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flat59 Samba Member
Joined: April 13, 2009 Posts: 12
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Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 10:22 am Post subject: what is the correct height on rear wheels/shell |
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Hi Folks!
I am rearming the rear suspension , and finally one side it's more low than the other, I haven't references or what is the correct stance on a 69 kübel and can't find any info, can you help me please?
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50352
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Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 8:20 am Post subject: Re: what is the correct height on rear wheels/shell |
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Don't know the numbers for your rear axle with drop boxes. What you need to do is prep your rig to pull the swing arms and replace the bushing by disconnecting the axles and prying the arms over the stops. Now measure the angle of the arms to the bottom of the tub. You are going to what the angles to be the same on both sides and potentially a bit more than what you have now.
This is a gauge bar I made to set my swing arm on my IRS setup. It sits against the bottom edge of the tub and I can sight along the swing arm to see if the angle matches. Very low tech but just as accurate as using fancier gauges.
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BNMike Samba Member
Joined: November 12, 2009 Posts: 333 Location: Hot Springs, SD
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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2018 7:37 am Post subject: Re: what is the correct height on rear wheels/shell |
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Wildthings, Hermann was lowered before I bought him. I'm going to replace the front beam with a Thing beam I got from Kmann, and bring the rear end back up. If you don't mind, what is the angle on your gauge? Thanks.
BNMike |
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mondshine Samba Member
Joined: October 27, 2006 Posts: 2770 Location: The World's Motor Capital
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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2018 11:38 am Post subject: Re: what is the correct height on rear wheels/shell |
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In my Thing Shop reprint of the 181 workshop manual, the page was edited by hand (by Larry?) to read 27º ± 30' for the spring plate preload angle.
Quite different from the ~21.5º called for on Beetles and Ghias. |
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BNMike Samba Member
Joined: November 12, 2009 Posts: 333 Location: Hot Springs, SD
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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2018 12:33 pm Post subject: Re: what is the correct height on rear wheels/shell |
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mondshine wrote: |
In my Thing Shop reprint of the 181 workshop manual, the page was edited by hand (by Larry?) to read 27º ± 30' for the spring plate preload angle.
Quite different from the ~21.5º called for on Beetles and Ghias. |
Thanks, Mondshine.
Maybe that's because the Thing sets a little higher?
BNMike |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50352
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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2018 12:41 pm Post subject: Re: what is the correct height on rear wheels/shell |
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BNMike wrote: |
Wildthings, Hermann was lowered before I bought him. I'm going to replace the front beam with a Thing beam I got from Kmann, and bring the rear end back up. If you don't mind, what is the angle on your gauge? Thanks.
BNMike |
Haven't used it in many years, will try to search it up and measure the angle. |
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mondshine Samba Member
Joined: October 27, 2006 Posts: 2770 Location: The World's Motor Capital
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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2018 1:17 pm Post subject: Re: what is the correct height on rear wheels/shell |
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It could be the difference in body weight, or suspension geometry, or some other factor, but seeing the preload angle scratched in by hand does not inspire confidence.
However, my spring plates are set at this spec, and the car sits right.
Good luck, Mondshine |
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Ray Syverson Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2006 Posts: 74 Location: Lake Zurich, Illinois
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2018 2:29 pm Post subject: Re: what is the correct height on rear wheels/shell |
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Don't assume that it is sitting low on one side in the rear because it has a weak torsion bar on one side, or that adjusting the low torsion arm bar will fix everything. if your Thing ever experienced a major bounce of some kind, like when off roading, its possible the framehead got twisted a bit. Thats the part your front beam attaches to. A twist will make one of the rear sides sit low. To check for this possiblity, get down in front of the vehicle and sight the beam against the floor pan in back. it should look perfectly parallel, the beam against the pan. If not, the frame head is twisted. I found out this sad situation on a beetle I had, and luckily was able to wrench it back to normal. |
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Ray Syverson Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2006 Posts: 74 Location: Lake Zurich, Illinois
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2018 2:31 pm Post subject: Re: what is the correct height on rear wheels/shell |
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Don't assume that it is sitting low on one side in the rear because it has a weak torsion bar on one side, or that adjusting the low torsion arm bar will fix everything. if your Thing ever experienced a major bounce of some kind, like when off roading, its possible the framehead got twisted a bit. Thats the part your front beam attaches to. A twist will make one of the rear sides sit low. To check for this possiblity, get down in front of the vehicle and sight the beam against the floor pan in back. it should look perfectly parallel, the beam against the pan. If not, the frame head is twisted. I found out this sad situation on a beetle I had, and luckily was able to wrench it back to normal. |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50352
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2018 4:25 pm Post subject: Re: what is the correct height on rear wheels/shell |
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Wildthings wrote: |
BNMike wrote: |
Wildthings, Hermann was lowered before I bought him. I'm going to replace the front beam with a Thing beam I got from Kmann, and bring the rear end back up. If you don't mind, what is the angle on your gauge? Thanks.
BNMike |
Haven't used it in many years, will try to search it up and measure the angle. |
I have been unable to find this, been too many years since I used it last. |
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mondshine Samba Member
Joined: October 27, 2006 Posts: 2770 Location: The World's Motor Capital
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Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 6:08 am Post subject: Re: what is the correct height on rear wheels/shell |
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Ray makes a good point, but keep in mind that when adjusting the spring plate preload, the specified angle is only a guide. It does not account for the wear or condition of the torsion bars on any particular car.
As an example, if 90% of a car's use was with a 200 lb. driver and no passengers, it's very possible that the left torsion bar will need more preload to level the car.
The ultimate "test" will be how the car sits after the preload is adjusted, and it might require 2 or 3 minor tweaks to get it just right.
Also, consider a 4 wheel alignment to complete the job.
Good luck, Mondshine |
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