How to reset rear torsion bar back to standard height

[viiking]

I need to replace the inner and outer rubber torsion bar bushes on my bug to the original height as I am doing a restoration.

I have seen all of the videos etc on how to lower or raise the suspension but one thing is not clear to me.

If I accidentally remove the entire torsion bar when trying to remove the inner bush, I need to replace the torsion bar back into its original position.

How do I know what this is. That is, the inner location. I assume that the torsion bar can go back into any one of the 40+ locations, but I don't think I will be able to see what point it came out of, compared to the outside one which is visible.

I understand that you need to mark the position of the spring plate once the tension is removed and use an inclinometer/protractor to determine the angle of the spring plate in relation to level.

But does this mean it doesn't matter which notch the inside torsion bar connects to as long as the angle when I have finished (by adjusting the relationship of the spring plate and outside torsion bar) is exactly the same before and after?

When talking about lowering the suspension. it gets confusing when people talk about adjusting the "inner by 'x' notches to the right and the outside by 'y' notches to the left etc. But how do they know what the "zero" position is.

[vwhelmot]

It doesn't matter which splines the torsion bar locate too, as long as the drop angle before its jacked back up to the stop is right and as factory spec then it will be fine. The outer splines are finer than the inner splines to make it easier to make fine adjustments using a mixture of the two.

[KTPhil]

If you measure the angle the spring plate is at before you remove the torsion bar (with it hanging free of the stop), you will be able to verify it's at the same clock position by measuring again after installation. As long as you don't simultaneously remove the bar from both the inner and outer splines, you will be able to clearly measure whether you put it back where it came from. So mark the our end, and if for some reason it slips off, put it back to align the marks. Then the only variable is the inner splines, and as I said, you can tell if it is back in the original position.

[viiking]

OK I think I’ve got it now. Between Chris Vallone and other videos i got confused about the different references to chalk marks and I realise that you should mark the torsion bar BEFORE you remove it off the “lip” and then mark it AFTER when it hangs free. As I am not changing the height as long as I don’t have both ends off at the same time I only have to worry about one marking.

Then withdraw the torsion bar with the outer spring plate attached, install the new bushing, install the torsion bar back in starting at the AFTER mark and lift it back up onto the lip.

So really you only NEED worry about the AFTER markings. If you are correct starting at the AFTER mark it should line up as before.

Thanks everyone👍🏻

[pb_foots]

If you use the protractor to ensure that the stock angle is there on the spring plate during reassembly, I'm not sure why you need to use marks at all?

I must be missing something here. Pull the torsion bar, replace the bushings, reassemble and set the spring plate angle according to the chart for stock height, done. No?
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[viiking]

Yes.

[tonys1pr]

I would seriously recommend buying a digital angle gauge for this ($30 from harbor freight).

You can calibrate it to zero on the bottom of the door opening for that side of the car and then easily adjust the spring plate on the splines to achieve the recommended angle.

I tried a manual protractor first and they are just too hard reading the fractions of an angle - particularly for those of us who need glasses.

[KTPhil]

[pb_foots]

[viiking]

[andk5591]

You can use the stock specs or simply determine where you want it to be. If the car is sitting level, you decide how much you want to change it. I assume you have or have found the charts with number of clicks to make the change.

Remove the outer plate and with the trailing arm relaxed, measure the angle and write it down. So lets say you want to raise the car 2". This would be 7 degrees and 30 minutes increase in angle. Lets say your initial measurement was 9 degrees.... Then your desired final angle will be 16 degrees 30 minutes. (you dont care if the car is level or not - you are simply making the change to what you want from where it was initially.)

So on the passenger side you would rotate the inner spline 9 clicks CCW and then slip the outer one on and rotate it until you come up with 16 degrees 30 minutes. You do the same thing on the other side BUT once again. Write down the initial setting and you want to add the desired number of degrees. Difference is that you will rotate the inner one CW instead.

I used to screw with leveling the car and all that, but it doesnt matter, assuming the car was sitting at the same height on both sides. I have done at least 6 or more cars this way.

Oh and I have both one of this cheap round dial angle finders that you get at Home Depot and a digital level...There are also smart phone apps, which I have as well. I actually prefer the cheap round dial. Once again, the absolute angle relative to level is not important. Its all about the relative angle.
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