Front suspension - again. Another way?

justinshelton · Post by **justinshelton** » Tue Apr 20, 2004 6:47 am

Howdy -

I need ball joints something bad for my car, and they're unavailable. Ditto for the struts for this car. While I know that Ray has posted very eloquent instructions on how to fabricate replacements from other cars, it all seems a bit daunting for me, as I imagine it is for other T4 owners.

Everyone seems to want to use Super Beetle struts on their cars, but they are apparenlty 2" too high. Today I am looking to buy some adjustable height struts that are made for a Super Beetle - they can be lowered up to 3.5", so lowering them the maximum amount would not only bring them down to "fitable" height, the 3.5" reduction would bring the "high" front clip of the 411 down, which I undestand improves handling.

I suspect that if I use the Super Beetle adjustable struts, I could also try to fit in SB balljoints, too. Right?

Am I missing something here? This all seems somewhat simplistic and obvious to me, so before I sink any money into this scheme I'd appreciate hear if anyone else has tried it.

raygreenwood · Post by **raygreenwood** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 9:39 pm

That will not work. The rebound on the stock 411/412 struts was underated from the factory....as were the first two designs of strut bushings. The superbeetle struts are way underated. They are valved totally different. Also, the ball joints that fit them will snap quickly...thats very bad. The 411/412 is very hard on its own ball joints due to the suspension arm and strut length.

The spring compression rate of the stock 411/412 is excellent. It is also critical to correct and safe high speed handling. Nothing made for the superbeetle is correct. Been there...done that. Its dangerous.
I have posted at times, two different methods of using the Audi 4000 strut cartridge. One is simple....maching a pair of top stubs. I can provide the dimensions if necessary. That means simply installing the audi cartridge just like stock...with a piece of pipe in the bottom to take up space, and adding the stub to the top to extend the length of the rod...plus set screw and loctite....and very slight mods to the top of the thread area.
Or the drop in rabbit strut tube....which requires a bead of weld....but makes changing strut cartridges a snap and appears very nearly factory.

There is one other method I can think of using a rabbit housing in a 412 housing...and is adjustable, but is complex to make.
This is actually not that hard of a deal. EVERYTHING about these cars is much more complex than a regular VW....and more rewarding. I would do this now just to get used to the "odd" tasks that will come....and to save from wearing out front end parts. Driving on old struts is one of the main causes of worn ball joints on these cars. Ray

Vgonman · Post by **Vgonman** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 1:05 am

I am interested in this more "drop in" method for struts...........I had no luck finding a junker around here for the weld in method................which thread had that info?

raygreenwood · Post by **raygreenwood** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 3:43 pm

None of the previous threads have had the adjustable mod. I am designing it. It would require lots of machine work. You would have to basically have a threaded top "hat" made, which basically comprises the perch and the top locking ring....and a jamb nut ring. Its a lot like a bilstein adjustable strut. The rabbit thing should be easy. I would not look for a foreign specialty junk yard. Go to a pick and pull. They have everything for a cheap set price. Ray