How do i lower the rear suspension on a 1967 vw beetle?

Answer 1

hey mate.. you need to drop one spline on the rear torsions,, i am doing the job on my brothers 67 sortly.. we have just fitted drop spindles in the front and the tyres rubbed the guards..so we fitted a 65 profile tyres,,had 80 profile,, now it is sweet and low at the front,, so we have to drop the rear to get it looking good all round,,

i will let you know how things go

cheers

t.j.

Just lifted mine last week, so this is pretty fresh in my mind. Also I now know all the things that they don't tell you in the manual!! Once you know this stuff, it is pretty easy...............oh, this was done on a swing axle car - I would guess that this is everything pre Super Beetle? Oh, sorry if it's a bit dumbed down, but I would like to think this could be done by anyone who has the time and inclination!

1. Equipment required.
2. Method.

1. Equipment required:

• Trolley jack,
• Strong arm bar,
• Ratchet
• 15mm, 17mm and 19mm spanners and sockets,
• x2 10mm spanners,
• Axle stand,
• Wheel chocks,
• Assortment of levering tools (I used some old tyre levers, chisels and jemi bars),
• Brass or copper dolly (or wood if you are desperate {a dolly is a tool that is used as an intermedetary between a hammer and the thing you are hitting - to stop you from damaging the part you are attacking})
• An internet.
• A protractor (yes an old school plastic one will do).

2. Method:

• Decide how much lift/drop you want and then look at www.bugbabe.co.UK to work out how to rotate the torsion bars.
• Chock a front wheel - hey you don't want it rolling off from you - oh and putting the handbrake on is a good idea!
• Pull back the gator (rubber shroud) from around the hand brake lever, slacken the 10mm nuts (M6) as far as you can, a then pull the retaining plate off the small tit on the lever mechanisim (if you don't do this, you won't be able to pull the axle out of the way in four steps time) .
• Jack the car up and remove a rear wheel, and place on axle stand (put the stand under the subframe (the chassis bit your side of the engine/trans).
• Remove the 3 bolts that attach the spring plate (the long thin pivot arm) to the axle casing, you will then be able to remove the bottom bump stop (the rubber cone thing).
• Remove the long bolt at the base of the shocker.
• Pull the axle backwards out of the spring plate.
• Now for the H&S bit: YOUR SUSPENSION IS STILL SUBJECT TO TORSIONIAL (twisty or to be more precise rotational, or angular) PRESSURE, THE SPRING PLATE WANTS TO SPRING DOWN. DON'T PUT SOFT BODY PARTS BETWEEN IT AND THE GROUND!!
• At the inboard end of the spring plate, remove the four bolts that hold the bush housing, then remove the housing and the rubber bush.
• You will now see that the only thing stopping the spring plate from coming down (remember, with force, and quickly) is a small lip on the chassis. Use your levering devices (jemi's etc) to prise the plate over the lip. When you manage, there will be a bit of a bang as the torsion bar comes to a relaxed state, but don't worry, as long as your legs wern't under it, it's okay!!
• Now for the first thing they don't tell you........
• Measure the angle between the subframe and the spring plate. I think (though only guessing) that standard is about 70 degrees. For some reason the manuals give you the angle from desired horozontal, which I found of no use! My car was lowered at the back, and when the spring plates were in their relaxed state, measured abot 60 degrees, one turn on the outbord side gave me an extra 10 degrees.
• IMPORTANT: If you are only going to turn the spline position at the outboard end, you do NOT want to dissengage the shafts at the inboard end. This is the second thing they don't tell you! Oh and no, marking the position of the arms is not important, only jotting down the angle!
• Lever the spring plate, no more than 1/2" at a time, then, with the dolly, knock the shaft back home to ensure it does not come out of the splines at the inboard end. If you are moving the bar at both ends, ignore this bit, you just need to move everything 'till you get the desired angle.
• Right, you have now got your desired lift/drop. Lets box it all up!
• This is the 3rd thing they don't tell you in the books....
• Whilst the suspension is still relaxed, replace the rubber bushes and end caps (do not tighten fully yet, but this is by far the easiest time to replace them - trust me - if you try to do it when you have the spring plate jacked, the shaft ends up off center and the end cap becomes a sod to re-fit)
• Jack up the spring plate as high as you can, and push the axle back in to place.
• Fanny on with the jack, to enable you to replace all of the bolts for it and the shocker.
• Jack the car up under the hub, so that the suspension is compressed, and the spring plate is above the stop on the subframe.
• Tighten the bolts on the end plate - the manual does specify a torque for this, but, if you don't have a torque wrench, here's another tip - engineers tend to be fairly clever chaps. a 15mm spanner is the length it is for a reason! The average human force on the end of it will give the normally ideal torque for that size nut/bolt, without stretcing the threads too much. I tend to tighten 'till I find the "nipping point", then tap the spanner with my palm, or a small hammer a further 20-30 degrees. That's just what I do, read the book for the correct settings!
• Put the wheels back on, re-connect the handbrake, take out the stands and chocks, and man, you are soooooo good to go......