[T3] Today's questions

[Jim Adney]

On 20 May 2015 at 14:28, Bobsnotch at aol.com wrote:

> So, after over 15 years of use 2 splines down, I should have worn out  
> several sets of tires, and have destroyed the front end already. It hasn't  
> happened yet, and I've only replaced the tires due to weather checking. But then 
>  I grease the front end every year too. In fact the tires I have on the car 
> are  now currently 10 years old, still have nice tread across the tire, and 
>  surprizingly no weather checking. :O It still tracks straight when going 
> down  the hiway too.
> I did remove the rubber bump stops, but left the mounting bracket, as I  
> didn't want water to enter the beam. I don't know, maybe I've just been lucky. 

Bob's right, I was overly harsh in my response. I apologize. But it 
wasn't until a very few years ago that I realized how much more 
stress the spline change adds to the needle bearings in the front 
axle beam. All this to conform to someone else's idea of good looks.

If Hot VWs was showing all their cars with extra ground clearance, 
that's what everyone would be wanting to do. Just following the 
crowd. (Yeah, I know, too harsh. Maybe.)

The stock height operates with the trailing arms approximately 
horizontal, giving the max suspension compliance, and gives good road 
clearance so you don't have to worry about where you drive, and that 
adds to peace of mind when that odd piece of debris falls off the 
truck ahead of me. Yes, that happened to me last year, when a large 
piece of alum channel fell out the back of some truck that was 
obviously headed to some local recycling yard. That piece was maybe 
3' long and, when it fell flat on the highway, still stuck up 4" or 
more. It hit something underneath, but so lightly that I could not 
find the scar on later inspection. An inch lower, and we would have 
been wondering if this was worth fixing.  

-- 
*******************************
Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
*******************************