Swing arm rear axle bearings

[jws]

I plan to lower the rear of my "68 into the weeds, so to speak, and I understand that a much lowered rear end will result in much negative camber, possibly causing a loss of lubrication to the axle bearings. If this is so, can I use SEALED axle bearings, which would not need lubrication from the transmission? I have located the exact bearing to use, close in price to the stock bearings.
Still looking for a rebuildable 1600.
Regards,
JWS

[ONEBADBUG]

I think that would work, but you will still have issues with the fulcrum plates.

[jws]

Possible trouble with the fulcrum plates? Please explain this.
Thanks much,
JWS

[ONEBADBUG]

Because of the extreme angle, they move too much and too fast, destroying the axle spade end, end gear, and fulcrums. There may be a fix, I don't care because I think it's ridiculous to run a car like that. Search the Samba.

[jws]

Thanks much. I will carefully reconsider the level I want.
Regards,
JWS

[ONEBADBUG]

If you insist on going very low, drive slowly.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Watch out for the turtles especially the tall ones (by this I mean the lane dividers). I bent up some suspension parts that way. Almost had a wreck when I got jumped sideways.

Remember to get your suspension realigned too.

In the old days, to lower they cut the frame head and the torsion mount area of the pan and raised them up. It kept the important things like the engine, trans axle and the front susension components out of harms way. You will also need to put a plate across the pan to protect your a$$ too.

In my days you slid a cigarette pack, the thinest side where the logo is up, and the frame should just touch. You should have the car full of people as that made a difference in catching fire from the sparks or not.

[jws]

Thanks much for the info. I am from the old days also. I've done the frame head cutting, this was in the eighties. Now that I've rejoined the air cooled vw arena, I've found many changes, advances, etc. I am really surprised by this. I feel as if I'm starting from scratch. However, I've located sealed axle bearings, Part # 6306.2RS. These fit perfectly, but I don't think I'm going as low as I first indicated. Maybe just a bit of negative camber. This vehicle is city street driven only. I also had problems with not only turtles but with speed bumps and rain water curbing.
Regards,
JWS

[Ol'fogasaurus]

The comment about rain water was funny! Here in the PNW we get a lot of that and I had forgotten about it. Also getting from the street to a parking lot, the ramps that go over the side walk are a PITA. My roadster would have the doors pop open 'cause the frame would tweek but on a lowered car the bumpers would drag on the ramp and on the street so you had to take the ramps at an angle and hope you wouldn't get high centered at both the front and rear and have to be pulled loose by a towing company ($$$).

Re-thinks are hard to accept aren't they.

Suggestion: make yourself a build book (three-ring is probably the best). Write down your build ideas and thoughts as well as take pictures of what you are doing and the finish. It is good to have documentation of all you have done when selling (a finished car does not show what went into it does it) plus you might get a kick out of the changes of what you wanted to do and what you ended up doing.

Lee

[andy198712]

how many splines are you thinking of dropping?

[aussiebug]

how many splines are you thinking of dropping?

If you drop even one spline its 9 degrees or 8.1 degrees (depending on when end of the torsion bar you move), and will be too much on the spring plate.

You probably mean "how many spline rotations - one up one down at each end???"

Each one-up-one-down rotation of each end produces a 0.9 degree change in angle and about 1/2-3/4 inch change in ride height.