Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: Old Toolmaker on June 28, 2019, 10:12:48 am

Title: Torsilastic suspension, GV 3600 U225
Post by: Old Toolmaker on June 28, 2019, 10:12:48 am
I'm looking for some hand holding here.  I need to pick up a very small car, slightly less than 1400 pounds curb weight, and I've grown paranoid about my , appears to be original, rear torsion bars.

I have 4 shims all around on the rear, and 32 and 1/2" ride height if not 33".

Do I need to sweat this?
Title: Re: Torsilastic suspension, GV 3600 U225
Post by: wolfe10 on June 28, 2019, 10:21:08 am
Are you flat towing the car or will there be weight on the coach?  If weight, how much?
Title: Re: Torsilastic suspension, GV 3600 U225
Post by: Old Toolmaker on June 28, 2019, 11:18:06 am
Are you flat towing the car or will there be weight on the coach?  If weight, how much?
I'm using my motorcycle trailer, and I plan on placing the minimum amount of weight on the coach.  It's a rear engined car so that works in my favor. 

Somehow I have in my mind a maximum tongue weight of 300# for my coach.  But I always plan for the worst.
Title: Re: Torsilastic suspension, GV 3600 U225
Post by: wolfe10 on June 28, 2019, 11:31:08 am
300 pounds should not be an issue.  I would fill the potable water tank to help compensate.

OK, you have my curiosity up-- what  are you towing?  Fiat 500?
Title: Re: Torsilastic suspension, GV 3600 U225
Post by: Old Toolmaker on June 28, 2019, 12:06:59 pm
300 pounds should not be an issue.  I would fill the potable water tank to help compensate.

OK, you have my curiosity up-- what  are you towing?  Fiat 500?
Potable water tank is always full.  I use a meat syringe to measure in the appropriate amount of bleach and use the tank up once a month.

1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring built on the Fiat 850 Chassis.  Any distance farther than that car can take us, we use the coach and it has room for the dog.  I wanted to be on Warm springs, GA right now but satellite imagery showed that local travel with the coach was not practical, especially the Little White House.

I worried myself into wondering about catastrophic torsilastic torsion bar failure. Once the car is fully serviced I plan on flat towing it.
Title: Re: Torsilastic suspension, GV 3600 U225
Post by: Chuck & Jeannie on June 28, 2019, 04:02:07 pm
Fiat 850 chassis is rear engine with a transaxle of some sort.  I guess you have verified (with who?) that it is flat towable?

I rented a Fiat 850 Spyder for 6 months (in 1972) while stationed on Guam during the SEA fiasco.  It was what the servicemen referred to as a Guam Bomb...cuz the rental cars were in such bad shape that they frequently self destructed.  I lucked out...the one I had never failed to produce every one of its 50 screaming horses for the time I had it.  Fun little car!
Title: Re: Torsilastic suspension, GV 3600 U225
Post by: Lynn Shackelford on June 28, 2019, 04:08:13 pm
Here is a photo of one-same color but not ours.(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRhSn5GP2gT09SOTcnMuYEa0trIoJ3mTiR8AXDsVLogMsUFYlp3GQ)
Title: Re: Torsilastic suspension, GV 3600 U225
Post by: Old Toolmaker on June 28, 2019, 04:20:55 pm
Fiat 850 chassis is rear engine with a transaxle of some sort.  I guess you have verified (with who?) that it is flat towable?


If the gears in the transaxle dip into the oil for lubrication, I'll take the chance that it's flat towable.