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IRS Parts

Trailing Arm
Drill Jig

S.A. Parts

S.A. Tips

S.A. Transmission

*Alum. Wheels

*Disc Brk. Kit

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in Pivots

*Spring Plates
IRS short bars

*Spring Plate Retainers

*Spring Plate Stops

*Spring Plates
IRS short bars

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   10/15/08*

Before taking apart the suspension, level the car and measure and record the spring plate angle for later reference. The spring plate angle is measured with no pre load on the torsion bar. Find the new bar diameter and pre load angle in the chart. Use the pre load angle from the table for setting the new bars to get stock ride height.

Short Bars 21 3/4" long x 22mm...1960-68 T-1 Swing Axel

Intermediate 24 11/16" long 71-74 T-1 IRS

Long Bars 26 9/16" long 1968-70 T-1 IRS

Inner end of each torsion bar has 40 splines and is firmly anchored in the center of the rear torsion housing (each spline changes angle 9 degrees )
 One Inner spline moves the axle about 2-9/16" (Note: The change in height of the car will very somewhat depending on Bar Length)

Outer end of each torsion bar has 44 splines ( each spline changes angle 8 degrees 10 minutes )

So one notch or spline on the Outer End (spring plate) moves the Axel about 2-3/8" up or down. 

Now we see that by moving each end one spline in opposite directions we move the Axel about 3/16" or just 50' 

With the frame level and the Spring Plate off the stop in its free position. Place your magnetic protractor (Tool #34214) on the Spring Plate to determine the spring plate angle.

VW recommends the following for Stock VW T1 Bugs.

17 degrees 30 minutes +/-50' for Short Swing Axel 22mm bars
20 degrees +50' for the short 21mm Swing Axel diameter bars
20 degrees +50' for the long IRS 22mm diameter bars

->> We recommend setting the S.A. spring plates at 27' for Buggies that run off road and building up the lower stop 1/8" to 3/16" or use part #AC511109 . . Not available at present to keep the wheels from tucking in.

Sway-A-way suggest that The ride height changes by 1” for each 3 ½ degreed of pre load, EXAMPLE: If you want to lower the car by 1”, reduce the table pre load by 3.5 degrees.   ( This was right on the money when changing ride height on the VW Thing.)

VW Thing set at 29' puts the spring plate right on the stops. But this gives a very rough ride. We recommend setting the spring plates at 26' for a much better ride and you only lose about 1" to 1 1/2" ground clearance.

The Stock IRS spring plate will normally set about 1/8"-3/16" above the lower spring plate stop when get out of the car on a flat surface. IRS Spring Plates for short Bars *ck      Trailing Arm Drill Jig

One notch on outer spline will normally take the suspension from to soft to extra hard. Moving the Axel up or down 2-3/8" is a very big change. H.D. 26mm bars

For this reason set the spring plate to the angle desired and make sure you end up with both sides set the same.

Note: We find it easer to remove the torsion bar and set the Spring Plate in the inner bushing.

Then pull the spring plate to the desired angle and with chalk or magic marker mark the desired angle along the top edge of the spring plate.

Next insert the torsion bar in the housing and align the spring plate to your mark.
If it does not align up then pull the bar out and rotate it 1/4 to ½ turn and try again. 

This trial and error method woks faster then calculating the number of teeth each end must be rotated.

Note: When you pry the spring plates off the lower stop it will drop 4 to 6" So don't have any thing in its path.

On IRS suspensions its best to check that the distance between the Transmission CV flange and stub Axel flange are the same on both sides. (Do this with the rear wheels off the ground.)

We always check for free play on both the IRS axles when the suspension is fully compressed. If one Axel gets tight that CV is not going to last as the cage will not take any side loading.

Those frame horns are made of some pretty light metal and will do fine on stock Bugs but when the torsion is installed in a buggy its best to run some braces from your solid Transmission mount up to the Buggy frame. 

When pulling the Spring Plate back up into position (on the spring plate stop) if you remove the pressure, the spring plate will be setting on the spring plate stop and the four bolts can not be installed in the cap.
 The trick is to place a bar of some sort ( jack handle or large screwdriver ) in one of the shock tower holes above the middle of the spring plate, Then apply upward pressure on the spring plate, letting it pivot on the bar, this will lower the torsion bar end of the spring plate and let you start the four bolt that hold the  spring plate cap.

**-- Suspension Rear Equalizer Torsion Bar "Parts Book" --> *Click
**-- IRS Trailing Arm Bolt  Lock, Keep's bolt in place --> *Click

Weld in IRS Pivots to convert Swing Axle to IRS rear suspension-> *ck  S.A. Tips->*Click --- Spring Plate Retainers->*ck --- S.A. Torsion->*Click
 --- IRS Torsion->*Click --- Long Travel Shocks --order  ---  26mm bars->*ck  --- IRS Spring Plates for short Tor/bars->*ck  
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 Trailing Arm Tubular Kit # V1044 - $79.97 -- *ck      
 Shock Kit for use with Long Travel Shocks &  Trailing Arm Tubular Kit # V1044S - $79.97 -- *ck
 Shock Kit for use with Std. Stock Shocks -- *ck 


   Spring Plate went past stop. Recommend Spring Plate Retainers