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Lowering Series · Part 1 · Beetle & Ghia
Lower Your Beetle or Ghia the Right Way
Pick a cruiser or a performer, plan the track width, then buy it once. Process — not parts — determines ride quality.
Lowering Series · Classic VW Beetle, Ghia & Type 2 Bus
Part 1 · You are here
Plan the drop
Beetle & Ghia front, parts & track width
01 · Quick answer
Cruiser or performer?
Two kinds of lowered Beetle and Ghia. Pick yours first.
Quick answer
Decide how you'll drive it before you buy anything. A cruiser gets drop spindles, a 6″ narrowed Shockless beam and lowered rear shocks. A performer gets drop spindles, a 4″ narrowed Ultimate Adjustable beam and adjustable shocks. Plan wheels, brakes and track width up front so you buy it once.
Cruiser
Small engine. Low and slow.
Drop spindles, a 6″ narrowed Shockless beam, and lowered rear shocks. Fabricator? Swap the Shockless beam for weld-in adjusters and narrow your own beam.
Performer
Bigger engine. Power to the ground.
Drop spindles, a 4″ narrowed Ultimate Adjustable beam, and adjustable shocks. Ride height and ride quality, both adjustable, in one package.
Done for you
PRObuilt, bolt-in.
Buy the parts à la carte, as a complete lowering kit, or as an assembled beam built and set up by the PROs.
02 · Front suspension
The parts that get you low
Every one of these is built to work together. Shocks never lower the car; they set the ride.
Weld-in
PRObuilt Adjusters
Drop it anywhere your shocks and tires allow. On their own, keep it to 4″ of drop or less for a good ride. Welding required.
Bolt-on
Ultimate Adjustable Beam
Built-in adjusters give 7.5″ of adjustment. Offered narrowed so you can run bigger wheels, disc brakes or track adders.
Bolt-on
6″ Narrowed Shockless Beam
The cruiser beam. Narrowed and adjustable, built to run without front shocks.
Drop
Drop Spindles
Drop the car 2.5″ from where it sits now. Link pin cars need special tools to install them.
Drop · assembled
PRObuilt Drop Spindles
Fully assembled by the PROs at Airkewld. Bolt on and go.
Turn-key
PRObuilt Assembled Beam
Built by the PROs for your ride and application, ready to bolt in.
Ride quality
Front Sport Shocks
Shocks don't lower the car. They give you the ride you're after. These fit Airkewld beams only.
Link pin car (1949–1965)? The same parts come in link pin versions: adjusters, Ultimate beam, Shockless beam and sport shocks.
03 · Rear suspension
Lowered shocks, then set the height
Lowered rear shocks don't drop the car. They match the shorter travel you get once it's lowered, so it rides right and doesn't bottom out. The ride height itself is set at the spring plates: Part 2 walks through it step by step.
04 · Plan ahead
Track width adds up
Most lowered cars get bought twice because nobody planned the whole build. Every spindle, brake kit and wheel changes where the tire sits in the fender. Two real examples:
Know your final wheel before you buy the beam. Send us the wheel and any specs you have, and we'll map out the best route.
Already rubbing? See 5 Causes of Classic VW Tires Rubbing Fenders and Wheel Tech for the fitment math.
05 · FAQ
Lowering questions
How low can I go with adjusters alone?
On their own, keep it to about 4″ of drop. Past that, add drop spindles instead of cranking the adjusters further.
Do shocks lower the car?
No. Shocks set ride quality. The drop comes from adjusters, an adjustable beam, drop spindles and, at the rear, the spring plates.
Will drop spindles make my tires rub?
They can. Drop spindles add 3/8″ of track per side. Plan your beam width around them, or see What is a Narrowed Beam?.
Do I need welding?
Only for weld-in adjusters. The Ultimate and Shockless beams, drop spindles and assembled beams all bolt in.
Do I need an alignment after lowering?
Yes. Get a 4-wheel alignment after any ride height change. Specs and the DIY method are in Classic VW Beetle Alignment.
Process — Not Parts — Determines Performance