Project Bugford - Drop Spindles and Ball Joints

A quick DIY on how to lower your VW Bug. Installing new ball joints, tie-rod ends and drop spindles in a 1972 Volkswagen Beetle. Finally gave this thing a little bit of stance!
Stuff I need for production! a.co/iM4PGFF
How to repack wheel bearings: • Wheel Bearing Replacem...
Drop Spindles: • JBugs - Disc Brake W/ ...
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[@thehandlesticks66]

always nice seeing an old ride get new parts

[@billygoatracer]

I didn't like that hood at first, but after watching your video it growing on my 🤟

[@lucianosimmons3003]

One drum from Germany, one from Japan. Nice!

[@TomsTurboGarage]

Excellent work sir, I love it!

[@VelocityLabs]

Tom's Turbo Garage Thanks!

[@billygoatracer]

I never thought about using a heat gun to heat them up, I was going to go to my job for help, but not now 👍

[@WhiteJawz1]

Looks good, if ur going to go fast with it, i would recommend swapping out those brakes for a disk brake kit.

[@briansmythe3219]

I love the Front end , I seen one with a Rolls Royce Grill on it looked awasome , Ive got the same Model I might do it to Mine , Well done bro

[@VochoTalacha]

When I replace the ball joints, what I do is that I remove the torsion arms from their place so I can clamp them to either hammer or press the old ball joints out, and the first thing I do is hammer the eccentric camber bushing out. Removing the torsion arms is just a matter of undoing a lock nut and a 8mm allen wrench oppressor bolt on each arm, then pull them out. When I replace the tie rod ends, the fastest route for me is to first remove the outer tie rods with the spindle still on for better leverage, then I remove the bolt for the steering damper and then I remove the pitman arm so I can take out the entire tie rod assembly, once again, to clamp the pitman arm on a vise and hammer or press the tie rods out. I do tutorials on VW stuff too, but they are in Spanish. Check me out if you want and can.

[@SladesVWBeetle]

That came out great!!

[@seanhenry8030]

You wonder why you got runner up? Have you seen the front of your car?! That Ford front end is next level awesome. It's not just you. I'm pretty sure everyone loves it. Hence, the trophy my good man.

[@darkeyce02]

Sean Henry personally to me, it's hideous.

[@shrug53]

Thanks for a great video! Hey, where can I get on of those 40 Ford noses for my 66?

[@ridinwithryan2715]

Great job dude. I too make tutorial videos. Not every week like you but every time I gotta replace somthing. You're. pretty legit. Sub

[@VelocityLabs]

Ridin With Ryan Cool, keep it up!! Thanks!

[@rustytheuglybeetle8711]

Was that show at Bandimere the Colorado Bug-In?

[@cqpate]

Working on my 72 bug Where did you get a ball joint press that knocks out lower ball joint? Nothing fit lower control arm.

[@monster1176]

Found this channel from your waste gate video :) keep up the good work man. #subbed

[@VelocityLabs]

monster1176 Cool, thanks!

[@handyishrandyish334]

hey man what was the torque specs on upper and lower ball joint?

[@codavied]

Not sure if it was said, but I didn't disconnect my brake lines, just pulled the whole assembly off and set it to the side

[@josephjimenez7416]

Dude this looks pretty cool, thinking about doing this with my wunderbug🤙

[@VochoTalacha]

Oh hey! I was just coming back to this video because I wanted to see how did you remove the ball joints with this tool, but you don't show how you got the lower ball joints out. Can you tell me how you did it?

[@VelocityLabs]

I used a pickle fork on the lower ball joints, you can see it at 1:19. The harbor freight ball joint remove tool worked way better than the pickle fork though. Then they're pressed out with the tool seen at 2:42

[@VochoTalacha]

@@VelocityLabs Thanks!

[@soverjas]

Great video thanks for sharing

[@diannereyes3680]

Nice video!! I couldn’t get the ball joint off so I took the whole.... arm? Off, and got them pressed lol just wondering what grease you would suggest using when I put this back on.?

[@gcahal1]

Any alignment issues after wards and what size tires up front. I have. 68 and I want to drop the front a bit. Running stock 165s.

