IRS buggy SWB chassis

adriaan pienaar · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 11:15 pm Post subject: IRS buggy SWB chassis

The chassis for my new buggy will be shortened soon, and I have a question:

I have sourced the rear part of an IRS chassis, as pictured below. These are VERY rare here in SA, because IRS Beetles were never sold here.

I do not have an IRS gearbox at the moment, would it be possible to weld the rear part in, for the meantime, and use it with a standard swingarm gearbox till I find an IRS gearbox?

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HamburgerBrad · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 11:25 pm Post subject:

you might be easier off welding something like this into your swingaxle torsion housing

http://www.mooreparts.com/store/product/1334/AC530004/
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adriaan pienaar · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 11:41 pm Post subject:

Thanks Brad, I just figured that since I already have the IRS rear part, and the swingaxle chassis needs to be shortened anyway, how difficult can it be to merge the two? Those brackets are nice, but the postage cost to South Africa is unbelievable Shocked

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dirtbugger · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 12:13 am Post subject:

The after market pivot boxes are definitely the way to go but I do empathize with your postage cost problem, it's much the same for us.

Welding on that entire rear clip would be quite a challenge but if you mean just cutting out those original pivot boxes and re-using them on your pan, then that would be quite easy. I did much the same thing however I used a T3 rear, they are a bit simpler to cut the boxes out of.

The only thing I suggest you do before hand is to make yourself a jig before you go cutting out the old boxes. It will make life much easier for you.

You may not have many IRS T1 boxes in SA but you should have plenty of post 67 kombis. Have you considered a switch to a bus box?

HamburgerBrad · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 12:58 am Post subject:

manxcraig · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 6:33 am Post subject:

Your swingaxle trans and suspension parts will bolt up in the IRS pan, just leave the pivot points empty untill you have the parts to make the swap.
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vwracerdave · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 6:39 am Post subject:

The swingaxle gearbox and all the related swingaxle suspension parts, spring plates, torsion bars, and end caps, will bolt right up to a IRS torsion housing.
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Glasser · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 8:13 am Post subject:

Having swapped to a IRS I can vouch for how much work it is. I had it easy because I built my own frame and was mounting to that.
Trying to weld one back to a pan I think will be a challenge.
Definitely have a plan before you start cutting!!!

Probably doesn't help you much but this is the way I went at it. The two tapered sections in the middle had to be done to clear the fiberglass(I didn't want to cut the body).

You are going to LOVE the IRS when you get it completed.

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adriaan pienaar · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 1:27 pm Post subject:

BL3Manx · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 1:59 pm Post subject:

Its long enough.

What you should do is place the glass body on the swingarm pan, exactly how you want it to sit in front. Then mark the side rails at the point in the back where your body ends. Then remove the body and make another mark forward of the first ones, the exact width of the rear chassis rails. That's where to cut the side chassis rails.

Cut the tunnel where you believe the front is a little too long. Then cut and grind on the the rear end of the forward section of tunnel keeping the edges and the chassis straight, until the side rails and rear rails just meet.

Also, when you cut the tunnel don't cut the control tubes. Make sure you free all the long control tubes from the rear section of the swing arm chassis. You'll need to remove and discard all the cut off tubes that are in your IRS tunnel piece. Just thread the forward control tubes through the rear section and anchor(tack weld) them after the two chassis pieces are welded.

adriaan pienaar · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 2:18 pm Post subject:

Thanks BL3, I will keep you updated with the progress! Wink

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adriaan pienaar · Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:50 am Post subject:

Update - well, the merging of the IRS rear and 'standard' front is completed, still in the process of finalising the chassis build, but I am very happy with the result so far! Had to do two cuts and welds for the centre tunnel, but my good friend Armand has done a perfect job to ensure that the welds are as strong as new

Managed to get an AT box from a 1303 for the buggy, very excited to put it all together Cool

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superman73 · Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:47 am Post subject:

the tranny from the 1303 is a good choice. better gearing.
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Pozi · Samba Member Joined: October 07, 2004 Posts: 168

Not meant to hijack but:

What do you do about the tubes running up and down the tunnel when shortening? Are new tubes welded into place or the existing ones connected by a sleeve or something?

adriaan pienaar · Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 1:01 pm Post subject:

The tubes inside the tunnel, namely the clutch, 2 x handbrake and fuel lines are carefully loosened at the end, and then kept their original length till after the shortened chassis is welded up (you can actually see the original length hand brake tubes portruding from the rear fork in the pic above.) Once the chassis is finished, the tubes will be cut to the correct length and welded to the rear end again. No need for the heater box cables, so they are just cut Wink

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