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Torkwerks
Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2021
Posts: 19
Location: Vaudreuil Quebec Canada
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 Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 3:14 pm Post subject: Re: 67 balljoint adjustable beam |
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| Thank you for the guidance, I will go through your list thoroughly this weekend and I'll will get back to you with the results. |
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ashman40
Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2007
Posts: 16671
Location: North Florida, USA
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| Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 9:08 am Post subject: Re: 67 balljoint adjustable beam |
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| Torkwerks wrote: |
| Did you get this issue resolved, because I have the exact same problem. As soon as I attach the arms to the spindle I get zero suspension travel. |
Some things you can try...
With all four torsion arms removed, loosen the center adjuster screws and make sure the center disc the springs pass thru rotates freely. Depending on the design of the center adjusters, tightening the screw may bind the disc to the inside of the tube. This is fine once the adjusters are locked in their final position but not great when tryin to make adjustments.
Slide the springs part way out on one side and slide the opposite side torsion arms into the ends of the tube. Make sure the torsion arms rotate freely when fully seated in the bearing/bushings without being engaged to the ends of the springs. Repeat for the opposite side arms. This confirms the arms rotate freely with minimum friction. If you find one or more arms are difficult to rotate, investigate. Maybe there is damage to the bearing/bushing or the torsion tubes are bent? Or worse case the shaft of the torsion arms are bent?
Center the springs but leave the center screws loose. Looking at the ends of the tubes are the springs centered in their tubes on both ends? If not it could mean bent springs or bent tubes. Identify which. Lay the springs on a known flat surface and roll them to confirm they are not bowed.
Slide on just ONE torsion arm into place and confirm it can rotate the center disc/adjuster as you move the arm up/down. Remove that arm and install another and test. Do this for all four arms individually. Next install them in pairs. Is there one arm that specifically makes the spring hard to rotate?
Try the above and confirm everything rotates smoothly before tightening any screws. Also try moving arms side to side and see if it is the tube, the spring or the arm that is causing resistance.
_________________
AshMan40
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'67 Beetle #1 {project car that never made it to the road  }
'75 Beetle 1200LS (RHD Japan model) {junked due to frame rot}
'67 Beetle #2 {2019 project car - Wish me luck!} |
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Torkwerks
Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2021
Posts: 19
Location: Vaudreuil Quebec Canada
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| Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2023 6:30 pm Post subject: Re: 67 balljoint adjustable beam |
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| Did you get this issue resolved, because I have the exact same problem. As soon as I attach the arms to the spindle I get zero suspension travel. |
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travis1488
Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2005
Posts: 164
Location: Piedmont MO
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| Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2019 7:14 pm Post subject: Re: 67 balljoint adjustable beam |
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| Any of you that if replied on this post that's smarter than me I'd like to call and discuss this beam issue with someone instead of typing it lol. If you wouldn't mind a call about it PM me your number and a good time for when I can call thanks |
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TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 13332
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2019 7:26 am Post subject: Re: 67 balljoint adjustable beam |
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If you're still using stock length shocks, it's possible that they have bottomed out. Remove the shocks & see if it gets any lower.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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riverart
Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2017
Posts: 55
Location: Pomona
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| Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2019 7:20 am Post subject: Re: 67 balljoint adjustable beam |
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| I would expect it to be a lot lower especially if you are using the drop spindles. |
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TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 13332
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2019 6:23 am Post subject: Re: 67 balljoint adjustable beam |
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That should be acceptable, any lower then you start to cause problems with ball joint angles & (Lack of) suspension travel.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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travis1488
Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2005
Posts: 164
Location: Piedmont MO
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| Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2019 8:38 pm Post subject: Re: 67 balljoint adjustable beam |
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| I couldn't get the pic tured the right way sorry. This is with a 2in narrowed adjustable beam all the way down and drop spindles. |
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travis1488
Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2005
Posts: 164
Location: Piedmont MO
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| Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2019 8:34 pm Post subject: Re: 67 balljoint adjustable beam |
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travis1488
Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2005
Posts: 164
Location: Piedmont MO
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| Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2019 8:17 pm Post subject: Re: 67 balljoint adjustable beam |
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| 5in is from the bottom of the beam and I am running drop spindles. |
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rcooled
Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2008
Posts: 2788
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2019 6:06 pm Post subject: Re: 67 balljoint adjustable beam |
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| travis1488 wrote: |
| The adjuster screw is all the way at the bottom and can not be rotated while on the jack stand. |
If the screw’s already at the bottom of the slot, the front end won’t go any lower.
