4" narrowed beam & dropped spindles question

[Freezzr]

Hi dudes/dudettes,

I'm always reading a lot overhere, not posting a lot, but have a question to ask to the experienced lowering busdrivers....(I'm from Holland so excuse me if I write things incorrect)

I have a '77 bus (I know it's not a early bay matter of time ) and recently mounted a 4" adjustable narrowed beam (I think the one SSP sold) with a set of Transporterhaus dropped spindles (tyres 175/55/15). The bus got pretty low on the front. The ride however is hard, the arms won't move a thing so the only shockabsorbing goes through the tyres. The adjusters on the beam are set to raise the bus to the heighest position ( :shock: )

Is it normal that the arms don't move a thing? do you have this too?

 

[Clem]

Hi

I have the same design of dropped spindles (mine are T2D) but they move with plenty of travel ... the shocks I have are coilovers to minimise tyre rub.

Raising the adjusters is difficult due to the angles created by the dropped spindle balljoints, but by disconnecting it can be done.

 

[Freezzr]

Hi, do you also have the 4" narrowed beam?

 

[Slammed]

Sounds like your arms are seized. Do you know what bearings/bushes the beam uses?

 

[mychatype3]

Sounds like your arms are seized. Do you know what bearings/bushes the beam uses?

+1

In Dutch sorry : ik denk ook dat je draag-armen niet kunnen draaien, slechte kwaliteit urethaanlagers? Gingen de armen er makkelijk in of juist heel moeilijk in?

Greetz Mycha

 

[Slammed]

Sounds like your arms are seized. Do you know what bearings/bushes the beam uses?

+1

In Dutch sorry : ik denk ook dat je draag-armen niet kunnen draaien, slechte kwaliteit urethaanlagers? Gingen de armen er makkelijk in of juist heel moeilijk in?

Greetz Mycha

:lol: No problem Mycha. 8)

 

[Slammed]

Sounds like your arms are seized. Do you know what bearings/bushes the beam uses?

+1

In Dutch sorry : ik denk ook dat je draag-armen niet kunnen draaien, slechte kwaliteit urethaanlagers? Gingen de armen er makkelijk in of juist heel moeilijk in?

Greetz Mycha

Exactly (I translated it online!), when I fitted my 5 inch beam the bushes were really tight on the arms. I fixed it by knocking the bushes out and sanding the inside of the tubes where the bushes sit with 90 grit sand paper. I had to do it a few times, but it gives the bushes that extra bit of space to expand (literally a few thou) to let the arms move freely.

Hope this helps.

 

[Freezzr]

Hi Mycha and Slammed,

Yes they did go in pretty hard...I had to hammer them in with a rubber hammer...A friend said to use some vaseline and have same patience while they wear in a bit... (I think he says the same to his girlfriend )

I have the red urethane bushings... I'm really not into getting things apart again, but the sanding job sounds ok, so I have something to do this weekend...

 

[Freezzr]

ehm Slammed, how much travel do your arms have now?

 

[Slammed]

ehm Slammed, how much travel do your arms have now?

Loads! As much as a normal height bus has, it's only stopped by the wheel tubs.

 

[Slammed]

Hi Mycha and Slammed,

Yes they did go in pretty hard...I had to hammer them in with a rubber hammer...A friend said to use some vaseline and have same patience while they wear in a bit... (I think he says the same to his girlfriend )

I have the red urethane bushings... I'm really not into getting things apart again, but the sanding job sounds ok, so I have something to do this weekend...

They should be a push fit, ie you can force them in with your hands. I've had this problem with urethane bushes before.

If you get them to point where the arms move with some resistance thats about ok, they will loosen up a bit more, and you have to consider how much force the weight of a bus is putting on them than you.

 

[Clem]

Hi, do you also have the 4" narrowed beam?

Nope ... looks like that the issue! :mrgreen:

 

[Freezzr]

Hi Mycha and Slammed,

Yes they did go in pretty hard...I had to hammer them in with a rubber hammer...A friend said to use some vaseline and have same patience while they wear in a bit... (I think he says the same to his girlfriend )

I have the red urethane bushings... I'm really not into getting things apart again, but the sanding job sounds ok, so I have something to do this weekend...

They should be a push fit, ie you can force them in with your hands. I've had this problem with urethane bushes before.

If you get them to point where the arms move with some resistance thats about ok, they will loosen up a bit more, and you have to consider how much force the weight of a bus is putting on them than you.

Ok thanks, I was standing/jumping on the driver wheeltub and my friend look underneath the bus to check if the arms moved, but they didn't move a bit! (and I'm about 95kg...)

So to make a summary... I have to get things loose...loose...loose...

 

[matt-me]

[

So to make a summary... I have to get things loose...loose...loose...

I think you had better have a word with your friend and his vaseline... :lol:

 

[Freezzr]

[

So to make a summary... I have to get things loose...loose...loose...

I think you had better have a word with your friend and his vaseline... :lol:

Whahaha, yep, didn't know he was into that kind of stuff :lol:

 

[Freezzr]

Hi guys,

The urethane bushes have been adjusted by another friendly VW-freak...

I build everything together, I could push the trailing arms straight in without great force. Beam adjusters are in max high (raise) position. Transporterhaus dropped spindles mounted correctly...

And I'm still having a damn hard ride... Could this be because of the springleaves and beamadjusters being in the max high position?

I'm going to try some other shocks with springs on them end of the week... maybe that will help?