Author Topic: Torsion bars set wrong?  (Read 6963 times)

Offline JKcuda

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 60
Torsion bars set wrong?
« on: July 05, 2015 - 07:19:23 PM »
So...just completed a 100% rebuild of my front and rear suspension, 4 wheel power disc kit, and new wheels to get the Cuda HOPEFULLY to Carlisle this coming weekend.  So...I just snugged up my QA1 torsion bar adjusters at first and the car sat quite nice.  Little tuck under the front fender, etc.  Now that the car is on all 4's again I torqued all the suspension components and set the adjusters to about what they were previously (I upgrade to .96 bars), and THIS is what I'm left with. :clueless:  The suspension has NO play at all in the front, it's SOLID.

My suspension was completely dropped when I put these in, but I dont think I had the adjuster arms pushed up horizontal.  Is that my problem?  I've already confirmed my bars aren't backwards so that's not it.  With the adjusters just snug the car sits great, nice travel on the suspension, but the bolts stick WAY out of the bottom of the lower control arms which is a no-go.

Any advice would be GREAT!
« Last Edit: July 05, 2015 - 07:31:23 PM by JKcuda »




Offline Bullitt-

  • Permanent Resident
  • *******
  • Posts: 12167
  • Better Things To Come Member Since 2/16/06
Re: Torsion bars set wrong?
« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2015 - 08:04:28 PM »
The torsion bar adjusters need to be adjusted out farther to compensate for the newer bars... that's why they have adjustment, there is no set place for them... Jack it up to get the weight off the tires & back them out a half inch & see how much that helps.  Repeat till you see get what you want.
Wade  73 Rallye 340..'77 Millennium Falcon...13 R/T Classic   Huntsville, AL
Screwed by Photobucket!

Offline dfrazz

  • 1970 Cuda - 1968 Charger
  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 4070
Re: Torsion bars set wrong?
« Reply #2 on: July 05, 2015 - 08:07:50 PM »
The torsion bar adjusters need to be adjusted out farther to compensate for the newer bars... that's why they have adjustment, there is no set place for them... Jack it up to get the weight off the tires & back them out a half inch & see how much that helps.  Repeat till you see get what you want.

 :iagree:  And don't forget to bounce, drive around and repeat adjustments until you get it right.  Then lock it in and go get an alignment.

Offline JKcuda

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 60
Re: Torsion bars set wrong?
« Reply #3 on: July 05, 2015 - 08:43:01 PM »
Man am I glad to hear that!  Just seemed weird they were out so far, but I'll slowly back them out and see what happens!

Sent from my Nexus 5


Offline brads70

  • C-C.com Expert
  • ********
  • Posts: 18747
Re: Torsion bars set wrong?
« Reply #4 on: July 05, 2015 - 09:36:52 PM »
Also they will settle in a couple weeks/ month and you will need to align it again, so I've found anyhow.
Brad
1970 Challenger 451stroker/4L60 auto OD
Barrie,Ontario,Canada
Proud to own one of the best cars ever made!!!!!

My restoration thread 
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=59072.0
 My handling upgrade post
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=73985.0

Offline JKcuda

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 60
Re: Torsion bars set wrong?
« Reply #5 on: July 05, 2015 - 09:39:57 PM »
I can handle that... The front has been weighted for about a week now so hopefully by the time I get it aligned Thursday it will have settled at least a little bit

Sent from my Nexus 5

Offline brads70

  • C-C.com Expert
  • ********
  • Posts: 18747
Re: Torsion bars set wrong?
« Reply #6 on: July 05, 2015 - 09:44:08 PM »
Do you have a sway bar? Just not on yet I assume?
Brad
1970 Challenger 451stroker/4L60 auto OD
Barrie,Ontario,Canada
Proud to own one of the best cars ever made!!!!!

My restoration thread 
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=59072.0
 My handling upgrade post
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=73985.0

Offline JKcuda

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 60
Re: Torsion bars set wrong?
« Reply #7 on: July 05, 2015 - 09:45:51 PM »
Do you have a sway bar? Just not on yet I assume?
No sway bars. Car didn't have them to begin with but I'll be adding them here eventually. Just trying to get the car on the road right now. Suspension was toast, really bad.

