TheSamba.com :: View topic - Sway bar / anti-roll bar on early beam

Sat Jan 26, 2019 8:08 am

Hi

How is the rearmost sway bar clamp supposed to sit? I'm fitting a bar to an early beam which I've read works, although it wasn't a factory option.

I have both sets of clamps, the bushing clamp and the smaller rearmost one.

It looks like the smaller clamp should square up to the outside edge of the lower trailing arm. In that position it would run perpendicular to the flat spot on the bar. When I offer it up to test fit though, the rear of the link pin gets in the way...

The only way I can get it to clear the link pin is to twist the clamp so it squares up to the inside edge of the trailing arm, but that way it would sit at an angle across the flat spot on the bar. It also looks like it would interfere with adjusting the link pin..

Has anyone else had this problem? What is the solution?

Thanks

Andy

Sat Jan 26, 2019 8:25 am

Whether or not it is correct, this is the same situation I faced after installing one on my ‘62 DC stock setup. Adjusting the link pins is and has been a bit taxing, but so far no issues.

I’m also interested in learning, if there are ways to mitigate it or if this is the nature of the beast in installing one in earlier setups. Again, mine has worked and is noticeably better; the clamp situation at the link pin is a mild concern. Hope someone has some insight or comforting words haha. Note: off-roading with the sway bar was a bit bumpy hahaha.

Sat Jan 26, 2019 8:34 am

The clamp does interfere with the access to adjust the link pin. Its a small price to pay for the improved handling that the anti-sway bar provides.

I put the anti-sway bar on all of my buses, even though none of mine came with it when they were new.

Sat Jan 26, 2019 8:54 am

Thanks both. I thought a compromise might be necessary.

To clarify; have you installed yours like the first or second image above?

Thanks

Andy

Sat Jan 26, 2019 9:04 am

Who.Me? wrote: Thanks both. I thought a compromise might be necessary.

To clarify; have you installed yours like the first or second image above?

Thanks

Andy
I will take a pic. I don't remember how I have attached them, only that I put the clamps on and make it work, even through it isn't designed to have the sway bar on those trailing arms. The later trailing arms have a flat space for the clamp to attach.

Sat Jan 26, 2019 9:31 am

Lind wrote: Who.Me? wrote: Thanks both. I thought a compromise might be necessary.

To clarify; have you installed yours like the first or second image above?

Thanks

Andy
I will take a pic. I don't remember how I have attached them, only that I put the clamps on and make it work, even through it isn't designed to have the sway bar on those trailing arms. The later trailing arms have a flat space for the clamp to attach.

Thanks Lind.

Sat Jan 26, 2019 11:31 am

A couple of pics of the '66 front beam with the factory sway bar installed in my '56. You can see how the bar mounts on a late beam, hope this helps.

Sat Jan 26, 2019 12:10 pm

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=688670

my 61 15 window with 64-65 beam with 66-67 sway bar:

End clamp is on backwards, as the T for the shock mount is wider than the 66-67 trailing arm, and it doesn't fit right. Awkward to adjust the link pins.

compare to:

66 kombi with 66 beam with stock sway bar:

Sat Jan 26, 2019 2:38 pm

Thanks both. Those photos help. I'll have another crack at this tomorrow.

Tue Jan 29, 2019 1:05 pm

Quick sense-check before I bend the lock tabs. Do the pictures below look correct? I went with Clara's suggestion of reversing the clamps. I think I'll need to replace the bolts though as they've bent like bananas. I'm a little concerned the bolts will shear in use.

Do these look OK?

It went together pretty well.

Tips for anyone else trying this...

I boiled a kettle and put the rubber bushings in a bowl with the hot water for 15 mins before installing to soften them.
I greased the ends of the bar and the holes in the bushing, so they slid over the flat ends of the bar.
I used big zip ties to suspend the bar and hold it in place while I put it all together.
I filed the edges of the flanges on the big brackets to get rid of any rough edges and greased the flanges and the little locking pieces with copper grease, in case I need to get them apart in the future.
I greased the insides of the brackets and the outsides of the bushings so the bushings wouldn't bind or pucker when I clamped them up.
A pair of channel-lock pliers, followed by a couple of Mole grips clamped on the flanges brought the edges of the flanges together enough that the little brackets slid most of the way on by hand or with a couple of taps with a screwdriver. I only had to use a hammer when I ran out of space for the pliers and grips

Tue Jan 29, 2019 3:21 pm

So, just to be clear, are the lower torsion arms for 66/67 different than say a 65? I did a search and wasn’t able to verify. If they are different and have been clearanced from the factory for the sway bar I would like to see a side by side comparison if someone is willing to show that. The only other difference that I know of is that they had a cap over the torsion bar ends.

