Are front suspensions interchangeable?

Balljoint and linkpin beams are not interchangeable, the distance between the torsion tubes differ. Only solution is to swap(cut and weld) framehead on the pan.

Is this a street bug? If so, why would you want a narrow beam? If you lower the front that much, the geometry is screwed and it handles like a shopping trolley.. To keep handling intact, use the dropped spindels only, and make shure to fit caster shims behind the lower torsion tube.

J.

in all these years of lowering cars, i've never found this to be true... the handling is greatly increased when suspension changes are done properly... my car is narrowed 5 1/4" (due to wheel choice needing spacers to clear the balljoint when using dropped spindles) and i can set the framehead on the ground(air), and it handles great.... with air the ride is wonderful too...

I suspect the term great is ever so slightly subjective on you part Herr Tribiani :)

Lowering the Vw, any Vw at the front only, changes the attack angle of the pan. This alters caster and toe in/out. Narrowing the beam alters the spacing of ground contact fore vs. aft. Not to mention it increases rear lift at higer speeds due to the body shape, it being even worse than stock.

This is related to speeds other than putting around town.

Handling enhancemet lowering a beetle(Bug) can only be achieved by lowering the fore and aft the same amount, whilst retaining correct caster and toe in/toe out. If it is a swing axle car you will also have to fight camber changes in the rear, which can be good to a certain point, but not beyond. Also lowering the rear of a swing axle Vw, the toe in/toe out changes. So you see, to get everything right it takes knowledge and means. I am not saying you have neither, but your post suggested to me an "seat of the pants approach..

In fact all T1's set up to handle turns, better than straights are lower in the back than at the front. Look at hillclimbing, hill racing, rallycross etc. Don't take my word for it, do a few searches online if interested.

My old beaten -56 T1 will indicate 100mph on the speedo whilst being semi stable(Nose in the air), it needs new springplate bushings in the rear, as sloppy ones makes for a wiggly ride, exept for this it is stable. Try the same with a low nose T1..

J.

insult? notice the keyword "properly" then all you've said below is redundant....try an air ride sometime, you might like it...

the toe is affected with any suspension movement...that is why you align the car at the static point...simply lowering and not aligning a car would be silly....ajusting the caster is part of a proper alignment.

narrowing the beam doesn't lower it....

ride height is not what makes a car handle, but a lower center of gravity does help... setting up a car to an individual's preference could mean many different things.... when i played with auto-x i found that the vw actually did really well(on asphault) with the rear higher than the front... under power a vw tends to oversteer, but with the rear higher the weight transfer is less(to the rear) and you can use the throttle to help turn the corners.

setting up suspensions is what i used to do. I am well aware of proper setup.

the main reason for the nose up is for weight transfer under power, to aid with traction for accelleration. most of those are done on loose surfaces where this really helps...

any time.. nose up vw's are likely to "wander" at 100mph...lowered helps tremendously in giving a more planted and solid feel... gear ratios and rpm's tell me that i max out at about 130MPH and the car is as stable there as at 75mph... of course i don't drive nose up, nor do i drive dragging the framehead... i have my suspension setup at what is about 4-5 inches lower than stock.

Nope, but it is the reason why you narrow it.

J.

not always.... I'd even venture to say that the majority of the off the shelf 2" narrow beams(puma style) buy them because wheels like the popular 8 spokes/etc and disc brakes both push the wheels outward... if they add dropped spindles to the mix the wheels are pushed out even further... the 2" beam wouldn't even quite get the front track back to stock specs with 8 spokes and disc brakes on dropped spindles... the main reason(as i stated before) for my narrowed beam was to get the porsche pedrini wheels to work with the dropped spindles... the pedrini's will not work with dropped spindles without binding on the lower balljoint...i narrowed then had to use one inch spacers on each front wheel to clear the balljoint... but, as you alude, slamming it to the ground does benefit from a narrowed beam if you want to turn your wheels...