VW Bus & type 2 67 or earlier - building dropped spindles

Last Updated on July 22, 2024 by Mutiara

How to build your own type 2 dropped spindles. Here you can see the difference. The idea is to flip the link pin carriers upside down and turn 180 degrees.

The fist step is to remove the link pins, link pin bushing, grease zerks, and pinch bolt. Then clean all of the grease/dirt build-up off of the spindles. After they are clean, press them apart. I use a steel rod through the upper link pin hole, and a home made tool that presses down on the two flat spots of the spindle
After they are apart you’ll need to knock out the cap on the bottom of the spindle.
Because of the flip, the upper link pin will now have clearance problems. this is solved by a little careful grinding. Some people like to weld a gusset on the back side to reinforce the area that is be cleared. My thought has always been that the heat will from welding will weaken the spindle. I remove the greease caps and seals from the link pins then grind the bare minimum amount from the spindles. I like to check and recheck as I’m grinding with a knuckle and a link pin that has 5 shims stacked behind the head.
After they have been cleared, press them back together in the new arrangement. Press until the notch in the king pin is lined up with the hole in the knuckle. You don’t want to press them together too tight or else they will be hard to turn. Also note that I had to remove the fenolic washer from the king pin. This is because of the difference in thicknesses between the upper and lower king pin bushings. Finally install a new pinch bolt, greease zerks, link pin bushings, and link pins.