remove the tension on torsion bars

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unknownsnake

unknownsnake

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I am about the redo the front end of my car and I have never worked on a car with torsion bars. I see everyone say there's a bolt and I see it on car. Only other thing I hear is it raises and lowers car. Which way takes the tension all the way off so I can tear front end apart?
 
unknownsnake said:
I am about the redo the front end of my car and I have never worked on a car with torsion bars. I see everyone say there's a bolt and I see it on car. Only other thing I hear is it raises and lowers car. Which way takes the tension all the way off so I can tear front end apart?
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raising increases the tension, lowering decreases. Back the adjuster all the way out till it's loose and you'll be good
 
You back them out counter clockwise. Should be a 3/4 socket. Then if you are removing the bars and or control arms you will also need to remove the clips in the cross member behind the bars and the 15/16 nut on the control arm shaft, 3/4 nut on the strut rod where it goes through the control arm.... The nuts on the strut rod where it goes through the K member are 1" or 1 1/16 I think... Do them first if removing the strut rods but make sure you remove the roll pins first.
 
It is recommended to lift the front end to reduce stress on the threads as you turn the adjuster bolt. I always spray some penetrating fluid on the bolt to help with the years of crud and rust. Then counterclockwise relieves the tension on the bar. If you are taking everything apart it doesn't matter if you take the bolt right out, but it can just be loosened all the way to the end and left in the LCA too.
 
I will be doing this too soon.....
Should I count the number of turns so I can reinstall it close or is there a better way?
 
MrJLR said:
I will be doing this too soon.....
Should I count the number of turns so I can reinstall it close or is there a better way?
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you can, but if you're putting all new bushings and joints, etc on, it'll change the stiffness anyway. I rebuilt the entire front end on my 74 charger, I counted the turns, had the Tbars marked so everything would line up exactly as it was and when i was done, I was a little over an inch taller.....
 
MrJLR said:
I will be doing this too soon.....
Should I count the number of turns so I can reinstall it close or is there a better way?
Click to expand...

No, if you put larger/stiffer bars on it, then it will need a different number of turns to get the ride height.

When you get the front end rebuilt, then adjust the ride height as described in the service manual.

Also bounce the front end up and down a little between adjustments to let it settle before evaluating...
 
There is a tool that will allow you to hammer out the bars without scratching them. Use a vice grip and you will ruin the bars.
 
MrJLR said:
I will be doing this too soon.....
Should I count the number of turns so I can reinstall it close or is there a better way?
Click to expand...

If you like the ride height, measure it. When you reinstall everything, tighten it up until you get to the desired ride height.
 
I've found that removing the upper control arm snubber lets the torsion bars come out easier, after doing all that was said previously.
 
Note the position of the bars first thing. Label the drivers side label the front/back. And also mark the position, rotation-wise. Mine has lines and a part number stamped in the ends. Take a picture if it. I made that mistake. After years of use the bars will bow slightly. I put mine in not exactly as removed. After ..one side required more tension than the other to stay level.
 
Once you back the "tension bolt" all the way out/relaxed, do the bars just slide out? why the need for vise grips?
 
You can easily remove the T-bar by prying the LCA away from the K-frame (after you loosening the pivot bolt's nut and removing the front strut rod nuts), then wack the LCA forward and the T-bar should pop up. Of course, remove the rear wire clip retainer first. The special "T-bar grabber" tool shown in the FSM is unnecessary, and for sure don't grab it with pliers. Note there is a L & R T-bar. Both the PN and an "L" and "R" distinguish them. You must keep on the correct side. Flipping each one end-end doesn't matter. I like to put the "L" & "R" at the end so someone could later verify. Many here like to upgrade to a stiffer T-bar and 1"D seems most popular and thus inexpensive. I used the polyurethane rear grease boot since lasts forever. BTW, that grease & boot is to stop corrosion, not to allow movement.
 
Hey Guys !

I am thinking of lowering the front end of my 68 Dart Gt and was reading the posts here - in order to lower the front end, I should turn the bolts on the torison bars counter clockwise to relieve the preassure and make the front end go down? I only want to drop the front about an inch or so. The car sits perfectly level now. Can someone confirm as I have never done this before!
Thanks Guys !!!
Mike
 
Yep just back them of a little. Bounce the car after the adjustment and re measure. If you are jacking the car up to do this roll it back and forth and then bounce it before measuring.
 
If there was a lack of grease on install, they could be tough to get out. DONT nick them, could fail later.
 
68dartgtman said:
... I only want to drop the front about an inch or so. The car sits perfectly level now. ...
Click to expand...
Lowering will affect toe-in, i.e. cause "toe-out" which causes the car to wander and is dangerous. That is why so many cars become undriveable as they age and the suspension sags, and the owners are too cheap to get an alignment. But Mopars are easy to adjust to fight the sag (though you desire low). I do my own toe-in alignments using a tape measure, they drive perfectly straight and no excessive wear. You want the fwd "track" of the front tires 1/16 to 1/8 less than the rear track. Easiest to measure if your tires have straight channels.
 
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