WhirlyJig

Most rickytick and way cool!!!

Gunner

"If I'm going to reach out to the the Democrats then I need a third hand.There's no way I'm letting go of my wallet or my gun while they're around."

"Democrat. In the dictionary it's right after demobilize and right before demode` (out of fashion).

-Buddy Jordan 2001

I have a friend who rebuilt his 50's something Packard that way. Sure beats bending over or worse laying on the floor trying to convince yourself that part is ok cause no-one will see it. The car is better than new now. I'm still trying to understand the suspension with twisting bars instead of springs.

Torsion bars?

Surely he was joking. ( I hope )_ ...lew...

Thanks, it led me to a site with him and his car restoration.

I didn't know it was on the net. He's always interesting to talk with. He should put his truck on also.

I still have trouble with the concept for some reason. Coil springs, leaf springs, torsion bars; I guess... Just seems weird to me, twisting with all that weight. He was even showing me when it was down to the frame how a motor in the center raises or lowers it.

Well one end is fixed, and the other end (with the axle arm) is supported in a bearing. For small cars, torsion bars are very common (like the Golf or Rabbit as you call him). The Renault R5 (and maybe others) even had torsion bars laying one behind the other and thus giving a different wheel base left/right by about 5cm.

Nick

(Common) springs are merely helical torsion bars.

That's the leap I have problems with. Shouldn't, but does. If I were to build a car from scratch I'd look into the way that car is designed. Sure would be nice to work on something like a Rabbit without struts in the way.

FWIW we in the Live Steam hobby we build/use these all the time to turn over a fully assembled locomotive to work on the bottom.

--.- Dave

Chuckle..you are aware that most multi-ton tanks use torson bar suspension also do yo not? Including the King Tiger.

Gunner

"A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

- Proverbs 22:3

60s-70s Chrysler A & (IIRC) B bodies were torsion bar suspension in front. Heck my '99 Durango has torsion bars, A set of longer shackles in the back & 10 minutes of cranking on the adjustment bolts in the the front & I'd have a 2" full lift.

H.