removing spring plates

oval TOFU Bitte, ein Bit!

2,946 posts · joined Jul 2003 · 2 Feb 2006, 6:22 pm

#453042

..on a 55 beetle? It's got the extended torsion beam that sticks out past the spring plate cover.. I've tried hammering it and jimmying it with a crowbar, but it doesn't want to budge..

help?

...and Robert's ya father's brother...

VWFOOL King for a day, Fool for a lifetime.

3,436 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 2 Feb 2006, 6:56 pm

#453053

yeh, very very annoying arent they mate

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
One man's junk...

oval TOFU Bitte, ein Bit!

2,946 posts · joined Jul 2003 · 3 Feb 2006, 12:04 am

#453177

yes, they certainly are... so just keep on trying to bash them out then?

...and Robert's ya father's brother...

vw54 Administrator Always Waiting 4 Friday

16,723 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 3 Feb 2006, 6:24 am

#453195

Remove the rear guards so you can get better access the spray some kero or similar behind the spring plate to lubricate it a bit use the jemmey or crow bar

they go off with a BANG as well be carefull

I read it on FACEBOOK so it must be true

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=91278&page=1#pid848630

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=63561&page=1#pid624099

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=4832&page=1#pid452603

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=60650&page=1#pid574409

blutopless2 DAMSLO

2,457 posts · joined Jan 2004 · 3 Feb 2006, 7:25 am

#453205

i got mine off a few months ago... just pried them off with a bar and they popped off.. found once they cleared the travel stop (had the car on stands and guards off etc) then they came easy.

try lubricant and rust penetrator etc...

see.... air and water do mix 😉

1974 1300
1997 MK3 Golf GL
2003 NB Cabrio
2012 Golf VI GTI
2014 Audi A4 Quattro

oval TOFU Bitte, ein Bit!

2,946 posts · joined Jul 2003 · 3 Feb 2006, 9:48 am

#453226

A RP7 bath it is then... thanks, I'll let you know how it goes..

...and Robert's ya father's brother...

Kimbo Officially Full-On Dubber

207 posts · joined Jan 2005 · 3 Feb 2006, 1:03 pm

#453265

You'll have a shed load of trouble getting them off until they've cleared the lower travel stop, because until that happens the torsion bars are still under tension and are therefore tending to grab hold of the spring plate (internally). You're also in danger of doing yourself some serious damage if you try and clear the lower travel stop without the spring plates being gently lowered past the the "stop" as they will still be under considerable tension - there are a couple of threds on this site I think relating to how you can achieve this safely, such as:

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=36586#pid350174

Had the same trouble myself the first time, and the general concensus of opinion regarding why they were so difficult to get off was lack of lubrication on the actual torsion bar splines.

http://www.myspace.com/ksadelaide

oval TOFU Bitte, ein Bit!

2,946 posts · joined Jul 2003 · 8 Feb 2006, 9:41 am

#454507

I convinced the plates to come off the torsion bars with a lot of hammering with a mallet from the medial side. turns out that the outter splines didn't have any grease on them at all! The inners were a bit greasey, but they were a bit cruddy. So I wire brushed both ends and regreased them and now they slide in and out with the minimum of fuss..

I'm doing a drop of 3" or one inner spine - does anyone know/remember where the spring plates sit with no load? Is it under or above the stop-lip of the shock support member?

...and Robert's ya father's brother...

vw54 Administrator Always Waiting 4 Friday

16,723 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 8 Feb 2006, 9:48 am

#454510

You should have measured the degrees B4 u took the plates off.

I read it on FACEBOOK so it must be true

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=91278&page=1#pid848630

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=63561&page=1#pid624099

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=4832&page=1#pid452603

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=60650&page=1#pid574409

oval TOFU Bitte, ein Bit!

2,946 posts · joined Jul 2003 · 8 Feb 2006, 9:51 am

#454511

I scribed a line on the member coz I didnt have a protractor.. I also measured the true vertical distance from the upper shock mount bolt to the sprng plate, and that measurement was only 5mm less after rotating it one spine... but it may have moved a little since the bush isn't pushed back in all the way..

...and Robert's ya father's brother...