The Thing is set up for reduction boxes and that location did not change when it went to IRS. The Thing rear torsion spring plates are a 181 Thing only part.
What the seller listed about the Thing rear bars is correct. There are 3 different length bars from VW, 21 and change, 24 and change, 26 and change.
The IRS Thing used the intermediate length(24) torsion bar. Not only are they the intermediate length, they are also a bit larger than std. T-1 bars. I measured a set many many years ago and from memory here.....I think the Thing bars were 24 or 25mm vs. a standard Bug bar at 22mm. They are a decent, not too soft, not too hard, bar for off road....at least I am happy with the ones in my Thing. Now, I just need to get the front end sprung better to match the rear.
BTW, if you do get a set of Thing bars, I have a spare set of Thing spring plates that I'd let go. I don't think I'll ever need them and I'd like to lighten the load at the shop.
Class 11 streeter wrote:
BTW swayaway lists the type 1 torsions at 26-9/16" vice what the seller listed.
Beware of the information from torsion bar sellers. There is a lot of incest online and a glaring error has been copied by many sellers. The error is in the length of Type 1 bars. According to them, there was a change in bar length for 73. This is wrong. Nothing changed in 73. Look at CIP1.com and AJ sims web sites. Both have the error, long after I have informed them of it. The Sway-A-Way site used to have it too, but now they have no reference to the years their bars fit. They must have been the source of the error.
All IRS Beetles and Ghias have bars that are 676mm long. (26.6")
If anyone is doing suspension work on their Thing, measure the length of the bars and report here.
In my opinion, you guys are splitting hairs here. One guy(who maybe wasn't proficient at reading a tape measure) had them at 26 5/8". So, they are either 26 9/16", or 26 11/16" whichever it is. I don't remember off the top of my head. We are talking miniscule amounts of difference here.
I think the big point is.....that there are 3 different lengths of VW torsion bars..... 21-something inches, 24-something inches, and 26-something inches. It's not like you will find a 26 5/8" and a 26 11/16" and that only one will work in your VW. Whatever that 26-something inch length is, that is what you'll get. You just need to make sure you have the correct length spring plate to match your bars.
As for Thing bars, as I mentioned before, they are the intermediate length 24-something inch bars" I will try to remember to measure exact length if I get a chance as I have a set of spares.
I've had the short 21-something inch bars in my Thing, I now have the stock 24-something inch bars in it, and someday in the future I will be installing the 26-something inch bars in my Thing once the need arises.
