Front Beam Change

Hi all,

I am in the middle of changing my rotten front beam and have never done this before and have a few questions?


1 - How do I reduce torsion bar pressure so I can remove the suspension arms? The manual I have says to reduce it but doesnt tell me how?
2 - Does anyone know if earlybay/late bay suspesions arms are the same? (they look very similar)
3 - When refitting the torsion bars and arms to the new beam, is it best to install before fitting the beam to the bus or after?
4 - How do you re set the torsion bar pressure or is it fixed?
Finally, if the new beam is a modern one without bump stops, how do you fit the spindles back on to the suspension arms as with standard beam the top arm rests on the bump stop?
I know there is a lot of pressure involved and will have an experienced mate to help but he hasnt done it before)

Hope I am making sense???

Cheers

Clink

Photos below

 

You need to get the hub off the trailing arms by spit ting the balljoints, if you only seperate the one without the camber but on you shouldn't need to set the camber after, the spring rate is preset, the arms will pop on easy to the new beam if they are seperate

 

Many thanks for the quick reply.

I'm planning to swap over the trailing arms for a set off my first replacement beam as I have had new ball joints fitted to them and need to make sure they're the same?

I will have to swap over the torsion bars and everything over as orignally I had wanted to have a beam ready to go on as a straight replacement but that idea went skewiff big time!

 

in an ideal world, you'd have removed the top bump stops and torsion arms before dropping the beam. your best bet now is as davidoft says, split the balljoints and remove the steering knuckle. the lower arms will just slide out then. the top arms will still be under slight tension, so lever them up slightly and knock them out with a mallet until they clear the bumpstop mount. the arms are the same on early and late vans as are the ball joints, but the steering knuckles will be diffrent if the new beam came off a '70 van with front drums.

 

Thanks, the first beam was being used on a split with discs and was a 69-71 beam.

Good news on the suspension arms but sorry to ask what do you mean exactly by ' steering knuckles'.

 

A 69-71 beam wouldn't fit on a split. A 68 beam would.
Steering knuckle/spindle. There are 3 types. Early for drums, cross-over for early disks/calipers and later for later bay discs and calipers.

 

Thanks Zed, it must have been from a 68 then and not exactly what I was advised.

If I have my existing steering arm to use and and a new steering pin fitted to my new beam I should be ok?

 

All or any of your old bits will fit on your new beam and this is the thing to do if your old bits are known to be in good order.
Fit the idler and arm while it's off as access is easier, then fit the beam before building up the arms spindles and brakes. All the bits are easier to assemble when the beam is held up in the air by the bus plus all built up it's very heavy to fit.

 

I thought '68 and '69 had the early bolt spacing?

 

A 69-71 sounded like a cross-over beam with early discs which would have fitted?
I must say this thread is a wee bit confusing as not sure if the pictures are of the original beam, one bought in error or the latest one.

 

I meant the beam to chassis bolt spacing. I'd forgotten about the cross-over knuckles and my van's a cross-over. Doh
Yep it is a bit confusing, I thought he'd bought one of the new beams 'cause he said something about it not having bumpstops.

 

Hi, sorry guys for any confusion with my post.

The beam shown in the photos at the start of this post is my old one removed from my 76 van.

I had bought a replacement one and planned to complete a like for like swap (see photo below) but it turned out to be a earlier model as the hole sizes where it bolts to the chassis were at the smaller centres. (my big mistake)

I have since sold this set on and bought a new modern type beam

http://www.justkampers.com/vw-t2-ba...idth-beam-adjustable-vw-t2-bay-1967-1979.html#

and am in the proccess of swapping everthing over from my 76 beam including other suspension arms with new BJ's fitted.

The question re bump stops was with the new beam there isn't any stop for the top arm to rest against when refitting the stub axle, but I guess you fit the bottom first and jack it up until you can fit the top one and the tighten up?

Also do I fit the anti roll bar before putting the hub on or after?

Many thanks

Clink.

 

Hi Clink - ::I am also replacing a beam on my 76 westie and also live in Hampshire (Portsmouth) whereabouts are you?

 

Get the hubs on the ball joints, then ARB, but honestly I'd do all this once the beam is on the van.

 

Hi Sid76, I'm up in other end of Hampshire near Andover so quite a few miles away?

Thanks Zed, I plan to do most on the work as suggested on the bus as it make sense.
I'll post some picture up as I go and thanks for the help.
Cheers
Clink.

 

They changed half way through 69, so it has to be early 69..

 

Hi All,
Further on with my beam installation and need a bit of advice?
I have fitted the stub axles see photo below but havent tightened the ball joints fully yet. I know I have to keep the camber bush facing forward but do you tighten them both to 72 ft lb as you go or only the bottom one?
When the bus is back on the road I am going to take it my local garage to set the tracking etc so will they need to adjust it?
Thanks
Clink

 

Hi Clint -can't help you with your question but hoping you might be able to help me! I am also replacing a beam (without bump stops) I have fitted the torsion arms but am struggling to fit the stub axles. Don't want to damaged the threads on the new ball joints -is this a 2 handed job?
Cheers
Derek

 

Thanks MorkC68, all done now and have tightened both to the correct torque (72 lb ft) and now just need to fit the track rods, ARB, shocks and put the hubs back on.
When she goes to the garage to check the tracking they can check it and adjust if needed.

Hi SID76, tbh fitting the stub axles was easier than I thought and to be sure I checked with the supplier and also another vw garage and they are easier to fit without bump stops.
When I first looked at it, it was daunting but borrowed a VW Bentley manual and with that and a Haynes manual, did it. I moved the ball joints so they were pointing down and then put the bottom one in first and put the nut on fully (but not torqued up) and then lifted the lower one up so the top ball joint went through the top one with the camber nut in and then tightened them both up keeping the notch on the camber facing front.
You may want to jack the lower arm up a bit until you can get the nut on fully on the top

I initially had a problem as I had set the adjusters at the highest height ( see my post re gear linkage rod) in error as when I changed the torsion leaves over I moved the adjusters and set them in the wrong position - doh! I twigged later what I done and set he adjusters to the standard height solving the gear link problem and then found the axles easier to fit.

This has been the first one I have done and it has been a learning curve alright but wouldn't be so worried now if I had to do it again.

Hope this helps

Clink