City Baja Build

Offroad VW based vehicles have problems/insights all their own. Not to mention the knowledge gained in VW durability.
Volksmeister
Posts: 178
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2011 10:23 am

Re: City Baja Build

Post by Volksmeister »

Hi guys.

Progress has been slow lately... As summer ramps up so do I. I was really hoping to have this thing road worthy by now, oh well.

Some older pics: Thanks again CWABaja for loaning me you bender.
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Made a 'kit'...
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Not sure my neighbors are as stoked on my bug as I am... :)
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My new wheels showed up last week! 15X5s and 15X7s
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Volksmeister
Posts: 178
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2011 10:23 am

Re: City Baja Build

Post by Volksmeister »

New front tires on my new wheels! Hercules 7.00X15s (chinese...) $130.00ea. They really have some "meat" on the corners. Looks like it might actually go where I point the wheels now!
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BAJA-IT
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Re: City Baja Build

Post by BAJA-IT »

Those tires look good on the front.
BRAT Motorsports #936
Bolt Center: Salt Lake City, Ut
ACE: Air Cooled Engineering, now Black Line Racing
Volksmeister
Posts: 178
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Re: City Baja Build

Post by Volksmeister »

Well, I have been side tracked but trying to get back with it.

I installed the LH side hook and rod front stops last weekend. I am happy with how they turned out. I cycled the suspension to find the extremes then back 0.25" and set the stops there. All said and done I am only getting 4.00" of wheel travel. I am disappointed by the numbers but the suspension seemed adequate before...

On the RH side I cycled the suspension with and without the shock attached- 4.50" The ball joints are the limiting factor... I was hoping for around 5-6 inches.

These are German BJs that I installed 5 years ago. I guess I was hoping for more. :(

I plan on a gusset for rod. It seems plenty strong as it is though.
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BAJA-IT
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Re: City Baja Build

Post by BAJA-IT »

You should be able to get right around 6" of travel out of the ball joint beam, that's what we get on our 9 car.

Your stops look good, just add a gusset on the back side.
This is how I do mine

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BRAT Motorsports #936
Bolt Center: Salt Lake City, Ut
ACE: Air Cooled Engineering, now Black Line Racing
Volksmeister
Posts: 178
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Re: City Baja Build

Post by Volksmeister »

BAJA-IT: A gusset is in the plans. Are there any 'tricks' that you are willing to share to gain some travel? During my search of this topic I read your class 9 rebuild thread but didn't find any info about gaining extra travel.

I am wondering if those BJs that I installed 5 yrs ago just don't have the travel as others might (they are installed/oriented correctly in the arms)

I have a few other sets of arms complete with ball joints that I will install and measure the travel. That won't happen this week/weekend though, gotta change the cylinder head & gasket on my daily driver.

Side note: ran across this picture of me from almost 8 years ago... in the same car... I am pretty sure I will never grow out of this adiction!
19 yo levi.jpg
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Ol'fogasaurus
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Re: City Baja Build

Post by Ol'fogasaurus »

VM, silly question but were the additional arcs on the hooks before or after you welded the hooks on?
BAJA-IT
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Re: City Baja Build

Post by BAJA-IT »

How did you find full bump?

I cycle the arms without the toursion leaves in the beam so I know I get the full travel of the ball joints. At both extreams of travel you need to turn the spindles right and left, as it changes when the ball joints bottom out.
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Ol'fogasaurus
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Re: City Baja Build

Post by Ol'fogasaurus »

When I set my Thing hooks I bolted the upper and lower arms together with the eccentric in place. I then lifted (full compression) the arms/spindle until the ball-joint maxed out then backed off a smidge then tacked the hook with it hard against the post. Then I did the same thing with full sag, lifted and tacked. I am lucky to have a couple of long magnets to hold the hook flat with the flared part of the arms but it should be easy to do it other ways. I don't remember how much travel I came up with... sorry.

Image
BAJA-IT
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Re: City Baja Build

Post by BAJA-IT »

Much easier to do with the beam out of the car.
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Ol'fogasaurus
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Re: City Baja Build

Post by Ol'fogasaurus »

Not the way I weld. I got to build myself a small fold up welding table. Welding on a wood surface is not a good idea; you got to be quick on the trigger then quicker on the pickup.
Volksmeister
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Re: City Baja Build

Post by Volksmeister »

Lee: I welded the additional arcs on first.

BAJA-IT: I found full bump by strapping the base of my floor jack to the shock towers and jacking up on the lower arm until the gall joints bound. I am pretty confident that I was making the full range of travel. The torsion bars were installed. Do you have any measurements of either the angle of the arms or measurements from the shock towers on your 9 car that I could compare?

Thanks guys.

-Levi
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Ol'fogasaurus
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Re: City Baja Build

Post by Ol'fogasaurus »

Levi, I was pretty sure that you did but just checking; everyone has brain cramps once in a while.

I did mine with no torsion bars in place; if you were sure that the BJs were maxed it shouldn't make a difference.
BAJA-IT
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Re: City Baja Build

Post by BAJA-IT »

Volksmeister wrote:BAJA-IT: Do you have any measurements of either the angle of the arms or measurements from the shock towers on your 9 car that I could compare?

Thanks.

-Levi
I do not. :( But I could get the angle at full drop pretty easy. :D

I have an old bent beam :( that I might be able to get the full compression angle of the top arm, I'll give it a try and see what I come up with. Just need to find a bushing for the arm. :roll:
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Volksmeister
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Re: City Baja Build

Post by Volksmeister »

No sweat man. The full droop angle would help! Thanks.

I think I might start a separate thread on BJ travel to rattle a few more brains but I need to do some more 'in-shop' investigating...

I had decided to stick with the ball joint suspension because the arms and spindles look so much stronger and I have had pretty good luck with them so far (bending 4 beams in the process :roll: ).

Only after I measured the travel did I get bummed out by the BJ suspension. Kind of like when you decide to install an oil pressure gauge: Shock and fear at the low pressure readings of hot oil at idle on an old engine: Solution- remove gauge... no more worries :wink:

I do have a complete link pin beam assy. that I could build up. Rambling...
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