Torsion Bar Install

what would cause this >>>>>>>>>>>> on a 72 dart ... someone previously installed the bars on the wrong sides ... went to install them on the correct sides and it took threes guys to line that torsion bar up to on into the slots. we had to twist the bar about a 1/4 inch or so to line it up.. we intalled the first ime and got them in set the tension on the bars and could not raise the car at all so took out again and tried for a lower slot on the bar and thats where it took three of us to twist the bars so it would line up.. one guy positioning the pivot another twiisting the bar some and another to hammer it in the backside .
It was a bear to get lined up.. we had the snubbers out on lower control arms and all the was down.. we did not loosen the big nut on the control arm though. maybe should have though.. we were thinking that maybe the bars were the culprit because they were on the wrong side for years and had the wrong twist on them now.
anyone ever run into such a problem lining up those bars like that?
the bars were just 318 bars for a 72 art . nothing special.
Thanks fabo .