Sand rail front tire off ground sitting still

[Desertstrike86]

Drivers rear springy.... pass rear solid... I have to actually lift up on it... with a lot of strength too... if I bounce on it... it stays in the lowered position

[dustymojave]

I think your car has issues at both ends. But it would be best to keep things simple and deal with one end of the car at a time. So, since your initial was about the front, let's start there.

You asked a while back if the linkpins could cause the front to lock up and not move. You were told "not likely". My experience has been that if the link pins are not adjusted properly, they can most certainly lock up or make the front stiff. The linkpins should be adjusted often. I check mine every time I go for an offroad outing and every time I change the oil.

To check them:
- Jack up the front. just high enough that the front tires are off the ground. Jack stands are a good thing!
- Take hold of one front tire with hands at 9:00 and 3:00 and wiggle the tire. If you feel a little movement, look around to see where it is. If the brake drum moves in relation to the backing plate, the wheel bearing is loose. If the link (kind of a 'C' shape with link pins going through into the trailing arms) moves in relation to the trailing arms, it's probably loose adjustment of the link pins. If the spindle moves in relation to the link, you need to replace your kingpins and bushings. Linkpins will need to be done at the same time if this is the case. You may also get movement at the tie rod ends. Thi sindicates the ti rod ends need to be replaced. If the tie rods are snug at the outer ends, but the tie rods move with the wheel, it may be inner tie rod ends or it may be the steering box needs adjustment.
- Take hold of one front tire with hands at 12:00 and 6:00 and wiggle the tire. If you feel movement between the brake drum and backing plate, this verifies that the wheel bearings are loose. If the movement is between the link and the trailing arms, the linkpins are loose.

To adjust the link pins:
- Stock link pins have a spiral groove in the shank which is inside of the clamp on the end of the trailing arm. The pins have either 2 flats or are square on the inner end where it sticks out of the trailing arm. These flats are for a wrench, usually 14mm. The arm has a pinch bolt with a nut to clamp the pin. This usually takes a 17mm wrench. The pinch bolt fits in the spiral groove in the linkpin.

- After the pinch bolt is loose (not out!), turning the 14mm end of the link pin will tighten and loosen it just like a bolt. Turn the link pin so it pulls the link snug against the trailing arm. Then back it off just a hair. Then snug the pinch bolt.

- After one link pin is adjusted, do the same with all the other 3.

- There should be just a hair of movement at the link pin. It should be able to rotate freely in the link pin bushing in the link. If the pin is too tight, it will bind. If it's too loose, it will be sloppy and let the wheel wobble.

NOW! After all that is done, the 2 front wheels should move in relation to the beam the same. If one side moves more easily than the other, the arms may be too tight in aftermarket trailing arm bushings (original outer ends of the beam has roller bearings) in the beam, or the arms and bushings or bearings may need grease. Another possible issue is that the right side may have broken torsion leaves.

To take the front end apart to check the torsion leaves, the spindle assemblies come off where the link pins are clamped in the trailing arms. Take out the pinch bolts and slide the pins out of the trailing arms. The tie rods and brakes lines can be left connected. The trailing arms come out by loosening the jam nut on the set screw ("grub screw") and taking out the grub screw. Then the arm slides out. The torsion leaves are a square stack of flat spring steel bar stock with a cone-shaped hole for the grub screw. If you take out the arm on one side, and take out the center grub screw (if stock, or if it has adjusters, it's the set screw with the square block on it and you need to back off the adjuster screw 1st), you can take out the torsion leaves with the other arm. Do NOT mix up the arms. Do NOT swap ends of the torsion leaves. After you pull out the torsion leaves, put a zip tie around the stack about 6" in from the end to keep them together. They should be VERY greasy and messy, but NOT rusty. If you wipe them off to check them, re-grease them before putting them back in. The zip tie can be close to the end and will slide inward as you put things back together. Getting the stack through the square holes can be a real PITA. If you need to replace a stack, since your car is mostly stock and I perceive your offroading will be relatively mild, I recommend putting in another set of stock leaves. Try to be sure of how they come out of the other car. Right end should remain right end, etc. Upper and lower can be swapped though.

When you re-assemble the trailing arms on the beam, be sure they go back in their original locations. You may need to jack up the outer end of the upper arms to get them back in past the snubbers.

Re-adjust the link pins as described above.

After all of the above, the front of your buggy should be working right. There is plenty more to this, but I don't want to totally overwhelm you yet.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[Desertstrike86]

Alright had entire front end apart... leaves looked good... I can tell it was maintained and greased... no rust... also adjusted the links like yall said to... with the front end on jack stands... trailing arms rest on top of snubber as should.... but problem still persists... now off to the rear... pass rear seems to be a definite issue causing the drivers rear to raise. What is the process of elimination for the rear now?

[Desertstrike86]

OK so for the rear... with both shocks out... the rear is even and is not stiff anymore.. passenger rear had a bad shock... but even with all 4 shocks off.. the drivers fron wheel is still sitting a little off the ground... drivers front upper arm is resting on the snubber... passenger side snubber is inbetween the trailing arms... when i go to lift the front end up by hand... the drivers front stays on the snubber like it is anyways.... and the passenger side arms cycles down and then rests on the snubber.... it's like the passenger front is super loose? And the drivers front is stiff... but when I bounce on the front both sides cycle. So I know there is movement on the drivers front..

[cbeck]

Frame twisted?