TheSamba.com :: View topic - Building an adjustable beam with Avis adjusters (Tutorial)

Mon Jan 10, 2005 4:54 pm

Jeremy, would you say that if you drilled the dimples out well, then you could do the whole job without removing the leaves, could you not then use the trailing arms as leverage to free the centre retainer. Sure you have to be careful with the grinder, but it should be possible - no?

ps. those of you in UK, Creative sell the adjustes with the correct radius for a bus beam. 95 pounds tho.

Mon Jan 10, 2005 5:53 pm

Sure. One problem thou is that there are a couple dimples under the steering knuckle.

Sat Mar 26, 2005 3:07 pm

6-7 inches total travel? Does that mean sortof 3 inches down or 3 inches up?

Sat Mar 26, 2005 5:51 pm

Flat Black wrote: 6-7 inches total travel? Does that mean sortof 3 inches down or 3 inches up?

Total movement inside of the adjuster. Ofcourse you would'nt want all the drop in the adjusters. You want most in the spindles.

Sun Mar 27, 2005 9:13 am

Ok I see. I am going to drop my beam and install adjusters as soon as I get the parts but I will be running stock spindals. How low will I be able to take the front end without running into problems with suspension travel etc.?

Sun Mar 27, 2005 6:13 pm

Flat Black wrote: Ok I see. I am going to drop my beam and install adjusters as soon as I get the parts but I will be running stock spindals. How low will I be able to take the front end without running into problems with suspension travel etc.?

I took mine as low as it would go. I had to hack off my bump stops because sitting statically, the lower trailing arms were about an inch from them and the slightest bump caused it to bottom out. If I hit a real good bump, my stock tires will contact the wheel well. Be prepared for shorter shocks also.
I debated about removing the bump stops, but if you look at a lot of the custom narrowed beams that are being used, they don't have bumpstops and don't seem to be having troubles. Not to mention that the stamped side plates on my beam are pretty rusty anyway, so I think I will be narrowing it a little in the future.

Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:58 am

Earthmuffin how much lower does your bus sit now?

Also I don't understand you cut the bump stops down but you didn't remove them entirely?

And did you have to replace your front shocks? If so what did you switch too.

Thanks a lot.

Mon May 23, 2005 8:28 am

This weekend I dropped the front beam out of my bus and tore it down to instal AVIS adjusters. This afternoon I am going to grind the adjuster plates down to fit the torsion tubes and I am going to try and cut the slots in the tubes and break free the center retainers.

I am still not entirely clear on the best method for freeing the center retainers. I am not planning on drilling out the dimples. I want to just pound the retainers free. I have a pile of questions though. Firstly should I pound at the retainer from both ends or just from one side? My understanding is that I need to come on to the retainer to loosen it slightly then cut the slots then use a lug nut in the set screw hold of the retainer to work it back and forth as much as I can. Then come on to the retainer again with the pipe and hammer then work it back and forth again and so on until I have full smooth range of motion the length of the slot.

Is this correct?

I need to cut the slot while the retainer is still there so I need to be careful not to cut too deep or I will start cutting the retainer?

I would appreciate any suggestions you have. Thanks a lot.

Mon May 23, 2005 1:01 pm

I recently did this to my beam. I used a big heavy pipe and just hit the crap out of it, back and forth. I hit it enough that the pipe threads on the end of the pipe were completely gone by the time I was done, it had mushroomed so much. I honestly don't know how anybody could make the center retainer move freely by only hitting it back and forth. Mines still kind of tight, but I can move it by tapping it with a hammer. If I was going to do it again, I would grind a groove around the perimeter of the center retainer for the dimples to ride in. That would ensure that it could move freely.

When I cut the slot, the retainer was not there, I don't know why it would need to be there. I used 16mm hardware so I opened up the hole, held the adjuster up to the beam making sure that it was in the right place, marked where the other end of the slot is, drilled a new hole, then cut the metal out between the two holes. Perfect slot. I also had to open up the adjuster a little because of the 16mm hardware.

Steve

Mon May 23, 2005 1:08 pm

Flat Black wrote: I need to cut the slot while the retainer is still there so I need to be careful not to cut too deep or I will start cutting the retainer?

Cut wider than the retainer and narrower than the adjuster.

Mon May 23, 2005 7:45 pm

I know what I am doing this weekend.

Is it possible to "shave" off the very ends of the beam, to get a little narrower? and put it back together without f'n anything up. I know I will have to mave new pockets for the grub screws, but what about the arms going back on. Just let me know, I dont want to find out the hard way......again!

