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Fri Jun 07, 2002 2:27 pm

My front end is slammed, but the beam is not adjustable. The Front Suspension Snubber (the big black thing between the torsion arms) is missing. Could this be my problem?

Fri Jun 07, 2002 4:52 pm

It depends how it was lowered. There are two ways this could have been done if there is no adjuster in the center of the beam. The first is to "cut and turn" the center torsion bar mount. Just like it sounds. You should see evidence of welding in the center of the beam. No welding? If that is the case then someone probably just removed some torsion leaves from the front beam and cut the snubber arm off. This is the cheapest way to do it but it is also the worst and the least safe, as it badly stesses the front suspension and gives you a terrible ride. If you want to keep the extremely low ride height, you would be much better off with a combination of drop spindles and narrowed, adjustable beam (keep all the torsion leaves). At least that way you'll have some suspension travel for an acceptable ride, and the tires will clear the fenders. Just my opinion.

Sat Jun 08, 2002 6:40 am

There's no welding on the beam. Can I just bolt new snubbers on or is it not quite that simple?

Tue Jun 11, 2002 10:02 am

The "snubber" arms are not bolted on, and must have been cut off on yours by the PO because the car was probably bouncing down the road on them. Look for evidence of cutting or torching of the snubber arm on yours.
I think your best option would be to just go look for another used link pin front beam with the snubber arms intact. The beam would also have the missing torsion springs in it as well--you need them too.
A used front beam won't be expensive; you should have no problem finding one sitting around locally, probably complete drum to drum for $50-75? I can't remember if you said your car was an oval...if it is, it will not have a bracket on the top tube for the steering dampner, and one of the tie rods will be different. If you do replace the beam, you will probably find a '60s beam with the steering dampner on top which you could either keep (I did) or just grind off the mount and forget about it. Seems like I recall reading somewhere that the torsion arm end bearings are different on ovals than on the '64 beam I have. I know that the brake parts are different. I'm a bit out of my league when it comes to what little tiny parts were changed on what year, though. Good luck.

Tue Jun 11, 2002 5:34 pm

Oval beams use bakelite bushings instead of bearing on the outside of each beam. And you are correct that they dont have steering dampners brackets on them. Just make sure that if you do replace the beam and it has the bracket for the stearing dampner that you get the trailing arms with it because the are different than the earlier ones. lm pretty sure that the change happened in 1961 because thats when the shim specs. on the spindles change. GOOD LUCK,