Wheels sizes / 16's on a speedster

bonerp · Post by **bonerp** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 10:42 am

My lights are just under the minimums for IVA - arse.

Chances of the tester getting out the tape measure are 50/50 so 16's would lift it that little bit more. However would these cause problems with turning circle and wheel arches etc?

Secondly, anyone local to wilts that would mind 'lending' me a set for the big day? Will collect/clean afterwards/pay for rental.
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mdmax72 · Post by **mdmax72** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 12:50 pm

Is it just under the minimum height with a empty fuel tank as it needs to be full for the test, so that needs taken into account.

Chances are he will defo measure, he's got 4 hours to go over your car with his tape. Another thing to consider if it only failed on the headlight height is it worth paying the re-test fee £90 aswell as your extra time going from A to B when it could be addressed before hand.

Another thing the calibration of the speedo would need to be re- calibrated?? if you changed the wheel size for the day.

What you need is someone running stock wheels 4.5j's with stock tyres 185's and borrow his speedo too. Tall order to ask??? But eh Toys R us sell magic wonds

Or if your using a adjustable beam?? Grind the weld of a re-weld them to give you and inch more lift for the test. Then reverse the prosedure once passed. Would be the easiest and cheapest solution all round unless anyone else has got a better idea.

bonerp · Post by **bonerp** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 8:59 am

dont believe it will be adjustable as its a 1970 car.

Don't mind about having a slightly outm speedo after the test either...

flipping car. Pilgrim reckons their customers cars go through ok. But then again they would.

Anyone else on here with a Pilgrim speedster around 5 years old been through IVA?

mdmax72 · Post by **mdmax72** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 12:00 pm

What wheel and tyre sizes are you running??

bonerp · Post by **bonerp** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 12:25 pm

155 front and 165 rear 15's

mdmax72 · Post by **mdmax72** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 12:42 pm

155/165 is the width, what are the side-walls ie 165/65/15???

bonerp · Post by **bonerp** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 12:59 pm

old style beetle tyres (although new) and not recorded. They look like 65's.

mdmax72 · Post by **mdmax72** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 1:12 pm

Ok by how much are you within the 350mm to bottom of the light. Are you measuring to the bottom of headlight glass lense or the headlight chrome ring??

bonerp · Post by **bonerp** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 2:01 pm

I'll check it later again I honestly cant remember. I'm lucky I can remember my name today

bonerp · Post by **bonerp** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 6:59 pm

ok so the indicators to the bulb (the centre) is 350mm.

The headlights are 500mm to the bottom 3rd of the headlight. Its about 470mm to the bottom edge of the glass. To the bulb/centre of the light its just over 500.

mdmax72 · Post by **mdmax72** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 9:35 pm

Ok so you got 30mm plus to make up then.

1,Is yours a stock beam, meaning no adjusters been welded on??

2, have you taken any of the torsion leafs out of the beam to soften it up as it got a fibre glass body over the steel beetle??

3, the tyres in the pictures of kevs new paint job dont look like standard size beetle tyres?? 155/80/15's or 165/80/15's depending ony year??

4, on a stock beetle fully load it should have 6" of ground clearance, maybe 5" if its an old beam your using, measure what you have from ground to bottom of the lowest point of the front beam??

l think you may have to do a combination of things to get your front end up depending on your answers above??

bonerp · Post by **bonerp** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:25 pm

comments below

mdmax72 wrote:Ok so you got 30mm plus to make up then.

1,Is yours a stock beam, meaning no adjusters been welded on??
Yes i believe it to be stock

2, have you taken any of the torsion leafs out of the beam to soften it up as it got a fibre glass body over the steel beetle??
I dont know whether any have been removed - this was a part built kit.

3, the tyres in the pictures of kevs new paint job dont look like standard size beetle tyres?? 155/80/15's or 165/80/15's depending ony year??
Its got 155/15 front and 165/15 rear.

4, on a stock beetle fully load it should have 6" of ground clearance, maybe 5" if its an old beam your using, measure what you have from ground to bottom of the lowest point of the front beam??
I will check this later...

l think you may have to do a combination of things to get your front end up depending on your answers above??

thanks Rich. Someone else on VZi suggested using balloon tyres...assume the mean large side walls ie 155/80/15 would be the max for the front I think.

Anyone know how to spot the difference between link pin or ball joint front suspension?!?

These look possible....
http://www.justaircooled.co.uk/sway-awa ... sters.html

Bruce M · Post by **Bruce M** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:31 pm

They are not that easy to fit (the old sway-a-way adjusters). Each beam tube has to be separately cut and the new piece inserted then re-welded (big welder).

It would be easier to fit the newer style "Avis" adjuster. The tubes do not need cut (drilled/slotted only). These are the adjusters fitted to the "puma" beams that are sold (new adjustable beams) but the puma beams are mostly for lowering (max height is close to stock).

http://www.vwheritage.com/vw_act_shop.p ... try_GB.htm

The avis adjuster could be fitted with all the spare adjustment on the up side or perhaps split it.

Here is an excellent guide to the fitting (the pics are actually of a bus beam but the process is basically the same):

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=64301

The king/link beams were pre-65. The following links has pics of both types (you probably have the later balljoint beam).

http://www.vwheritage.com/vw_parts_Fron ... try_GB.htm

good luck!

bonerp · Post by **bonerp** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 5:35 pm

thanks Bruce....

I have just been out to the garage and found these....
PLEASE tell me they are Sway-Away adjusters.....

saves me a right load of extra hastle if they are....

If they are, how do you adjust them? I mean, which nut does what? There seems to be an upper nut and a lower nut. Do they need adjusting the same amount?

I really don't get VW suspension lol...bear with me!

adam356 · Post by **adam356** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:15 pm

I have a spare stock front beam which you could put on in place for the lowered beam to pass the iva then put your lowered one back on after?

Adam