| travis1488 wrote: |
| Surely it should adj less than 5 inches from the ground because that's where its at. |
Where exactly are you measuring this 5” ? If the lower edge of the front apron or the beam’s lower tube is 5” off the ground, that’s pretty low...the beam’s probably at the limit of its adjustment. If you wanna go lower, you’ll need drop spindles.
FWIW, Avis adjusters come in two flavors...one that adjusts the front end lower than stock height, and one that adjusts it higher (for off-roaders, Baja Bugs, etc.). Be sure that the beam’s right for your particular setup.
| riverart wrote: |
| Yeah. Mine don't drop when up in the air and shocks off. |
The upper trailing arms could be contacting the rubber stops which would keep the wheels from dropping any lower. If that’s the case, you’ll need to remove the stops, adjust the beam as needed, then drop the car back on its wheels and reinstall the stops.
_________________
'63 Ragtop (current)
'65 Ghia coupe (totaled)
'67 Ghia convertible (current)
'69.5 Ghia convertible and
'62, '63, '65, '69 Bugs (all long gone) |
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riverart
Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2017
Posts: 55
Location: Pomona
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| Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2019 3:17 pm Post subject: Re: 67 balljoint adjustable beam |
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| Yeah. Mine don't drop when up in the air and shocks off. All new ball joints and tie rods - maybe they are holding it up. It almost seems like the adjuster is binding inside of the beam. Either way, I'm done with it. |
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TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 13332
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2019 2:24 pm Post subject: Re: 67 balljoint adjustable beam |
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| riverart wrote: |
This is what mine looks like before I loosened the adjuster. The adjusters are now all the way down and it's hard to raise the car - but I want it lowered so whatever. The car rides good. Hope this helps. |
The easiest way to raise the car back up is to jack up the front of the car, remove the front shocks, & loosen the adjusters. The weight of the wheels will cause the adjusters to travel all the way back up. You can raise or lower the wheels to adjust the clamp position, tighten the clamp, install the shocks, & then lower the car back down.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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riverart
Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2017
Posts: 55
Location: Pomona
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| Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:36 am Post subject: Re: 67 balljoint adjustable beam |
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This is what mine looks like before I loosened the adjuster. The adjusters are now all the way down and it's hard to raise the car - but I want it lowered so whatever. The car rides good. Hope this helps. |
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TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 13332
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2019 3:13 am Post subject: Re: 67 balljoint adjustable beam |
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Send it back.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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| Back to top |
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travis1488
Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2005
Posts: 164
Location: Piedmont MO
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| Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2019 2:42 am Post subject: Re: 67 balljoint adjustable beam |
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| Store bought |
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TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 13332
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2019 2:14 am Post subject: Re: 67 balljoint adjustable beam |
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Is this a home built beam or a store bought beam?
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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| Back to top |
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travis1488
Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2005
Posts: 164
Location: Piedmont MO
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| Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2019 1:47 am Post subject: Re: 67 balljoint adjustable beam |
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| i spun mine around and there is only one hole in the part that the adjuster screw goes. Before i put the spindles on they moved freely but when all put back together the will not move. The adjuster screw is all the way at the bottom and can not be rotated while on the jack stand. I've been told there should be one hole and there should be two. If it does not have the second hole will that cause it not to adjust? Surely it should adj less than 5 inches from the ground because that's where its at. |
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TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 13332
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2019 2:34 pm Post subject: Re: 67 balljoint adjustable beam |
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Adjusters for kingpin beams have one threaded hole on the collar, adjusters for ball joint beams have two, 90° from each other, one for the grub screw, the other for the clamping stud.
Stolen from VOLKSWAGNUT’s gallery
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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| Back to top |
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travis1488
Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2005
Posts: 164
Location: Piedmont MO
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| Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2019 2:25 pm Post subject: Re: 67 balljoint adjustable beam |
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| Thats what mine look like but when they are all the way down the beam is about 5 in off the ground. |
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