Lowering Ream Torsion Bars

[Guest jonnie205]

It is a very common misconception that rear beams on pugs can only be lowered by splines, ie 1 spline 30mm, 2 splines 60mm etc. This method is ok if you happen to find that 1 or 2 splines is ok but it is possible to lower a pug rear beam within 5mm of what you want it. For example on 206s 1 spline is far too much and if you pull the arm off to lower it 1 spline all the needle rollers fall out.

 

To lower you pug beam by exactly the amount you want you need to leave the arms in the beam and remove the torsion bars. The arm will now be free to move up and down (shock disconnected). Now support the arm where you want it and slide the torsion bar back in. If it will not go in rotate the bar and try again. Keep trying this until the bar slides in easily. Remeber the arm will drop a bit under its own weight when you take your support off it so you will need to allow for this in your measurements. The splines are offset on the end of the torsion bras that is why spinning the bars allows the different offset of splines to work for a certain rideheight.

 

jon

[Wurzel 16]

For example on 206s 1 spline is far too much and if you pull the arm off to lower it 1 spline all the needle rollers fall out.

 

Just out of interest, does the 206 use a different type of bearing to the 205?? If not then surely the needle rollers falling out suggests a shagged bearing?

 

I agree with the total removal of the torsion bar to effect a change in ride height though. It's been said on here countless times but people still go with the '1or 2 spline' method.

 

Unfortunately, in my experience, removal of the arm is mandatory in order to get seized bars out, even with a slide hammer. This then unviels the full extent of the wear on the arm and bearings

[Guest jonnie205]

Yeah usually i have to remove the whole arm cos the bar gets stuck in the arm so you have to smack it out when off the car. The 206 has the bearings on the actual arm and not in the tube so when you pull off the arm the rollers are exposed and can drop out.

 

jon

[perfecto pug 0]

and your point being...

 

the thing is when a 205 needs to be lowered it is usually by 30-35mm as these are the springs available, and then the back end gets lowered to match. the 1 spline method does do this 30-35mm drop quite nicely and is far less tricky to do (what with the torsion bars liking for seizing in) and far less idiot proof as it is very easy to notice if you have gone 1 spline too many

 

fully taking the bars out is normally easier to do when the beam is getting stripped down off the car, then once greased up they are very easy to adjust and can be done in minutes once the shocks are off.

 

the thing is its easy when you know how, but quite daunting for someone whos never touched it before

[Wurzel 16]

urghhh! The bearings sound an even bigger pain in the arse than the 205 then!

 

There have been many suggested methods of extacting the bars from the arms etc but I have to say that (unfortunately) the most effective way has been with a lump hammer and carefully aimed blows.

[Guest jonnie205]

I agree the one spline method is very easy takes about 20 mins and very rarely throws up problems but if your running 17s etc there is a need to run with slightly different heights. I used to rally a 106 cup car and when doing these the spline torsion bar removal method is nearly always needed to get the exact height, ime not just talking about road car lowering. However for lowering 205s nine times out of ten the 1 spline method is spot on and the way forward if you have little experience!

 

jon

[NickR 10]

We already have a lowering guide on our site:

 

Lowering Guide Link

 

Also an axle rebuild guide:

 

Axle Refurb Guide

 

 

Also, when I was looking at the axle lower 1 spline at each side COULD cause the ride height to be slightly different on each side.

[Adi 0]

The original and still the best way is to remove the torsion bar and use a dummy shocker to adjust the height to the exact mm. That way each side adjusted the same amount.......which can be the only draw back with using the torsion bar withdrawal method. If both sides are within a few mm or so, then the rear arb will be pretensioned one way. This leads to uneven handling in one direction....i.e left handers or right handers.

If you don't have a dummy shocker......then measuring the distance between the damper mounts at each side will show the difference in height, side to side.

[Wurzel 16]

I can't see much of a problem with either method of lowering (spline or total removal) if the adjustment is small. Each to their own and all that.

 

problem is these days, more and more beams are in s*it state and a simple spline method of lowering can uncover all sorts of problems. You end up having to refurb the beam. I know a lot of people on here are aware of that but there are many also that don't.

 

Hopefully, when searches are carried out now this thread will pop up along with others helping people out.

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

That method is fine with normal bars, But impossible with my 26mm ones

[Adi 0]

The main bar (26mm) section won't fit through the splined holes I bet

[Snowman 0]

That method is fine with normal bars, But impossible with my 26mm ones

Ok I know there will be a valid reason why not but...

 

If you are using a bar that has a larger diameter than the splined ends of the bar then won't all the torque be applied to the thinnest part of the bar?? ie- right where it enters the arm. Therefore making it only as effective as the thinnest point?

 

As I said, I know this won't be the case otherwise they wouldn't be used or made.

But Why?

 

Confuse me even more....

 

Chris

[Wurzel 16]

I think the torque effect is transferred across the whole length of the bar between fixed points.

 

There will be more stress at the thinner part, in this case near to the splined ends and more so on one end than the other due to the different size splined ends. Being made of spring steel I should imagine it's up to the job of coping with this stress.

[Guest Batfink]

Well I did my first lowering of a rear beam by removing the torsion bar and adjusting the height with a ruler Seemed to work fine

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Your right it doesn;t fit thru the holes, A right old job to get the ride height right.

Also run a 32mm ARB but as we know thats the only easy thing to fit

[GtiMad 1]

The splines are offset on the end of the torsion bras

 

I am intrested in a torsion bra, where can I get one.

[Guest Tommy F]

With the 26mm torsion bars the torque is only applied to the 26mm section because the splined ends are fixed and therefore the female spline in the arm exerts an equal and opposite force.

Edited November 3, 2003 by Tommy F

[cybernck 400 1 Cars]

but is there a difference in torsion bar pre-tensions lowering it using two different methods?

 

 

btw, as adi said, there will be some arb pre-tension if you don't do the both ends the same.

[fiji bob 0]

i was going to try lowering mine today but couldnt rotate the arb cover are you supposed to screw a bolt into the arb to push the cover off a bit first?, mattsav how about making up some dummy shocks?

[Wurzel 16]

Undo both 13mm bolts on the ARB plate (one on each arm). The plate should then be able to be twisted out of the way but it will be stiff.

 

To totally remove the plate, screw a bolt in the end to 'press' the plate off the splined end. I found that a Ford wheel bolt works well. Pug bolts seem to have a different thread pitch.

[fiji bob 0]

a bit stiff? i tried a hammer and punch to try and get it unstuck but it wasnt going anywhere, guess i may as well find a rear beam to rebuild and just swap them over

[Wurzel 16]

Hmmm, not sure what you're trying to do then?

 

The bar lever is pressed on to the splined end of the arb. This assembly is then inserted throught the cross tube where the other bar lever is pressed onto the other end of the arb. The only thing stopping the bar levers moving independantly of the arm is the 13mm bolt at the end of the bar lever. Where the bar lever/arb assembly goes into the cross tube a chunky seal is used which should make it stiff to turn (assuming the 13mm bolt previously mentioned is out), but not impossible.

 

There shouldn't be any need to pull the bar lever off the end of the arb but it may help.