Do Torsion Bars Wear Out?

-
harrisonm

harrisonm

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
Messages
5,854
Reaction score
8,205
Location
Topeka, KS
I know torsion bars can break, but do the just wear out until they have little 'spring' left in them? And how would one know / check for that?
 
Yep. Ever see a Mopar sagg'n in the front, and the adjuster bolts are cranked up?
 
yep, torsion bars can develop a bow with fatigue too.
 
Kern Dog said:
Sure... Sometimes it is because a guy put a 440 in a slant six Dart with stock front suspension.
Click to expand...

Like this??? Man she sags in the front...er...wait?

2013-05-18_10-57-40_916.jpg
 
Like any spring, torsion bars fatigue and get weaker...
 
I replaced my original bars because they lost their tension and they were cranked all the way up.
 
Why would anyone click DISAGREE on something that was clearly possible?
roccodart440 said:
Like this??? Man she sags in the front...er...wait?

View attachment 1715018480
Click to expand...

READ before you respond. I didn't write that it ALWAYS happens. You apparently DISAGREE that SOMETIMES this occurs? So it has never happened at all? Ever? Not even once in 50 years?
 
I've seen some arguments on mopar sites where people argue about wether u should have /6 bars with a big block on a street car. Maybe he though u were referring to this issue and was offended?
 
A guy asks if torsion bars wear out. Someone responds that they do. I respond that SOMETIMES it happens when a 440 is installed in a light duty car and somebody chooses to disagree. Tell ME how that makes any sense. Is the guy going to disagree when I say that it is most likely to be brighter during the daytime than the night? The arguements have equal merit.
 
Kern Dog said:
Why would anyone click DISAGREE on something that was clearly possible?


READ before you respond. I didn't write that it ALWAYS happens. You apparently DISAGREE that SOMETIMES this occurs? So it has never happened at all? Ever? Not even once in 50 years?
Click to expand...

I know, it's stupid. What's more is, they click disagree and then are too pussified to come back and explain themselves.
 
Kern Dog said:
Why would anyone click DISAGREE on something that was clearly possible?


READ before you respond. I didn't write that it ALWAYS happens. You apparently DISAGREE that SOMETIMES this occurs? So it has never happened at all? Ever? Not even once in 50 years?
Click to expand...

baracus said:
I've seen some arguments on mopar sites where people argue about wether u should have /6 bars with a big block on a street car. Maybe he though u were referring to this issue and was offended?
Click to expand...

RustyRatRod said:
I know, it's stupid. What's more is, they click disagree and then are too pussified to come back and explain themselves.
Click to expand...

You are implying that /6 bars aren't up to the challenge. They are. I did READ. I disagreed with what you wrote. I wasn't offended, clearly you were. Here is my non-pussyfied response and explanation. It would have come sooner but I actually have life outside of my job where I access this site.

A bar that is worn out doesn't know what application it was built for. A worn out bar is a worn out bar. I've seen 340 bars in a 340 car that were whipped. I've seen /6 bars in a /6 that are worn out.

The other reason I disagreed is because the common myth regarding weight variations between engines has been widely disproved yet some will cling to it. I see comments like yours on other threads where people reffer to big blocks like they weigh some astronomical amount more than the other engines. I.e. big blocks are nose heavy, can't hook up, can't handle, small blocks are so much lighter and whip the heavy big block cars etc.

Note that you got 2 "disagree" reactions on both of your posts, so I'm not alone.
 
Last edited:
harrisonm said:
I know torsion bars can break, but do the just wear out until they have little 'spring' left in them? And how would one know / check for that?
Click to expand...
Yeppers, any spring of any kind, of course. Unload the frt. end and unwind the adjusters, put a suitable length straight-edge along it, if it retained any significant bow(say 3/16"
+) it is on it's way downhill. I have a pair of .870" dia. bars right next to me, one is approx. 1/32", the mate (L) is close to 1/8". I'm still going to use them, but not on the one
I plan on tossing thru the turns.
 
I would also add that, although roccodart440 can use .830" bars, it doesn't mean it is a good idea if one is actually doing a lot of street miles. Starting with new ones is best,
the stored energy of the "over-wound" slanty bars gives You a nice lift for weight transfer, the .810" drag bars even more, but they will fatigue more quickly. I've been in close
proximity to two bars that snapped just sitting there, and once riding down the interstate in a /6 duster in the back, it is immediate and rude, and possibly dangerous at the
wrong moment.......................
 
Thanks for the replies. I checked mine according to Killer6's suggestion, and they were fine.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top