Ride Height Adjuster Problems!!!

[fvkartguy]

Posted this on the Vee forum as well...
I know it's not easy to get the springs through the adjuster, but I've been working on just getting the springs in for two days straight with absolutely nothing to show for it... Starting to get frustrated.
I've tried using grease to make the springs stick together, putting them in in sections, one at a time, using a rubber band, using the original middle section as a template and putting rtv to hold the springs together, etc etc etc
The middle piece looks like it might be aluminum? Is it possible that the middle part warped when I welded it in place?
To make matters worse, I took out the bolt and now it won't go back in! Further evidence of warpage?
Sooo..... what should I do now? I can run a tap through the hole.. Anyone know what threading that is?
But what about the springs? Anything else I should try before I cut the darn thing out and (carefully) weld in a new one?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[rgu]

Are you talking about a ball joint beam?

[Matt King]

Can you get any of the leaves through the adjuster? You may have to get the outer leaves in place and then drive the center one through the pack.

[fvkartguy]

Yeah, ball joint beam ride height adjuster...
So the hole is the weird cross shape and I'm stacking the springs correctly. They fit through the original middle section...
I'm out of ideas.

[Bill Bonow]

Barret,

Some dumb questions to start:

* Are you using a ball joint type spring adjuster? (different that link pin)

* What spring pack (leaf thickness, three types) are you using?

* Do you have the secondary set screw in the adjuster backed off? (Again, different than the link pin )

The middle part is steel and typically does not warp (really difficult to do). What welding process did you use to install? How did you fixture/locate the adjuster before welding?

Answer these and that should get us going in the right direction.

Bill

[fvkartguy]

It's definitely the ball joint spring adjuster

They're the stock springs... Are there different adjusters for stock and HD springs? I haven't measured the thickness of them. I thought the springs only varied in width (6 skinny and 4 wide).

Secondary set screw is backed out. I took it out completely and could get it back in!

To weld it in I just cut a piece in the middle of the beam the width of the adjuster, put angle iron around the tube to get the adjuster concentric with the tube, and used a mig welder.

[problemchild]

What Matt said.

I would think you could shine a light through from the other end and see what your issue is. If the springs goes through the stock piece but not the adjuster, then it must be damaged. Cut it out, grind or file as necassary and replace.

I have cut out and replaced adjusters several times to move the orientation. I would cut it 1/2" outside the existing welds rather than cut through them. Takes far less time than the time trying to talk yourself into it. Just get on with it.

[Bill Bonow]

Barret,

If the spring pack fits in the original beam, it sounds like the adjuster is sized too small. I always check the fit (spring pack to adjuster) before the part gets welded in. Sounds like it needs to get replaced. Typically, the holes are threaded 1/2-20 if you wish to chase them out.

Bill

[rgu]

I'll add one thing to the good advice here.

Another racer told me an interesting story. When he was putting the bars back into a beam he had a serious burr on the adjuster. He couldn’t get the buggers in! His solution was to weld a file to a rod so he was able to clean up the burrs on the adjuster. Borrow an inspection wand from someone like a plumber and look inside. Maybe that’s all it is.

[fvkartguy]

Thank you everyone for all the great advice.
I finally got them in and I'll be posting pictures of the FST (if I can call it that yet) soon.
Thanks again!