Narrowing a beam for my 1960 bug

[danny gabbard]

To start off, I needed to strip of brackets and knock out bushings and tool I use. And if you have a cold saw it really helps cutting tubes square, They cut slow and less blade flex.

[danny gabbard]

The plan was to cut 1/2 inch per side, to account for extra width of beam with lowered spindles. Now that parts are cut and cleaned, Time to make spacer for center and mock up and tack weld. Then mounted back in car to make sure everything still fit.

[danny gabbard]

Now I weld center complete and grind area flat that adjuster will lay flat on and through in mill and cut slots after drilling starting hole. Then weld adjuster on.

[danny gabbard]

Now tack brackets and DOUBLE check to make sure everything still fits and bolts alighn, I weld complete. Here is a tool I made to get inside tubes and grind any high spots, So adjuster slide in and work freely.

[danny gabbard]

When I first installed beam, in the begining I noticed the shock towers slightly hit. Here is the way I got around it. Ground angle on tower till beam fit,Then boxed it back in and welded and ground flat.

[danny gabbard]

Now that all welding is comepleted, I cleaned all part of any oil and grease and primed with DP-40 and painted semi-gloss black. And a few shots of painted parts and started machineing inner bushings. And the fun part, Bolting everything back together. And thanks to randy from the vdub speed shack, For a beam I could cut donner section of beam for the spacer in center.

[jonathan]

I was just thinking earlier today,we've not had many updates lately from you Danny.
Good to see your outstanding workmanship as ever.Thanks.

[j-f]

That's the kind of topics I like to read. It's so useful to see how to make things the right way 

Thanks to share Dany 

[danny gabbard]

Thanks jonathan, Been working on customer stuff lately. And thanks J-F, hopefully there was something useful there for ya.

[Jeff68]

Nice work as always!  I have a question.  For the brackets welded to the beam that mount the beam to the frame head - How do you get the bracket off the beam so nicely without changing the radius of the bracket cutouts where the bracket welds to the beam tubes?  Thanks for sharing your methods and techniques!

[danny gabbard]

Hi Jeff, Luckly from the factory there not welded that great or with that much heat. I start with a thin cut off wheel on die grinder and start cutting welds down and make sure corners or the ends where welded are ground thin. Then flip over and with a hunk of hardwood and the BFH-BIG-FRICKEN-HAMMER start hammering and try to get welds to start cracking or grind more if needed and dont get to brutle with hammer, To where your damageing parts that need to be saved. I hope that helps in some way.

[danny gabbard]

Got all fiber bushings machined and fit to each arm inner and outer. If you have never done this, Do not get in a hurry and drive inner bushings to the right depth untill you check to make sure arms fit ID of bushing. I drive them in untill there flush and check arms and if tight you can still get them out. When they are at a slight press they get smaller on the ID. Had to use a brake hone the first time I ever did this and it took for ever to get arms to fit. Torsion bars cut and fit and all reassembled. Now to get spindles mounted.

[Jeff68]

Hi Jeff, Luckly from the factory there not welded that great or with that much heat. I start with a thin cut off wheel on die grinder and start cutting welds down and make sure corners or the ends where welded are ground thin. Then flip over and with a hunk of hardwood and the BFH-BIG-FRICKEN-HAMMER start hammering and try to get welds to start cracking or grind more if needed and dont get to brutle with hammer, To where your damageing parts that need to be saved. I hope that helps in some way.

Thanks for sharing that method Danny!  What you posted makes sense and I thought that was the approach that you followed.  I don't know if I'll ever narrow a beam but if I do I'll use your method for sure.  I've installed Avis adjustors before and I machined the grooves in the beam tubes the same way that you did. I also ground the burrs on the inside of the tubes the same way you did as well.
Thanks again! Jeff