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Tortion front ends

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by DRAGSTER_JOHN, Jul 16, 2013.

  1. DRAGSTER_JOHN
    Joined: Jan 12, 2010
    Posts: 63

    DRAGSTER_JOHN
    Member

    im looking for info on how to adjust the tortion spring in my front end, its looking a little saggy over the years.. thanks, second pic is me running yesterday..
     

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  2. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 24,388

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Could you take a picture of dead-center of the tortion bar tube, maybe from the front, and post it?
     
  3. jmpowie
    Joined: Dec 2, 2006
    Posts: 202

    jmpowie
    Member

    VW bugs use a tortion frontend and you just need to turn them one tooth up on the tortion bar to bring the nose up.
     
  4. rooman
    Joined: Sep 20, 2006
    Posts: 4,045

    rooman
    Member

    Rather than the VW style bars which is comprised of laminated strips of spring steel your car appears to have a "manufactured" torsion bar (Mark Williams etc) and most likely has splined ends where the arms attach. Take the nut off one end of the bar and check for splines in that area and rotate as necessary if that is the case.
    If the bar has a hex end one flat may be too much.It is a little hard to tell from the first photograph due to the steering bellcrank being in the way but it appears that your bar may also have a center anchor. If that is the case it is most likely a bolt that locates the bushing that the bar runs through. If so unload the front end, back the bolt out and see if the bushing can be rotated to apply a little more pre load to the bar. You may have to drill in to the bushing a little to give the bolt a seating point to provide positive location. If the bush does not want to rotate you may have to pull the front end apart to free it up but a tap on the torsion arm may do the trick.

    Roo
     
  5. Hnstray
    Joined: Aug 23, 2009
    Posts: 12,355

    Hnstray
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Quincy, IL


    There is no torsion bar adjustment on the front end of stock VW 'Bug" models.

    A torsion adjuster welded into the center of the tube was a common modification on VW's and VW based specials.

    The rear torsion bars are splined on both ends and with a different number of splines end to end. That allows for fine tuning the rear spring plate angle altering the ride height and/or camber, depending on if it's swing axle or IRS.

    The Type 3 models did have splined torsion bars on the front end, but those front ends are rarely, if ever, used on anything else.

    Ray
     
  6. nice car check your photo album no shots of the frt cross member so we can't tell hoe it's mounted do what rooman said!
     
  7. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

    If the bar has sagged that much already and you try and adjust it, it will break in the near future.
    If you turn it around so the sag goes the other way, it will break in the near future.
    If it uses VW torsion leaves check to see if uses the split leave and replace those with the solids.
    If it uses all solid leaves you can replace them with another set of VW solids or from a company -SWAY-A WAY- that makes off-road leaves that are thicker (5 leafs).
    In all reality one does not need a torsion front end anymore and the best thing to do is lock it up anyway you can and let the rear tires do all the work.

    Locked up since '95
     

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  8. DRAGSTER_JOHN
    Joined: Jan 12, 2010
    Posts: 63

    DRAGSTER_JOHN
    Member

    thanks for replys, yes there is a bolt on the front center of housing, as the car was front halved at one time rooman may be right in it being a M/W ect, ill check it out, thanks!
     

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