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Rear Beetle suspension

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Tnate Seriously Crusin Dubber

109 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#322725
Hello all,

After trying for ages to adjust the rear suspension on my 72 Choptop Beetle, Im about ready to give up.
I can do every part, except put the leading arm back on the stop plate. As I try to raise the damn arm, the whole car raises, making it impossible to put back on. (I believe it is due to the lack of weight, due to no roof)
I am in the process of raising my rear about 1.5cm, so it is under considerably more tension

Any suggestions?
Cheers
Tnate

mailto:tomnathan@gmail.com

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#322728
Sounds like You need a tool attached to the chassis to pull the arm Up over the plate....

the other thing You can do, is place a few bags of concrete in Your car to add weight to it.... until You can safely jack it up
and over....

Best of luck...

Lee
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

Brett Seriously Crusin Dubber

155 posts · joined Feb 2005 ·

#322730
We use a hook dyna bolted to the shed floor. Using a chain we bolt the car to the floor then jack away.
Hope this helps
Brett
68 bush bashing ex beatle
72 Bush rig ex superbug

BiX Veteran Volks Folk

2,499 posts · joined Sep 2002 ·

#322748
there are a few ways. i was stupid enough to pull the rear suspension out when i had no engine in teh back........

got 3 mates to stand on the rear bumper, sit behind rear seat, on guards etc.

that normally works for me. and once its within a few mm, just lever it up and on using a very large screw driver.
I have no sympathy for my car, only the wallet that pays for it!
Go hard or go home!!!!

J&SBlue Officially Full-On Dubber

307 posts · joined Dec 2002 ·

#322754
As MikeM said. I used this method last night on a bear chassis. Works fine and is damn easy to do.

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#322759

I knew there MUST be a way....

Good work Guys.....

and thanks for the photo Mike...

plus explanation.... I was wondering what the chain was for??

Now I know...

Lee
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

battybat Seriously Crusin Dubber

127 posts · joined Mar 2004 ·

#322827
excellent - was wondering how I was gonna keep the chassis on the ground (it's stripped)

another good article on rear torsion bars here - with pix

http://www.vwtrendsweb.com/tech/0312vwt_71super/
http://www.dtsband.com - Rock and Roll is NOT dead

My other car is a scooter, and it's in even more bits than my beetle. One day they will both be back together.......

DIY-DUB Custom Title Time!

1,591 posts · joined Apr 2004 ·

#323532
i was needing an explanation of this 2, so this is gr8, now that i know how, i just gotta get some adjustable struts 4 up front

Kimbo Officially Full-On Dubber

207 posts · joined Jan 2005 ·

#349503
Couldn't get the "chaining the trolley jack to the car" method to work for me, for some reason. So instead I use a "big" turnbuckle and a length of chain. Bolt one end of the turnbuckle to the top shock mount; loop the chain over the hook on the turnbuckle, and bolt the other end of the chain to the spring plate - tighten the turnbuckle and the spring plate lifts up.
http://www.myspace.com/ksadelaide

battybat Seriously Crusin Dubber

127 posts · joined Mar 2004 ·

#349665
did it this way a couple of weeks ago - used a big chain from the chassis to the front of the trolley jack and just kept jacking till it all lined up. the chassis did actually lift a bit, but only till the slack went out of the chain.

while it works it's a bit heart in mouth, lots of pressure going on there!

the turnbuckle method sounds interesting for next time - or buying the right tool....
http://www.dtsband.com - Rock and Roll is NOT dead

My other car is a scooter, and it's in even more bits than my beetle. One day they will both be back together.......

Kimbo Officially Full-On Dubber

207 posts · joined Jan 2005 ·

#350174
The turnbuckle method was kind-of fiddly to initially setup, in that you needed to ensure you have just enough threds on the buckle to lift the spring plate and alow you to lever it out of the "groove", and enough thred to unwind the turn buckle so that the spring plate reaches it's lowest point without any load on the chain so you unhitch it - but it worked
http://www.myspace.com/ksadelaide

penguin ackkkkkk thhhhhpt!

3,383 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#350557
1stcarbug,
I have a tool that you can borrow that may be a little easier than the chain and jack system (as good as it looks)
Will speak to you at Klubfest
'Ah, whatever................'