Wed Jan 30, 2019 9:13 am

Hi Andy,

Glad to see you got that all back together. I can't wait to hear your driving review of the differences. I have to eventually re-install a '67 front sway bar back onto the front end of my '59 DC. I have the old clamp set and rubber, but noticed you used a new looking set. Whose clamp kit did you use? I think that Wolfsburg West has a kit available... actually I think I have their kit already? But it doesn't look like WW provides the two smaller rearward clamps/bolt/nuts.

Bill

Wed Jan 30, 2019 10:06 am

BulliBill wrote: Hi Andy,

Glad to see you got that all back together. I can't wait to hear your driving review of the differences. I have to eventually re-install a '67 front sway bar back onto the front end of my '59 DC. I have the old clamp set and rubber, but noticed you used a new looking set. Whose clamp kit did you use? I think that Wolfsburg West has a kit available... actually I think I have their kit already? But it doesn't look like WW provides the two smaller rearward clamps/bolt/nuts.

Bill

Thanks Bill. The smaller clamps came from Autocraft...

http://www.autocrafteng.co.uk/shop/split-screen-va...5-67_4016/
http://www.autocrafteng.co.uk/shop/split-screen-va...5-67_4017/

I don't think I could find them anywhere else.

I got the bigger clamps with rubber bushings from them too, but they seem to be available everywhere.

Mon Oct 02, 2023 8:15 am

Using WW kit, I made a notch on the clamps for proper fitting, I dont think is going to be a weak point...

Sat Jul 05, 2025 3:33 pm

I have a 63 slightly lowered but and I cut and welded my sway bar since I have a 2" narrowed beam. everything went together great except when I took out the jack stands and the bus settled in the sway bar was much lower than when it was jacked up. by far it was lower that any other part of the bus. I am worried about it getting caught up on a speed bump or something and causing a lot of damage so I took it off. I couldnt find anything on this site addressing this , just questions about a narrowed bar on what I think is a stock bus. when raised the torsion bars at an angle where the sway bar if just about at the middle of the beam but when lowered off the jacks the torsion bars move and the sway bar being bolted to the torsion bars move alone with it. Anyone have a solution to this. I really like how it improved the handleing

Who.Me? wrote: Quick sense-check before I bend the lock tabs. Do the pictures below look correct? I went with Clara's suggestion of reversing the clamps. I think I'll need to replace the bolts though as they've bent like bananas. I'm a little concerned the bolts will shear in use.

Do these look OK?

It went together pretty well.

Tips for anyone else trying this...

I boiled a kettle and put the rubber bushings in a bowl with the hot water for 15 mins before installing to soften them.
I greased the ends of the bar and the holes in the bushing, so they slid over the flat ends of the bar.
I used big zip ties to suspend the bar and hold it in place while I put it all together.
I filed the edges of the flanges on the big brackets to get rid of any rough edges and greased the flanges and the little locking pieces with copper grease, in case I need to get them apart in the future.
I greased the insides of the brackets and the outsides of the bushings so the bushings wouldn't bind or pucker when I clamped them up.
A pair of channel-lock pliers, followed by a couple of Mole grips clamped on the flanges brought the edges of the flanges together enough that the little brackets slid most of the way on by hand or with a couple of taps with a screwdriver. I only had to use a hammer when I ran out of space for the pliers and grips

Sat Jul 12, 2025 3:50 pm

I just installed one of these this morning - I used Lind's kit https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2675822

Even though Lind can do it in about 5 minutes, it took me ~45 minutes. Normally I would have media blasted and re-painted the bar, but I just wanted to get it on there. I carved out some clearance for the adjuster, but I should have tightened the clamp first, so I'd have a better idea of where it needed clearancing. I might get another set of clamps and re-do it.

Sat Jul 12, 2025 4:26 pm

thom wrote: I just installed one of these this morning - I used Lind's kit https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2675822

Even though Lind can do it in about 5 minutes, it took me ~45 minutes. Normally I would have media blasted and re-painted the bar, but I just wanted to get it on there. I carved out some clearance for the adjuster, but I should have tightened the clamp first, so I'd have a better idea of where it needed clearancing. I might get another set of clamps and re-do it.
It did take me 3 hours of practicing to get it down to 5 minutes for that video. They do go on pretty quick though. I pre-install the rubber bushings and label the clamps so people don't have to try to figure out which goes on which side which makes it go quicker. I also can sell any of the pieces from the kit individually if needed.

Mon Jul 14, 2025 2:47 pm

I found the hardest part of the whole procedure was squeezing the big clamps around the rubber bushings to be close enough to slide on the retainer clip. Using channel locks didn’t do it for me… When I tried vice grips, it was a snap. No grease, no boiling, easy peasy.