[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index] [New Search]

RE: [T3] wheels, shocks and a short


What do you need to beef up?  "Baja-ready" would be different than
"race-ready" which would be different than "street-ready".  Better
cornering, smoother ride, ???

Changing the tires you use is the first change you can make that will give
you the biggest bang for your buck.  A lower profile and a sticky tread will
give you the edge over a stock model.  A tread wear of 360 or higher will
not help you, you want 200-300.  Yes, the tire will not last as long but
your traction, and thus cornering, will greatly improve.

Other options are stiffer shocks and anti-sway bars help stiffen the ride
and give better handling but at a greater loss to passenger comfort.
Lowering, even a mild one or two notch drop, lowers your center of gravity
which, again, helps improve handling.

Use LocTite to secure the studs into the hub/rotor.  I believe it's the red
stuff.  Use anti-seize on the nuts.  I've had four bolt racing rims on my
baby for over 8 years and have had no problems (the wheel loss I recently
had could've happened to a stock rim as it was a failure of the hub, not the
securing method of the rim).  I use a torque wrench to make sure my nuts are
locked in at 90-ft/lbs.  When at the tire store I make sure the monkeys use
hand tools to secure the nuts.  When I get home I recheck the nuts to make
sure they are within spec.

   Toby Erkson
   air_cooled_nut@pobox.com  <-- Please use this address for email
   '72 VW Squareback 1.6L bored and stroked to 2.0L, Berg five-speed
   '75 Porsche 914 1.8L, ORPCA member
   Portland, Oregon, http://www.pobox.com/~toby_erkson/

>-----Original Message-----
>What can I do to "beef up" my suspension without "going overboard"  I'm
>looking to have a great daily driver without being superfluous.
>
>I just got new rims, empi's 8 spoke... the screw in studs I was told by
>the guy who mounted my tire weren't safe.  Is that true?  What other
>options do I have?

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Too much? Digest! mailto:type3-d-request@vwtype3.org Subj=subscribe


[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index] [New Search]