UPDATED..... HELP WITH LOWERING...

[bluelighttaxidriver]

Had to change my front beam, and managed to get one with the csp adjusters already fitted.
Finally got the wheels on the ground today but it sits far too low for my liking. Probably more so because it runs lower profile tyres at the front....
So obviously I want to raise it slightly via the adjusters...
Do I raise to the desired height using jacks, then loosen the adjusters? Or raise it totally?
Just not sure what to expect when I undo them. Don't particularly want a lazy bay settling on my chest..... :?

 

[Slammed]

Raise it higher than you want it, put axle stands underneath, loosen the adjusters after counting how many teeth are visible, the wheels should drop, if not force them down, count how many teeth the adjusters have moved, if its right tighten them up, if its not right, move the wheels again, tighten up adjusters, drop the bus back down, if it looks a better height then job done, if not, repeat procedure. Don't forget when you drive the bus it'll settle another inch or so.

 

[bluelighttaxidriver]

Nice one, thanks. Get that done, then shocks, then mobile again.....

 

[bluelighttaxidriver]

Excuse the language, but way past f****d off now.... :evil:

Jacked the van up, wheels wouldn't budge. Bounced them for ages, slight give and the top adjuster had moved down nicely. Bottom one stuck fast.
Think I'll be clever, & lower it down, to crack the bottom bar, in case it had seized. Moved it perfectly, but both adjusters are at the top, meaning the van would be lower than it was to start with, but I needed it higher...
Now neither adjuster will budge, with me & the missus bouncing the wheels like twats....
Am I missing something, or is there an easier way...?

 

[bluelighttaxidriver]

Used a metal bar on each side & jumped some more. Gave slightly and the upper adjuster is about right, with 4 splines showing, but the lower has only moved to halfway, and will not go any further..... Ideas....

 

[uber cool]

if you need to resort to bars and jumping there is something seriously wrong. Time to stop and have a think.

Can you strip off the hubs (split the balljoints) remove the shocks, see if they move with only the arms attached, should move easliy, If still stiff take off the arms strip out the leaf springs and check it all out, Sounds like the adjusted are siezed, or maybe even welded in the wrong position, can you ost up a pic of the adjusters on the beam

 

[61 stu]

Have you got stock shocks or shortened ones fitted at the front?

If they're stock then it should adjust higher no probs, if they're shorter uprated shocks then they may be at there full length and not allowing you to raise the height any further, id try undoing the lower shock mount and disconnecting the shocks from the trailing arms and just see if the adjusters will then move round.

 

[bluelighttaxidriver]

Not got any shocks on yet, beam came without any...
Waiting for a reply from the guy I bought it off, to make sure of no surprises...
Does anyone have a balljoint seperator large enough to do the ones on the links, that I could borrow..? Got a standard one, but not big enough to fit around them.
I've completely loosened both the upper & lower adjusters, but the bars are just not moving inside the beams.
For some reason this forum won't upload pictures from my iphone.
Starting to hope I haven't paid £300 on a dud.....

 

[bluelighttaxidriver]

Me again.....
Been outside studying it again. Point of interest, the nearside hub springs a fair way up & down, but the offside seems to stop on something solid & immobile with very little downward movement.
I have locked off the upper beam adjuster, as I didn't want to lose that setting. Should I leave it loose...?
Not found a balljoint separator big enough on any search engine. Local garage say they don't have one either.
Had better days......

 

[froggy]

Get some pictures up so we can see whats not happening

 

[bluelighttaxidriver]

For some reason it won't let me load photos.....
There's nothing odd looking externally anyway. just that the top adjuster shows 3 ribs left, and the bottom has about 7.....
At work at the mo, so can't get to it, but something occurred to me. There can't be anything physical inside that would cause a hard stop on the arms. Except maybe, could the grease nipple that side be in too far..? Could that interfere if so?

 

[Harlequin]

but something occurred to me. There can't be anything physical inside that would cause a hard stop on the arms. Except maybe, could the grease nipple that side be in too far..? Could that interfere if so?

or broken spring leaf ?

 

[Slammed]

If there's movement in the arms the adjuster is seized. Matt had a similar problem on his beam, they need to be greased regularly, or is it a new beam?

Doesn't sound like a nipple of broken springleaf. Try getting heat on it, get it dead hot, so grease is pouring out of every gap, and then try and budge it. As has been said, sounds like the beam is not right, but at least you might be able to get the height you want.

 

[Frisco69]

My weedeater beam will not adjust unless I disconnect everything. I also bounced up and down on the wheel like a **** :roll:

I use a copper and hyde hammer on the side of the spindle where the tapered parts goes through (not the joint) to seperate the bottom and lower joints. Leave the nut on a few threads when you do this.

 

[bluelighttaxidriver]

Ok thanks everyone. Much appreciated.
Hoping to get time tomorrow to get out there again. Will try everything suggested then.
Honestly does feel like a physical metal on metal obstacle on just the drivers lower beam.
Bought the whole beam off someone on here, and no reason to doubt him. He has said it was always stiff to adjust, but the advice to bash the proverbial out of it is a bit daunting. Can't afford to replace it again..... :?
A neighbour did suggest that maybe the van has been raised up sometime, using the jack under the beam as support. Would it take that weight, or bend slightly...? That would surely stop the inner tube moving smoothly.....
Thanks again. Steve,

 

[Slammed]

I doubt jacking it up on the beam would bend it. I've done it dozens of times and not had a problem. Sounds like your arm is seized, I'd be inclined to strip the spindle and drum off that time, take off the locking grub screw off the arm and knock that arm out to have a look whats going on.
Use a BIG hammer! And let us know what it looks like.

 

[Frisco69]

He has said it was always stiff to adjust, but the advice to bash the proverbial out of it is a bit daunting. Can't afford to replace it again..... :?

It wont harm it. Alot of the time it's the only way. As long as you use a copper and hide hammer you'll be fine and the joint should just pop out of the tapered hole. Wear some eye and ear protection aswell. Try to resist using heat as you could burn or melt the rubber and create more work.

If you can get all the parts seperated you'll have a much better chance of finding your problem.

 

[bluelighttaxidriver]

SORTED...!!!!!
Took the arms off. Nothing unusual. The physical stop was the limit of the balljoint movement.
Grease nipples don't go in far enough to affect anything.
Bit the bullet & heated the centre of the beam up, around the adjuster....
Lots of errr.. encouragement, then suddenly it moved down reasonably easily....
New shocks turned up exactly as the wheels went on...
Just got back from a test drive. All seems fine. Bit softer on the front than the previous red9 shocks & springs, but probably a good thing.
Many thanks for all the advice everyone. Many's the time this forum has been invaluable for advice and spares.
Steve.
(One very happy bay driver.... )

 

[Frisco69]

Glad you got it sorted.