The KCW Products
Beams | Spindles | Air Management | Apparel | Kustom Parts
In the time we’ve been offering our
beams for sale to the public, we’ve received TONS of phone calls and
emails concerning installation and troubleshooting. Since we’re always
busy building customer cars and our own cars, we’re providing this
online FAQ list to help you guys get answers to your questions more
quickly, and without having to call the shop. These are actual questions
(as stupid as some may sound) that we’ve received concerning the beams,
so it’s
very likely that the answers we provide in this list will help you in
your installation. Thanks for your cooperation, and please do let us
know if there is anything you would like to see added to this list.
Q. The dimples in the
torsion springs appear to be too narrow. What do I do?
A. To
avoid any slop I the suspension, it is necessary to compress the urethane
bushings. The dimples will not line up unless the bushings are compressed.
By mounting a C-clamp on the arm and the beam upright, you can squeeze
the arm in tighter and line the dimples up.
Q. Do your beams use steering dampeners?
A. Here at KCW, we’re all
about the simplicity of early cars. VW didn’t
start using steering dampeners until 1961, and we don’t use them either.
It is true that a steering dampener will keep the car from jerking to the side
if you hit a hole with one of the front tires, but just hang on to the wheel,
and you’ll be fine.
Q. Do I need to run shocks?
A. You cannot run shocks on beams
that are narrowed beyond 4”. Since narrowed
beams have shorter torsion leaves, the ride is stiffer, and shocks are less important
anyway. We realize that there is always debate concerning the importance of shocks.
All we can say is that none of our cars (that we drive every day) have shocks,
and we think they ride just fine. By the way, KDF cars didn’t have front
shocks
Q. Should I run dropped spindles?
A. Yes, dropped spindles are
the only way to get your car “on the ground.” As
a bonus, dropped spindles lower the car in a way that reduces the amount that
the trailing arms have to rotate. Most of all, dropped spindles are important
because narrowed cars look pretty lame without them.
Q. I’m a high roller /
big baller/ mad player type of guy. How narrow can I get?
A.
A. Anywhere from 0” to 8” link
pin, and 0” to 6” ball joint.
Here’s some things to keep in mind. The tires start to rub the inner wheel
wells at around 5” narrowed. You cannot run shocks beyond 4” narrowed.
We are big believers in “Narrower is cooler”, but that’s just
how we roll. With that in mind, pick whatever size you’d like.
Q. What size tires should I run?
A. We use 135’s or 125’s.
We cannot guarantee any certain success with different size tires, especially
with air beams. The air beams are designed for this size tires, and running “temps” will
definitely reduce your raised ride height.
Q. Can I run 17” wheels with
my KCW beam?
A. Anything is possible. However, we
have not experimented with 17” wheels,
and frankly, we do not know. If you experiment with 17” wheels, please
let us know what you find out.
Q. Can I put one of your beams on my
super beetle?
A. No. Just sell the Super.
