Shocks

I was buying my front sway bar today when I was
told my shocks are too long, bottoming out and not
working.
I looked at some Konis but they were too short
and were going to do the exact opposite.
I have a 67 VS that is lowered does any one know
of a shock.
Deane

No need to get expensive versions (Koni) because fiberglass-based Speedsters are already so light in the front, compression & rebound is nearly nile. I opt for some standard Boge/VW shocks or maybe even some KYB.

I agree with Glenn's suggestion/advice.

Get the cheap (read; stockers or after-market cheapos)shocks for your VS. Before installing you should cycle them (fully extend, then pump back in full.) several times (at least 4-5 times). You may not want a stiff shock on the front of your VS, as they are front end light. Add ballast in the form of a bigger gas tank or a full sized spare, heavy battery, tool bag, etc.

JMO.
Jim

Do you have any stock numbers?
The one on there now are rubbing the frame.

www.aircooled.net has just what you need.

>Shocks for Lowered Beetles
Part #: SSH0018

Price: $ see product details for pricing

Use these if you have beam adjusters installed. Much shorter than stock, so they won't bottom out. Price is for a PAIR!<

Luck,

TC

Deane, I've got a lowered VS and had the same situation, I used Empi #9653 shock (oil not Gas) and they work great. The gas shocks tend to ride stiffer. you might also look into getting the clearanced ball joints too # 22-2820 and #22-2821, so they don't run out of movement.

Eddie

I thought that Gas for the front was the way to go but the ride was way too hard. I changed all shocks on the Ghia. I did though change the rear to a nice coil overspring (adjustable) nice. I will change the front to oil shocks.

My VS tends to porpoise on hard cornering. I was thinking of adding more damping to the rear. I thought gas shocks would be good. Is this wrong? I do not appreciate the bouncing the car does on hard power sliding in corners.

Wow, Eric, even with the camber compensator you've got?

Eric, When I first got my Speedster, I just naturally checked the air pressure in all tires and found it to be 22F/26R which I thought was low. I raised it to 30 psi and my car proceeded to bounce like a basketball. I spoke with the previous owner and he said to put the air pressure back to 22F/26R which I did...problem fixed.

Actually Beth; 22 psi in all tires is the exact pressure recommended by Kirk.

Eddie,

What site are you referring to with the 22-2820 and 22-2821 part numbers?

Bruce those part#'s came from the EMPI catalog. By the way, Kirk, as well as all the other builders I've spoke to reccomend more air in the rear tires by about 20%, to compensate for the weight bias.

Eddie

JPS has always suggested using "worn out" shocks. Reason being you have so little weight up front, nobody really makes a good new shock.

Ricardo,

The Camber Comp only affects the wheels in decompression. They are not anti-sway bars. The problem that I call porpoising is a bounce in the rear when I power slide through a right hander. I think more damping will stop the bounce. All the weight is shifted to the rear during this maneuver, and the rear is sliding a bit.


I may try playing with air presures again. I felt the lower pressures made me have less traction in the power slide. Less even transition from traction to slide.

If your car has an adjustable beam or drop spindles, your car needs lower shock just to travel that low. A couple things to remember 1. the spring pack in the front end was designed for a heavier front end. 2. The suspension geometry was set up to ride for a certain ride height- when you lower a car it creates a binding effect. 3. shocks dont determine how stiff a front end is. THey dampen the up and down movement of a spring.

That being said if you are serious about changing the way you car handles there are options out there. John at AC sells shocks that can be valved for your weight and application. The guys drag racing VW's can help you out with what you want to accomplish. Ive accomplished the best overall ride quality with an adjustable beam- drop sindles- the control arms running parallell to the ground and a lowered shock. Ive also tampered with modifying the spring pack. It hepled but i dont know if it was worth all the trouble.

A couple of months ago I drove Max Zimmers (NJ ) VS flared speedster after he mentioned that he had removed the smaller narrow torsion spring steel bars from the axle beam and left in the larger ones in... the ride and handling was terriffic!

( Max... "Bob" can attest to my nice 180 turn at Rt. 80 and Rt. 517 ! ...just kidding buddy ! :~)

ive done the same with a few accept cut and welded in the last 6 inches of all the small ones so they keep the big guys from twisting out of their grooves.

With my last bug I found the same thing; stock shocks too long and short ones not long enough.

I bought the short shocks then I went to the hardware store and bought two stainless adjustable nuts (like a regular nut but 1 1/2 inchs in length) and some all thread the same size as the top threads on the shock. I cut off the little "nub" on the end of the shock threads (used to hold it while tighening) and screwed the nuts on. Then cut a couple of pieces of all thread long enough to screw into the open end of the nut and thhrough the beam. Presto! instant shock extendors. Never topped or bottomed out again.

Ben,

Great idea. I had the same problem, finally just settled for too long shocks. I'll have to try this.