Swing axle to irs
 

This is not a suspension question, but i need to know if anyone has done a conversion from swing axle to irs chassis, has it worked out and what's the procedure to do this.

Here's a link to some pictures I shot while converting my dune buggy.

http://www.netspot4u.com/~manxclub/albums/album91/

I fabricated these clip holding fixtures using an IRS pan as a template...

http://www.netspot4u.com/~manxclub/a...1/P1010034.jpg

Hope it helps.... :)

I have noticed when adding the conversion clips to the chasis they are angled inwards to the frame horns. Also was it necessary for you to grind away material from the clips before welding them to the frame.

Apparently, I was sold clips that were supposed to fit a smaller diameter torsion housing... Just make sure you get the right ones. Because the extra grinding is a pain in the a$$...

Here's a another link that may be helpful...
http://www.blindchickenracing.com/How_to/IRSconversion/IRSconversion.htm

See the cut line in the pic...
http://www.netspot4u.com/~manxclub/a...a_grinding.jpg

Thank's alot this helped.

Does doing a conversion like this strengthen or weaken the chasis and where did you buy yours.

No, It doesn't stiffen up the chassis. I would recommend the stiffening brace from eyeballengineering.
http://www.eyeball-engineering.net/F...stiffners.html

Or, you could fabricate your own. Here's one I did from 1 1/4 " square tubing...

http://www.netspot4u.com/~manxclub/a...pangussett.jpg

http://www.netspot4u.com/~manxclub/a...7/Panframe.jpg

The clips I got were from Vee Dub Parts Unlimited in Huntington Beach, Ca.
https://www.vwparts.net/Merchant2/me...y_Code=CHASSIS

Good Luck.

Does the area where the clip sits see any loading on the chasis.

It shouldn't affect "loading". The clip is welded onto the torsion tube and fills the cut away in the frame horns.

But, When this breaks. The entire chassis will twist. That's the reason for the additional gussett and square tubing.

http://images5.theimagehosting.com/pangussett.jpg

Do you have any documented proof of any chasis twisting after this conversion. I intend to put a 2.0l t4 in my bug then maybe a 2.8l in the future .

Nope, nothing documented.....Just plenty of rewelding after good weekend of thrashing. So, go ahead and toss in a 2.0l t4 or a 2.8l or for that matter a V8.... :eek:

Just do something like this first.....

http://images5.theimagehosting.com/41_12_s.jpg

I was thinking of running a kafer cup brace. I bought keith seume's book on vw beetle performance and it was stating that the kafer cup racers convert their swing axle cars to irs for racing. It wasn't sugested that their would be a problem.