Sent from my Nexus 5


Offline brads70

  • C-C.com Expert
  • ********
  • Posts: 18747
Re: Torsion bars set wrong?
« Reply #8 on: July 05, 2015 - 09:47:28 PM »
No sway bars. Car didn't have them to begin with but I'll be adding them here eventually. Just trying to get the car on the road right now. Suspension was toast, really bad.

Sent from my Nexus 5

Hotchkiss usually has a show special pricing at Carlisle!  :2thumbs:
Brad
1970 Challenger 451stroker/4L60 auto OD
Barrie,Ontario,Canada
Proud to own one of the best cars ever made!!!!!

My restoration thread 
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=59072.0
 My handling upgrade post
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=73985.0

Offline JKcuda

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 60
Re: Torsion bars set wrong?
« Reply #9 on: July 05, 2015 - 09:48:56 PM »
Hotchkiss usually has a show special pricing at Carlisle!  :2thumbs:
I'll have to check it out. Gonna be looking for some other stuff too. Trunk lid, rear valence. I need to have the k member modified for a front bar right?  LCA's are qa1 so already have tabs.

Sent from my Nexus 5


Offline brads70

  • C-C.com Expert
  • ********
  • Posts: 18747
Re: Torsion bars set wrong?
« Reply #10 on: July 05, 2015 - 09:50:39 PM »
I'll have to check it out. Gonna be looking for some other stuff too. Trunk lid, rear valence. I need to have the k member modified for a front bar right?  LCA's are qa1 so already have tabs.

Sent from my Nexus 5

No mods to the K-Frame for a bigger sway bar.  :2thumbs:  Just need the mounting hardware/brackets, end links .
Brad
1970 Challenger 451stroker/4L60 auto OD
Barrie,Ontario,Canada
Proud to own one of the best cars ever made!!!!!

My restoration thread 
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=59072.0
 My handling upgrade post
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=73985.0

Offline JKcuda

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 60
Re: Torsion bars set wrong?
« Reply #11 on: July 05, 2015 - 10:03:40 PM »
No mods to the K-Frame for a bigger sway bar.  :2thumbs:  Just need the mounting hardware/brackets, end links .
Bolt on then, very nice. Maybe I'll add that to my shopping list for Carlisle

Sent from my Nexus 5


Offline HP2

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 4478
Re: Torsion bars set wrong?
« Reply #12 on: July 06, 2015 - 09:52:08 AM »
set the adjusters to about what they were previously (I upgrade to .96 bars),

My suspension was completely dropped when I put these in, but I dont think I had the adjuster arms pushed up horizontal.  Is that my problem? 

The bigger the torsion bar, the less pre-load you need to crank into them, so the adjusting bolts will stick out further.

The adjuster blade not being up horizontal can also contribute to this issue. This essentially puts the adjustment one hex off from where it needs to be.

Offline JKcuda

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 60
Re: Torsion bars set wrong?
« Reply #13 on: July 06, 2015 - 09:54:20 AM »
The bigger the torsion bar, the less pre-load you need to crank into them, so the adjusting bolts will stick out further.

The adjuster blade not being up horizontal can also contribute to this issue. This essentially puts the adjustment one hex off from where it needs to be.
And that's my fear, that I'm off a hex turn. I guess we'll see this afternoon. I think I'm going to have to almost completely back out the adjuster to get it to sit right which makes me think I'll need to pull the bars and try to rotate a hex.

Sent from my Nexus 5


Offline Chryco Psycho

  • Administrator
  • C-C.com Guru
  • *****
  • Posts: 36620
  • 70 Challenger R/T SE 70 tube Chassis Cuda now sold
Re: Torsion bars set wrong?
« Reply #14 on: July 06, 2015 - 10:09:00 AM »
If you are into the adjustment range the T bars are in right , if you were out by 60* it would not adjust at all .
 The bars are far stiffer so the adjustment bolt has to be backed out further which is OK or when the bars were made the hexs could have been clocked differently allowing the adjuster sit in the middle of the range  .

Challenger - You`ll wish You Hadn`t