best way to lower the SuperBeetle?

[joetech]

Hi gang, my first post here. Happy to have found a VW site just for my kind of Beetle!

I'm starting to think about disc breaks for the front-end, I already have most of the stock Ghia parts to do this (I'll explore the more sophisticated disc break systems later in life, going 'stock' for now). But since I'm "going-in" to the front like this, lowering the car is also something I'd like to do...

My question:
What's the best way to lower a SuperBeetle? Spindles or suspension (struts)?

If it's spindles, needless to say I'll have to buy aftermarket. But if it's struts, I have a 1973 Super, and I'm not sure just yet if it's an early or late model (gotta check my vin# and get back to this) so I understand that the struts differ on this car...

Cheers,

Joe.

--------------------------------------
1973 Super Beetle convertible
San Francisco, CA

[LOAF]

My two cents..

Topline, doesn't matter if early or late.. they have both applications..

Early has three bolts that hold the ball joint.. while the late is a two bolt set up.. kinda like what is seen on most new cars..

Alex

[joetech]

So it's struts, not drop-spindles then?

Why one over the other?

Cheers,

Joe.

[madpballer232]

idk maybe im just dumb but i dont think they even make drop spindles. i havent found them anywhere

[Eurolook71]

In super beetle world, when you talk of lowering, spindles dont count anymore. www.toplineparts.com <===visit here to view all your options. There are several ways to lower your super:

1)cut the springs:
ghetto superstar! Cut a few coils out the spring, very bad idea, totally kills the ride, and is bad for the suspension

2)lowering springs:
here's a start. Check out topline. Top of the line products for supers. they offer regular springs, and tapered sport springs, which tapper in the center, to allow a larger offset wheel to be used, but it still limited to how much clearance you are allowed.

3)adjust-a-strut the first adjustable strut for supers. started by topline, copied to hell. 3-bolt allows up to 5 inch drop, 2-bolt later style allows up to around 3.5-4 maybe. Very safe, effective way to lower your super. Once this came around, topline discovered ways to rearrange the suspension geometry with little tricks here and there...ie caster-fix bushings for the swaybar, off-center hole in bushings forces swaybar more forward, making up for the natural pull rearwards the suspension causes when lowered.

4)MAXX struts, skinny coil-over style setup, allows use of large + offset wheels (ie prosche) more tricks in perfecting suspension geo, bumpsteer kit, toplines caster+ kit, etc.

Main rule:
do everything right the first time. And do not try and setup a suspension with new coil-overs, etc until everything else is inspected, repair/replaced/upgraded. This goes for tie rod ends, ball joints(tears in rubbber boots=bad), bent/damaged tie rods, bushings (meaning ALL the bushings, especially that idler arm bushing, this is the main cause of the shimmies! Replace everything!!!

Again, check out www.toplineparts.com....

[Supa Ninja]

If your going with option #3 or 4 then you'll want one of toplines sway bars for lowered supers, your control arm bushings will thank you.

[Eurolook71]

Also, it is often forgotten to be said, and cuz of that I'll say it now. When you upgrade the current front swaybar to, for example, the 7/8" swaybar from Topline, you should add a rear irs swaybar as well. And since your back there, replace the spring plate gromments, a-arm bushings, shocks, and install some sort of aftermaret brace (ie, kafer cup brace)...just try and picture the entire car as a whole, and how when you work on one part of the car, the rest must follow...

guess this is why I have yet to really even start on my project...i want all the funds to do it all at once...

[Supa Ninja]

If you lower it you'll need to flip the tie rods or they will hit the body and they won't be straight for long

[beetle1303]

Supa Ninja, i quite didnt understand that...except if you ment going the coil over way...
cos im running 4cm short eibach spring for 4 years now and i dont have any problems

Chris

[Supa Ninja]

you mount the tie rods on top of the spindles instead of under. You'll need to drill out the hole and press in copper bushings to do. Gives the tie rods more clearance and fixes the bump steer. toplineparts.com explains it better.

[V.waffe 3]

Do you guys really feel that a Kafer Cup Brace is necessary to lower your car? I understand wanting to have the best set-up possible and the funds in place to do it thats how I was with my first project car ( '64 Beetle), but that is also why I don't own a 64 anymore,lol. I suggest doing what you can when you can or you just end up with a lot of stuff that you never get to enjoy. This is just my expierence though. I have had a much better time with my '73 Super since I decided that I don't need a true race car for fast and fun street driving. The other problem was that I wanted the body work to be show quality before putting it together. A issue that came from being a refinish tech,lol. I now have aged a bit and have realised that if you are on a budget and want to drive your car before you have worked on it for five years, you must be willing to compromise on some things. Now if this is soley a project disregard the above if you want, but be careful not to become one of those great deals where a lot of money becomes invested and you get sick of looking at the thing then you end up selling it for far less than invested.

[vw1303]

Coilovers are the best way to lower your Superbeetle.