custom lift

[Safety Guy]

FYI, the German Kubelwagen was only 2WD (though there were 4WD versions but they weren't judged a whole lot better despite being heavier and more expensive to build) and here is what wiki has:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_K%C3%BCbelwagen

From wiki:

"Developmental testing by the military began after a presentation of the prototypes designated as Type 62 in November 1938. Despite lacking four wheel drive, a mainstay of the American military Jeeps, the vehicle proved very competent at maneuvering its way over rough terrain, even in a direct comparison with a contemporary standard German army 4×4, and the project was given the green light for further development. The vehicle's light weight and ZF self-locking differential compensated for the lack of 4×4 capabilities."

Lightweight, locking differential, ground clearance, tough construction. Our Festivas have two of those four characteristics. We only need to add some ground clearance and a LSD (as Charlie pointed out).

I hope to build an off road Festy some day, though mine won't be all that maxed out. Just for rough roads, some off road stuff, probably no LSD. If I get enough acres, it will only have "farm" plates. If I have enough of a field to mow, it will pull a mower deck a few times per year.

Karl

[Micro Mudder]

Shoot, leave room for tweaks and adjustments time wise, its not like you have a stock festy anymore! I am hopin for a little fun time this weekend . The snow is almost gone and fire season started last week down the canyon..shovel and extinguisher required with anything with a motor. Oh, axe too. I carry anyway but hope we don't get locked out. It would be so cool to have a group of us hitting the fun trails, climbs, canyons doing some desert bbq, fishing..heck I just put in for some awesome Elk hunts and one deer hunt...and only one off roading festy nut!

Im in for the hunting and fishing and I figured ill just do it Monday to put it on. And I may just have to get a road trip to go up their cuz that would be a blast to do that! And elk hunting I can say I've never done cuz there Isnt to many elk in Nebraska shocked I know!

[Advancedynamix]

FYI, the German Kubelwagen was only 2WD (though there were 4WD versions but they weren't judged a whole lot better despite being heavier and more expensive to build) and here is what wiki has:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_K%C3%BCbelwagen

From wiki:

"Developmental testing by the military began after a presentation of the prototypes designated as Type 62 in November 1938. Despite lacking four wheel drive, a mainstay of the American military Jeeps, the vehicle proved very competent at maneuvering its way over rough terrain, even in a direct comparison with a contemporary standard German army 4×4, and the project was given the green light for further development. The vehicle's light weight and ZF self-locking differential compensated for the lack of 4×4 capabilities."

Lightweight, locking differential, ground clearance, tough construction. Our Festivas have two of those four characteristics. We only need to add some ground clearance and a LSD (as Charlie pointed out).

I hope to build an off road Festy some day, though mine won't be all that maxed out. Just for rough roads, some off road stuff, probably no LSD. If I get enough acres, it will only have "farm" plates. If I have enough of a field to mow, it will pull a mower deck a few times per year.

Karl

Out west here, the type 1 VW platform was king of the offroad for nearly half a century with 2wd. The secret to it's success was that the weight of the engine hung out past the driving wheels. Sound familiar? FWD cars have this feature too! lol.

[Movin]

The desert buggies and sand toys used to use the vw but other fwd platforms are so much more trouble and maintenance free, already have fuel injection, turbo and a programmable computer! It was my love for vw Bajas that probably pulled me in this direction, I have owned several over the years, none stock, all street legal. None came close to the range for fuel I have and none towed trailers. However on steep rough hill climbs it is easier to give er heck going forward in a vw..climbing in reverse has had some unexpected results!

[Advancedynamix]

I used to have to climb my driveway in reverse in my Jetta in the winter in Maine. lol. It was about 3/4 mile with a 160 degree switchback half way up and the grade was steep enough to make stopping while going down a really bad plan, and plowing usually ended with the plow truck in the woods somewhere. My Jetta was a lowered 1991 16v GLI with Blizzaks and it would go right up the hill (with an occasional reverse doughnut in the little parking area at the switchback). My Toyota truck couldn't make it, but my GF's tracker climbed it okay. I don't miss Maine winters one bit, what a PITA that was.

[Movin]

The fun stuff has a way of arriving when it isn't fun!!

[Micro Mudder]

got the cv axle and went on great only an hour to pull the old one off walk to napa and back and put the new one on and new tranny fluid!! and it also gives me pluntly of length but i had to order control arms and tie rods cuz they are over an inch to short so i might as well replace them with new ones. also i found out my oil pan guard that runs under the engine frame the frount part that it bolts to the frame rusted off..... but the sway bar holds it up so ill be fine for now. and i to top it off i had 4 tires blow up on me while driving all seperate times in the past 2 weeks...

[Prafeston]

Wow...4 blow outs? Have they been in the same spot? Are you rubbing or something?

[TominMO]

got the cv axle and went on great only an hour to pull the old one off walk to napa and back and put the new one on and new tranny fluid!! and it also gives me pluntly of length but i had to order control arms and tie rods cuz they are over an inch to short so i might as well replace them with new ones. also i found out my oil pan guard that runs under the engine frame the frount part that it bolts to the frame rusted off..... but the sway bar holds it up so ill be fine for now. and i to top it off i had 4 tires blow up on me while driving all seperate times in the past 2 weeks...

So I'm guessing you got Aspire LCAs since they are a little longer. What tie rod ends did you use?

[Micro Mudder]

one tire was a country road one im the interstate going 80mph and the other two on the highway the big tires were dry rotted on the inside and dont rub any thang i checked that and the two stock tires were just old and bald and just decited to go to crap the same time as all the others so its just bad luck and ill just need to but new tires all around

i actually bough stock tie rod ends and control arms ($80) but i have to extend the tie rods by 1 1/2" and control arms 1" for (my lift!) if you do a lift for your car then the lengths are different so it sits level and doesent bind any thang up

here is a fue pics plus one with the spare on one side and a 14" tire on the other lol and the rusted of part on the frame.. 1.jpg2.jpg5.jpg3.jpg4.jpg

[Advancedynamix]

Chris, you scare me a little bit. I'd replace that torn out front lower support with a piece of 1/4" angle iron. Come to think of it, I did do that. Lol.

[Micro Mudder]

Yea it ruined my day when I found out but Yea I am going to do it as soon as I can but I need to get hold of a welded but until then ill be going crazy easy on her and It looks like its been broken for a long time

[Movin]

Check that tie rod stretch measurement.

[Micro Mudder]

Yea I'm going to check again do I measure it with it jacked up or sitting on the ground?

[Movin]

On the ground, by now you can probably just roll under on a creeper lol !
Mark where your threads will be mid range. The aspire will catch the threads but it isn't long enough. Your actual change should be a little less than the change in the lower control arm. That is why I just used the stock one to stretch.