Front Axle Beam restoration - How do I un-tension springs to pull torsion arms?

I'm re-building an old VW sandrail and am starting at the front end. It had been sitting for many, many years so all the rubber was toast. Things are going ok so far but I can't figure out how to pull the front torsion arms as they are tensioned by the spring in the beam. The bump stop won't allow the torsion arm to go down far enough to release the pressure and let me pull it out of the beam. The local VW shop won't give me any advice because they want me to just give up and give it to them to do and pay 100/hour for (plus parts). Is there a trick to getting these torsion arms out or what? I don't want to cut off the bump stops, but I had thought about it. After replacing the gaskets I would give the front end a bit more clearance by welding the bump stops back on at a lower angle allowing the front end to sit higher, as long as it didn't push the tie rods at all against the frame.... Help!

Reply to
chicoik595
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It has been a while but did mine with the beam off the frame so maybe that's different if your beam is still on. Obviously first took all the other mess off (sway bars, ball joints, etc).

There's this Allan bolt on the arm you have to loosen. Mine was covered in gunk and wasn't even recognizable as a bolt. After that bolt was loosened, the arms pulled out after some persuading.

I don't remember there being much of a trick to it but it has been about two years now..

If you take out the torsion springs, I've read someplace it is a good idea to keep them in the same order. I had to swap them into a new beam so tied mine up with zip ties.

Reply to
Remco

BTW, I was talking about doing it on my bug. Now that I think about it more, I may be falsely assuming it has a similar front end. If so, please scratch what I was babbling about. If so, It is clearly still way too early for me. ;)

I think Shag here had/has a sandrail. On theSamba, I think USMCBug has one, if that is of use to you.

Reply to
Remco

The beam is off the front of the tube chassis. I wish it were as easy as you described but the problem i'm running into is the bump stop is holding the upper torsion arm right where it is, fully embedded into the beam tube. I need to find out how to either release the tension off the springs inside the tube, or get around that bump stop holding up against the torsion arm... so far no luck with hammering on it and trying to get it to budge... even if I get it off, getting it back on with the springs under tension will be near impossible...

Reply to
chicoik595 via CarKB.com

CarKB.comhttp://www.carkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx/vw-air-cooled/200704/1 Not sure if your beam is different, but could you perhaps get a scissor jack between the arms and pry the top arm up? I'm not saying that's the way to do that but just guessing how I'd do that. I don't remember a bump in mine that stopped it..

Reply to
Remco

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