Unfamiliar with Dodge

[haroldbrown2]

trying to get back on my 74 Challenger someone took completely apart prior to me.  I'm not familiar with Chrysler much.  I noticed he'd already rebuilt whole front suspension, but forgot to put one rubber "boot" on the driver side torsion bar at the rear (kinda under your feet).  I notice there is a "retaining clip" on the very backside of the torsion bar housing.  If I wanted to remove the driver side torsion bar (they are .920 or so diameter and I think new or at least look new and everything else was), does it come out front to back?
He was rebuilding the car for stock 318, but I have a 383 I plan on putting in.  Should I go ahead with larger torsion bars at this time, I don't plan on any kinda corner slinging, but I guess now would be the time since no motor/trans installed.  Your thoughts?  And, he also "disposed" of the stock vacuum break booster/master/prop valve and caliper brackets, which is odd considering he put on new factory size rotors?
Thank you for thoughts.

[Katfish]

Here's a good read on the brakes, many people don't use a booster with the disc set-up.

http://www.moparaction.com/tech/archive/disc-main.html

You can remove the torsion bar and replace the dust boot.  It will slide backwards once the clip is removed, you might need the tool for this.
0.92 is a good bar for small block cars, that's what I have with a 340.  Some say to use the 0.96 or larger, it just depends on what you want, handling vs stiffness.

[Bullitt-]

Hey cuz... Save your money up for some good adjustable shocks....92 t-bar will be OK
  As for removing it you need to loosen the Lower Control Arm adjuster till there is no tension on the t-bar, then pry back on the front of the LCA to push the t-bar out the rear.   
  As for the brake master cylinder there is a different mount to the firewall needed for manual vs power... many folks prefer the manual disk.
  Where you been? 

Wade

[72bluNblu]

The torsion bars slide out the back of the housing toward the rear of the car. Be careful not to damage the torsion bar shafts (ie, by using vise grips etc on them) as once they are gouged the bar can fail. If they've never really been loaded they may slide out pretty easy, if not you can unbolt the lower control arm and use a dead blow hammer on it to push the torsion bar back.

I'd go larger for a 383, but that's just me. I think small blocks should have .96 to 1" bars, I'd say with a 383 a set of 1" bars would be the way to go. I have 1.12" bars in my '72, its a 318 car. But I do enjoy carving the twisties, so its pretty stiff. But I'd do it again in a heartbeat. .92" bars with a good set of shocks would be just fine too.

[Moparal]

Im in alabama. I have a set of 70 challenger rt 383 bars if you need them

[Chryco Psycho]

the easiest way to get the T bar out is to undo the nut on the front of the lower control arm pivot & the nut on the rear of the caster strut where it comes through the lower control arm & pry both the T bat & lower control arm back together , as mentioned above , you might want to upgrade to the .96 bar while it is apart .
 Also puit grease inside of both sockets fornt & rear before reassembling

[haroldbrown2]

ok, so I took off an hour early today and am out in my bat-cave (dark panelled 70s garage) with a light trying to figure this out and thank you for comments.  do I need to put a jack under anything?  I tried unbolting the large nut on radiator side of torsion bar but no go w/pipe slipped over rachet, it's not backwards thread is it?  or is it like 200 foot pounds or what??  Whole front end is together, except steering box, so sway bar, shocks, etc. are intact.  I guess all these need unbolting too?
Hi Wade!  been busy as a 1 legged cat in a sandbox, no time for anything, but trying to knuckle down this fall/winter on challenger.  If I had been one to totally disassemble this car instead of the guy who bailed, I'd have been clue on what gives.

[Chryco Psycho]

the big nut is 15/16" & is normal right hand fine thread , you may need to unbolt the bottom of the shock to get the arm to move back enough to push the T bar out of the way

[matt63]

The load should be off of the front end when any work is done on the torsion bars or their adjusters.

[haroldbrown2]

ok, just came inside again.  I have floor jack under front crossmember.  Driver side tire (it's driver side missing dustboot or whatever theyr'e called) barely drags ground, can rotate.  Unbolted bottom end of shock, pushed out of lower control arm.  Undid some cross rod on the backside of it that bolts into LCA, don't know what that cross rod is called.  Undid sway bar.  I can pry between engine mount area and LCA and torsion bar will slide back but spring right back together when I loosen tension.  Have large nut on front of torsion bar backed off (dang it was tight), and unthreaded to the end to protect bar and hammered some to drive to drive it back, but my 4 pound is at Dads' farm, only have ballpeen, can't generate enough force (don't think).  Do have a 12 pound sledge think I should try that?  No engine/tranny in the way.  Getting a little frustrated by now w/hammering and nothing.  It might have moved back 1/2" at most.  I'm guessing the torsion bar is hanging up in the lower control arm preventing it from sliding out back?  Used PB blaster on backside (toward rear of car) to try to help it slide out.  Not budging that I can tell.

[haroldbrown2]

Ok, there are also some huge bolts that come up through bottom side of lower control arms that thread into a thick chunk of steel that looks like it "floats" inside the lower control arm.  They aren't threaded very tight (finger tight), are these bolts and those thick slabs of steel (or cast iron, whatever they are) anything to do with this process?

[Bullitt-]

That sounds like the t-bar adjustment in the middle of the LCA  the one big bolt that points down should be completely loose to take the tension off the t-tar.

[Bullitt-]

Brett, if this still has you whipped by the weekend give me a shout & I'll run out to your place with a BFH,,, 

Wade

[haroldbrown2]

Thanks Wade, they are completely loose, but still in there.  Do I need to completely remove the metal "slab" and the huge frankenstein bolts that hang down?  I looked with a light and the bolt isn't even touching the center peice of the lower control assembly.  I can pry between motor mount and LCA and it'll push back (some) but spring right back.  I just tapped on the LCA towards the front and it just pushed the whole torsion bar right back to where I started.  It acts like the torsion bar is frozen in the lower control arm, although I believe he installed new torsion bars and I know the front end has been rebuilt.  I can tap away and the torsion bar isn't wanting to slide through the lower control arm and out the back.  I even "tapped" with my 12 lb sledge just now.  the control arm is moving back with it.  Maybe I should tighten up everything having to do with the lower control arm (now) and see if the torsion bar will drive out???

[Bullitt-]

You do have the little metal spring clip removed from the very rear of the T-bar, & as I understand have removed the sway-bar & strut,the straight rod that ties to the front of the K-member... only thing holding it in place is the tension on the LCA pivot/bushing & T-bar to cross member..