ShopTalk Forums | Aircooled VW Tech & Restoration Help

Hello everyone.

I'm looking for opinions on the best front beam adjusters for handling the abuse of off-road use.

The Avise ajuster vs the one Bugpack, Empi, Sway-a-Way etc sell.

I have never had any adjusters fail...prob because i have never put them through allot of abuse..


but i have installed and used lots on street cars and a few mild bajas..

and the china empi jobbers are GARBAGE! thin steel..junk aluminum..junk grub screws..JUNK! dont use them..i welded in one and had to cut it out just because i could not bear to look at it any longer..

the SAW adjusters i have were much better quality..all around.. same style as the empi.. but just better..

BUT IMO i like the Avis style.. i have had a few sets of the avis adjusters and they seem to be fail safe..easy and quick to adjust...great quality..easy to install

i would go with the avis..unless someone here has had a problem with them?

Cale

i've got the bugpack ones in my beam. i was told the avis were better, but i've never had an issue with mine. i'd personally say what ever you can get cheapest wins.

i've always heard the avis style were junk for offroad. i think ricko had one fail on him.

Avis style are not the pick of the litter, the others will hold up better and take the abuse.

Street guys have better luck with the avis type.

Avis adjusters wont hold up off road. i made it all of 30 ft. before both of mine stripped out the teeth. Go with the SAW.

'nuff said....

My adjusters (not Avis type) lasted a couple years, but finally stripped all the threads.
Do the cut and turn--that is the only way to ensure you'll have no problems.

Thanks, everyone.

I think I'll search for some real Sway-A-Way adjusters if I can find them. Most shops stock the super-crappy Empi adjusters and it seems that Empi can't make anything right these days.

As a side note...Years ago, Gary Avise himself made me a beam with his famous adjusters. He had a shop in Stanton at the time. It worked great on my lowered street Bug.

Short of the pricey offroad shop near my house Eshocks is the only place I can find the SAW adjusters. Also for what it is worth most of the class 9 guys seem to prefer the cut and turn method. Good luck.

I'm no OHV person but my observation is that there maybe three Avis adjusters;
The ones Berg sells, coarse teeth DYI install
Puma type pre-installed in replacements beams coarse teeth
Clone adjusters much cheaper than the Berg ones, fine teeth

After installing real ones and puma beams, I bought and gave away the clone adjusters.