Dropped Spindles for Bay Busses...

[rick m]

The Bay Bus scene seems to be big in Europe.  Who makes the best (quality) dropped spindles for Bay Buses that clears disc brake calipers, etc.?

Rick M

[DKK Ted]

Rick, I think Russ at Old Speed makes his old and looks pretty good.

Ted

[roland]

I've had a set of oldspeed ones shipped here and i'm very happy about them!

[Bryan67]

I think the place is called Transporterhous (haus or house)? Anyway they flip the stock spindle and modify the trailing arms to go with and supposed to be the hot setup. They are in Europe though. Or Wagenswest here in the USA. Check out Earlybay.com for more.

[Zach Gomulka]

All bay bus spindles are welded originals. Split spindles are flipped.

[rick m]

Zach,

I've heard of some guys converting their BAYS to early spindles to make the conversion work better.  Have you heard this?  If so, do you have any references for the work. I can fab almost everything if I see how it is being done. All I have is late model bus spindles. After looking at some pictures it looked like I would need to build a new beam for the bus.

Rick M

[Bryan67]

All bay bus spindles are welded originals. Split spindles are flipped.

OK, maybe not flipped exactly but repositioned?
http://transporterhaus.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=69&Itemid=127

[The Action Is Go]

Rick, I think Russ at Old Speed makes his old and looks pretty good.

Ted

Yes, call Russell.

[Jon]

I've heard of some guys converting their BAYS to early spindles to make the conversion work better.  Have you heard this? 

Without going into too much detail, make sure you use bay spindles on a bay (welded are ok), and don't ever flip the steering rods unless you do both ends of it.
It will handle significantly worse that stock if you stray from this. 

[Transporterhaus]

In the UK some bays are running king and link pin front ends using 64-67 split beam setups (usually new narrowed beams) with 64-67 trailing arms and spindles.  They chose this route to get as low as possible with the best quality ride because slammed ball joint bays are notorious for poor ride quality and wearing out ball joints quickly.  Of course there are issues with the wheel bolt pattern and brake setup for 71-79 buses but if you use 96 on brazilian bay spindles - these are king pin too - then you get the same bolt pattern and also 73-79 disc brakes!

Then we launched the flipped balll joint spindles.  Same as stock ride quality and you can get that front end super low.  Unwelded just machined.  No increase in track, runs with any rim size.  Cheaper and easier to convert than changing your whole front end to king pin + 64-67 spindle cores are non existent in the UK.  We now have a lot of guys using our ball joint drop spindles with excellent results.

[roland]

All bay bus spindles are welded originals. Split spindles are flipped.

No no, they make flipped bay spindles with flipped arms & special ball joints..

[qubek]

I've heard of some guys converting their BAYS to early spindles to make the conversion work better.  Have you heard this? 

Without going into too much detail, make sure you use bay spindles on a bay (welded are ok), and don't ever flip the steering rods unless you do both ends of it.
It will handle significantly worse that stock if you stray from this. 

I know that this is off-topic,sorry, but can I ask you for those details? What is the problem?
I was thinking about flipping the outer rod ends (in my Bug, not Bus).

[Jon]

I know that this is off-topic,sorry, but can I ask you for those details? What is the problem?
I was thinking about flipping the outer rod ends (in my Bug, not Bus).

On a bay you are making the steering geometry worse when you do just one end.
However when you are doing it on a bug you might even improve steering geometry.

[qubek]

I know that this is off-topic,sorry, but can I ask you for those details? What is the problem?
I was thinking about flipping the outer rod ends (in my Bug, not Bus).

On a bay you are making the steering geometry worse when you do just one end.
However when you are doing it on a bug you might even improve steering geometry.

This is the reason why I want (need) to do it.
So I see that the problem is Baywindow-related, not general. Thank you.

