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flabuggy Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2018 Posts: 15 Location: florida
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 3:47 pm Post subject: swing axle |
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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.
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viiking Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2013 Posts: 2668 Location: Sydney Australia
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 4:08 pm Post subject: Re: swing axle |
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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 |
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Q-Dog Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2010 Posts: 8700 Location: Sunset, Louisiana
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Paul Windisch Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2009 Posts: 2546 Location: Clinton Township, Michigan
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 4:14 pm Post subject: Re: swing axle |
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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 |
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flabuggy Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2018 Posts: 15 Location: florida
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 4:26 pm Post subject: Re: swing axle |
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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. |
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Paul Windisch Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2009 Posts: 2546 Location: Clinton Township, Michigan
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 4:39 pm Post subject: Re: swing axle |
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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 |
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viiking Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2013 Posts: 2668 Location: Sydney Australia
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 4:40 pm Post subject: Re: swing axle |
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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 |
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Paul Windisch Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2009 Posts: 2546 Location: Clinton Township, Michigan
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 4:46 pm Post subject: Re: swing axle |
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viiking wrote: |
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. |
I thought that too, but then the brake line bracket will be down instead of up.
Unfortunately, they need to be swapped side to side. _________________ *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 |
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viiking Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2013 Posts: 2668 Location: Sydney Australia
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 4:47 pm Post subject: Re: swing axle |
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Paul Windisch wrote: |
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. |
That's what I said in my first post but the OP said he'd swapped them from side to side.
On mine the brake bracket is facing forward in a horizontal plane. _________________ 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 |
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mukluk Samba Member
Joined: October 18, 2012 Posts: 7028 Location: Clyde, TX
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 4:53 pm Post subject: Re: swing axle |
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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" |
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viiking Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2013 Posts: 2668 Location: Sydney Australia
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 5:00 pm Post subject: Re: swing axle |
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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 |
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flabuggy Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2018 Posts: 15 Location: florida
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 5:34 pm Post subject: Re: swing axle |
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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.
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Paul Windisch Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2009 Posts: 2546 Location: Clinton Township, Michigan
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 5:54 pm Post subject: Re: swing axle |
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flabuggy wrote: |
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.
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In this picture, your brake line bracket is facing the rear of the car. If you take that tube off and put it on the right side, that brake line bracket will be facing the front of the car, the shock mount will be pointing forward and down, and the shock will mount FORWARD of the axle tube. Q-dog’s pic shows the proper orientation of the shock mounts and shocks, mukluk’s pic shows the orientation of the brake line brackets. Note that these pics are taken facing opposite directions, so make sure FRONT is FRONT! _________________ *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 |
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flabuggy Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2018 Posts: 15 Location: florida
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 6:14 pm Post subject: Re: swing axle |
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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.
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Paul Windisch Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2009 Posts: 2546 Location: Clinton Township, Michigan
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 6:24 pm Post subject: Re: swing axle |
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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 |
|
Back to top |
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flabuggy Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2018 Posts: 15 Location: florida
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 6:34 pm Post subject: Re: swing axle |
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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?
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viiking Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2013 Posts: 2668 Location: Sydney Australia
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 6:36 pm Post subject: Re: swing axle |
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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 |
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viiking Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2013 Posts: 2668 Location: Sydney Australia
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 6:41 pm Post subject: Re: swing axle |
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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 |
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flabuggy Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2018 Posts: 15 Location: florida
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 6:46 pm Post subject: Re: swing axle |
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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? |
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viiking Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2013 Posts: 2668 Location: Sydney Australia
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 6:51 pm Post subject: Re: swing axle |
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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 |
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