[T3] Parting out front axle and rear subframe!

Jim Adney jadney at vwtype3.org
Sat Sep 17 09:59:26 PDT 2011


Last week I discovered something that I hadn't known and hadn't 
suspected about our IRS rear axle subframes. I had always assumed 
that the space the torsion bars was in was a sealed space, sealed by 
the rubber bushings on each end. It just seemed to me that this would 
be the way to do it, to keep water off the torsion bars and prevent 
rust.

When I pulled the torsion bars out, however, they were wet in places, 
even though the rubber spring plate bushings seemed to be sealed. The 
next thing I noticed was that there was a spot of rustproofing on 
each torsion bar, about 6-8" from each inner end. Looking over the 
subframe weldment, I can't see any hole there, but there is a sort of 
"cap" that wraps about halfway around the torsion tube in that area. 
That cap has holes in it, but there are no holes visible in the 
torsion tube if you look thru the holes in the "cap."

I always thought the caps were some sort of reinforcement, but 
looking at it closer, now I think it covers some vent holes in the 
torsion tube and has vent holes of its own that are offset from the 
torsion tube holes. VW must have discovered that they couldn't seal 
that space well enough to keep water from getting in, so they 
provided a way for water to get out.

I'd appreciate it if someone could look at their swing axle subframe 
and let us know if the same "caps" appear there. Also, are they there 
in the very early cars, too.

The caps wrap about halfway around the torsion tubes and are located 
on the forward face of the torsion tubes, just outboard of the center 
forging that has the torsion bar splines and that the tranny attaches 
to. You can easily see at least part of them from below.

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Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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