Evening all .....

So carrying on with my quest of being awkward ....

1 ) so part of my build relies on some custom parts , one is some brake cable tubes for the front of the horns to the handbrake .... The original tubes are in place from the horns to just infront of the rear torsion tube , where they are cut off ....  Now I've made up my handbrake system and just need to connect them up .

I've found the fittings on each end of the factory designed clutch cable tube is perfect , but in need some custom lengths , neither the same , but one about 40mm longer and one about 120mm longer , as the system is lob sided ...

I'm talking about these ones ,,, I don't mind attempting shortening them or even making a pair up fresh , but I can't even find a supplier of parts , only the usual shops , and I'm sure the likes of GEMO won't be interested in selling just parts ...





2 ) next one , I've cut out the swing axle , and now have in place the donor IRS , even have the trailing arms with bushes in  , when I offer them in they are way to small for the spacing ..... I know I need to buy two bolts and 4 washers , but surely there must be some other bushes needed ... I've googled trying to answer it but can't actually find a decent source or parts assembly ?

3 )  next ......I've decided to widen the front beam by 150mm to bring the front inline with the width of the rear , and also because I want a wider and raised stance for it ..

So I'm already looking to have to move the steering box as it will be outside the parameter of the rail , and work the added extra pair of beam adjusters , it's going to be hard work to keep it within the same distance from center ...

I know I am already in the territory of custom track rods , which doesn't bother me , but I am considering moving the steering box to the centre , and not worried about the messing about UJ's on the steering shaft , part and parcel of what I'm doing ...

The real question is , will this negatively impact the way the steering will behave ?

And also , as a final , I have been considering finding a kit car rack and pinion , but see they list the travel left and right and total .... Soooo ... what are is  total travel needed to make a BJ turning correct , if that makes sense


4) .... Using a big standard IRS box , standard rear torsion set up , standard CV's  , which I believe allows up to 12 degree ( correct if wrong ) movement down or up ....... Is the setup ie lower stops set up for that , or can I notch the plates at all to gain height ....

Or am I definetly looking at some serious spending and parts swapping to gain height ?

5) can anyone point to draw the correct orientation of weld in beam adjusters , as I've already cut out the crap that was there and forgot to take note of them .... Rookie mistake

6) and last but not least .... Whilst I'm modding the front beam , I am considering raised shock towers , trying to gain more travel and go coil overs .... Does anyone know of a recommended supplier of said parts ....

Cheers all in advance ....

Sam

I'm sure somebody sensible will be along, but do you have 'Baja Bugs and Buggies' by Jeff Hibbard?

A big list cutting down the outer tubes for new ends no idea who does them but why not take the length out of the middle then sleeve them to realign as it is only hand brake and not constant use like the clutch.
Vw heritage has good schematic parts drawing for the bushes and welding the brackets in you need a jig to align them the Baja Club has one that gets loaned or hired I think.
Widening the front by 150mm you either go longer trailing arms or need 2 axles joined together as the front torsion bars would need to be longer. Beam adjusters will not matter then as you would have 4.

If you are widening the front end forget using VW steering box go for a centre steer rack,Passat,cavalier 106/saxo

Cheers for the replies guys

@Bajaowa , I haven't got the book , but I'll take a look and see if I can find it . I don't have a baja , it's a sandrail , hence the awkward control / cable setup ... cheers for the heads up

@Snoop , I'm trying to get longer clutch sleeves , opposed to shorter , I could use longer brake cables and cut the them down , I'd just need to buy two sets , one for the actual rear , hun to horns and then one set to modify on the actual chassis side .

It was just that clutch cable sleeves have a male and female ferrule on them and the female sleeves nicely over the solid tube coming into what would be original tunnel ...

So in effect I would need either make and female or two male ends , as the proper brake cable sleeves have as you know a cranked sort of end for the hub ans wouldn't fit into the tube section or bracket for the handbrake fitting ..

I'll try and a get a pic tomorrow to show ... the only people with joining would be that I need to do a bit of snaking around stuff and jsut worry that a sleeve / joiner may end up kinking a bit .

I've cut a whole new rear irs  torsion in , I did try to use the heritage pic / assembly but struggled to make sense of it ... might try and open it on the computer instead to see if it shows better

With the front beam , I've cut it , and planned to fit two sets of adjusters with an approx 100mm section inbetween them , it will take them close to the original beam mount pressings , but it allows you to cut thr one set of leaves / springs and use them without buying extras , I've read alot of the guys on samba doing it and as a plus almost gives you full independent suspension.

I was planning on the beam adjusters to be able to keep them cranked up as much within reason to give a higher ridge height , even if it stiffens the ride at first .

@BuggyPete , cheers for the heads up on that , I'll see what I can find , can't be hard as they are common vehicles .  That was the part I was struggling with , trying to find compatible donor vehicles ,  as everything kept leading back to kit car racks which were crazy money .

Adjustable spring plates will sort out the rear 👍

another option is an old mini type handbrake lever so later 50's beetles used these are welded above the tunnel on legs then you could make some guide tubes to suit above the tunnel and down to the horns.
tey look and fit like this  https://i.postimg.cc/Gp4HwBjp/E4-B89575-E077-4-D70-A697-8191-DE92-B3-CB.jpg

Adjustable spring plates will sort out the rear 👍

This was exactly my thought , how do you gauge how much you can allow it to drop , before stressing the factory t1 CV joints ?

Or is it just a case of having to get a protractor / angle finder out and do it the hard way ?

And guessing I'd need to developed some way to restrict / limit the forward travel ?

Cheers for the reply mate

another option is an old mini type handbrake lever so later 50's beetles used these are welded above the tunnel on legs then you could make some guide tubes to suit above the tunnel and down to the horns.
tey look and fit like this  https://i.postimg.cc/Gp4HwBjp/E4-B89575-E077-4-D70-A697-8191-DE92-B3-CB.jpg

Cheers for that mate , you have given me half an idea .... I'll extend the handbrake system back further using rigid tube , as I've still got some spare cut out ... then use the flexis to make up the inbetween section ...

Here is an idea of what I've done , using the CBS basic handbrake ... and a homemade balance bare set up




And if you're really bored . Here is a link to a vid I did a few years ago when working on it ... https://youtu.be/7jL4EATgqLo?si=bLOM-5rqQnjdIHlf


It's the having to snake around the gear selector and being biased one side to the other that has got me a bit .... And I'm always wanting to try and achieve the best I can and tend to overthink how to do it .

If you are widening the front end forget using VW steering box go for a centre steer rack,Passat,cavalier 106/saxo

I've found a what you've mentioned , re the 106 / saxo one .... Jsut to make sure I've got the right one ... is this it as it doesn't clarify if it's power assisted ... I did see it  has both control rods connecting at one side , does this make it tricky for keeping the turning function balanced ?




And this one as a cavalier ??  Which I prefer the look / style as the rods are at each end and guess makes it easier to set up the geometry