What are your opinions on how to lower the front of a Bug?
Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2001 11:31 pm
After putting in the 25 pound weight with the spare tire I was so happy to find how much roadholding + ride comfort improved. At speeds of 60 mph and above I got less wheel hop even though it was still there due to the short wheel base. I noticed how much the bug swayed less in the wind that would normally make the car go all over the road like a pogo stick. I could go faster and corner at ease. The ride felt so much less nervous.
I thought the extra weight would make it harder to steer in parking lots but it didn't. I will however put something (rubber?) between the weight and the spare tire rim due to the noise every time I hit a bump or the idea that it might damage it.
Because the front torsion bar is very different from MacPherson struts I honestly don't think Super beetles can benefit much from this. But I'm sure it would help a lot in crosswinds.
I got the idea from previous threads that always had something to do with the beetles front end being too light and how bad it is in severe crosswinds. And so I figured I'd give it a try but I also wanted to get it right. The spare tire pocket was the best bet since it was more secure then attaching a weight to the torsion bars themselves. The idea was to put the weight as low to the ground as possible due to the fact that cars with a lower center of gravity handle better then cars the other way around.
And so I really have to know how the VW guru with the sandbag on top of the tank trick is doing? The Beetle did get some press criticism on having the gas tank too high up which only got higher on the super beetle set up to make the best use of space.
For now the 25 pound weight stays! In the future I want to take it further. I'm thinking of welding dumb bells to the lower front torsion bar. If welding is a bad idea (structural rigidity) I can simply tie it together with some copper wire. Which might be a very bad thing if it comes loose and bangs up my undercarriage + running gear or @#$%! the poor guy behind me.
The weight on the front end trick is not new. Porsche used it on some of there models that outgrew themselves. I wonder if the beetle kept selling up until now if VW would have simply made the front torsion bars heavier. If not, make all the 80' and on up Beetles with only MacPherson struts.
Fweemer~
[This message has been edited by Fweemer (edited 01-21-2001).]
[This message has been edited by Fweemer (edited 01-21-2001).]
I thought the extra weight would make it harder to steer in parking lots but it didn't. I will however put something (rubber?) between the weight and the spare tire rim due to the noise every time I hit a bump or the idea that it might damage it.
Because the front torsion bar is very different from MacPherson struts I honestly don't think Super beetles can benefit much from this. But I'm sure it would help a lot in crosswinds.
I got the idea from previous threads that always had something to do with the beetles front end being too light and how bad it is in severe crosswinds. And so I figured I'd give it a try but I also wanted to get it right. The spare tire pocket was the best bet since it was more secure then attaching a weight to the torsion bars themselves. The idea was to put the weight as low to the ground as possible due to the fact that cars with a lower center of gravity handle better then cars the other way around.
And so I really have to know how the VW guru with the sandbag on top of the tank trick is doing? The Beetle did get some press criticism on having the gas tank too high up which only got higher on the super beetle set up to make the best use of space.
For now the 25 pound weight stays! In the future I want to take it further. I'm thinking of welding dumb bells to the lower front torsion bar. If welding is a bad idea (structural rigidity) I can simply tie it together with some copper wire. Which might be a very bad thing if it comes loose and bangs up my undercarriage + running gear or @#$%! the poor guy behind me.
The weight on the front end trick is not new. Porsche used it on some of there models that outgrew themselves. I wonder if the beetle kept selling up until now if VW would have simply made the front torsion bars heavier. If not, make all the 80' and on up Beetles with only MacPherson struts.
Fweemer~
[This message has been edited by Fweemer (edited 01-21-2001).]
[This message has been edited by Fweemer (edited 01-21-2001).]
