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PostPosted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:34 am 
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I had some issues with the torsion bars on my Buggy. They would sagg after every other ride. After awhile it was every ride and require a reIndexing each time. I have posed the question on forums and did not get a definative answer to my problem. So I took it to the manufacture. In this case it was Sway-A-Way. BTW Sway-A-Way is an outstanding company and stands by there products 100% and are very helpfull. As it turns out I was running them at max twist. According to Sway-A-Way it only takes one time past the rated twist to screw them them up. Basically I overstressed them and they will no longer hold the Buggy up at the set preload for the given weight. Being they are 28mm they would probably be fine on a lighter Buggy. The point of this artical is to Inform the members that there are limitaions to Torsion bars and the Data below is to be used to select the proper ones for your Buggy. As an example the standard offering in a 28mm bar is probably good for about 10" of wheel travel including 3 degrees of preload. The 300m bars ($800.00 a set) will give you 10 degress more of twist. So if you want more travel than that you should go the Coil over shock route. Personally beforeI would go to a Racing Bar I would run Coil overs.
Sway-A-Way offers three catagorys of Torsions with the corresponding data shown below. One thing to consider is the larger the Diameter bar the less travel capability. So use the smallest diameter to obtain the required preload based on the weight to support.

Sway-A-Way VW Torsion Bar Application Guide

Buggy Type...........1000 Series 21 3/4"...1100 Series 24 11/16"....1200 Series 26 9/16"
Single Seat Buggy........23-25mm..................24-26mm.................24-27mm
Two Seat Buggy .........24-27mm..................24-27mm..................25-28mm
Baja Bug..................25-27mm..................26-28mm..................26-29mm
Street Bug................24-26mm..................25-27mm..................26-28mm


VW Maximum Angle of Twist (Standard Bars)

Bar Diameter
1000 Series 21 3/4"..............1100 Series 24 11/16"...............1200 Series 26 9/16"
23mm 31.0 degrees...................36.7 degrees.......................39.3 degrees
24mm 29.7 degrees....................35.2 degrees.......................37.6 degrees
25mm 28.5 degrees....................33.7 degrees.......................36.1 degrees
26mm. 27.5 degrees...................32.5 degrees.......................34.8 degrees
27mm 26.4 degrees....................31.3 degrees.......................33.5 degrees
28mm 25.5 degrees....................30.1 degrees.......................32.2 degrees
29mm 24.6 degrees....................29.1 degrees.......................31.1 degrees
30mm 23.8 degrees....................28.1 degrees.......................30.1 degrees

VW Maximum Angle of Twist (Race Bars)
Bar Diameter
1000 Series 21 3/4"..............1100 Series 24 11/16"...............1200 Series 26 9/16"
23mm 41.4 degrees....................47.7 degrees.......................51.7 degrees
24mm 39.6 degrees....................45.6 degrees.......................49.5 degrees
25mm 38.0 degrees....................43.8 degrees.......................47.5 degrees
26mm. 36.5 degrees...................42.1 degrees.......................45.7 degrees
27mm 35.2 degrees....................40.6 degrees.......................44.0 degrees
28mm 34.0 degrees....................39.2 degrees.......................42.5 degrees
29mm 32.8 degrees....................37.8 degrees.......................41.0 degrees
30mm 31.7 degrees....................36.5 degrees.......................39.6 degrees


Instructions: Before taking apart the suspension, level the car and measure and record the spring plate angle for later reference. The spring plate angle is measured with no pre load on the torsion bar. Find the new bar diameter and pre load angle in the chart. Use the pre load angle from the table for setting the new bars to get stock ride height.


NOTES: These values are approximate. The angle reference is the top edge of the spring plate from horizontal down with no pre load on the torsion bar. All angles are calculated to maintain stock ride height. The ride height changes by 1” for each 3 ½ degreed of pre load, EXAMPLE: If you want to lower the car by 1”, reduce the table pre load by 3.5 degrees.


Suggested VW Preload Angles for Sway-A-Way Torsion Bars
Instructions: Before taking apart the suspension, level the car and measure and record the spring plate angle for later reference. The spring plate angle is measured with no pre load on the torsion bar. Find the new bar diameter and pre load angle in the chart. Use the pre load angle from the table for setting the new bars to get stock ride height.

Application Stock .......................................................Preload Angle
Bug, up to 1960, 24 11/16” long bar, 24 mm diameter ...............13
Bug, 1961-1968, 21 ¾” long bar, 22 mm diameter.....................16 1/2
Bug, 1969 & up, 26 9/16” long bar, 22 mm diameter..................20 1/2
Type 3, all, 26 9/16” long, 23.5 mm diameter..........................23 1/2

NOTES: These values are approximate. The angle reference is the top edge of the spring plate from horizontal down with no pre load on the torsion bar. All angles are calculated to maintain stock ride height. The ride height changes by 1” for each 3 1/2 degrees of pre load.
EXAMPLE: If you want to lower the car by 1”, reduce the table pre load by 3.5 degrees.

Diameter.....21 ¾”.......24 11/16”........26 9/16”
22 mm........16.52.........19.07..............20.71
23 mm........13.83.........15.96..............17.33
24 mm........11.67.........13.46..............14.62
25 mm.........9.91..........11.44.............12.42
26 mm.........8.47............9.78.............10.61
27 mm.........7.28............8.41..............9.13
28 mm.........6.3..............7.27..............7.89
29 mm.........5.47.............6.32.............6.86
30 mm.........4.78.............5.52.............5.99

Approximate Wheel Rates

Diameter 21.75 LB/IN........ 24.68 LB/IN.............26.56 LB/IN
22.............122.85.............106.44....................98.03
23.............146.75.............127.15....................117.11
24.............173.99.............150.74....................138.84
25.............204.85.............177.48....................163.47
26.............239.65.............207.63....................191.24
27.............278.7..............241.46.....................222.4
28.............322.34.............279.27.....................257.22
29.............370.91.............321.36.....................295.98
30.............424.78.............368.03.....................338.97
31.............484.31.............419.61.....................386.47

VW Torsion Bar Rates (in LB/ *of Twist)

Bar Diameter 1000 Series..21 3/4".....1100 Series..2 11/16".....1200 Series 26 9/16"
20mm...............401............................339......................317
21mm...............488............................413......................385
22mm...............598............................497......................464
23mm...............702............................593......................554
24mm...............832............................703......................657
25mm...............979............................828......................773
26mm..............1145............................968.....................904
27mm..............1333...........................1126...................1052
28mm..............1651...........................1303...................1217
29mm..............1774...........................1499...................1400
30mm..............2031...........................1716...................1603

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PostPosted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 8:09 pm 
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Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2007 11:27 pm
Posts: 496
Location: Chandler Az
Nice to see all that info one one page.


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 8:42 pm 
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WoodsBuggy Addict
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Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2008 9:45 pm
Posts: 2226
Location: Boone County West (BY GOD) Virginia
this is why i love this site,thanks odyknuck this will be great archive material right here.chad :mrgreen:

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