67 bug feels unsafe

[Piledriver]

Don't forget the tire pressure offset, factory spec'd 17 PSI front, 28 rear. or thereabouts.

With 32 in all 4 corners it will want to go backwards down the freeway.

With staggered tires it can be less of a delta but something to look at that's free.
Its a pretty big knob.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Garrick, the eccentrics you use in the front end for alignment, are they new or original equipment? As I understand it the new style you see for sale are a bit different; they are drilled for cars with very low front ends which is why the hole looks to be (and is) at a bit different angle.

[GARRICK.CLARK]

Hi Pile. I'll set it the tyres at 17 front and 28 rears thanks.
The eccentrics I bought are new ones with the hole further over in the nut to achieve more camber. Only I'm not getting the wheel to tilt further in at the top. I can only get it to be straight up.

[rs58rag]

Make sure all front end parts don't have excessive wear and check front spindle nut for correct setting/tension on wheel bearings. Adjust excess free play on steering box, if any.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

See if you can find some stock ones and try them. I don't have any spare ones otherwise you could have them.

Lee

[66brm]

A 3/4 bar in these light cars is huge, and may push the front into the zone of slipping the front rather than gripping. I run a stiffer than stock front bar but coupled it with a rear sway bar of equal size in the rear. This is k and l front and short axle swing rear.

[GARRICK.CLARK]

Thanks 66brm. this is what I have been thinking , I don't want it to start slipping at the front or waste my money. Think I'll try a cut n sleeved standard one see how that goes.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Remember, a sway bar is a spring. The idea is to mimic (so-to-speak) some of a beam axle's good parts into a IFS setup. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-roll_bar)

[Bruce2]

Back in the olden days you could get a 5/8" diameter front bar. IMO this is about right, but I'm pretty sure nobody makes them this size today.
A friend who has a 67 Beetle also agrees, so he installed two stock bars, piggy-backed in the stock bushings that were slotted.
I agree, 3/4" is too stiff. According to my quick calculation, the 3/4" bar is 13 times stiffer than stock.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Bruce, you are right in it being too stiff but your figure I think might be a bit off. I think you have the two torsional bars/springs somewhat working against each other and the grouping of them becoming actually stiffer because of it. With a leaf spring and the way they work I don't that combining them isn't as true. I could be wrong though.

Lee

[GARRICK.CLARK]

Hi V Dubbers.
I made some good gains recently with my swing axle bug.
1ST, put it back to stock height.
Added some camber
tracked it again.
Added a 3/4 front bar.
removed ALL play from steering box.

Rear.
had to elongate the spring plate bolt holes were the axle tubes fit.
fitted my KYB white rear shocks , more tyre PSI also.
I Have a question.
I'm using 28mm torsion bars. spring plates are not preloaded, I have some camber on the rear.
Should I fit a camber compensator to my bug . I read some were that its a bad idea with 28 mm bars. All I no is that when I fly down a certain road were I live, as I go over a part of this road that has a small crest I can tell from the feel of the rear end that the wheels are going into positive camber and bouncing back to negative camber. Gets a bit unstable really.

[FJCamper]

Get a compensator. We added a plate to each padded end with loose-fitting U-bolts, as the bolts need some play.

Worked great.

FJC RetroRacing

[GARRICK.CLARK]

Ok thanks FJ.
Can I ask.
Is the loose u bolts for when the axle tubes raise up an down thus changing the angle of the tube.
I think I can see double nuts on those U bolts too.
I can get the CB one and the Empi one from the same UK supplier. The CB one looks a better one.
Regards.

[GARRICK.CLARK]

Hold up. Been reading the CB one wont fit with heavy duty side plates and the EMPI hangs down 55 mm .
I'll have to get tape measure out, EMPI one should be ok, if it sits higher than the lowest point on my exhaust I'll be fine.
FJ, yours looks like the EMPI one from the pic

[FJCamper]

We used the EMPI. Same as Sway-A-Way. The CB can't used plates but has straps.

Either one will work.