Thanks Wally for the enlightenment.:)

GREAT. glad you had the answers. so let me go for perfect picture clarification. from the tranny:

T1 output > T1 CV > bus axle > T2 CV > 951 stub

question: any particluar years on the T2 axle and CV or any year? helgesen just handed me the setup for above to test fit, but we are not sure which axle, T1 or T2 is on there. i will measure ASAP.

Zen,
I used a Vanagon (a T3 bus model) axle.
By coincidence I have the axles on my workbench, because of the 915 trial fit :-) They measure about 54,5-55cm length.
Hope you can find the right ones with this info.
Greetings,
Walter

the car is off to buffing and interior. so time to start concentrating on this. yetibone happens to have access to a T3/Vanagon with axles and CVs intact (condition unknown though). looks like those are my key.

so after rereading all of this and without being able to mock this up until my car gets back, i am understanding needing the following to get the 951 trailiing arms onto my '73 standard bug:

tranny > T1 output flange > T1 CV > T3/Vanagon axle > T3/Vanagon CV > 951 stub axle

can you guys validate this? considering:
1. spline mating
2. bolt pattern mating/CV size
3. proper length to cover the increased track
4. anything else i am not considering :D

also, i am trying to compile all of the measurements for us. i am only lacking a few things. i will get the T3 Vanagon CV and axle numbers when i get those parts. if anyone can post the axle diameters for T2 and T181 (if it matters or is any different), i would appreciate it.

Hi Zen,
What's up? All of the above is correct, as I have stated now more than once.
Don't you believe me? :broken:

Really, don't worry about it; Just measure the CV diameter and axle length to be sure (European and North America parts may differ) before you purchase the parts. I have that exact combo under my car for 3 years now. Its fine.
Cheers,
Walter

not questioning you wally. looking for assurance that i understand it all correctly. i am unable to do measuring and fitting since i am not at a point where i can start fitting up the arms yet. and when i get my car back, i only have 5 weeks to get it all together. :( :eek: also, i do not have some of the parts readily available. thanks for looking it over and keeping it in line.

another thing i wanted to accomplish was a clear recap so someone just hitting the thread for the first time can see the results without having to dig throught the whole thread to figure it out. i will try to pull together a tech article on all of this as i get it on my car.

Haha, of course I understand Zen. I would want to know for sure also when purchasing s/th not stock or yet done by many.
Looking forward to the tech article.
I am curious what your solution will be for adapting the (inner) rotating point of the alu trailing arm, since you can obviously not use that very big (17mm?) allen srew of the bug.
Good luck,
Walter

Wally,
I'm under the impression that the inner bushings just need to be removed and type 1 IRS bushings installed. I haven't put my early alloy arms on yet so I'm learning also and looking forward to the tech article too.

Nick

Yes, that would be the most elegant way. Never actually seen it that way, but then again, not many drive with these arms anyway :-)
Back when I did the mod, I imitated the original way the arms rotate on the porsche 944 by welding in a large sort of nut with thread inside, so I could use the porsche bolt. Its a bit more complicated then I can describe tho.
Greetings,
Walter

well after all of that, i ended up with the wrong parts anyway. Yeti pulled some axles and cv's off of a Vanagon (have to check year again...i don't remember) for me and they are the same dimensions as the bug. they are 90mm cv's and the same axles length. they are, in very rough measurement, about 3.5-4" too short.

doh...and i am tight for time. time to go on the search again. i am reading back through all of this again to check my options and verify if i have the right parts to what is listed above. T181 outputs are NOT an option at this point. so i have to find something workable with T1 output and 951 stub. back to reading.

Zen, where did I see something about custom length axle shafts? Might be some off road part or something. Let me look through my papers. Can you measure the axle shaft and give us a length of what you need?

you know. i have to go check something. i forgot you brought me a set of axles too. maybe i just mixed up yours and Yeti's. back in a minute.

Yeah, I got you one to try out, was t2 on one end, bug on the other, came out of drag bug with a bus tranny.

partial user error (the house move bits me again). i had grabbed john's not Yeti's. so i have the right cv's (100mm) for the stub side, but the axles are still too short by about 1.5" when the cv's are stretched to their limits. the axles (off of the Vanagon) are 19". possible these are late arms john? i am measuring 21" from output to stub. i can't verify the part numbers anywhere. they are 951.331.513 and 514.

still can't find that part number anywhere, but they are certainly early as you said, john (not questioning you of course, just verifying to ease my questions on axle fitment). i just fitted up a wheel and fender to see what i get and i'm not sure i even got the suggested 1.75" per side. here is a pick with the stock suspension on with 2" spacers...
http://volksport.net/images/projpics/zen22.jpg

here are some picks of the 951 arms with a 1.75" spacer on...
http://volksport.net/images/projpics/zen26.jpg
http://volksport.net/images/projpics/zen27.jpg


don't know that i have the time, but i may need to consider late arms. based on what i saw genius say in another thread, it doesn't change the axle issue. he is using a 944S 21.25" axle. the axle length must be the same between early and late arms. anyone want to trade early for late arms? :)

if the early arms add 43mm and this is what i look like with that plus 1.75" (which i would want to shave about .25" to .33" off of that for the perfect fit), then the extra 32mm of the late arms gets me pretty darn close.