traction bar

One of the main reasons the 1915 is not in my bug is because of engine movement. The motor mounts are new but the torque is more than the car can handle. Long time ago my Baja needed motor mounts so I put solid mounts at the bell housing and a standard nose for noise. Right now I put a tranny strap but it looks like a joke. So I need to make an order anyway. This looks like my options.

Traction bar
Solid motor mounts
urethane motor mounts
Transmission strap

I don't care about noise, with the windows down and the top back and mondo singing. I would like experience not well my opinion is. I believe the guy in Wilton made a traction bar.

David

In a link here is your answer

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=173450

I think that this is the best option

A guy in the Stockton area was making that and rear camber adjusters. I wonder who had that idea first. Good option.

Thanks

Beyond the noise, solid mounts are really hard on the rest of the car. The extra vibration wears on things. Mixing solid and rubber mounts is bad for the transmission case. It has the tendency to tear the bolts out of trans bell housing because the nose can move, but the tail can't.
I ruined two sets of urethane mounts before I went back to stock rubber mounts (GOOD quality) and a padded tranny strap kit (front and rear).
I've got three years on the current setup, and it seems to be holding up.
I recently looked at those traction bars. That seems like a nice way to go on a full body car. It should take some of the torque off the frame stringers. Anyway..... my two cents.

I made my own traction bar out of some scrap steel, and some long bolts.

Cut to length, holes drilled. Brackets made to use existling bumper bracket bolt holes.

Wilton Flash

Your bar is not bolted to the motor correct? If so it stops the front to back motion?? Not side to side.

Speedie

Have you seen the Rhino mounts from CB $45.00 ?

I ques with a Kennedy stage two clutch and 6inch wide rims something has to move. It wont be the tires.

I used the CB Rhino mounts when I put everything back together last August.

They seem to be holding up nicely. They haven't changed since I put them in, so I figure that is a good thing. I dropped the motor to put the heater boxes on before the holidays and the mounts looked the same as the day I put them in.

My research said they were a little noisier, but I really have no way to tell since the Ghia was in rough shape mechanically when I started working on her.

I do know there is significantly less movement of my motor, but again that could be because I actually have all the bolts and they are all torqued correctly.

Noise is never an issue. My AM radio makes noise, a fine tuned motor makes music. And Mondo sings. My thought is Rhino and maybe a traction bar.

[quote="type 4"]

Your bar is not bolted to the motor correct? If so it stops the front to back motion?? Not side to side.
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It stops the up/down movement, so I gues that's front to back motion.

To stop the side to side movement, I would go with the a transmission mid mount, and the Kafer bar.

I hear your words about the noise. I hardly ever listen to the radio. I like to listen to the motor and the changes as I drive around.

Although it seems like every time I fix something, I start to hear a new noise. Lately I have been thinking that I should not have stopped short of splitting the case on my rebuild. I am thinking my rods and crank are tired. I hear a knock now on occasion when I am idling or driving around.

But she's running. I am hoping to build a 1915 this spring/summer.

Maybe a turbo since everyone seems to have the fever!

David, nice job on the traction bar! That's what I plan to do, just build my own.

Mateo

Dont waste your money turbocharging a 1915. Build a strong stock motor, balance it do it right and you will be real happy. Fuel injection would be a very good investment. After the newness of a turbo wares off you will love the 1600. You will have the fuel economy of a 1600 and when you need it the turbo will supply the power. My 300 horsepower type 4 has a stock cam.

I own both a 1915 nonturbo type 1 and a turbo 2.4ltr type 4. Both are built right and both will scare you. And both will drain you pocket book. I ran maybe one tank of gas an pulled the motor. We had the most fun in that 100 miles.