Author Topic: torsion bars  (Read 4107 times)

Offline dixiedog

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torsion bars
« on: September 08, 2011 - 10:37:48 PM »
had my front end rebuilt.  Went to get it alligned, the torsion bar bolts are funky.  The driver side is all the way out and the passenger side is all the way in.  I had noticed this before I had the front end rebuilt.  The allignment guy told me to take the weight off them (torsion bars), remove them and reinstall them.  Does anybody have any help on this.  I'm kind a lost as usual.  Thanks, Danny




Offline HP2

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Re: torsion bars
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2011 - 09:44:01 AM »
Typically you don't have a single bar go bad. They do occasionally break, which would be obvious, sometimes the sockets rust and twist, which would explain why one is all the way in and one all the way out, or sometimes the control arms are not put in to the K frame correctly and the index is off. Simply removing the bars and reinstalling them won't change the index. You will need to lift the car, take the weight off the bars, remove them, disconnect the spindles and remove and reseat the lower control arms in the correct position. before doing that, I'd do an inspection of the rear sockets and cross member to make sure they are still ingood shape and not altered in anyway.  If your still interested in tackling it after thinking about that, we can walk you through the process.

Offline burdar

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Re: torsion bars
« Reply #2 on: September 09, 2011 - 10:19:56 AM »
I don't see how you can install the LCA wrong.  It's just a shaft that goes into the tube in the K-member...there are no splines of any kind.  If the LCAs are tightened up completely without the car sitting on the suspension, you can tear the bushings but that's it.  The above post is correct in that you need to remove the bars.  Then loosen the LCA nuts so the shaft is free to turn in the K-member tube.   The front suspension needs to be hanging all the way down.  You may want to loosen the upper ball joint or at least remove the upper control arm bump stop so the suspension will hang lower.  Make sure the adjusters are in the same location side to side and reinstall the bars.   Once the car is back on the ground and the ride hight has been adjusted, THEN you can tighten the LCA nuts.

My guess is that who ever installed the bars did one of two things.  They didn't have the adjusters in the same location on each side to begin with.....or the LCA's were in different possitions.(one hanging lower then the other one)

You can also put a greace pensil mark on the rear torsion hex as well as on the torsion bar x-member.  If the welds have come loose. you'll be able to see that your marks no longer line up. 

Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: torsion bars
« Reply #3 on: September 09, 2011 - 02:06:06 PM »
two things forst there is a left & right bar , odd # is left even is right , possibly you have 2 right or left bars
 second when the bar is inserted the lower control arm needs to be as low as possible , if it is slid in one position out it will not adjust properly

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Offline Katfish

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Re: torsion bars
« Reply #4 on: September 09, 2011 - 03:15:04 PM »
Take close up pics of both sides and post.  Another guy on here had similiar problem.
It turned out the adjusting bolt was not seated in the right place on 1 side. 
Simple fix for him, yours might be the same.

Offline HP2

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Re: torsion bars
« Reply #5 on: September 09, 2011 - 06:27:52 PM »

My guess is that who ever installed the bars did one of two things.  They didn't have the adjusters in the same location on each side to begin with.....or the LCA's were in different possitions.(one hanging lower then the other one)
 

That is what I was trying to say with the arms being installed wrong. Yes, the shafts just slides in to the k frame. However,as you point out, the adjusters relationship to the shaft, when tightened down, can have a big impact on how much preload needs to be cranked in to the bar once the car is on the ground.


two things forst there is a left & right bar , odd # is left even is right , possibly you have 2 right or left bars
 second when the bar is inserted the lower control arm needs to be as low as possible , if it is slid in one position out it will not adjust properly

I'd start with this first, then depending on what you find, inspect the rear sockets, then if required, proceed with burdar's instructions.

Offline dixiedog

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Re: torsion bars
« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2011 - 11:38:10 PM »
will try this Saturday.  thanks for the info, Danny

Offline Katfish

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Re: torsion bars
« Reply #7 on: September 10, 2011 - 10:14:32 AM »

Offline dixiedog

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Re: torsion bars
« Reply #8 on: September 10, 2011 - 11:12:51 AM »
Thanks guys.  The pics on the other post  helped to Katfish.  Will check this out today and get back, hopefully it will be  an easy fix.  If so it will be the first easy fix, not really, had a few problems you guys have helped me on that turned out to be minor.  This site has saved me a ton of time and $ as well as probably kept me from abandoning this project.  99% finished, but never realyy finished.  I can't take this car anywhere without getting mobbed.  A guy tried to trade me a brand new one for it yesterday ( white R/T), tempted but no way.  Thanks again, Danny

Offline 72 cuda

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Re: torsion bars
« Reply #9 on: September 10, 2011 - 01:12:37 PM »
I saw this post of my last major problem.
It just reminded me of how hard it was before I found you guys here at Cuda Challenger.
Thanks again all.
 :cheers:
Mark

Offline dixiedog

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Re: torsion bars
« Reply #10 on: September 10, 2011 - 03:20:01 PM »
Okay guys, took the torsion  bars back out.  Chrco hit it in one area.  777L bar was on the right and 776R was on the left reverse to what they should have been. I am fixing that and will proceed with the other instructions per reinstalling them.  Thanks, Danny

Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: torsion bars
« Reply #11 on: September 10, 2011 - 04:05:29 PM »
cool , drop the lower control arm as far as possible  & remove the adjuster bolt & make sure the lever the bolt rides on is down inside the arm & slide the bars in , do up the adjuster bolts usually so the bolt heads is about even with the bottom of the control arm & adjust from there

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Offline dixiedog

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Re: torsion bars
« Reply #12 on: September 10, 2011 - 09:13:25 PM »
Done deal the bars are correct and adjustable now.  I would have been forever figuring this out not knowing they were left and right bars.   I don't know who put them in wrong they were like that when I bought the car in a stage of resto, the first stage I might add.   Thanks amillion guys. :bigsmile: Danny :crazy: yooo hoooo

Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: torsion bars
« Reply #13 on: September 10, 2011 - 09:44:59 PM »
 :2thumbs:  :working:

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