Early VW Rear suspension question

Has anyone played with the torsion bars in the older VW suspensions?

I was thinking of using the tube and arms with 30mm bars for the suspension on my trucks rear suspension.

Kinds like a sprint Car has the arms that press against the axle, I would use the arms from the bug to press down using a link of sorts pressing on the lower control arm of the Eldo suspension.

i think i understand what you are trying to accomplish, but not sure why? why not use the eldo suspension since its already there? also i imagine that the caddy big block and trans have to weigh almost as much as an entire beetle by themselves, even with 30mm bars would it still be to soft?

My problem is the shape of the lower control arms dont allow me to put coilovers on them since the axle is rater large, The stock torsion bars are 60 inchs long and I only have 16 inches of room to the back of the truck.

I could put the coil over on the UCA but I know the arm would have to be worked on and the ball joint was not designed to be weight baring.

I thought about getting some bar stock and making a short bar inserted in the stock torsion bar location and supported in the back by a pillow block and make a short arm to attach the coilover there but its pretty space challenged there too.

I have also thought about making the stock torsion bars point forward and setting up the anchor cross member under the truck,

I will have to brainstorm while staring at it I guess.

Is there anywhere I can rent a set of scales? Im interested to know just how much all of this weighs.

The Super Beetle and Porsche 924/944/968 use the same torsion bars.

There is a chart here:

http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/susp-15.htm

That shows the spring rates of the various diameters of torsion bars based on the length of the stock trailing arm. Change the length of that lever or trailing arm and the rate will change.

In reply to MulletTruck:

You can make a set of scales for cheap using bathroom scales & some scrap steel.

after looking at some pictures of stock front suspension (or in your case, rear suspension) could you fit a coilover in the stock shock location or close to it?

if you used a coilover that had a long body on the bottom half with the spring higher up that should get you between the CV shaft and UCA.

like the coilovers on the right:

would probably have to brace the mount on the LCA and maybe extend the upper shock mount to deal with the longer coilover but it might work.

Inboard pushrod suspension.

I thought about the inboard but Im trying to keep it simple, That last picture wont work because thats where the engine is.

Those shocks on the right look like they would fit but the spring will hit the UCA. The hole is not very big,

This weekend I was looking at it and was thinking about adding to the back of the LCA sorta like how they have the sway bar but a lot beefier. I figure its going to have to hold up about 1200 lbs, I picked up some Navigator airbag/coilover struts this weekend and there may be enough room to get them behind there. And im sure the springs are plenty strong.

I have been thinking about opening the hole up in the UCA, Brace it up then cut the back part out and make it so I could get a spring in there.

The passenger side is the problem since the axle has a big damper on it but the drivers side does not, They are the same length so I was also thinking of getting another without the damper on it and that would allow me to put the shock mount on the control arm rather than hanging off the side.

Passenger side from the back

The drivers side has no damper

I plan on getting better pictures this week

MulletTruck wrote: I thought about the inboard but Im trying to keep it simple, That last picture wont work because thats where the engine is.

Pushrod suspension can be installed for and aft instead of side to side to accommodate the engine, but I certainly respect the idea of keeping it simple:

MulletTruck wrote: This weekend I was looking at it and was thinking about adding to the back of the LCA sorta like how they have the sway bar but a lot beefier.

that was going to be my second suggestion, i would just be worried about getting to far out from the LCA, it would have to be made very beefy