Strut Rod removal

[redracergt]

I've just started taking apart my front end, and am trying to get the strut rods out. I was just wondering, do they slide out of the front of the control arm and should it take alot of force to get them out?

[Jasonwiltshire]

I have same question and this had no responses?  Any help?  I have both nuts off at control arm rear and k frame crossmember front.  It has a flare on both ends and would appear to only come out towards kframe...but won't like its in a bind.  Spindle and upper control arm are off already.  Washer and bushing inside kframe appear to prevent movement to front?  I know it's not that hard but my head is harder sometimes...input?

Jason

[anlauto]

You have to remove the lower control arm off of the K Frame in order to remove the strut rod.
The rod is tappered fit into the LCA so you may need to tap it with a hammer, usually it breaks loose when you're removing the nuts on each end.

[Jasonwiltshire]

That's exactly what I needed.   Thanks!   

Jason

[Jasonwiltshire]

Unfortunately it appears that torsion bar removal is necessary to remove LCA.  Since it's a total 'frame-off' down to shell resto I figure taking k frame off might be easiest solution to get it all off frame.

Jason

[RzeroB]

Actually the torsion bar comes out rather easily. 1) Remove the vehicle's weight from the wheel (obviously). 2) Completely loosen the torsion bar adjusting bolt in the lower control arm so there is NO tension on it. 3) Remove the internal spring clip from the back of the torsion bar hole in the crossmember frame rail. 4) Slide the torsion bar aft and out of the hole - voila, you're done!

[anlauto]

Actually the torsion bar comes out rather easily . 1) Remove the vehicle's weight from the wheel (obviously). 2) Completely loosen the torsion bar adjusting bolt in the lower control arm so there is NO tension on it. 3) Remove the internal spring clip from the back of the torsion bar hole in the crossmember frame rail. 4) Slide the torsion bar aft and out of the hole - voila, you're done!

Guess you've never worked on rusty CDN cars...

[BIGSHCLUNK]

Or upper Midwest ones....         

[RzeroB]

Okay, I confess that I now remember having to abuse a Vise-Grip by clamping it onto the torsion bar and then tapping it with a hammer to get the torsion bar moving aft

[Jasonwiltshire]

A vise grip is exactly what mine has on it at the moment after reviewing the torsion bar removal tools function.  Gawd, why didn't they add some teeth mid shaft or something on these beaches.  The 6 sided flared aft end is not visible as it is up inside the crossmember.  There is no spring clip visible and presumably absent prior removed.  The way I understand torsion bar removal ... It's an aft movement to release it from the LCA socket then fore movement to remove entire bar from crossmember tunnel after aforementioned spring clip removal and adjuster bolt loosening.  Appreciate everyone's help.  I thot rear quarter window regulator was a monster.

Jason

[rattlesnake]

When I removed my torsion bars I used a pipe wrench. It needs to be a decent size pipe wrench, like maybe a 14" so you obviously need plenty of room under the car as far as height, because the handle of the wrench will hang almost straight down.  You will need enough adjustment on the wrench to be able to push the handle toward the rear of the car and bind the wrench on the bar. The wrench has to be held there while you are pushing, jiggling and hammering aft on the wrench. The advantage is the pipe wrench is a bigger heavier piece of equipment and can take alot of abuse, and is alot less likely to move and slide like the visegrips. Also while hammering, jiggling and pushing on the handle of the wrench you are forcing the teeth into the bar causing it to get more bite. The marks can be polished out before reinstall or if your equipped you can knurl the bar there for next removal. Make sure and put plenty of grease or anti-seize on ends before reinstall and this will ease removal next time.

[rattlesnake]

A couple other things, Make sure you have all friction removed from the LCA's, sometimes you need to push down on the LCA to get it to the bottom of its travel. If you need to hammer on the pipe wrench as stated above try to hammer as close to the bar as possible eliminating the spring effect you'll get of you hammer on the handle.

[anlauto]

A vise grip is exactly what mine has on it at the moment after reviewing the torsion bar removal tools function. Gawd, why didn't they add some teeth mid shaft or something on these beaches.[/b] Jason

You don't want to mark or gouge the spring steel torsion bar because it could possibly weakening it.

Using the correct tool for the job usually works best.

I use the proper tool and some heat on the lower control arm.

[dodj]

When I removed mine, i found bouncing the lower control arm up and down loosed the grip the t-bar had on the socket and it came loose. 
Rusty north western Ontario car..

[johns cuda shop]

   The torsion bars are case hardened on the outside and have temper in alloy.  If you scratch the bars deeply it will cause the bar to fail .Any heat you apply to the bar will weaken it. Torsion bars should never be removed with vise grips. A proper torsion bar tool is needed.