Reindexing/suspension troubleshooting

[ladon67]

Greetings all- a few months back I had asked for input on air shocks vs gas/oil shocks. After a complete teardown and rebuild of my kit car on a 62 Bug frame, I had installed a brand new set of Gabriel Hi Jackers. Once back together, after a quick test drive it was squatting really bad on the left side. I thought maybe it was my fat ass (225 lb) that weighed it down, but when I hopped out I assumed it would recover.

That prompted my question about everyone's shock preference. After a four month hiatus out of the country, I just switched out to some KYB Gas A Justs. It seemed to be sitting a bit higher and level after the switch, but after a short ride, it squatted back down on the left and stays down after I hop out.

A couple guys weighed in and said to reindex the rear end. That's all well and good and SEEMS like not too bad of a job. (Of course I'll have to pull the body off my car to do so!!) My question(s) to the group is why would it be sitting up nice, high, and even before a ride, but come back squatting only on the left after a short ride? Would this be an indication of a broken torsion bar on one side? Or could it be worn bushings? Just wondering what parts to order before I start my project.

As always, your guidance is very much appreciated!! -Mark

[toxicavenger70]

Why do you have to pull off the body to do re-index the spring plates?

[ladon67]

toxicavenger70- It's a kit car on a bug frame.

[ladon67]

here's a pic from behind. It's strange to me that the right side isn't squatting and staying there. I'm just wondering if anyone has any insight on whether the bushings alone would cause this or a broken torsion bar...

[MrGoodtunes]

[TDCTDI]

Yeah, that would definitely be a case where I’d actually suggest stuffing some of those shitty EMPI coil over shocks under it.
_________________
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.

[Chickensoup]

[61SNRF]

Shocks should not effect ride height, it's the springs that hold a car up.
If you have any doubts simply remove the Shocks temporarily and see if it makes any difference.

Being lighter than a stock Beetle did you have to reindex the bars when you had the body off?
If you have them set weaker than stock preload maybe something like the axle tube pivot at the trans end or as suggested the bushings are causing excess binding or friction not allowing it to come back up.

You say it stays low after you get out, so how does it get back up? By you bouncing on the rear or all by itself?

Hard to imagine a broken torsion bar, that would cause sagging all the time with no jounce or rebound at all.
Weak torsion bar maybe, did you happen to accidently swap them side to side when you had it apart? Once they have broken in on one side changing right to left might cause strange issues.
_________________
-Bruce

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

[toxicavenger70]

[ladon67]

[ladon67]

[ladon67]

[SirTimTIm]

Is there any chance that the body itself is moving and not the suspension?
_________________
1966 Bug

[ladon67]

[TDCTDI]

When someone built it originally, they adjusted the rear torsion bars incorrectly & then installed the air shocks to compensate.

Re-indexing the rear bars will be a PITA because the fiberglass body is much lighter so stock spring plate angles will cause the rear to be too high. You’re going to be doing a lot of trial & error type of tear down & reassembly to get it right, especially since you cannot tell exactly where it sits until both sides have been adjusted & the car is rolled out.

Good luck & don’t reassemble the body until you get the spring height finally dialed in.
_________________
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.

[61SNRF]

This is a great example where adjustable spring plates would work well, lets you make fine adjustments without re-indexing...

_________________
-Bruce

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

[ladon67]

Just jacked it up and got it on stands. Seems like the left side IS stuck. I think someone mentioned that could be happening. Will see what happens when I pull it apart!!

[ladon67]

Ok, so pulled it apart and the bushings seem to be ok. They weren't frozen on the shaft or anything. When I tapped the spring plate off, it didn't seem to have any tension on it- just slipped off, but when I disconnected the axle from the plate it had some tension on it.

Someone mentioned a fresh talcum lube. The Jbugs video didn't show any powder being put on during reassembly...is that something I'll want to do? Gold Bond good?? Thanks in advance for any input!!! -Mark

[rcroane]

[txoval]

Your drivers side torsion bar may be worn out...it happens especially on the drivers side where there is always more weight.

I’d replace both torsion bars and install new bushings. Index one outer spline down and should be perfect.

There is a tool for compressing the torsion bar/spring plate that makes this job easy/safe. Adjustable spring plates are nice