[T3] Coil, Calipers, and Front Beam

[Adriel Rowley]

Brian came over to save my butt and get me out the pickle I got myself in.  I got the damaged beam removed, but could not install the replacement.  Brian got a bunch of pictures; not sure when they will be available.  Brian, thank you so much!

Apparently the tie rod took the impact, as the bars were centered and strait.  The grease was clean except a bit of fine metallic grit so wiped it all off and re-greased the beam real good; only had graphite additive grease available but figured good for C.V.s even better for bearings.  The bearings and bushings looked real good.  No cracks in the upper bushings, so real lucky.  Think this is a low mileage beam as grease looked it and the fact there is a number inked on the support for the shock absorber, but not a chassis number.  Could it be a body number?

Worked good as a team, as while I was rebuilding the beam, Brian replaced the tie rod ends, then while he was getting the ball joints out, I was doing odds and ends.  Then as a team swapped to the best steering box as two were grinding.  Installed the best Pittman arm meaning had the best bushing and then the best steering dampener, but will have to be replaced down the road.  The one on the Squreback was a nice German one, but was bent about three inches from the end.  Guess that is why my turning radius was a bit wide, right?

We got the beam in which was a royal pain.  I need at least one of the upper rubber mounts, the one on the bottom side of the bracket so not fully in.  Also, the middle mounts with the square hats take a lot of force to turn the bolts.  Why?  Should I tap them?  Not sure I have large enough tap: 12x1.5?

All that is left is to get the spindles with all the bits in by bolting up the ball joints.  Trouble with the new uppers I have is the shaft is about 2mm larger in diameter than the hole.  What is this about?  Any solution?  I have the used upper ball joints, except for a small crack in their boots.  Do have plastic plugs so could keep them greased if I could not get new boots.


Thank you,
Adriel

----------------------------------------
> From: topnotch at nycap.rr.com
> To: type3 at vwtype3.org
> Date: Sun, 3 Jul 2011 17:53:49 -0400
> Subject: Re: [T3] Coil, Calipers, and Front Beam
>
> Pull the lower bars and arms and have a look, if they are straight and
> concentric go for it, if not, let us know... you can bend and arm and not a
> beam especially if the beam is solid and not rusty but you wont really know
> till you put new arms in it and try to get an alignment... what happens it
> is knocks the caster out and even in a stock height normal setup the caster
> is often half to 2/3 of the 4 degree spec it should be, so you don’t have
> any to spare.
>
> Keith
>
>
> Top Notch Restorations
> topnotch at nycap.rr.com
> http://www.a383ina68.addr.com/radiorest/main.htm
> 71 Squareback "Hothe"
> 65 Notchback "El Baja Rojo"
> 65 Squareback "Eggcrate"
> 87 golf "Winterat"
> 93 RX7 "Redstur"
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org
> [mailto:type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org] On Behalf Of Adriel
> Rowley
> Sent: Sunday, July 03, 2011 3:26 PM
> To: type3 at vwtype3.org
> Subject: Re: [T3] Coil, Calipers, and Front Beam
>
>
>
>
> ----------------------------------------
> > From: topnotch at nycap.rr.com
> > To: type3 at vwtype3.org
> > Date: Sun, 3 Jul 2011 15:06:58 -0400
> > Subject: Re: [T3] Coil, Calipers, and Front Beam
> >
> > No, not really, it bends the ends of the beam where the lower tubes are
> > mounted, hard to see that.
> >
> > I checked the length of the beam with a strait edge, and there is not any
> > bend to it. To me, that is a good sign right?
> >
> > The torsion bars are equally set in the arms, is that what you are talking
> > about?
> >
> > Where the bar comes out of the arm on the inside (inside the beam) if its
> in
> > the center of the round arm then your OK, you cant tell anything on the
> > outside end.
> >
> Thank you for clarifying!  So, should I mount it, or wait?
>
>
> Thank you,
> Adriel
>
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