REAR torsion bar lubricant..

What lube should I use for the torsion bar /swing axle bushes?

I heard that the wrong one can destroy the rubber .

Any one know?

Thanks Mitchell

Took ages to figure out, but I think I've finally got the answer! Would it be Rubber Grease?🤪

Talcum powder works the best....I find grease traps dirt and then wears out the rubber bush.
P.S They weren't greased from the factory.

either one but make sure you take all the dags of the welds n rubbiing areas these sharp bits cut into the buashes very fast

so get a emery mop in the drill n smoooothe all the dags first

Your question WAS about torsion bar GREASE was it not?

Smoothing out the welds, as Dave suggests, would be a good move.

yeah i re did my rear end the other month and when i removed the end caps and torsion bars they were ruff a s guts the welds would have been cutting into the rubbers and they had been

will eventually destroy them so allowing the arms to moove without any dags is a good move

I used the rubber grease and always will it dosent eat into the rubber at all
and allows free movement between the surface there fore making the suspension work properly

waltermitty wrote:What lube should I use for the torsion bar /swing axle bush?
I heard that the wrong one can destroy the rubber .
Any one know?
Thanks Mitchell

Yes,
Rubber grease Mitchell...

I have yet to do My rear IRS rubber bushes but have heard they can be very difficult to fit the outer ones...

cheers

LEE

Front torsion bars grease...

Lithium based Moly grease as recommended by VW...

available just about everywhere... BIG W etc...

the front needs to be lifted off the ground to grease the 4 grease nipples in the front torsion bars..
with a grease gun...

I do Mine at every oil change...

once You fill the tubes up with grease, it doesn't take much grease when you do them next time..

LEE

Talcum powder ... never eard of that but i can see how it would work and your right about the dirt with grease

Hey lee don't stress about the outter bushes mate. as long as u have 4 long bolts to guide the cover back on flush, then ur laughing. Its simple, but just time consuming...

bajachris88 wrote:Hey lee don't stress about the outer bushes mate. as long as u have 4 long bolts to guide the cover back on flush, then ur laughing. Its simple, but just time consuming...

Yes,
I thought about the long bolts Chris...

but the people who couldn't get them in didn't.. lol

LEE

you don't need longer bolts you just have to have all 4 in a bit before you pre load them

was impossible for my twin plate spring plates for my stickshift irs rear end (long torsion bar rear end) like Lee has. It was urethane bushes but same geometry as the rubber.

Heck, u could only start one bolt if u have the whole plate tilted towards one thread, and then u can't get the others in like that. couldn't even start 4 of them at all on my setup as the bolts weren't long enough to overcome the bush touching the backing plate. What rear end u have? wanna swap? lol, sounds like a dream if it could be done like that. Outter bushes sorted in less than 15 minutes 🙂.

Best bet if u are willing to ditch the original bolts, is just buy 3/4inch longer bolts with the high tensile thread. that'll make it a bliss.

13bwagon wrote:Talcum powder ... never eard of that but i can see how it would work and your right about the dirt with grease

Probably hard to see......but have a look in the "Note" section re Talc.

"Before installing the rubber bushings, coat them with talcum powder as shown in Fig 11-5. Do not use graphite because graphite will cause premature bushing wear.........."

I find the 'Lavender' Talc works better than 'Rose' 😂😂

Thanks Guys Talcum it is . Craig great work there I was able to read that the bushes have a top and bottom for correct orientation . Mitchell

Hey waltermitty, are you referring to the rear torsion bars in this case?

oval TOFU wrote:Hey waltermitty, are you referring to the rear torsion bars in this case?

YES,
He's talking about the rear torsion rubber bushes....

no grease... just talcum powder....

LEE

just talcum power works fine.

waltermitty wrote:Thanks Guys Talcum it is . Craig great work there I was able to read that the bushes have a top and bottom for correct orientation . Mitchell

Yep, put the dot to the top for correct orientation. 👍

referring to my:

'Owners Service Manual - VW 1200',
by Delius, Klasing & Co, Bielefeld Berlin (printed 1963) .....

they recommend using graphite (powder) on the rubber torsion bushes.

Is someone saying theres a problem with graphite on modern rubber?