[@Pong-Lenis]

Porsche front disc brakes would be cool, I've seen more than one here in Sweden equipped with them :)

[@bradleygarrett2078]

On the ball joints did you have to remove any rings before pushing them out? I’m trying to take my old ones out of my ‘72 bug

[@JustinDueck53]

What’s with the body mod? Where’s the VW hood?

[@aznaldinho]

I hv to change to a new size wheel bearing when i install the drop spindle, why?

[@akramishmael5604]

always excited for your vids 😃

[@dms20dms20]

Nice work.

[@handyishrandyish334]

Love how you don't show the bottom one that's the hard one

[@JoeWrenches]

Nice work! Piece of cake!

[@stephenmargetjak6989]

on the bottom ball joint what direction does it press out? The top came out easily, the bottom no go so far.

[@stephenmargetjak6989]

I put clamp press on the lower ball joint as tight as I could get let it sit it overnight.Took the set up off, the stud had been ground to a nub so I could fit the tool set up on. The ball joint had moved a few MM so I wedged a jack stand underneath to keep arm from moving and hit the ball joint stud about 30 times with a hammer and the sucker flew out.no heat.alot of wd-40.

[@craigaguiarwinter5208]

How is the steering with only the front dropped? I've read that castor shims are required since by lowing the front, the castor angle is changed and it affects your steering and handling. Great video!!

[@VelocityLabs]

I didn't notice any big change to be honest, maybe a little better in cornering. I had the car aligned after I did it though, I'm not sure if the shop needed to use shims or not.

[@emtbasics]

Great vid! I'm considering dropping my '74 Beetle, and now I'm not quite as nervous about it. If I do this, do I need to change my front shocks as well? Thanks!

[@VelocityLabs]

+Hamp Ingram Nope, no need to change the shocks! Although if they're worn out you might want to replace them anyway. Good luck!

[@mastermatt289]

Better than me, I had to remove and use a 20 ton press

[@VwRosstorations]

Nice one..

[@takitaki568]

cool video!

[@Z3CHYD]

Any updates on BugFord? I saw the last video on it was the trans swap a year ago, just wondering if any other cool mods have been done since then?

[@VelocityLabs]

It has a rod knock and is down until I can raise enough cash for parts!

[@Z3CHYD]

Velocity Labs dang!!! Hope you can find another motor/parts cheap!

[@VelocityLabs]

I have a new motor, I pulled one out of my old Subaru :D I just need some parts to get it in the bug!

[@Z3CHYD]

Velocity Labs I imagine you’ve seen mighty car mods beetle they stuffed an STI motor in, that thing was unbeatable!

[@JDeanMurray]

3:20 Why use hand tools here? Impact?

[@mr.motormaster9881]

I have a blue 73 bug and a 2004 black gt TIBURON 🤣

[@vitormachado5470]

Amazing!! Keep going

[@mschiffel1]

I hope that you used liberal amounts of anti seize compound on all the threads.

[@madfiat8932]

Any updates coming? You had big plans but nothing new for almost a year...

[@VelocityLabs]

+Alvin Brinson Yep, working on a few Bugford videos right now. Process on this project is a little slow due to lack of funds, but it's moving :D

[@madfiat8932]

Oh I definitely understand the lack of funds part. I've ground to a halt on modding my car while I pay off *ahem* credit cards.

[@RandomHondaGuy]

What did you do with the speedo cable

[@VelocityLabs]

It wasn't hooked up at this time if I remember correctly. I've since replaced it!

[@galvanizeddreamer2051]

>Pain to get out >No camber adjuster on new ones >Uses 3' long breaker bar getting them back on and is still a pain Just shoot me now.

[@type2523]

Is it a Pontiac front ,burn it ,its soooo ugly

[@BAZZAROU812]

Your WW2 joke made no sense...

[@cqpate]

Working on my 72 bug Where did you get a ball joint press that knocks out lower ball joint? Nothing fit lower control arm.

[@VelocityLabs]

I used the loaner kit from Autozone.

[@cqpate]

Velocity Labs OK thanks but AutoZone no longer rents ball joint presses and O’Reilly,advanced auto parts won’t fit so I’m gonna give up and pull out the control arms get them pressed out. there’s a special Volkswagen ball presser but they don’t make it anymore. I have a few Volkswagen videos I think I’ll make this frustration one also.