TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Jul 27, 2005 10:23 am

I read the sticky and did a search to no avail. How in the world do you get the front sway bar off? At this point in time I am thinking cut off wheel..... :twisted:

Wed Jul 27, 2005 10:34 am

I usually use an air chisel, if you dont have air than a hammer and a chisel will work. Step back an take a look, they are tapered so they only go on/off one way. There should be a tab that you need to bend up and they should come off pretty easy with an air chisel. Later,Mitch.

Wed Jul 27, 2005 1:20 pm

I used a C-Clamp to squeeze the strap and then beat the h*lll out of the key using a 3lb hammer to get mine off. It would have been quicker to just take the sawzall to it. You won't need to put in on again but save the sway bar and use it to beef up your tie rods.

Wed Jul 27, 2005 1:35 pm

Beef up the tie rods? How does that work?

Wed Jul 27, 2005 2:36 pm

thrown_hammer wrote: Beef up the tie rods? How does that work?

You mean you dont have the Baja bible, shame on you [-X . Any ways basically you cut the sway bar into pieces and put it in the long tierod to give it more strength. Buy the Baja Bugs and Buggies book alot of good info, hope this helps. Later,Mitch.

Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:45 pm

Here's how I strengthened mine:
http://www.eastsideaircooled.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=66

Thu Jul 28, 2005 4:49 am

Holy Cow! I didn't know those were hollow??? Now I see the light.

Okay Mitch I will buy the book. :oops:

Is there a thread somewhere that explains how you got your Baja so far off the ground? That looks awesome.

Thu Jul 28, 2005 6:33 am

vwclass11 wrote: thrown_hammer wrote: Beef up the tie rods? How does that work?

You mean you dont have the Baja bible, shame on you [-X . Any ways basically you cut the sway bar into pieces and put it in the long tierod to give it more strength. Buy the Baja Bugs and Buggies book alot of good info, hope this helps. Later,Mitch.

Where do I go about finding one of these books?

Ronnie :D

Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:35 am

Any VW shop should have it. Its called How to build Baja Bugs and Buggies, writen by Jeff Hibbard. By the way here is a pic of the first Baja bibel, picked it up at a yard sale for a quarter,its dated 1970:

Thrownhammer, cut and turned, no adjusters, 3 in raised spindles with disc brakes.
Later,Mitch

Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:42 am

Thanx Mitch, we've got a couple of shops not to far from here.

Ronnie :D

Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:57 am

I got my copy on Ebay for about ten bucks. I have seen people try to sell it for about $24. Good book. I tried a BFH on my sway bar and got no where. It's tapered huh?

Thu Jul 28, 2005 8:16 am

cutoff wheel to the clamps. nothing needs to be saved as far as the clamps go. better to just destroy it than worry about getting if off clean

Thu Jul 28, 2005 8:59 am

If your ride isn't a show queen....

Put a tow chain on it and pull... everyone then go running when it pulls off.

DO NOT ask me how I discovered this.

Tim

Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:14 am

Wow, tim10 I can totally picture that in my mind. Sway bar tacoing in half then flying like an oversized crankbait on a well oiled reel. Com'on what happened?

Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:44 am

Story...

Our first VW was a MiniT with the longer (later) fenders.... craggars, hand lines, well done body... like most buggy and kit cars -- it's a mechanal time bomb done by a "hot rodder"

Well the guy did the typical buy all the bolt on cheap catalog stuff... I didn't know any better....

On our test drive the car died... I couldn't get it started (later learned all the removed tin and bolt on candy cooked the engine)

He came out in his macho man truck... threw a chain on the bar and tugged (like any mega truck guy does)... he was trying to prove that his seven zillion cubic engine truck could pull the 1200# buggy.

Well....

I didn't know any better....

Got down close to be of assistance... he pullled

I had him stop to center the chain...

He then pulled like a macho man....

Yes it did the taco....

It groaned...

Car started to roll...

Then this piece of spring steel flew through the air...

Missing the front of the MiniT ...

Doing the frisbee whirled through the air...

It went all directions --- spinning....

Eventually it flew around and D-E-S-T-R-O-Y-E-D the paint on his mega jacked up truck.

.... by this time the engine cooled down.

I hopped in and drove it the 100 miles home.

Yep... don't try this at home.

T.

Thu Jul 28, 2005 11:41 am

Mitch, You have an E-mail.

Thu Jul 28, 2005 1:24 pm

Sorry to hi jack the thread but that was beautiful.

Mon Aug 01, 2005 4:57 am

No flying metal tacos for me. I used a cut off wheel and did the deed.