mopardemon340
Well-Known Member
do I have to loosen up the torsion bars to do the swap.. if so I do I loosen up the torsion bars
Disk brake swap torsion bar??
- Thread starter mopardemon340
- Start date
-
yes, you need to loosen them to give you room to separate the spindles from the control arms. can't be done with the torsion bars tightened in.
To loosen is simple, 3/4 inch socket, under the lower control arm, you'll find the adjuster bolt, back it loose, problem solved.
mopardemon340
Well-Known Member
thanks
Better pre-spray those adjuster bolts with some sauce too!!
this x 10
Just swapped a Kelsey Hayes brake system in my 66. no need to loosen the torsion bars. just support car under the lower control arm, with the weight of the car on jacks stands. you can easily pop the upper ball joint, the lower bolts in. Just did it.
It can see above post^^
Jim Lusk
Well-Known Member
Exactly. Lower ball joint needs to be changed on big bolt swaps and to use the proper bolts the early lower ball joints should have the mounting holes opened to 9/16" to use the proper bolts, BUT none of that requires loosening the t-bar.
Every write up I've seen says step one is to remove the tension on the T-bars, which is why i did it on mine and it was a breeze, besides it takes hardly no time to do.
Sure, it's easy to do, but your making more work for yourself that's not necessary.
It's just making a mountain, out of a mole hill.
Just support the LCA by placing a jack stand under it, or use the floor jack.
No need to release the tension on the bars. Support car with stands, place floor jack under lower control arm and jack up to the load tension then loosen your upper and lower ball joints not but don't remove and use a pickle fork to separate and then remove castle nuts and slowly let jack down. Then the reverse to go back together.
James
James
mopardemon340
Well-Known Member
I used a floor jack under the lower control arm and. it wasn't enough to get the upper ball joing to line up.. I had to adjust the torsion bar to give me the room.. as for readjustment I use a caliper to measure the length of the bolt and put it back at the same measurement. spraying the bolt was key. the first side I didn't spray and I hell of a time getting it back in.. had to use a large braker bar to adjust it unless it got to the lubed part then when nice and easy.. the second side was lubes and went much better..
Jim Lusk
Well-Known Member
If you remove the upper control arm bumper from the frame there is plenty of room to do this swap without taking tension off the bar.
I would agree to put jacks under the arms. If you are in a hurry!
If I were doing it I would put the jack stands under the Frame rail. Because while its apart and your changing the upper bushing. and upper and lower ball joints. why not install new lower control arm and strut rod bushings.
They are the cheapest and your going to need an alignment when you are done anyway. Ride height is part of the alignment. Once you have everything off for the swap. All that is left is the lower arms and the rods. Why not paint em up nice while your at it.
This is just the way us old guys do things. No hurry ,And one thing always leads to another. Before you know it the K-member will be coming out for paint and while thats out you could paint the bottom of the engine after you put a new oil pan gasket on.
PUT THE JACKS UNDER THE FRAME RIGHT FROM THE START, They also won't be in your way to keep the area clean. You'll be thanking me for the tip. LOL Steve
If I were doing it I would put the jack stands under the Frame rail. Because while its apart and your changing the upper bushing. and upper and lower ball joints. why not install new lower control arm and strut rod bushings.
They are the cheapest and your going to need an alignment when you are done anyway. Ride height is part of the alignment. Once you have everything off for the swap. All that is left is the lower arms and the rods. Why not paint em up nice while your at it.
This is just the way us old guys do things. No hurry ,And one thing always leads to another. Before you know it the K-member will be coming out for paint and while thats out you could paint the bottom of the engine after you put a new oil pan gasket on.
PUT THE JACKS UNDER THE FRAME RIGHT FROM THE START, They also won't be in your way to keep the area clean. You'll be thanking me for the tip. LOL Steve
Dartn440
Well-Known Member
I like how you think. That is why I stripped the Demon to its skin. I spent a lot of time on the 74 going back and undoing and redoing. Much easier to fix it all at once.
Not really. No more so than removing the UCA as suggested in this thread....
Yep, may as well do it right the first time.
-
