Stance: A Little Low in the Rear Options

[Bwingate]

First post here. New to 914's, but I have had a '74 Super Beetle for quite some time, so its the same but different . . . .

Got my new-to-me 1974 on Friday. One of the issues I knew about was that the car sits a little [too] low in the rear. I don't have plates yet, so I could only drive up and down my street a couple of times, but I don't hear any or feel anything funny from the rear and the ride is pretty nice.

Any ideas on where to start to level this or problems I should be looking at regarding the rear end sag?




Thanks,
Bruce

[wonkipop]

First post here. New to 914's, but I have had a '74 Super Beetle for quite some time, so its the same but different . . . .

Got my new-to-me 1974 on Friday. One of the issues I knew about was that the car sits a little [too] low in the rear. I don't have plates yet, so I could only drive up and down my street a couple of times, but I don't hear any or feel anything funny from the rear and the ride is pretty nice.

Any ideas on where to start to level this or problems I should be looking at regarding the rear end sag?




Thanks,
Bruce

thats completely stock and original factory set up.
the 4 seem to have been set nose up (in contrast to 6s).

there are a few different views on that.
USA bumper ht regs, headlight regs etc.

i favour the VW engineers wanted the 4 that way.
there are european market 914s set up the same as USA models - photos taken when new back in the 70s.
if you look at original type 3 and type 4 VWs they were set up the same.
two potential reasons. tuned for understeer to suit everyday drivers, and able to take a load in the frunk and level out rather than go nose down.

here is mine back in 89. a 74 L jet identical to yours.
when it was still on original boges with single fixed spring perch.
nose up as per yours.



how it is now (2022).
boges replaced with bilsteins. has a number of perches for adjustment of rear spring position. bils do not match spring perch position exactly of original boges.
one perch is a little higher and one a little lower.
we went for the slightly higher. still running original springs.
after rear spring position was set we levelled the car out by adjusting the front torsion bar settings to bring the nose down.
it could be set up lower by choosing the next spring perch on the rear and bringing the nose down level with that. but i am happy with this set up.
suits the roads down here (which used to be good but are not so good anymore. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) )



there is some truth to the sagging rear spring theory.
based on evidence of a problem back in the day.
but i believe this afflicted early cars.
yours is a 74. i believe the original factory springs will be fine.
certainly no problem with mine and the springs are 50 years old.
my car also has soft factory springs but luckily was built with factory installed sway bars.
this compensates for the spring softness.
excellent compromise between handling and comfort.

EDIT - PS
i looked at the documentation on that car you have when it was on BAT.
i think you got yourself a very very good car. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
when you have time and if it is not too much trouble i'd love to get some details from you on the car that we can add to our L jet data files. that car looked to be very original.