THE TORSION BAR

I have been discovering that the scooter literally revolves round a part called the "TORSION BAR".  The scooter's rear suspension relies on this part and it is necessary to know about it if you want to remove the engine unit.  Since I need to remove the engine currently fitted in the frame I need to know about it.  I have met these devices before in the Renault 4 and the Morris Marina so I know that you have to approach them with caution.  I had read at somewhere that it was necessary to unload the torsion bar if you didn't want to damage the roller bearing cage whilst removing the scooter engine.  How am I going to do that?

My first move was to log onto the Lambretta Club site.  It must be me but it took me ages to get the hang of the forums.  I have to say I'm always a bit frightened of using forums.  The other users seem so "nurdish".  They always seem to take delight in slagging off anyone who doesn't speak the language or follow the obscure rules.  Eventually I found a section on pre 57 scooters.  Even more "eventually" I found a reference (a thread, in forum speak) to the torsion bar tool on page five of eleven.  It contained fourteen entries discussing where to get a tool and a little bit about the method of using it or making do with an alternative.  Not a lot of use, back to the post board index (I'm getting the hang of the terms now).  After an abortive excursion into "Anoraks Corner" I returned to the pre-57 section.  With a bit more experience I found a reference to "the torsion bar".  This was more like it, it actually had members talking of how to remove it.  It was time to join in so I prepared my first post and waited for the reprimands.  To my surprise I got a couple of useful reply's pointing me to other sites, including the French Lambretta Club on how to remove the engine.  Now I wish I'd concentrated more during French lessons!

Item 15 - Torsion Bar

About this time I received my copy of The Lambretta Service Guide and Handbook on a CD which I had bought on Ebay.  It turned out to contain some very useful information including a description of using the tool to unload the torsion bar ready to remove the engine.  I have read and re-read the instructions in an attempt to understand how the tool works.  The reinstatement of the connection between the engine and the link is fine and I can see what they are talking about. I even think I could make the tool to do the job.  The disconnection is another matter.  Remembering that the connections are under load from the torsion bar I can't see, from the description, how to avoid the point where link is broken under the full force of the torsion bar.  I think that it needs to be released in a controlled manner.


So, where have I got to.  I really like the idea of making a tool if I can find how to use it and what it looks like.  I have left requests on the LCGB site requesting any pictures of the original tool.  If that fails I may have to resort to a bodge and use a large clamp, see link :- (http://www.forums.ilambretta.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8035) 
to enable me to slowly release the load once I have removed the link pin.  It would work for refitting the pin but not as elegant as the correct tool!


I'm still a bit confused by the LCGB forum site but this is how I think it works.  There a number of sections ( FAQ, Lambretta Help, Lambrett Gerneral, LCGB Members area, Forum Help etc) in each of which there are a series of topics e.g. Anoraks Corner, Tuning Kits, Pre 57, UK Rallies and Events etc.  Some of these contain many topics: for Series 1,2and 3,  48,000 posts spread over 6000 topics.    

In the case of the "Pre 57" section there are some 260 topics with 1200 posts.  These are covered on eleven pages so it very easy to read something useful and then forget where it was.  I believe it is possible to bookmark a post but that's for another day.  There is obviously a lot going on and for now it's just a case of trawling through a lot of information until you find what you need.