I have a few suspension questions

[chubby53]

hello fellow addicts, Just got a couple questions.
#1 I'm using stock rear trailing arms, getting ready to put them back on the pan. When tightening the pivot bolt, how tight should i get it?? is there a torque setting or ???
#2 this is still concerning the pivot bolt. should i use any grease on the rubber bushing and washers, also for the spring plate bushings? if so is water-resistant wheel bearing grease o.k. or is there something else i should use?
# 3 rear wheel toe? should there be any or not? how do i make sure my rear wheels are aligned with the pan?
#4 I know this has been been beatin to death but if I have stock type one tranny, and axles, and trailing arms if i do notch the spring plates, if i notch them 1/2 inch is that too much? I want them to be able to get the most travel, but want them to be the bump stop. what is the most I can notch them without blowing out my stock cvs all the time. I do plan on carrying an extra axle with cvs with me at all times just in case. thanks for your help. A quick response would be nice. I know it's late(2 am my time), i got a little buzzz going on right now, but plan on bolting up stuff in the morn(10 or 11) when i wake up. thanks dudes.
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My build:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=385100

[sxuxrxf]

Regarding #4, this is what I did.

Assemble the rear end without the torsion bars and shocks.
Bolt the spring plate to the "outside" of the arm.
Bolt the other end of the spring plate w/bushing to the torsion housing tight enough that it pulls up against the stop, rather than on top of it.
Now you can cycle the arm/cv's and determine where it will start to bind. (make sure your cv's are "clocked" for the most travel)
From this point you can mark the inside of the spring plate at the stop.
Take off the spring plate, notch 'em and reassemble correctly.

Hope this makes sense.
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(ignore the X's )

[Lotrat]

#1 87ft-lbs. I used lots of loctite and hammered the edge of the bracket into the bolt head notches. A secondary retainer is a good idea on these.

#2 Did you use rubber or urethane? Prothane super grease for the urethane. I think talc was used on the rubber, but not sure.

# 3 I went 1/8" toe in. Measure from the tire edge to a center point on the pan. There is a drain hole in the tunnel at the rear that I used. This will help center the rear. Get it close and bring it to a shop for a real alignment.

#4 On the stops, you are very close to the limits of your CVs and shocks. With your tires in the air, take off the bottom shock mount and let the shock fully extend. You'll see what you have to play with. A 1/4" notch is way too much with stock parts.

The notch below has my CV at 17* (12* is max on T1s) and over extended my shocks. I drilled a new set of holes in my bottom mount so that I wouldn't rip my shocks apart.

Tiny Notch

New lower mount:

Spacers:

It's not really worth notching a stock setup for what little you get IMO.

[chubby53]

thanks for the info. For the shocks i had planned on cutting the bottom half of the bottom mount off and flipping it over to the top of the mount. also helps with clearance issues, nothing like getting stuck on a log with your shock mount. So the 1/4 in notch, doesn't seem like a whole lot. I've heard of lots of people notching 1/2 or even 3/4 inch. maybe they had bigger cvs though. I just wish i could get more clearance stock. Playing in mudholes and such it's nice to have all you can get. Someday when the gods smile upon me i plan on going with 3x3's in the rear with 930 cvs and axles and longer wider front end also, but that's a long time coming. so for now it's going to have to stay stock. Also what's everyone's opinion on air shocks? i know there is no dampening, but with those i can keep my dd ride height at relatively close to stock, but when i go play i can air them up and have a little more clearance, or are they not worth the hassle? i already have a set laying around. so they're free to me. and they would be just in the rear. thanks guys
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My build:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=385100

[Lotrat]

[chubby53]

thanks, when the day comes that i can go 3x3 i had planned on running longer shocks through the fenderwells. I think i'm going to go with what you have yours set up as and see how she works. thanks again.
_________________
My build:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=385100

[chubby53]

o.k. i read up a little on clocking my cvs. don't the only fit together a certain way? Or does it mean if i were to draw a line down my axle, i set one cv with the wide on that line and the other cv with the narrow on that line? I'm a little confused. thanks.
_________________
My build:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=385100

[Lotrat]

You can force a cv together the wrong way. Clocking the CV is what you think it is. It's aligning a pair of CVs on the axle in relation to it's mate. That's how I'm getting 15*-17* out of mine. They are at 15* at my ride height.

Here's more info on clocking:
http://www.outfrontmotorsports.com/cv_assembly.htm

I'm sure the Class 11 racers have some tricks with race parts to get more out of a stock-ish setup, but they don't share.

[chubby53]

sweet, thanks for the help. learn something new every day.
_________________
My build:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=385100