Al
ALB posted:The urethane is captured here, Brian, and although the stock rubber bushing would probably give a smoother ride the "red crap" seems to work fine here. Btw, if you have a way of opening up the diameters of rubber bushings (doesn't really work with a drill) I'm all ears. I'm thinking rear torsion bar/swingplate bushings here...Al
I do actually
When I installed the torsion bar bushings I opened the inner diameter a little to fit the adjustable spring plates. I used my dremel hand tool with a sanding attachment (see here:https://www.dremel.com/en-us/A...atname=Sanding+Bands). I also used a metal brush attachment too. I slowly worked at it stopping to check the size so I would not take off too much. It worked pretty well. Makes a mess, but it allowed me to use the stock rear torison bar bushing and not the urethane ones...
ALB:
I found virtually no wear and no issue at all with the red urethane on my camber compensator when I popped it off after six years on the car. Go figure.
The trans mounts, little different story!
Gordon Nichols posted:What really bothers me about the Urethane products that we associate with our hobby, is that they should be good products. Urethane should have all of the properties we need to be used for motor mounts and steering couplings and such. I've seen Urethane used in a LOT of computer mechanical assemblies, some placed in more stressful environments than our cars would put the stuff. The trouble is, we used to work with the designers of the Urethane parts to ensure that they knew our environment and stresses involved and designed to it with a specific resin formula for our needs. I fear that the material we get for the VW crowd are parts cast using a stock, "one-of-ten-or-so" formulae used and what we get are parts that should be OK, depending on ambient temperature, oil or gas vapor in the environment, phase of the moon and position on the Mayan calendar.
OTOH, I'm using front beam bushings from Prothane (6+ years, now) and they're holding up very well. I had to drill them to accept grease fittings and shoot them with CV joint grease to keep them from squeaking, but that's about it.
The folks at Rhino seem to have taken the time to look at the stresses and environment involved in our motor mounts and tweaked their resin formula to make a product that actually performs as expected and lasts. Let's face it - the typical motor mounts in a VW sedan leave a LOT to be desired and were designed for about 40hp to the wheels, so coming up with a modern material that lasts for ten or so years, given the 3X+ HP we're torquing them with, is pretty damn good, in my book.
Still, given all that, I will STILL give them a close look (at least the one in the nose that I can actually see) every spring dust-off. You can't be too sure.
The problem with urethane for steering couplers and motor mounts isn't with the material itself. Urethane is great under compression but poor under tension, that is, it pulls apart relatively easily. The problem is that the cheap parts do not include the proper support structures to handle that. For example, a properly designed motor mount includes metal cages that allows the urethane to be loaded in compression in both directions as it moves and limits total movement so it doesn't exceed it's limits in tension. The raw urethane disks they pass off as steering couplers have no support structure at all which is why they tear apart quickly and are inherently unsafe. Your urethane beam bushings are ok because they are supported on all sides by the surrounding metal tube and aren't' allowed to move enough to be ripped apart. Their lifetime is mostly a matter of wear from the trailing arms rotating in them.
Here is the front urethane transmission mount I took out reassembled for photo purposes. The rear ones were just as ugly. About 6 years of wear on them.
I would use rubber bushings on the sway bar anyway because the urethane ones don't have as much "give." If you go with a bigger front bar, be sure and put something similar on the rear as well, or you'll end up with too much understeer. (Ask me how I know).
edsnova posted:I would use rubber bushings on the sway bar anyway because the urethane ones don't have as much "give." If you go with a bigger front bar, be sure and put something similar on the rear as well, or you'll end up with too much understeer. (Ask me how I know).
I'll have an option now that I ordered CB's front sway bar. I'm thinking of starting with the stock front sway bar. If I need more, I'll have the CB 3/4" bar on hand to switch out. The rear will have CB's camber compensator...
Does anyone supply new rubber for the large sway bars?
CB Performance.
crhemi (Bill) posted:Does anyone supply new rubber for the large sway bars?
If you are referring to the front sway bar bushings, I don't believe so... If someone does, I missed it!
I plan on taking my stock (new) rubber bushings and opening the hole up a little to fit the 3/4" CB Performance say bar...
I've never seen it, Bill; the heavier sway bars usually come with the red poly bushings. Brian seems to have the lock on making stock rubber bushings fit other things...
