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Saggy Rear End - CV Joints/Driveshaft HELP
TorxKiwi - July 26th, 2012 at 08:53 PM

My car, like me, is a bit saggy in the rear end. it sits abou1/2-1 inch lower on the drivers side. Replace shocks or adjust torsion bars? Or something else completely.

'75 L Bug, stock.


bajachris88 - July 26th, 2012 at 09:23 PM

adjust torsion bars. :tu: Saggy = springs (in this case, the torsional springs)


waveman1500 - July 26th, 2012 at 09:23 PM

If you don't know how old the torsion bar bushings are, then replacing them and readjusting the torsion bars would probably help. Shocks shouldn't hold any of the car's weight, especially if they're not gas charged.


TorxKiwi - July 26th, 2012 at 09:30 PM

Thanks, I'll go that route first.


TorxKiwi - July 26th, 2012 at 09:33 PM

Any other bushings or bits I should be looking to replace while there?


waveman1500 - July 26th, 2012 at 11:41 PM

The only important bushes in the rear end are the torsion bar bushes. Be careful that you get the right ones, because there are a couple of different types for different years of bug. Go for the original rubber ones, not polyurethane. They work by twisting and the poly bushes don't twist enough, so they slip instead.

While you're there you could also check the rubbers in the body mounts I suppose. They usually crush down. If you're doing suspension bushes then the front swaybar bushes are the most important on strut bugs, so you may as well check them.


TorxKiwi - July 27th, 2012 at 03:40 AM

Cheers. Recently replaced sway bar bushings, so all good.


psimitar - July 27th, 2012 at 07:50 PM

Poly bushes are fine so long as you use the supplied grease on the moving surfaces.

Spline position table for lowering/raising Beetle

Above link to see how many splines are needed to adjust the sag out.


waveman1500 - July 27th, 2012 at 07:54 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by psimitar
Poly bushes are fine so long as you use the supplied grease on the moving surfaces.



The torsion bar bushes are not supposed to slide. They are designed to grip to the housing and the bar. The twisting motion is supposed to be allowed by the shear in the rubber. Poly bushes are too stiff, so they can't do this, which means that they slip around and wear out.


psimitar - July 27th, 2012 at 08:11 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by waveman1500
Quote:
Originally posted by psimitar
Poly bushes are fine so long as you use the supplied grease on the moving surfaces.



The torsion bar bushes are not supposed to slide. They are designed to grip to the housing and the bar. The twisting motion is supposed to be allowed by the shear in the rubber. Poly bushes are too stiff, so they can't do this, which means that they slip around and wear out.


Maybe if you have smooth doughnuts but not an issue with knobbly ones. Plus the grip of the back of the bush compared to the greased areas should stop the bush from spinning but maybe not. I got knobbly ones so they work just fine :)


TorxKiwi - July 28th, 2012 at 07:48 AM

Thanks for posting the link to the table psimitar. I knew it existed but was about t try and find it again. Saved me the hassle.


psimitar - July 28th, 2012 at 11:32 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by TorxKiwi
Thanks for posting the link to the table psimitar. I knew it existed but was about t try and find it again. Saved me the hassle.



no worries man :)


TorxKiwi - August 11th, 2012 at 10:48 PM

I fitted lowering struts on the front last week. Really happy with the outcome so decided to deal with the lopsided back end today.

All was travelling well so I thought I'd tidy up a split CV boot while I was at it ..... First mistake. Cleaning and re-greasing CV joints would be up there with the dirtiest of jobs I have ever done. Anyway all sorted and went to reinstall the drive shaft. Attached first end to transmission and here I hit a stumbling block. This thing is rock solid, almost no flex, so there is no way in hell I'll get it attached to the wheel.

I'm 99.9% sure that I've put them back together as they should be. Is it possible to pack to much grease into them? I've hit a road block.


OZ Towdster - August 12th, 2012 at 09:29 AM

I'dd hazard a guess that you have reassembled the cv wrong , ie you have the narrow spaces linning up with the narrow spacers from the inner to the outer cv housings


TorxKiwi - August 12th, 2012 at 06:27 PM

and that would probably be correct ... a new day, a clear head and the sun was shining. Dismantle, clean, reassemble without grease and all was working fine. Grease and reassemble, install, life is good.


1303Steve - August 12th, 2012 at 06:36 PM

Hi

New bushes in trailing arm front pivot point is a good idea as well.

I've never worn out a set of urethane bushes even on high mileage cars

Steve