front beam

bill hauck · Post by **bill hauck** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 9:41 am

Matt: thanks for the list. we'll see how it goes!!!

bill hauck · Post by **bill hauck** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 9:34 pm

Matt: what size hex wrench removes the grub screw from the torsion arm?? Got most of the old beam apart. hard time getting the tie rod ends out. what a job!!!

volksbugusa · Post by **volksbugusa** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 4:14 am

bill hauck wrote:Matt: what size hex wrench removes the grub screw from the torsion arm?? Got most of the old beam apart. hard time getting the tie rod ends out. what a job!!!

Bill
8 mm is the ticket....tie rods are always a pita

dont worry about it once you put heat on the rod it will turn...
replace with good german ends,,,,if you need anythingelse you know how to get in touch....

matt

bill hauck · Post by **bill hauck** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 8:11 am

thanks Matt. might have to contact my mechanic buddy. he has a torch.

I don't think a hand held propane torch will do it.

bill hauck · Post by **bill hauck** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 8:59 pm

Matt: any trick to getting the torsion bars back in?? do they go in one at a time or am I missing something?? they seem to catch in the center near the indentations.

By the way, the ball joint press did not work. Will have to take it to a pro.

volksbugusa · Post by **volksbugusa** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 3:26 am

bill
GO TO MY SITE AND LOOK AT THE BEAM REBUILD LOOK AT ALL THE PICTURES C CLAMP http://volksbugusa.shutterfly.com/

the grub bolts should not be set in untill the one set of arms are installed on one side and then install the grub bolts on that side...you should be able to see the half moon on the spring plates to line things up as you are sliding the arm on.Some time the spring plates will move and you will see this by keeping an eye on the other side. No big deal just use a rubber mallet and hit the spring plate and keep looking for the half moon to take shape on the side that you are trying to install the first set.I always use one super big c clamp and kind of wedge it on one of the beam corners and then the screw down side of the clamp on the edge of the torsion arm.This will compress against the new beam seal.....if you still have problems email me at

volksbugusa@optonline.net i will give you my cell # we will talk

cheers[/b]

bill hauck · Post by **bill hauck** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 8:32 am

I see the photos: Do you intall the torsion bar ends in the torsion bar end first, screw down the grub screw and then insert the bars in the beam??? I do see how all the indentations line up.

I assume, then, that I could use a rubber mallet to tap in the bars hitting the outside end ot the torsion arm, correct??

volksbugusa · Post by **volksbugusa** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 6:23 pm

Bill
Are you also saying the bars are out of the beam?

bill hauck · Post by **bill hauck** » Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:26 am

Matt: can't seem to get the torsion bars in. What am I missing?? Even separating them I cannot get them all in.

volksbugusa · Post by **volksbugusa** » Fri Dec 05, 2008 5:43 pm

bill lets start from the beginning
-remove all the grub screws
-clean torsion bars
-coat bars with clean multi purpose grease
-aline so the the countersunk recesses are perfect
-slide the set of bars into the beam
-aline the center of the bar with the hole for the set screw
thats it

i think you forgot to remove some grubs let me know
you know how to get in touch...

matt

bill hauck · Post by **bill hauck** » Fri Dec 05, 2008 6:43 pm

can't seem to get the torsion springs installed. even in sections, cannot get all of them in.

should I "tape" the end I am inserting to try and keep the leaves together?

volksbugusa · Post by **volksbugusa** » Sat Dec 06, 2008 3:37 am

bill hauck wrote:can't seem to get the torsion springs installed. even in sections, cannot get all of them in.

should I "tape" the end I am inserting to try and keep the leaves together?

BILL YOU CAN ONLY USE GREASE
-remove all the grub screws
-clean torsion bars
-coat bars with clean multi purpose grease
-aline so the the countersunk recesses are perfect
-slide the set of bars into the beam
-aline the center of the bar with the hole for the set screw
thats it

i think you forgot to remove some grubs let me know
you know how to get in touch...

matt
_________________

volksbugusa · Post by **volksbugusa** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 7:15 am

bill
if you are still having a problem try this after cleaning and re applying grease to all the plates.line up the half moon holes,then take a c clamp and clamp the plates together on the one end and spot weld the plate edges...dont go crazy just a little zap to hold..once thru
you can grind the weld spots off GO EASY PLEASE....
let me know

bill hauck · Post by **bill hauck** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:55 am

to all interested in this item, Matt's suggestion about a bead of weld on the tip of the torsion bar cluster did the trick!!! Many thanks to Matt for the suggestion.

Blue Baron · Post by **Blue Baron** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 10:53 am

Back in the day of the rusty Beetle, they used to sell weld-in repair kits for the front axle beams. Ball joint Beetles typically rusted out on the shock towers between the two front alxle tubes, and this kit fixed the problem without having to tear out the front end. I still have one of these kits buried away somewhere...

Finding one and installing it might be your best bet.

The 1966 VW Beetle Forum

front beam

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front beam

front beam

front beam

front beam

Re: front beam

front beam