Suspension help please
Suspension help please
I have a new Manxter 2+2 # 44, pan restored with disk brakes, adjustable front axle beam. What would be some good suspension improvements to do next ? I lowered the front axle beam and now it bounces on rough roads. After looking at Lone Pine pictures I decided to start improving suspension but not sure where to start or how far to go with it.
- jsturtlebuggy
- Posts: 652
- Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 5:00 am
How to you want to use your Manxter? On the street or in the dirt, or both? Lowering the front end with out going to a short shock can sometimes make the stock shock bottom out and that will give you a rough ride. Using to stiff a shock can also give you a rougher ride. Remember your Manxter weighs less than a stock bug. What works well is a stock replacement shock (Boge or Cofap) or something like a KYB (silver painted can) GR-2. The KYB (white painted can)GasAdjust are a very stiff shock.
Joseph
Manx Club #1095
Having fun with Buggies since 1970
Worked in VWs in shops since 1970
Manx Club #1095
Having fun with Buggies since 1970
Worked in VWs in shops since 1970
The single best investment I made in the suspension department was a set of Fox shocks. They are rebuildable and revalveable, so you can fine tune them to fit your needs. Rich at McKenzies here in Southern California does the revalving for me, and he couldn't believe how soft I was asking him to make my front shocks. We ended up with zero weight oil, bypass holes drilled out quite a bit, and the softest valves he would install. He has the rear shocks now, as I initially had him make them too soft. Turns out I was compensating for the urethane spring plate bushings, which were binding. I went back to rubber bushings, which are MUCH better on a FG car. You could probably get away with spending much, much less money by following Joseph's advice and go for stock or KYB GR-2 shocks. If you want to start experimenting with longer travel, things get complicated in a hurry, and the next thing you know you end up with a car like this one: 

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- Posts: 265
- Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 6:00 am
- Location: Northern Illinois
- jsturtlebuggy
- Posts: 652
- Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 5:00 am
The GR-2 may be to long and bottoming if you have the front end lowered. If you can disable the front end adjusters and cycle the supension and see where the shocks stop moving (bottom out). First take a measurement on distance from the top of tire or drum to the fender with the car sitting on the ground. Then you can tell how much travel that you have. You may have to go to a shorter shock. CB Performance sells them. They also sell dropped spindles which allow you to lower the car and still have stock supension travel.
Joseph
Manx Club #1095
Having fun with Buggies since 1970
Worked in VWs in shops since 1970
Manx Club #1095
Having fun with Buggies since 1970
Worked in VWs in shops since 1970