swing axle

[flabuggy]

I have a 68 swing axle that I just did a transmission swap on and for the life of me I cannot get the axle tubes shock mounts to line up right. I have swapped them from side to the other and the shock mounts still end up behind the axle instead of in front. There're are only 2 ways they can bolt up left or right side and neither one works.

[viiking]

I think you have the axles on the wrong side. Is that possible?

The bottom shock attachment point should point down and forward towards the spring plate not backward.
_________________
1968 1500 RHD Lotus White Beetle since birth. In the hospital for major surgery
1966 Lancia Flavia Pininfarina Coupe - in the waiting room
Discharged: 1983 Vanagon, 1974 1800 Microbus,1968 Low Light,1968 Type 3

[Q-Dog]

It goes like this.

_________________
Brian

'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle

[Paul Windisch]

It’s just clocked wrong. Rotate it one bolt hole. The shock should mount in FRONT of the axle tube.
_________________
*ASE Recertified Master Automotive Tech*

1984 Mexican Beetle
-1914cc
-L3 Heads 35x32 valves 52cc chambers
-0.040" deck for about 9.1:1 Compression
-Engle W110 cam
-CB Super Stock 1.1:1 Rockers
-Stock Heat Exchangers w/ Tri-Mil Muffler
-Dual Weber IDF 40s w/ 26mm venturis
-034 SVDA Distributor

2013 Chevrolet Volt DD
2005 Pontiac Montana SV6

MAHLE Service Solutions
Applications Engineer

[flabuggy]

I have swapped the tubes from one side to the other several times and the shock mount always ends up on the wrong side. This shouldn't be this difficult. I'm just flabbergasted I can't get this right This is not my first car or buggy.

[Paul Windisch]

Actually, they are on the wrong sides of the car. If you turn them to the next bolt hole, the brake line bracket will be wrong. Swap the tubes side to side, and make sure the shock mount faces forward and down. The shocks will mount to them on the FRONT of the axle tube.
_________________
*ASE Recertified Master Automotive Tech*

1984 Mexican Beetle
-1914cc
-L3 Heads 35x32 valves 52cc chambers
-0.040" deck for about 9.1:1 Compression
-Engle W110 cam
-CB Super Stock 1.1:1 Rockers
-Stock Heat Exchangers w/ Tri-Mil Muffler
-Dual Weber IDF 40s w/ 26mm venturis
-034 SVDA Distributor

2013 Chevrolet Volt DD
2005 Pontiac Montana SV6

MAHLE Service Solutions
Applications Engineer

[viiking]

It shouldn't be difficult. The axle tube should rotate to the correct orientation.

Remove the bolts on the brake backing plate, then rotate the axle tube to the correct orientation then redo. There should be 4 different variations possible.
_________________
1968 1500 RHD Lotus White Beetle since birth. In the hospital for major surgery
1966 Lancia Flavia Pininfarina Coupe - in the waiting room
Discharged: 1983 Vanagon, 1974 1800 Microbus,1968 Low Light,1968 Type 3

[Paul Windisch]

[viiking]

[mukluk]

The key to figuring this out is the brake line brackets should be facing straight forward toward the front of the car. As noted, the axle tubes are currently on the wrong sides of the trans.

How they should be oriented:

_________________
1960 Ragtop w/Semaphores "Inga"

[viiking]

Really dumb dumb question.

When you say you did a transmission swap did you use any existing parts or parts from the new transmission?

Is it possible you have two "right" hand or two "left" hand parts which you accidentally mixed up?

Edit: The two should be mirror images of each other not identical.
_________________
1968 1500 RHD Lotus White Beetle since birth. In the hospital for major surgery
1966 Lancia Flavia Pininfarina Coupe - in the waiting room
Discharged: 1983 Vanagon, 1974 1800 Microbus,1968 Low Light,1968 Type 3

[flabuggy]

I have swapped them from side to side and the shock mount still ends up in the wrong place{behind the axle. The brake mounting tabs are welded on. I can't see how I can rotate the bolt holes, there are only 3, and there is only one way all 3 will line up. Here is a picture of both tubes side by side on the left side.

[Paul Windisch]

[flabuggy]

Just to be sure, the swing axle plate has 3 holes, one forward and 2 back top and bottom. Isn't there only one way they will bolt up? I've swapped them side to side several times and when bolted up the shock mount is still on the wrong side. Here is the correct photo showing both axle tubes together. These are the axle tubes off the old transmission on the newer, Used transmission.

[Paul Windisch]

They will index in more than one position.
_________________
*ASE Recertified Master Automotive Tech*

1984 Mexican Beetle
-1914cc
-L3 Heads 35x32 valves 52cc chambers
-0.040" deck for about 9.1:1 Compression
-Engle W110 cam
-CB Super Stock 1.1:1 Rockers
-Stock Heat Exchangers w/ Tri-Mil Muffler
-Dual Weber IDF 40s w/ 26mm venturis
-034 SVDA Distributor

2013 Chevrolet Volt DD
2005 Pontiac Montana SV6

MAHLE Service Solutions
Applications Engineer

[flabuggy]

Maybe this where I'm getting lost. Looking at this I have 3 holes in my plate and 3 in my axle tube. How is there more than one way to bolt them up?

[viiking]

I have a Euro '68 with swing axle but it should be identical. I always thought US '68's came with IRS?

I went and checked the orientation of the bolts on my axle.

When looking at it (LHS) towards the brake drum from the transmission the bolt aligns as approx 11, 3, 7 o'clock.

The right one should therefore be 1,5 and 9 o'clock.

The rear facing bolts line up (11,7 and 1,5) whilst the single bolt faces forward (3,9).

Any other orientation you have a problem elsewhere or they are the wrong axle tubes.

Edited to be 5 o'clock from 4.
_________________
1968 1500 RHD Lotus White Beetle since birth. In the hospital for major surgery
1966 Lancia Flavia Pininfarina Coupe - in the waiting room
Discharged: 1983 Vanagon, 1974 1800 Microbus,1968 Low Light,1968 Type 3

[viiking]

If you blow up the section below it might help with the orientation. Not sure if your axle tubes are like mine. Hard to tell.

_________________
1968 1500 RHD Lotus White Beetle since birth. In the hospital for major surgery
1966 Lancia Flavia Pininfarina Coupe - in the waiting room
Discharged: 1983 Vanagon, 1974 1800 Microbus,1968 Low Light,1968 Type 3

[flabuggy]

The 3 bolt holes on the plate are as you described. I have swapped side to side several times and with all 3 bolts in the tube to the plate the shock mount still ends up back of the tube instead of in front. There is only one way they can bolt on, correct?

[viiking]

I would say yes. Only way.

Only thing I can say is that you have the wrong part????
_________________
1968 1500 RHD Lotus White Beetle since birth. In the hospital for major surgery
1966 Lancia Flavia Pininfarina Coupe - in the waiting room
Discharged: 1983 Vanagon, 1974 1800 Microbus,1968 Low Light,1968 Type 3