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jeremyrockjock Samba Towbar Builder
Joined: January 01, 2002 Posts: 5008 Location: Richmond, Verjinya
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 8:51 am Post subject: Building an adjustable beam with Avis adjusters (Tutorial) |
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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.
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.
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)
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)
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.
Next I remove the center retainer set screw. It also has a jam nut.
I then use the trailing arm to pull the leaves out of the beam.
Here is a close-up of the center retainer.
Repeat the step for the lower tube.
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.
Repeat for the bottom tube.
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.
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.
Reinstall the training arms and set screw and torque then to the spec and install the jam nuts.
Wala!! You have a adjustable beam.
_________________ Why buy what you can build.
Step away from the fiberglass and no one gets hurt!!
Last edited by jeremyrockjock on Thu Mar 04, 2004 7:38 pm; edited 7 times in total |
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rizzag Now Wut?
Joined: April 19, 2001 Posts: 3116 Location: Keizer, OR
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 9:00 am Post subject: |
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very nice jeremy! i bet places like busboys hate this shit!!! i love the net, info is like wealth..... spread it.
jeff _________________ flossin, tossin, dippin, and trippin |
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jeremyrockjock Samba Towbar Builder
Joined: January 01, 2002 Posts: 5008 Location: Richmond, Verjinya
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 9:05 am Post subject: |
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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. _________________ Why buy what you can build.
Step away from the fiberglass and no one gets hurt!! |
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Miroan Werks Banned
Joined: June 20, 2003 Posts: 147 Location: St. George, UT
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 10:15 am Post subject: |
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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 Banned
Joined: June 25, 2003 Posts: 760 Location: Splitsville, AB, Population = 1
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 10:22 am Post subject: wow |
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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 |
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jeremyrockjock Samba Towbar Builder
Joined: January 01, 2002 Posts: 5008 Location: Richmond, Verjinya
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 10:31 am Post subject: |
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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. _________________ Why buy what you can build.
Step away from the fiberglass and no one gets hurt!! |
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Espinosa 8 Mile
Joined: October 15, 2002 Posts: 200 Location: AZ
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 10:41 am Post subject: |
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whurd
nice tutorial!! |
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a_67vdub Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2003 Posts: 504 Location: Long Beach
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 12:14 pm Post subject: |
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Damn, that was a great tutorial!
Steve |
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bigbulli Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2000 Posts: 575 Location: ENGLAND
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 1:07 pm Post subject: |
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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 _________________ 1954 Barndoor
1955 Oval |
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mynameismud Samba Member
Joined: October 23, 2002 Posts: 5923 Location: Middle of a corn field
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 1:13 pm Post subject: |
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crap - 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 - _________________ Even YOU can prevent FIRES!
Click to view image |
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auslander Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2003 Posts: 1831 Location: Heart Of Dixie
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 1:20 pm Post subject: |
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Awesome job, thanks for taking the time out to do that. _________________ Zombie
Wandering...Have you found what your looking for?
66 POS Bus
69 Class 11 Beetle
71 Cat-Look Beetle
64 Old Skool Baja
74 "Swamp" Thing
!!! F**k Cancer !!!
Time's Tide will Smother You
"You can't throw a rock in Long Beach without hitting a tweaker" Steve Tucci |
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Mr. Electric Wizard Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2003 Posts: 2846 Location: Smyrna, TN
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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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! _________________ "Saying what we think gives us a wider conversational range than saying what we know."
~ Cullen Hightower
(T)exas (C)oalition (B)uses
(H)eidenhammer (B)ully (B)oyz
--1966 De Luxe Camper |
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sandshark Samba Member
Joined: February 27, 2004 Posts: 92 Location: Warren, MI
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 2:29 pm Post subject: impressive! |
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Thanks! _________________ Fins up~~^~~ |
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jeremyrockjock Samba Towbar Builder
Joined: January 01, 2002 Posts: 5008 Location: Richmond, Verjinya
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 7:04 pm Post subject: |
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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. _________________ Why buy what you can build.
Step away from the fiberglass and no one gets hurt!! |
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DubStyle SBS Hit Squad
Joined: July 26, 2003 Posts: 6250 Location: SBS headquarters: Missery
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 7:42 pm Post subject: |
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Damn fine work Jeremy... But can you dumb it down and draw it in crayon on a napkin? _________________ Anthony
SBS #1
SBS #1 on FB
"The original & best lowered Split Bus website/club" |
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mr. warehouse Samba Member
Joined: February 27, 2001 Posts: 5001 Location: Nor Cal 707
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 8:44 pm Post subject: |
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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 Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2003 Posts: 345 Location: Va Beach, VA
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 8:56 pm Post subject: |
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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. _________________ - '57 Sunroof Beetle (project)
- '73 THING |
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NorCalNick Ain't yo baby daddy
Joined: December 07, 2002 Posts: 1582 Location: San Jose, Ca.
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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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. _________________ When I'm done punching the clock, I start punching the clown. |
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Long-roofs Samba Member
Joined: March 20, 2002 Posts: 2295 Location: Millwood, Wa
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Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2004 12:58 am Post subject: |
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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. _________________ ---
I have been on a treadmill drinking vodka, maybe more than once.
"No, I do not own a bleepin' leaf blower"
-- |
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jeremyrockjock Samba Towbar Builder
Joined: January 01, 2002 Posts: 5008 Location: Richmond, Verjinya
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Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:46 am Post subject: |
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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. _________________ Why buy what you can build.
Step away from the fiberglass and no one gets hurt!! |
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