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Rear torsion bar adjustment help
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56 manx
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 7:41 pm    Post subject: Rear torsion bar adjustment help Reply with quote

Last year a friend and I tried adjusting them on my swing shaft but we couldn't get the insides to come loose. We ended up moving the outer a few notches but the camber isn't right yet so we're going to try it again soon. Does anybody know the best way to get the insides loose without a major production? And is it even necessary to adjust the insides in order to get the desired camber? I'm hoping I can get the camber correct by adjusting the outsides only in case I can't get them loose without major deal. All help is appreciated.

Richard
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BL3Manx
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 9:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you only move the outer splines, you can only make adjustments in 8.1 degree increments. It will probably be too much or too little. To make finer adjustments you have to move the inner forward a notch and the outer back( or vice versa) until you get it right.

Usually the bars come loose from the center by just wobbling them around and pulling by hand. If yours are really stuck you could either pound on the end of one with a sledge hammer until it pushes out the opposite one. Then get a steel rod with a just smaller diameter than the splines and hammer the remaining bar back out.

An easier solution is to buy a pair of adjustable spring plates and install them on the stuck bars as close to correct as possble, then use the threaded adjusters to get it right.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=575512
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Dale M.
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 12:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pretty extensive discussion with lots of charts and calculations and input here:

http://www.mydune-buggy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=47

Also pretty good article by a well know name on these boards...

http://www.mydune-buggy.com/home/dl_files/reartorsionsetup.pdf

IF you get the bars out, be sure to grease them (splines) before putting them back in!

Dale
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10ovr
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 6:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

+1 on adjustable spring plates,Takes about 2/3 of the bad words out of the job,,,,
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Russ Wolfe
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 7:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

And can I also mention, that there is a left and right to the bars.
They should be marked on the ends.
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56 manx
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 9:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

BL3Manx wrote:


An easier solution is to buy a pair of adjustable spring plates and install them on the stuck bars as close to correct as possble, then use the threaded adjusters to get it right.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=575512


Sorry it took so long for a response, I've been in the hospital for maintenance. Thanks to everybody for the help.

I've never heard of the adjustable spring plates before, and they're definitely a possibility. I imagine these will need to be welded to the stock plates or is there another way? Also are these something lot of people on here use?

Thanks, Richard
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BL3Manx
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 9:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is no welding. You take the old spring plates off and replace then with the two piece adjustable spring plates. Since the adjustable plates are two piece(like a pair of scissors) they're thicker and you'll have to shim out the end cap. The inner section also has a larger diameter because one part fits over the other, so you'll need a larger diameter inner bushing.

There are also swingaxle and IRS styles and also different sizes for the three different torsion bar lengths.

No clue how many people who read/post on the samba use adjustable spring plates. Have you done an archives search on "adjustable spring plates"? I'd start there.
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Dale M.
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The flip side of adjustable spring plates at anywhere from $100 a set (Chinese) to $350 as for (Sway-A-Way) is about 1.5 hours of work on each side... Once you have chassis "set" where you want it, your investment just sits there.....(either method)...

Dale
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GreaterMook
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

BL3Manx wrote:
There is no welding. You take the old spring plates off and replace then with the two piece adjustable spring plates. Since the adjustable plates are two piece(like a pair of scissors) they're thicker and you'll have to shim out the end cap. The inner section also has a larger diameter because one part fits over the other, so you'll need a larger diameter inner bushing.

There are also swingaxle and IRS styles and also different sizes for the three different torsion bar lengths.

No clue how many people who read/post on the samba use adjustable spring plates. Have you done an archives search on "adjustable spring plates"? I'd start there.
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Does anyone have a picture of these installed???
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56 manx
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 12:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks again for the replies I always appreciate the help I get on here.

I'm still going to consider using the adjustable plates but it might just be as faster to adjust the stock ones thus saving myself some money. Once I get them where I want em there will probably be no need to adjust them again, therefor no need for adjustable plates necessarily.

But if I do go with the adjustable ones, are the different bushings going to be hard to find?

Richard
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Dale M.
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 12:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Should take stock bushings....

Dale
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66 Shorty
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 1:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Speaking of Bushings, I noticed my IRS spring plates have a larger diameter where the bushing rides than the Swing plates do. Is that normal? If someone were to,... say switch the spring plates to run a swing in an IRS car & remove the arms, they would just need stock Swing bushings for the plates, right? Are the T/H ends on both the same?
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10ovr
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 1:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

CB has the Sway A Way adjustable plates for under $300..They come with bushings,,
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