Quote:
Originally Posted by CCA-Dave
Front beam is definitely modified, with adjusters which is fine. You've got standard spindles, so should be able to hit stock alignment settings without caster shims. Did you adjust the height by adjusting both the top and bottom adjusters, or just one? You should be doing both, an equal amount.
The rear upper shock mounts are not designed to carry any significant load, they are designed for the loads of damping only, not sprung weight. The proper way to accommodate for the battery weight is to swap out your torsion bars for a thicker set, available from Sway-a-way. If you are going to continue with the coil-overs, you need to make sure you have at minimum of a 3-bar Kafer brace, but much more preferably a 5-bar kafer brace.
Pick a fender bolt, near the 'top' of the fender arch. Measure from the fender beading to the fender lip. It's far more common for one fender to be replaced, and of a different width dimension, then it is for the chassis to be that badly out of spec. If the fenders are the same, confirm the wheels are the same width and offset.
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the last time height was adjusted was by other students long time ago so I'm not sure if they adjusted it equally. If I assume they did it wrong how do I make sure I do it right by redoing it? Do I loosen both all the way then turn top and bottom same amount of turns until ride height is set?
I didn't know about the kafer brace. When we had the shocks only with battery installed and torsion bar set the car was a little low, probably about 1 finger gap in fenders. AVR parts which sponsored us 10 years ago with some parts suggested adding the spring coil-overs. The spring didn't seem to be that stiff as it raised the car up by about 1 inch. I think they were these:
https://avrparts.com/products/coil-o...af088e93&_ss=r
I'm actually pretty paranoid about the weight of the battery (1000lb) as i've seen crash video of the beetle and they don't seem to hold up and no crumple zone like modern cars. I am looking into adding a roll cage that will tie into the car frame and frame of the battery mounts for the driver's safety. Do you think the kafer brace high priority or both just as high? Or should I make the roll cage tie into the shock mount to stiffen it up? and Yes Im aware of the danger of roll cage for street cars and I will custom make it as far as possible from my head so I don't hit it.
I just measured the fender, both fender are about the same. so it might be the wheel or hub/rotor. on the passenger side it looks like there may be a spacer on the wheel not sure. I will pull the wheel later this afternoon and investigate further.
P.S I saw your car on the other thread and remembered seeing it posted on AVR's instagram just a few days ago and connected the two, looks sweet!