kafer bar

Anybody know what function a "kafer bar" performs. I believe it is a stiffening mechanism of some sort. Made by eyeball engineering in Fresno. Any help greatly appreciated.
Bob

They are made my several companies.

Maybe if you do a search on thesamba.com you can read more about them.

Search here for information on Speedster installations.

http://www.vwparts.net/BP6518-11.html

I was looking at the one VWparts.net sells, but in my VS it looks like the external oil cooler would need to be relocated.

my mechanic says i need this brace/bar thing that attaches to the nosepoint of the tranny since the 2275 has so much torque and the tranny can shake going into 4th, he has ordered one.

This is more than likely what your mechanic is recommending

http://www.empius.com/2010_catalog/empi2010_pg142.html

scroll down to the "trans support kits"

As I understand it, a Kafer Bar is used extensively in VW sedan racing in Europe. I've read it's primary purpose is to stiffen the chassis to allow the engine to apply torque to the tires sooner when coming out of sharp turns. In other words - to prevent wheel spin, and get on the gas sooner. Autocrossing might be the US application?

The set up on a Kafer Bar can be very tricky. You have four bars connected (hopefully) by ADJUSTABLE heim joints. To counteract torque, you have to preload some bars and unload others. After acheiving a basic setup you can fine tune it to suit each track requirement or different tires, etc. My impression is it takes some know-how to make that thing work.

But anything that stiffens up a chassis can't be bad. I have a rubber-isolated tranny strap that wraps around the tranny and the frame horns and supposedly stiffens up my pan-based chassis. But I don't race, just an enthusiastic street driver with a SEG.

CSP makes a great one too.

It is sort of a traction system. When the wheel torque is transferred to the chassis the engine mount horns tend to flex up . They are only stamped sheet metal you know. When you get the flex .. you get wheel hop. The K -bars will prevent fatigue failures from hard accelerations. Are they worth it ? Yes if you drive your car hard. If you Granny drive it ... it's not.

I have one-bought it from VDub Engineering http://www.vdubengineering.com/products/suspension.htm

As usual, lots of information. Thanks very much. Doesn't sound necessary for foothill cruisin'????

Dunno - are you cruisin' for pinks?

Bob:

Informational Overload, huh?

OK, in plain English:

You're running a 2,110 cc engine putting out 140hp.

You're probably going to be sedately cruising the hills and NOT blasting out of lights or racing it at the dragstrip.

You do NOT need a Kafer brace.

If you were running a 2,332 or larger or had a turbo on that 2,110 so you were seeing 200hp or greater and, especially, were experiencing severe wheel hop off the line under very hard acceleration, then a Kafer brace might do something for you. I bet you're not getting any wheel hop now, (you would surely notice it if you did - shakes like your teeth are gonna fall out) so don't worry about a Kafer brace.

Gordon
The Speedstah Guy from Beaufort

Hey Soltis! Where in the World are you THIS month?

I'm hoping my kafer bar improves the car's handling. I'm trying to turn my IM into a canyon carver.

I've noticed a difference in handling since installing mine.
Along with a mid-transmission mount and front beam braces.

Gordon , I'm finally at home though still putting mega hours at work. I did get sometime to work on my speedster and the vw project. I installed some camber shims to make the speedy turn smoother. Also dialed in the engine.

Thanks, Gordon. Some of us just need the basics.