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Building an adjustable beam with Avis adjusters (Tutorial)
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jeremyrockjock
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 8:51 am    Post subject: Building an adjustable beam with Avis adjusters (Tutorial) Reply with quote

This is a step by step guide to installing avis adjusters. I modeled the beam in Autodesk Inventor so it isn't exact. It is accually a narrowed beam so note the differences. The bump stops are missing and the sway bar and spindles are removed already. Feel free to add suggestions to it.

Your beam (bus thru 79, standard beetle, ghia and thing) is set up with two torsion tubes. The trailing arms on each end are held on by a set screw that is tightened into a dimple drilled in the torsion leaves. It then has a jam nut to hold it in place.

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To remove the trailing arm you must use a 19mm or 3/4 wrench to loosen the jam nut and then using an 8mm allen wrench remove the set screw.

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The trailing arm will then slide out of the tube. The upper arm may be harder to get out due to the pressure against the bump stops (not modeled)

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Note the set screw dimple in the leaves. It is only on the front side for the trailing arms and in the rear for the center retainer (shown later)

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I usually leave one trailing arm on so that I can pull the leaves out with it. Here you can see the basic anatomy of the beam with the center retainer and the bearings.

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Next I remove the center retainer set screw. It also has a jam nut.

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I then use the trailing arm to pull the leaves out of the beam.

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Here is a close-up of the center retainer.

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Repeat the step for the lower tube.

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Take the adjuster large half and here is where it get more tricky. To use this on a bus beam you will need to work it to fit the 2.5 dia tube. Two ways of doing it are to grind the top and bottom inside edges so that the adjuster will lay flatter to the tube. Another way is to heat the adjuster and flatten it a little in a vise. If you are building a drop beam for a bus you line the bottom of the slot up with the original center hole and scribe or trace the slot onto the beam. If you are building a beetle beam the original hole should line up with the top of the slot. I also scribe the outside of the adjuster as a reference later.

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Repeat for the bottom tube.

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Using a grinder with a cut off wheel, cut the area for the slot out of the beam but don't go outside of the outer mark for the adjuster.
Next there are several options to loosening the center retainer. It is held in place by 3 dimples. You can either drill them out which is difficult on the lower tube due to the steer pivot bracket or you can use a pipe to hammer the retainer back a forth til it moves freely. (Jeff's idea)
Once it is loose put the large half of the adjuster back in position, lay the small half on top of that and put the new larger screw in to the retainer and hold it down in position using the jam nut. With it in the correct position weld only the large half down good.

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Once it is welded back the set screw out enough to reinstall the torsion leaves and center the dimple. Then tighten down the set screw. The reason you leave the set screw in partially is to keep the now loose center retainer from sliding inside the beam as you install the leaves.

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Reinstall the training arms and set screw and torque then to the spec and install the jam nuts.

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Wala!! You have a adjustable beam.

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Last edited by jeremyrockjock on Thu Mar 04, 2004 7:38 pm; edited 7 times in total
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rizzag
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 9:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

very nice jeremy! i bet places like busboys hate this shit!!! i love the net, info is like wealth..... spread it.

jeff
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jeremyrockjock
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 9:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah I bet. I was working one some sway-a-way style adjusters for buses when I discovered Avis ones could be used. Plus there wasn't any room under a bus for sway-a-way style. Then I found out you guys already knew that. I am helping out the next generation of fabricators. Spending $30 on a set of Avis beats the $140 + BB ones.
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Miroan Werks
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 10:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dude, that's so funny. I designed my whole beam in Autodesk Inventor 5 before I tackled it. Is that what you used? Looks like it.
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eh0s
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 10:22 am    Post subject: wow Reply with quote

Thats awesome!

There should be a 'how-to' section with all of this valueable information in one place.

Maybe also one on narrowing beams. This kind of stuff really helps those new to the home fab. stuff Smile
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jeremyrockjock
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 10:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

GotVDub wrote:
Dude, that's so funny. I designed my whole beam in Autodesk Inventor 5 before I tackled it. Is that what you used? Looks like it.


Yep. Sure did. Very Happy
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 10:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

whurd

nice tutorial!!
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a_67vdub
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 12:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Damn, that was a great tutorial!


Steve
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 1:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Superb - you're a diamond Geezer. I've been a bit nervous about doing this on my bus but the tutorial has answered all my questions and more - thanks Jeremy
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 1:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

crap Confused - I should have waited a week before trying to remove mine. I made the mistake of removing all the trailing arms (hindsight gives me a swift kick in the backend).

Very Nice work - Wink
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 1:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Awesome job, thanks for taking the time out to do that.
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 2:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

so when you use a pipe to move the center retainer how much force does it take to break the dimples loose?

Very cool Jeremy... that's great stuff for sure!
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 2:29 pm    Post subject: impressive! Reply with quote

Thanks!
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jeremyrockjock
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 7:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Your welcome guys.

Mr. Electric Wizard wrote:
so when you use a pipe to move the center retainer how much force does it take to break the dimples loose?

Ask Rizzag, I haven't done it that way yet.
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 7:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Damn fine work Jeremy... But can you dumb it down and draw it in crayon on a napkin? Razz
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 8:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mr. Electric Wizard wrote:
so when you use a pipe to move the center retainer how much force does it take to break the dimples loose?


If you drill the dimples out, not much force is really needed.

I copied a tool that Joe, now of Wolfgang, designed when he *was* Bus Boys, and use that, it's all about leverage..... Side to side hitting is ok, but if you can spin the retainer you're better off in the long run.
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ratpanel61
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 8:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Jeremy. I guess now we have a cargo door to fix AND make me an adjustable beam. I think with the drop spindles I already have and some adjusters the new and improved "Ratpanel" will be even better than the last one. When are we gonna do this beam thing as a club. Get Ian's bus in the weeds where it belongs. We've done highroof conversions, now it's time to start dropping them. While we're at it, we'll even get old man Will's 69 in on it.
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 9:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

sweet drawings, i just installed my last adjuster last night in my bus beam. With all the info i gathered here and the ?s i asked it came out ok.


Only problem i ran into is that weld splatter got down into the threads and fucked up the threads.....Now i need to run a tap down to clear it out. Other then that im pretty happy with the outcome.
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2004 12:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mr. Electric Wizard wrote:
so when you use a pipe to move the center retainer how much force does it take to break the dimples loose?

Very cool Jeremy... that's great stuff for sure!


It takes a beating with the pipe method. I just put the beam in my standup vise mounted to a semi truck rim, then get the pipe and mini sledge. I don't drill out the dimples, then you have them holes in the beam, people cap them, but that looks like shit to me.
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jeremyrockjock
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ratpanel61 wrote:
Hey Jeremy. I guess now we have a cargo door to fix AND make me an adjustable beam.


I cut the hinge off last night.

ratpanel61 wrote:
I think with the drop spindles I already have and some adjusters the new and improved "Ratpanel" will be even better than the last one. When are we gonna do this beam thing as a club. Get Ian's bus in the weeds where it belongs. We've done highroof conversions, now it's time to start dropping them. While we're at it, we'll even get old man Will's 69 in on it.

Yeah right, if we can get Will to drop his I don't know what I would do.

Order some adjusters from mooreparts.com and we'll do it.
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