swing axle problems

Emma Peel · Post by **Emma Peel** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 10:43 am

I have a 67 Kombi with a Wolfgang swing kit and type 3 tranny. The heighth is fine, the ride is great, but my spring plates are clangin up top. It's metal on metal and it sucks!! Thanks for any help

Bob Ingman · Post by **Bob Ingman** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 11:01 am

You sure this is not on an Avenger? Do you mean on top of the stops. If so you can notch your spring plate to clear. Good luck. Bob Ingman

Emma Peel · Post by **Emma Peel** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 11:20 am

Thanks Bob. So you think I should just grind the spring plates or the stops? Is this normal?

Bob Ingman · Post by **Bob Ingman** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 12:17 pm

To notch the springplates is common. It is done in an arch to avoid stress as would be the case if they were notched incorporating a corner. However I`m still not sure you are talking about the plate sitting on the stop. You did not make that clear in your response. Good luck. Bob Ingman

emma peel · Post by **emma peel** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 11:29 pm

Ok Bob, here goes. The spring plates run nearly parallel with the thingamajig. At the end of said thingamajigs are the stops....right? The spring plates are hitting here so at this spot on the spring plates is where I need to grind. Right? THanks a lot man

Bob Ingman · Post by **Bob Ingman** » Tue Aug 19, 2003 9:36 am

Emma Peel the spring plates are splined to the torsion bar and they connect under the torsion bar cover. The spring plates are flat metal plates that run from the torsion housing to be bolted to the wheel assembly. If you look at the bottom of the spring plate youll see that there is a raised bump that prohibits downward travel. It is located just a few inches rearward of the torsion cover. That is the stop. If you are contacting there then either unrotate the torsion bar(will result in decreased ride height) or notch the spring plate(in a curve) to clear when car is at rest. You can get some second opinions on this at the off-road forum. The guys over there are most suspension knowlegable. Hope this helps. Good luck. Bob Ingman

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 1:33 pm

if you are "bottoming" with the spring plate on the stops then you are sitting really low, especially if it is parallel to the top stop. Yes you can try grinding the top stop a bit or lower the spring plate which would raise your bus about 2 inches in the rear. I know what you are speaking about. The plate is so high (parallel to the top) in the housing that it hits the top stop when you hit a bump. I guess grinding would work but itd be alot of work. I just raised mine as the muffler was dragging in the dirt...