Going back to topic - are they any Bay window dropped spindles that allow a moderate drop? I don't know much about the Buses, and from what I see during the shows most of the lowered buses today are extremely low. This is a fashion now, seems like most of people are trying to go lower then everybody else. And what if I wanted to drop the nose of the Bus just slightly, so to gain a nicer stance and yet retain the possibility to carry people, loads etc and retain the normal characteristics of the Bus? For me a bus should be practical and should be able to get me where I want to go. And i don;t believe that people using smart-car tires and scraping the ground with their suspension components care about things like steering geometry.

[Bryan67]

The welded spindles are 2.5 inch drop and flipped (Link pin or ball joint) are 3.5 inch. Welded spindles would be good for a slight drop but will push the wheels out some. Not sure how much though.

[Peter]

cant you cut the springleaves like they did on bugs?

[roland]

well you can but removing a front beam from a bay is quite a pain in the ***, much more work than a bug. So i'd rather go for the dropped spindles route..

Russel at oldspeed makes dropped spindles that are welded but do not increase the track like that: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=679110

it's what I have on my bay, very happy with them!

[Zach Gomulka]

I think the dropped spindles on the front look great when the rear is leveled out to match. Gets rid of that nose bleed stance all Bays have. Looks like it should have come from the factory that way.

[rick m]

I am definitely going for lowering the back and front. Sounds like Transporterhaus has the best set up for where I want to be.  I have a 74 that I want to retain the DISC brakes on.  It will, however, not look anything like a 74 when I am done with it.

Transporterhaus, any idea what shipping would be to send a pair of spindles to the US (Arizona, 85361) and do I need to send mine over as cores as well along with the trailing arms to modify for BALL JOINT placement?

RM

[Transporterhaus]

Transporterhaus, any idea what shipping would be to send a pair of spindles to the US (Arizona, 85361) and do I need to send mine over as cores as well along with the trailing arms to modify for BALL JOINT placement?

RM

Weight is 30kg.  Cheapest shipping I can find is £90 / $145 by Fedex Air.

Shipping is a lot so we can do a deal on the shipping 50% discount.

No point in sending cores back, shipping will cost more than they are worth.  We'll waive the core charge on this occasion.

[Peter]

well you can but removing a front beam from a bay is quite a pain in the ***, much more work than a bug. So i'd rather go for the dropped spindles route..

Why would you need to remove the beam?
If you remove the trailing arms, you can pull out the leaves, no? and then cut them....

[roland]

why would you want to cut the leaves? 

[Peter]

to lower it 

[Berger]

We have those from Wagenswest on the SCC bus.  http://www.wagenswest.com/parts.html#6879spindles

[mychatype3]

Hello,

I have the dropped Spindels from transporterhaus, very nice stuff   already did more than 10.000km on it  

in front: dropped spindels and adjusters plus airshock's (and 944 brakes)
rear: horse shoe plates with spax's shocks (and 944 brakes):









greetings mycha

[mychatype3]

Hello,

I have the dropped Spindels from transporterhaus, very nice stuff   already did more than 10.000km on it  

in front: dropped spindels and adjusters plus airshock's (and 944 brakes)
rear: horse shoe plates with spax's shocks (and 944 brakes):













greetings mycha

[qubek]

We have those from Wagenswest on the SCC bus.  http://www.wagenswest.com/parts.html#6879spindles

Any other changes in the front suspension? How does work? I mean - when you drive on the road.

[Berger]

We have those from Wagenswest on the SCC bus.  http://www.wagenswest.com/parts.html#6879spindles

Any other changes in the front suspension? How does work? I mean - when you drive on the road.

Also a 2" narrowed adjustable (50% up, 50% down compared to std) beam, very nice to drive

[Rick Meredith]

Hello,

I have the dropped Spindels from transporterhaus, very nice stuff   already did more than 10.000km on it  

in front: dropped spindels and adjusters plus airshock's (and 944 brakes)
rear: horse shoe plates with spax's shocks (and 944 brakes):

greetings mycha

Sits Nice!

[rick m]

Mychatype3,

Your bay window sits perfect!  Just what I envision with mine when done.  You've done a very nice job on how it sets and the overall look wtih the alloys. I have FUCHs for mine as well.  I may email you direct for some input.

Rick M