upper torsion arms binding - suggestions?

robl245 · Joined: 05 Jun 2008 Posts: 31 Location: Athol, ID

I've just installed a used narrowed (2 in) beam with sway-a-way style adjusters in my 71 standard bug. I have a wanted add looking for a stock beam, but I'm still not quite ready to give up on this one quite yet. The lower torsion arms move up and down nice and freely (I mean nice and springy). The uppers seem to be binding. I pulled the drivers side out, cleaned it up, regreased and reinstalled it. It still doesn't move as easily as the bottom, but it's probably acceptable. The passenger side though is stuck fast when pushed back in all the way. I can move it up and down if I really reaf on it.

Anybody ever experience this? Causes? Could the top tube be bent?

When it first catches the spring it's fine, but when shoved in that last inch or two, it's a super tight fit. It's greased up nice. It's hard to look down the tube with the spring in there.

Any suggestions?

Thanks everyone.

robl245 · Joined: 05 Jun 2008 Posts: 31 Location: Athol, ID

Just thinking out loud..... What if I clean things out in the offending end of the beam tube and run a hone through there? (one of these: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=97163

Good / Bad idea?

[EDIT] After looking at a front end diagram, I now see that there is some sort of bushing in there. So, the hone is probably a bad idea. Maybe a messed up inner bushing then? Are there inner bearings also (in addition to the ones in the ends)?

CustomVW · Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:11 pm Post subject:

I would suspect the bearing in the end of the tube has failed.

Bad Bug Two · Joined: 23 Feb 2007 Posts: 94 Location: Spokane, WA

There should be a roller bearing on the outer most part of the tube and a bushing inside. The only time I have ever run into this same problem I ended up carefully honing the inside bushing. I removed all of the torsion leaves, honed it a little at a time until the trailing arm moved as I wanted and then cleaned it up, regreased and reassembled it.

While it was apart, I checked all four, just to make sure the moved smoothly without the springs inside. This was a brand new beam that I was putting in a car, so they must have made a mistake on the new bushing.

Good luck!

Cool

CustomVW · Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2009 4:08 pm Post subject:

mkae sure, when repairing it, to check the hardened surface on the torsion arm.