T2D Dropped spindles for bays..

[t2d]

Just to let you guys know, the first production set got fitted today!!!! They'll drop your bus by 3.5 inches and are unwelded and what's more will not add track.

Tried and tested over the last 5 years.

Check the blog for pics. FYI the knarly white bay also runs a narrowed adjustable beam so sits slightly lower than a bus fitted with spindles on there own.

Pics @ http://www.t2d-blog.com

 

[faux]

Nice one Paul. I love the bus, nice stance too, but we have come to expect that. 8) It is the T2D way :mrgreen:

Just a couple of quaestions about the spindles....as these could be a fantastic solution to so many one here who want to go low but can't afford the KnL route.

Keep up the good work.

Edit: due to questions answered on T2D website

 

[cyberdyne systems]

Do you do this for all years? Mine's a '71 with disks.

Also do you require our spindles and trailing arms to convert/exchange?

Cheers
Gareth

 

[mcvw]

Just paid my deposit for the spindles :shock:

Good job the missus is out!!! :lol:

 

[froggy]

Just paid my deposit for the spindles :shock:

Good job the missus is out!!! :lol:

How much are they in total?

 

[mcvw]

As per the T2D website...

"3-1/2 inch Bay Window dropped spindles

Unwelded without added wheel track.. Our unique spindles come with modified trailing arms and heavy duty reversed balljoints allowing the specially machined spindles to run above the trailing arms, which give a slammed look with a silky smooth ride.

Kit includes 4x machined trailing arms with 4x H/D Balljoints (fitted) and 2x Unwelded dropped spindles.

£650

It has taken a huge amount of developement work by English and Dutch Engineers to perfect this product over a very long period of time. The key to a safe product was the choice and fitment of the correct type of Balljoint, many of the Balljoints we tested would not do the job safely!! so copy cats be warned!!!"

 

[scott wilson]

HALLELUEYAH 8)

 

[Araon]

Sounding good.......

get the pics up of the build

 

[cyberdyne systems]

Just paid my deposit for the spindles :shock:

Good job the missus is out!!! :lol:

Cool, so do you have to return your trailing arms and spindles to them or is it an outright purchase? Did they make them for all years - tried mailing them, but i'm so hungry to know the answer now! :mrgreen:

 

[mcvw]

Just paid my deposit for the spindles :shock:

Good job the missus is out!!! :lol:

Cool, so do you have to return your trailing arms and spindles to them or is it an outright purchase? Did they make them for all years - tried mailing them, but i'm so hungry to know the answer now! :mrgreen:

The spindles are on exchange basis so they will want your old spindles in return. Not sure on trailing arms aswell. I spoke to Paul earlier and he didn't mention wanting the old arms.

Couldn't say what years - but I know they do them for 68's!

Give Paul/T2D a call - he's a cool & friendly chap

 

[cyberdyne systems]

Just paid my deposit for the spindles :shock:

Good job the missus is out!!! :lol:

Cool, so do you have to return your trailing arms and spindles to them or is it an outright purchase? Did they make them for all years - tried mailing them, but i'm so hungry to know the answer now! :mrgreen:

The spindles are on exchange basis so they will want your old spindles in return. So that should mean any year will be ok Not sure on trailing arms aswell. I spoke to Paul earlier and he didn't mention wanting the old arms.

Couldn't say what years - but I know they do them for 68's!

Give Paul/T2D a call - he's a cool & friendly chap Better not till I have the funds! I take it they will make to order, any lead time given for yours and how much deposit did they want?

 

[andewilson]

on a standard arm on a bus, the weight of the bus is pushing the ball joint in. surelt this way the weight of the bus is pushing the ball joint out of the arm. does this method rely on the interference fit of four ball joints to prevent the noise of the bus slamming into the floor when you hit a bit bump in the road?

 

[young_dubya]

i just saw these on the site, they look the bollox. bit rich for me yet but i will be saving :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[mcvw]

on a standard arm on a bus, the weight of the bus is pushing the ball joint in. surelt this way the weight of the bus is pushing the ball joint out of the arm. does this method rely on the interference fit of four ball joints to prevent the noise of the bus slamming into the floor when you hit a bit bump in the road?

When I spoke to Paul he said that they had researched this is in great detail and are 200% confident that the spindles are safe and that any fears regarding the ball joint working it's way out are uncalled for.

Give T2D a call - I'm sure Paul would happily provide more information.

