Thru-rods vs standard leaves up front?

[DORIGTT]

When converting a Balljoint front beam to coil-overs, what's the benefit of using thru-rods vs. just leaving the spring leaves in place and just removing the center grub screw?

Thanks,

Kevin

[Ol'fogasaurus]

When converting a Balljoint front beam to coil-overs, what's the benefit of using thru-rods vs. just leaving the spring leaves in place and just removing the center grub screw?

Thanks,

Kevin

You need to give more information here; what kind of coil overs are you talking about and what are you using them for.

There are several types of Coil overs out there with one of them being an overload style of coil over shock you commonly see used on VWs. I do not recommend this style at all. As you are intimating; basically the coil over spring is defeating the use of the torsion bars to a large extent. Usually, the shocks on the overload style of coilover are not that good/better (if at all) than the stock shocks.

Removing the center grub screw still keeps the torsion stack in the center fitting in the torsion housing but now the the stack is not locked in place so there is the possibility of the assembly sliding around. (I can't fird the pix)

setting up for hook and pin stops 008.JPG

setting up for hook and pin stops 007.JPG

If you are playing hard weld the seams then re-inforce the shock towers. Next, if you are playinga bit more than hard: add stops to the arms as when the torsion assy is being abused it is the shocks are the compression and hang limiters.

I almost forgot, there are adjusters you can add to the beam to change the suspension around to lighten the spring rate some and raise or lower the front end of your toy.

Lee

My opinion is worth slightly less than you paid for it.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

003 - Copy copy.jpg

This it the pix I couldn't find. This is what the center of the beam looks like, after being cut out to add adjusters, with the jam bolt and locking nut not shown. The stack is pushed through the fitting and into the arms then the jam nut is tighten in the dimple in the stack while, at the same time, spreading the stack in the center fitting locking things up tight.

[bajaherbie]

Thru rods. Because the arms need to work independent of each other.

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[chuckput]

I don't believe I have ever seen a ball joint front end utilizing through rods (I am not saying they can't be used, just I have never seen it). King Pin trailing arms are closed on the end with a small hole which the through rod passes through. Ball Joint arms have a large opening which the leaf packs are clamped. You would need to create some type of cap for the the end of the trailing arms.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

I don't believe I have ever seen a ball joint front end utilizing through rods (I am not saying they can't be used, just I have never seen it). King Pin trailing arms are closed on the end with a small hole which the through rod passes through. Ball Joint arms have a large opening which the leaf packs are clamped. You would need to create some type of cap for the the end of the trailing arms.

DSC04096.JPG

This shows a pair of Thing BJ spindles; you can tell this by the way the lower BJ faces (down). You can see the cover over the ends of where the torsion stack is locked. If you are going to play with BJs and long travel this is the way to go as it stops the problem with lower BJ pullout from the lower arm (they are pressed in differently and the Thing spindle accommodates this).

Bug spindle.JPG

This is how a bug spindle is installed just for referance.

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012.JPG

Bug vs. Thing spindles just for reference.

Again, there are ways to do most anything but then, do you really want to. If my memory is correct, other than maybe the off-road racing BJs that have the slot for the top of the BJ itself to go through which I understand wears out quite quickly) the limit by the BJs is something less than 9" or 10" max. You still have to modify the shock tower for both stiffness and shock mounting height when using the proper coil over on a good gas shock; not the cheap overload style of shock which is inferior. Then there is the travel stop which I already covered.

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Not sure about the uniball setup which I have seen but don't know much about.

Could a through rod be added... if one really wanted to and was willing to do all the work required at each end of the rod to allow this and that (not sure just what all would need to be done as I can imagine several different things but not sure of them).

Lee

[Leatherneck]

I don’t think the torsion stack with a single grub screw has the lateral holding power as the threw, through, thru Rods do.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

I understand what you are trying to do but I keep getting arguments in my head of which most of I can argue away... at least for a while. The through rod would clamp the opposing trailing arms together but at the same time putting a load on the seals as there is now other "stop" in that direction which is the argument that I can't dismiss... yet. I know they do it with K&L beams so it must be doable but for just how long before things start to wear too much.

Lee