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Front sway bar installation :(
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The Captain
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 4:14 pm    Post subject: Front sway bar installation :( Reply with quote

hey everyone, i am trying to install a fornt sway bar and i looked at another post

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=119390&highlight=install+front+sway+bar

but it didnt really help me to figure out how in the world can i get the clamps to come together! anyway some instruction would be very helpful at this point, and also some step by step guides on how to best go about this task that the guy at the VW shop told me was "pretty self explainatory" Smile thanks
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58758
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 4:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll be re-installing mine this weekend. I'll try to take a few photos and post them for you.
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georgiabug
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 4:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

X do you have the slide clamps that slide on the ears of the hanger?
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The Captain
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 4:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

here is what im working with... this is where i need to install it:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.




and here is what i have:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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NWGhiaGuy Premium Member
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 4:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sometimes used clamps can be a little out of shape. After sliding the bushing on the bar, I use vise grips to bring the clamp together aound the trailing arm and the bushing, making it easier to slide the clamp lock in place.
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Mark
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 8:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used tie-wraps to hold the swaybar roughly in place, then got the clamps in place. The tiewraps helped a LOT, and I imagine I'd need another set of hands without them!
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Atx67beetle
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 12:24 am    Post subject: I just reinstalled my sway bar Reply with quote

What looked like a very straight forward job turned out to be far more time consuming than I anticipated. My daughter and I are in the process of a frame up restoration of our first VW, a 67 beetle. We (I) removed the sway bar (had to cut off the old clips) because we were having new ball joints installed and needed to take the torsion arms into the shop to have the ball joints pressed in. Plus we were cleaning and painting the front end so I thought, no biggie, I'll take off the sway bar, clean and paint it, order in the reinstall kit from ww and slap it back on... It ended up taking 3 hours to reinstall. My daughter was busy, so I was working solo. I took some pics and figured that I'd post a bit about how I did mine, lessons learned, and as I am a noob, and constructive criticism is welcomed!

This is the kit from WW. It looks to be very similar to the original setup.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


First I installed the bushings in their rough location on the sway bar.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Then I loosely secured the bar to the front end. This isn't necessary if you have an assistant.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Next I attached the outside (smaller) bracket on each end, using channel locks to squeeze the clips enough to get the retainer clip started with a hammer. Note that there is a narrow end on both the bracket and the clip, they are tapered.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Next I used a C clamp to compress the larger bracket, this one took quite a bit of pressure for the bracket to close tight enough to get the clip started. I found that this step involved much profanity and trial and error... Mad

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


I used a ratchet strap around the sway bar and the back axel to snug the sway bar and bushing to the torsion bar. It didn't take much tension on the strap to sinch it up. This helped to allow the bracket to close enough for the clip to be tapped on with a hammer.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Once I had all of the clips started into the brackets, I used a C clamp to push the clips the rest of the way into position on the bracket. When you get them to the point that the tab on the clip is flush with the edge of the bracket use a slot headed screw driver or chisel as a spacer to get it the rest of the way on.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Next I used a hammer to bend the tabs slightly, then back to the trusty C clamp to finish them off. Note that the clip on the larger bracket on one side the tab faces out and the other side (2nd pic below) the tab is on the inside. This was not done intentionally, it was just the only way that I could get the clip to go on...


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.



Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


The finished product has some bulges on the bushings, I'm hoping that in time they will settle in the brackets, but I'm not sure... All in all I'm happy with how it turned out, it just took longer than expected.
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Last edited by Atx67beetle on Sun Jan 27, 2013 1:05 am; edited 3 times in total
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jhoefer
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 12:50 am    Post subject: Re: I just reinstalled my sway bar Reply with quote

You need to paste the link from where it says "Forum Code" at the top of your gallery pic page. The IMG tag doesn't work if you just put the address bar url in it because it's not a link to an actual picture.
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Atx67beetle
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 12:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thx, just after I posted the pic issue, I figured it out...
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panicman
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 12:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's been a long time, but I remember 1 or 2 of those clamps being a bear. I used a new set, like atx's. His approach looks good.
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wayne1230cars
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 1:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Atx67beetle for posting the pics of the installation process - very helpful.

I note that Wolfsburg West lists the kit @$19. CIP sells two kits, one for about $14 and the German for $42. They also post a warning that the lower priced kit may prove difficult to install and that you may have to reshape the clamps some.

I did not opt for the $42 kit and so I don't really know if that would have made the install process easier. I found it somewhat frustrating as well. What I thought would be a 20 minute job, turned into a couple hours. I ended up having to cut the old clips off and compress the clamps to get them installed.
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Atx67beetle
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I might owe my local VW shop an apology...

When I was looking for the reinstall kit, I had looked online and saw The WW kit for $19. I had a few things that I was picking up at my Austin VeeDub and figured I'd see if they had the sway bar kit. They did, but it was around $22 and "looked" like the one on the WW site. I had the clerk ring them up, only to find that it was $22 per side. I always prefer to support local business, but I couldn't justify the price difference for the "same" kit. So I opted to get the kit from WW. Perhaps the one that Austin VeeDub carrys is indeed a better product that would have been a better fit and thus easier to install.
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 7:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Congrats on searching and reviving an old thread..... Applause
Thats they way it should be!!!

Did you reinstall or replace the thin "pressure plates", at each clamp joint.
Over time they help to keep the bushings formed, and from compressing into the clamp split.

I make my own from thick aluminum flashing..

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=542335

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 8:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Captain wrote:
here is what im working with... this is where i need to install it:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.




and here is what i have:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


This is the style i purchased as well.

I ended up using a wood clamp with rubber pads on the ends to get the bracket tight enough that i could get the screws started, took me just over 2 hours to get all 4 of them on and in place.

Its not at all a fun job.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
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Atx67beetle
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Volkswagnut, somehow I missed that thread when searching for sway bar info. I wish that I had seen it sooner. My original mounts were pretty rusted and I didn't see those pressure plates when I removed the old ones. They might have been there, or perhaps they had rusted away. They new kit from ww does not include them. So no, I didn't use them. It would have made the install process a bit easier, and I agree that they will increase the lifespan of the bushings. Great info!

Thanks!
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:01 pm    Post subject: Re: I just reinstalled my sway bar Reply with quote

Atx67beetle wrote:
What looked like a very straight forward job turned out to be far more time consuming than I anticipated. My daughter and I are in the process of a frame up restoration of our first VW, a 67 beetle. We (I) removed the sway bar (had to cut off the old clips) because we were having new ball joints installed and needed to take the torsion arms into the shop to have the ball joints pressed in. Plus we were cleaning and painting the front end so I thought, no biggie, I'll take off the sway bar, clean and paint it, order in the reinstall kit from ww and slap it back on... It ended up taking 3 hours to reinstall. My daughter was busy, so I was working solo. I took some pics and figured that I'd post a bit about how I did mine, lessons learned, and as I am a noob, and constructive criticism is welcomed!


Just came across thread because that's where I am on my build. Thanks for the great pics & step-by-step instructions. Because I'm a visual learner, this is what I've been looking for. Again, thanks Atx67beetle!
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 12:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've just removed the original ones from my 60 beetle and the clips were on the top of the torsion arms instead of underneath like the installation above has them. Does this matter if they are up top or below?
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 2:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

someone may have installed them on top instead of bottom. 1960 was 1st year for front swaybar. you may have different beam in your car and clamps not installed as factory.
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