The VW is a rugged little car as it comes
from the factory , but for off road use , there are many areas where you can
improve on Dr. Porsche's design .
Many parts of the chassis are spot welded
assemblies , which can crack and separate during the rigors of off highway
travel . The high dollar solution is to replace the stock chassis with a
chrome-molly tube steel version . While this may be the "best" way to
achieve structural integrity , it is well out of the price range of all but a
few of us . So what are we to do ?
If you are handy with an ARC or MIG welder , or
know someone who is , your solution is at hand . Rewelding the spot welded seams
. By welding over the stock , spot welded seams , you accomplish several things
. First , you eliminate the chance of the seams cracking and separating . Second
, you increase the structural integrity of the assembly by distributing the load
bearing surface over a wider area . While it is technically possible to re weld
every seam on the car ,( and if you have the time and inclination , by all means
, do so ! ) there are some areas more in need of it than others . The front end
( front axle and frame head ) are prime candidates for reinforcement . Lets
begin with the axle .
### PLEASE USE CAUTION ### You are about to weld
near the fuel tank . It is best for both safety and convenience sake to REMOVE
the tank before begining . The fuel tank is easily removed by removing the 4
mounting bolts , the sending unit wire ,the filler hose clamp and the fuel line
beneath the tank . Its a 5 minuet job , and Theres no excuse not to do it .
Better safe than sorry (or worse) .
The Front Axle
The front Axle (it's not technically an axle ,
but for ease of discussion that's what we will call it ) has 2 areas to weld .
this applies to both King / Link Pin and Ball Joint Models . First are the shock
towers . Run a bead around the edges , where the seams meet . This is fairly
light gauge steel , so watch out for blow through . The second part in need of
attention are the brackets for bolting the front axle to the frame head itself .
There are two , and they are located about 1/3 of the way in from each side .
Here too there is room for improvement .
Run a bead around the brackets at every point
they come into contact with the axle beam . There are two more mods that can be
made to the front axle that require a little more work . On a King Pin front end
, you can drill out the upper shock boss to accept a longer bolt . The purpose
here is simple . Since the shock tower is so close to the body , you can provide
additional support to the tower by placing a nut snugly between it and the
body's sheet metal and bolting through the shock boss , into the nut . A second
method is to weld a thicker piece of metal behind the shock tower , again , so
that it fits snugly between the body and shock tower .
On a Ball Joint front end , you are a bit more
limited . To reinforce the shock tower , cut a triangular ( with radiused
corners ) piece of steel , 3/16 to 1/4 inch thick and from 2 to 3 inches on the
sides . You will need to measure how much clearance you have available on your
car . Next , weld the gusset to the top beam of the axle and the back of each
shock tower .
The Frame Head
Before welding the seams of the frame head , you
will find that Volkswagen has seen fit to cover them in putty . This was done as
a rust preventative measure , and was a "Good Thing" , but for our
purposes , it must be removed before any welding can be done . Break out a putty
knife , don your safety goggles and start scraping ! With that out of the way ,
you are met with another dilemma . If you weld the main seam connecting the
frame head to the body/rear pan , you will have a hard time replacing it in the
event of a collision . The thing is , this seam is the one most in need of
welding . Its a catch 22 situation , and you have to make the call .
You will also see several additional seams which
hold together the parts that make up the frame head itself . Weld them all . If
you have the front axle off the car , use caution not to get any weld in the
"cradle" where the front axle fits in . Again , note that this is
thinner metal , and as such , care should be taken to prevent blow through .
As a final reinforcement of the frame head ,
there are "Axle tube support kits" available through the VW
aftermarket for around $15 . These bolt to the lower axle tube and the floor of
the frame head , and provide support to the front end in the event of a frontal
impact With an immobile solid obstruction to forward momentum . In other words ,
a BIG rock . ;-) These kits can be manufactured by the backyard mechanic , but
for the price , it may be more convenient to just buy them . There is also a kit
available for the upper tube , but it requires the relocation of the fuel tank ,
and that is beyond the scope of this article .
With your seams welded , your VW's front end is a
far stronger assembly and much better prepared to take what mother nature throws
at it , without leaving you working on repairs for the rest of the weekend , or
worse yet , stranded . This is by no means a glamorous addition to your VW ,
like a set of Centerline wheels or a stainless steel extractor , but it can be a
more important one .
Something a good friend of mine , Vern Sabin once
told me is that "All the little things add up" . When your 100 miles
out in the middle of no where , you want it adding up in your favor .
Well this concludes part 1 of "Beefing
the Desert Beast- chassis / suspension" , the first in an ongoing series of
articles on upgrading the VW's running gear for off-road useage . It is our hope
that you find this information useful and informative . Remember to work safely
, and always secure your vehicle before begining any work .If you have an
interest in writing tech tips or how to articles for Off-road-com. , we would
love to have them . Send comments / questions to
lenhart@off-road.com