Mon May 23, 2005 7:59 pm

dirtylawnchair wrote: I know what I am doing this weekend.

Is it possible to "shave" off the very ends of the beam, to get a little narrower? and put it back together without f'n anything up. I know I will have to mave new pockets for the grub screws, but what about the arms going back on. Just let me know, I dont want to find out the hard way......again!

Hey DLC the hard way is never the fun way..... good luck man...

Mon May 23, 2005 8:34 pm

how about the disc brake conversion in Autodesk Inventor huh jeremy?

Tue May 24, 2005 12:41 pm

OK! Center retainers free slots cut everything is ready to weld... nearly ready for re-assembly.

I am just wondering about hardware.

I used the studs and lock nuts that came with the AVIS kit to help break the center retainers free. I threaded them in all the way and came on to them a little with a hammer to get the retainers to move side to side. I destroyed the threads on the stud though and I damaged the threads in the retainer so that the studs that came with the kit nearly (but not quite) fall down the holes. This is mostly to do with the damaged threads on the studs but there is damage to the retainers too.

I will need to drill the retainers out and re-tap them. It seems from a_67vdub's response and others that this is maybe a common scenario. a_67vdub went to 16mm is this the best bet? What about going to imperial 1/2?

I would appreciate any advice you have about hardware. Procesdure for drilling and tapping the retainers and suggestions for length and type of hardware. Can I just use a bolt? Can I cut the head off a bold and use a lock nut against the adjuster?

Let me know what you did. Thanks in advance.

Chris

Tue May 24, 2005 1:36 pm

I now use the 1/2-20 tpi set screws that come with the adjusters and retap the retainer on the opposite side.

Will, I would but I don't have that kind of time these days. I did the beam tutorial on "company" time. I now have to actually work for a living. I'll get the drawings done soon though. :wink:

Tue May 24, 2005 1:40 pm

Here's what I did. I used 16mm set screws from www.mcmaster.com
I used the 50mm length, part #91210A850
I used these 16mm stainless nuts, part #94150A365

To drill and tap the center retainer for 16mm you need a 14mm drill bit and a 16mmX2mm pitch tap

14mm drill bit part #3091A31

16mmX2mm pitch tap part #8305A23

So were you able to get the center retainer to move "freely"? That was the only part I wasn't really all that satisfied with on mine.

Steve

Tue May 24, 2005 5:38 pm

Hi thanks for the info a_67vdub.

Just to clarify you drilled out the original hole in each center retainer and re-tapped it to 16mm x 2mm pitch?

The center retainers do not move freely on their own. I am unable to move them side to side with just my fingers. They do tap fully side to side with a few taps from a hammer.

Can you describe the set screws that you used? They are 16mm with a 2mm pitch correct? Did you grint the tip of the screw down to fit the contour of the dimple in the leaves? Does the set screw have a head or an allan key fitting?

Thanks again,

Chris

Wed May 25, 2005 11:46 am

I drilled the original hole, but you could drill a new hole on the other side.

If you go to www.mcmaster.com and enter the part number into the search box you will see a generic picture of it. It's an allen head and the tip fit the leaves perfect. I didn't modify them at all. Yep 16mm X 2mm pitch.

Steve

Wed May 25, 2005 1:34 pm

dirtylawnchair wrote: I know what I am doing this weekend.

Is it possible to "shave" off the very ends of the beam, to get a little narrower? and put it back together without f'n anything up. I know I will have to mave new pockets for the grub screws, but what about the arms going back on. Just let me know, I dont want to find out the hard way......again!

you can cut an inch off each side if your beam has the phenolic bushings. just drive the bushings in 1 inch and cut off one inch of the tubes.

Wed May 25, 2005 1:53 pm

irievolks wrote: dirtylawnchair wrote: I know what I am doing this weekend.

Is it possible to "shave" off the very ends of the beam, to get a little narrower? and put it back together without f'n anything up. I know I will have to mave new pockets for the grub screws, but what about the arms going back on. Just let me know, I dont want to find out the hard way......again!

you can cut an inch off each side if your beam has the phenolic bushings. just drive the bushings in 1 inch and cut off one inch of the tubes.
I just pulled a beam out of a 64 parts bus I have, the I assumed that It would have needle bearings. When did they change to the needle bearings?
I always thought they changed to bearings when they changed the housing for the pivot pin.