 

[froggy]

Bit to pricy for me to even consider them :shock:

 

[ground hugger]

Hi T2d
From what I see in picture,you drill the old spindles over sized and fit some kind of
bump steer type bushes in .This gives you the raise in spindle height "is this how they work ?"
Then you press some new heavyduty balljoints into the standard arms
Or do you send some with the kit to have pressed in?
If so do they require a bigger press force to fit them?
How much are replacement balljoints?

Cheers...Dave

 

[ground hugger]

Hi T2d
From what I see in picture,you drill the old spindles over sized and fit some kind of
bump steer type bushes in .This gives you the raise in spindle height "is this how they work ?"
Then you press some new heavyduty balljoints into the standard arms
Or do you send some with the kit to have pressed in?
If so do they require a bigger press force to fit them?
How much are replacement balljoints?

Cheers...Dave

sorry just read previouse posts.4 Machined trailing arms with balljoints fitted
Still do you require any special tooling to fit balljoints in the future/or will it be on an exchange basis.What would be the price for this or replacement balljoints

 

[cyberdyne systems]

on a standard arm on a bus, the weight of the bus is pushing the ball joint in. surelt this way the weight of the bus is pushing the ball joint out of the arm. does this method rely on the interference fit of four ball joints to prevent the noise of the bus slamming into the floor when you hit a bit bump in the road?

Surely once a ball joint is locked to the arm they work as a single item, whether mounted above or below. If you didn't bolt standard ones down might they be pulled out by the movement, because the movement is in both directions? Obviously the weight of the bus is in one direction, hence the need to use a balljoint capable of sitting the other way round - which as someone pointed out is used on other vehicles.

The reputation of one of the leading vw companies in the UK is at stake here (not to mention the safety/lives of their customers), so they have damn sure been thorough to access the needs of the joints facing the opposite way.

Any method to modify a vehicle could be a risk, cutting and welding spindles/beams, tyre choices, reverse ball joint spindles, red9 and so on. In the end we look (probably as laymen) and decide which risk to take based on the available facts/opinions. I for one think this should be a sound idea and intend to get some (when funds allow ).

Lets hope now they are available more information will flow as we see how they work, fitting tips and the like.

Gareth

 

[Clem]

This sounds like great news ... lowering must be the most oft asked about subject on here?

Ill keep it at the top for a few days
8)

 

[t2d]

Thanks for the interest in the spindles, we are really pleased with the results and are looking forward to getting more out there on some nice early (and late) bays.

Here's a bit more info for those of you who have emailed and shown an interest in general (sorry it's a bit long winded and I hope it makes sense).

The spindles are not a new idea and have been developed and tested on buses since around 2004. I am not the inventor, that credit goes to my good friend Marco from the now defunct Slammed Panel in Holland. We have very slightly changed the way that the ball joints are held into the arms and also have taken advice from Marco on the best ball joint to use, which is a super tuff USA made ball joint. Our product development engineer @ T2D (Mark Van Driel) has checked and checked again the suability of the ball joint and has given us guidance in how to make double sure it will never pull out of the arm.

In Brief the Spindles are modified/machined to allow you to run a reversed ball joint, which in turn allows the spindle to run above the arm instead of underneath, hence giving the 3-1/2 inch drop. This is the simple part, the hard part was knowing which ball joint to use and working out how to secure it into the arm safely

Actually, friction in most cases would normally be enough to hold the ball joint in place, anyone that has ever used a 10 ton press to fight ball joints out of arms will know this. However we have machined a groove in the side of the ball joint to allow the fitment of a round security ring, this ring then fits into a channel which we have bored into the trailing arm. The channel in the arm is only a fraction bigger in diameter then the diameter of the ring on the ball joint and will not allow the ring to move or fall out of the groove in the ball joint even if the ring itself breaks.

We have seen this design on cars, vans and Hotrods and know that it is safe.

This method would be pretty easy to copy but we know the key to this product working for us was finding the right ball joint, therefore any future replacement ball joints will need to be purchased from us at a cost of about £50

We took months setting up a good supplier for these ball joints and inspected dozens of other makes of ball joints which wouldn't work with reversed load so I really hope that someone else doesn't try to copy this product using cheaper off the shelf joints which could fail.

Marco at Slammed Panel is no longer working with VW's full time so has given us and Kieft en Klok his blessing to carry on his good work where he left off.

The whole kit which includes 4x machined arms with ball joints fitted, along with the spindles is £650 exchange.

We have been thinking about having an open workshop day where you can come and see the spindles being fitted and watch while a van gets a full T2D slam job, there would be a small charge to cover a buffet lunch and refreshment.. and a small discount offered at the end of the day for anyone wishing to buy products Would we have any takers??

Regards to you all

Paul