Torsion bar change

[06Daytona]

I was going through all the bits and pieces that I picked up last year and found a set of BB torsion bars. I'm going to put them in the Challenger since it's getting a 440 and I have them. I'd like to have the car as BB ready as I can when the engine is done, so how much harder is it to swap the bars out with the 318 in than when the 318 is out? I'm thinking of welding in some torsion bars before I drop the new engine in too, but I might wait and have that done at the same time the exhaust gets adapted to the new headers since it will be up on the hoist anyway.

[brads70]

I was going through all the bits and pieces that I picked up last year and found a set of BB torsion bars. I'm going to put them in the Challenger since it's getting a 440 and I have them. I'd like to have the car as BB ready as I can when the engine is done, so how much harder is it to swap the bars out with the 318 in than when the 318 is out? I'm thinking of welding in some torsion bars before I drop the new engine in too, but I might wait and have that done at the same time the exhaust gets adapted to the new headers since it will be up on the hoist anyway.

It's a little easier I guess swapping the t bars when the engine is out I guess. More room to work? What do you mean about welding them in? A typo I assume?

[06Daytona]

Oops. I meant sub frame connectors

[mojavered]

Both can be put in with the engine in.  All work is done below, cannot remember if the engine is in the way at all for getting the torsion bars in or not.  It is more difficult to remove the old ones than it is to install the new ones.  Make sure you have the new boots before you start.
Depending on the type of connectors you bought though, there may be a ton of fab work that will need to be done.  Definitely a must to get in before the exhaust.

[06Daytona]

I'll be using home made connectors. Chryco told me how to do them while he was visiting. I'll be using 1"x2" heavy wall material with a slice taken out to follow the floor line a bit.

[brads70]

I'll be using home made connectors. Chryco told me how to do them while he was visiting. I'll be using 1"x2" heavy wall material with a slice taken out to follow the floor line a bit.

I used Neil's method too. Worked great! 

[mojavered]

Does anyone know where CP's instructions are?  Are there any pics of these?  Thanks!

[brads70]

Does anyone know where CP's instructions are?  Are there any pics of these?  Thanks!

Here is a few pictures of what I did? Hope that helps?

[Chryco Psycho]

What I have used in the past is rectangle 1x2" .125 wall tubing , I cut a slot in the tube where the floor changes angle so the tube can be bent to conform with the floor angle then reweld the slot closed . I butt the front up to the T bar cross member as Brads pic shows but I have used a plate to increase the surface area . I then tie onto the angle of the rear frame as Brad did . I have never welded onto the floor so they can be easily removed if nessisary in the future .

[GranCuda1970]

Stiffens her up good and can be removed if need be I like it. May have to do it.

[Grec]

Re: the torsion bars, I don't think it makes a bit of difference with engine in or out.

I just pulled mine the other day, with engine in, and don't recall any clearance issues.

Only tip is to make sure you have ALL the tension off the adjuster bolts on the LCAs. If they've never been removed, be prepared to struggle with them a bit, but once they break free they'll just slide right out.

Edit: Oh... and obviously you need to have all load off the LCAs, ie the front needs to be in the air.

[06Daytona]

Is there an easy way to get the torsion bars out? I took out my upper control arm bumpers, load off the torsion bars, up on jack stands. I put vise grips on and tap them, but they pop before the torsion bars move. I've been smacking them for an hour and I don't think they've budged at all. I was thinking of hitting the front and back of the torsion bars with a little propane heat, but there's so much oil/power steering fluid/paint/ undercoat on them that I'm worried I'll end up with a fire.

[mojavered]

They have been in there for a long time.  Just a lot of grime and age holding them in.  Make sure you have the clips out.  Really not a good idea to use vise grips on them as it mars up the bar.  This may compromise the integrity of them?  I built a clamp out of two chunks of metal that were bent in the middle.  Hole drilled on the ends for some 7/16" bolts.  Then on one side of clamp, had an angle bent down to so that I had a nice area to smack with a BFH.  No marks on the bars and they came right out after a couple hits.

[06Daytona]

I wrapped the bars so they don't get scored and it's worked pretty well so far. I loosened off my LCA and pried with my ball joint remover to more the LCA back and then tapped it forward again. I have the left hand bar moving a little, but it seems to bind about an 1/8th of an inch from the end of the rear hole. I've smacked the bar back and forth, but it won't seem to get past that point. I think I'll go play on the passenger side for a while. If I can get that one out it might motivate me to hit the drivers one a little harder.

[ChallengerHK]

Neil's advice to me years ago was to put a wrench between the LCA and the K frame ad pry the LCA back to break the bar out of its mount.