Adjusting beam adjusters

[dan barber]

Hi, whats the method for adjusting the front beam. the bus has been lowered and had beam adjusters fitted, but i may raise it a touch if its easy enough. Theres an adjuster on each tube. Also new oil shocks have been fitted but they seem soft. I have the old kyb gas adjusters which could go back on, do you rate them or what, they want to expand all the time which may lift the front end.

cheers

 

[faux]

1. Jack the bus up
2. Secure on axle stands
3. Put a jack under one trailing arm so it takes the weight
4. mark where the adjuster sits
5. Undo the adjusters and lower the jack until it moves one adjustment (or to requires height)
6. Reverse 3, 2, 1

 

[dan barber]

cheers ,can you do one side of the bus at a time or do you need to get the hole front end jacked up? ta

 

[Araon]

the hole bus....the adjusters are in the centre....

 

[dan barber]

thanks again, will try the gas shocks first and if its still not happy il raise it up.

 

[NeilG88]

HELP!
I have followed every step and my adjusters don't move, even when force is used and the top of the adjusters are fully removed.

What can I do about this? (other than a stripdown / rebuild)
Cheers guys
Neil

 

[dan barber]

I couldnt shift mine either ,even with a long piece of timber as a lever. i gave up and left it as it is. the guy who fitted mine has adjusted them before but theres more to it. I think you need a ball joint of or something.

 

[Araon]

It shouldnt be that difficult as your raising the bus you are pushing down on the arms....

if you release the dampers with the front of the bus on stands and the adjusters released the weight of the spindles and wheels should be enough to drop the arms if not you have problems....

Out of curiosity the arm cant adjust lower (further up into the tub) can they?

the central retainer is sounding like its welded up or seized

Any pics

 

[NeilG88]

Thanks araon, the bus is pretty much as low as it can go (adjusters almost at the top) I'm thinking that they must be siezed internally... Balls!
Can I fix this without taking it all off do you think?

No pics I'm afraid...

 

[Araon]

You may as well do it properly and spend a day/weekend with the front on stands, see if its one tube or both, have a look at the quality of the welds on the adjusters, make sure its just not spatter/overspill fowling the centre of the adjusters...

Remove wheels and arms so that your just rotating the leaves if its still solid pull the leaves and see if the centre will move, if not your gonna need to break the weld try a tube butted up to the centre guide and a lump hammer....

good luck not always easy working round other peoples shit work

 

[bluebay]

As Araon said above remove dampers.I tried same thing yesterday and nothing would move until I realised it was the dampers at the end of their stroke holding the adjusters from moving.Removed them from the bottom mounts and the wheels dropped under their own weight.

 

[blondiedread]

My adjusters have always been tight, I figure they're better tight than loose.
To move them I jack up the whole front of the bus, put another jack under the arms to take the weight and then I screw a wheel bolt (same thread) into the central boss and TAP it up or down with a hammer. Don't hit the adjusters own set screw as these are hardened and you could cause invisible damage that could make it fail at a later date!


work for me.

Matt.

 

[NeilG88]

Cheers for the tips guys, I'll report back!
Hoping to get to Wales next weekend so fingers crossed, currently the tyres rub the arches!

 

[dan barber]

hi all, apparantly the way to do it is to release a ball joint on either side from the wheel drums/ back plate. this then allows each torsion bar to be moved seperately. Ive recently replaced a ball joint and they are v diff to sperate. you need to remove the nut from the ball joint then shock it out of the steering knuckle. or try a ball joint splitter if you can get one thats suitable. good luck.

 

[NeilG88]

Given in after trying all but taking it to pieces and gone for a quick fix set of lower profile tyres, ill find out on Wednesday if that's fixed the rubbing!
I figure why go through the hassle of taking it all to pieces days before a trip... and if it's all coming off it would be rude not to fit a new narrowed beam
Cheers for the help guys, I'm sure I'll be calling on you again!

 

[dan barber]

have you got R14 standard wheels on? if so what tyres did you manage to find, i spoke to a few tyre places and the only lower pro tyres they have are car tyres not van tyres.

 

[NeilG88]

I found some 185/65 r14 on a specialist van tyre site, http://www.camskill.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Fitting today so I'll let you know how it goes!

 

[NeilG88]

Hi! Made it to Wales, took the bus to my trusted mechanic and with the bus on a big stand we managed to get the leverage needed to free up the adjusters.

Sorted! Now next steps are to figure out what wheels I want!