TheSamba.com :: View topic - Sway bar for swingaxle-IRS?

Thu Feb 10, 2005 4:02 pm

This weekend I am finally doing an IRS conversion on my 68 Square using the swingaxle framehorns and welding in the IRS hangers. My question is what sway-bar can I use now? I have a brand new bugpack “Bug” IRS swaybar sitting around collecting dust and would like to use it.
Anyone else had any experience with this?

I’ll be posting some pic’s of the conversion as well IF anyone’s interested.

Cheers

Fri Feb 11, 2005 7:48 am

I'm pretty sure the type 3 has a wider track than the beetle :? . I have the one from Empi, ( the only other ones available I know of are adjustable ones from aircooled.net) and they mount to the lower shock bolts and have a huge clamp that goes around the torsion housing.
Crawl under your car and see if it'll mount properly, if not, get the proper bar.

Fri Feb 11, 2005 8:03 am

the type 3 is wider than a type 1 (which is why type 1 pans won't work on a T3), so a sway bar for a beetle may or may not work on a t3...

I know that aircooled.net sells sway bars specifically for the T3 in several different specs... I will be going that way once I get to the suspension...

Fri Feb 11, 2005 6:49 pm

T-3 has the same track and wheelbase as a T-1. It is just the VW used that foot print more effieciently in the T-3.

Mon Feb 14, 2005 5:38 pm

Here's the answer to my own question: HELL NO!

Because the Type3 swingaxle subframe uses the extra gusset under the torsion tubes there's no way to get the sway bar to butt up to the torsion tube like it would a beetle. Also because of the same gusset you can't get the big stainless clamp around it as well. Bummer :cry:

Mon Feb 14, 2005 5:48 pm

And the IRS conversion is a bitch of a job!
What I should have done was get an IRS subframe and welded the frame horns onto that instead of doing it the way I did. It sounds good in theory but no freakin way! I've got the swinger subframe back in the car after mod'ing and welding of the brackets to the framehorns now but damn was that a lot of work.