Torsion bar clocking

[andysauto1]

Is it possible to have clocking wrong on front torsion bars? Car has one adjusting bolt run all the way in, the other side almost all the way out.

 

[Craig Burriss]

I think both LCAs need to be close to full droop when installing the torsion bars. It doesn’t matter how the bars themselves are rotated but there is a left side and a right side. They should be stamped on the back

 

[remytherat]

The thing that matters is the orientation of the blade that contacts the adjuster when the bar is installed. On my sway away bars it sits about level with no tension on the bars. Not sure if it will be the same for you, different bars can be clocked differently, but generally the head of the adjuster bolt is about flush with the arm at ride height.

 

[AJ/FormS]

With factory bars; No that is not possible.
however, it is possible to wind a T-bar bolt up, and the business end Not be in the Socket.
It's also possible that the Socket in the Cross-member is torn out, and factory bars can lose their spring, and sag, requiring more wind up.
Also, if one of the rear springs has sagged, the T-bar on that side will have to make up the difference. When setting the T-bars for the first time, I always jack up the rear under the banjo until the wheels just come up off the ground.
And it goes without saying that the front wheels and tires need to be matched.
Also be aware that as you change the ride height, the camber and toe will change and so will the track width. If the suspension is not normalized, and one side has a mobility issue, it may take more wind-up to overcome that.

But with aftermarket bars, it is possible for the bars not to be clocked the same.
I think you'd have to remove them both and lay them side by side to see that.

 

[AndyF]

You have something screwed up. Could be something put together wrong, a twisted bar, a torsion bar that was built wrong, who knows. You'll just need to look at everything to see where the problem is coming from.

 

[Kendog 170]

Make sure the adjuster is backed out and the arm is turned all the way down. I did it once and had to crank adjuster in to far. Hope this makes sense.

 

[72bluNblu]

First, torsion bar clocking is built into the torsion bar itself, you can't change it. Factory clocking was 30°, aftermarket bars can be anything from 30° to 0. A really old, worn out bar may be different, torsion bars "sag" just like any spring but it happens radially, so you lose hex offset. They also have a left and a right, so make sure you haven't swapped them side for side.

You can put the LCA hex socket on the end of the torsion bar one "flat" off, changing the clocking of the LCA/torsion bar adjusting blade. With factory torsion bars and LCA's that's almost impossible to do, but if you have aftermarket torsion bars or tubular LCA's it's actually pretty easy to do accidentally. Especially if you have both tubular LCA's and large aftermarket bars with near 0 hex offset.

If we're talking all factory parts though I would be looking for damaged parts - torsion bar socket broken loose in the crossmember, LCA pivot tube broken loose in the K-member, or just a really worn out or damaged torsion bar.

The factory method for installation is to have the torsion bar adjusting bolt backed most of the way out of the adjuster, then let the LCA hang all the way down. It will stop around 45° (ish) when the LCA hits the K frame. Have the adjusting blade on the end of the adjusting bolt, which should be close to the adjusting plate in the LCA to get the hex socket lined up with the end of the bar.

 

[andysauto1]

Thanks for all the information guys. This is the way I bought the car, so everything said here will be looked over tonight after I get off work, I will post my findings later this week. Didn't think they could be clocked wrong, but never hurts to ask.

 

[andysauto1]

Update
Checked everything, only possible solution is to change the torsion bars, left side looks to be weak. What are your thoughts on Mancini Racing bars, any of you tried them, hate to put a used set in the car.

 

[michiganpat]

is there anything else that could be binding the suspension up?

 

[andysauto1]

Going to tear into it this weekend, thought I was almost done and ready for paint. Thats what I get for thinking!

 

[72bluNblu]

Update
Checked everything, only possible solution is to change the torsion bars, left side looks to be weak. What are your thoughts on Mancini Racing bars, any of you tried them, hate to put a used set in the car.

So, are you going to post the torsion bar numbers or anything? What makes you think the left side is weak, other than the adjuster position?

Unless the bars are mismatched, a discrepancy as big as one adjuster all the way in and the other all the way out to be at the same height side to side would lead me to believe something was broken somewhere (which can also include the rear suspension)

Pictures help a lot!

 

[andysauto1]

Will post pictures this weekend, after I take it apart. Right now just looking, nothing adds up just by looking at it.

 

[dodgemahal]

First, torsion bar clocking is built into the torsion bar itself, you can't change it. Factory clocking was 30°, aftermarket bars can be anything from 30° to 0. A really old, worn out bar may be different, torsion bars "sag" just like any spring but it happens radially, so you lose hex offset. They also have a left and a right, so make sure you haven't swapped them side for side.

You can put the LCA hex socket on the end of the torsion bar one "flat" off, changing the clocking of the LCA/torsion bar adjusting blade. With factory torsion bars and LCA's that's almost impossible to do, but if you have aftermarket torsion bars or tubular LCA's it's actually pretty easy to do accidentally. Especially if you have both tubular LCA's and large aftermarket bars with near 0 hex offset.

If we're talking all factory parts though I would be looking for damaged parts - torsion bar socket broken loose in the crossmember, LCA pivot tube broken loose in the K-member, or just a really worn out or damaged torsion bar.

The factory method for installation is to have the torsion bar adjusting bolt backed most of the way out of the adjuster, then let the LCA hang all the way down. It will stop around 45° (ish) when the LCA hits the K frame. Have the adjusting blade on the end of the adjusting bolt, which should be close to the adjusting plate in the LCA to get the hex socket lined up with the end of the bar.

Hi Andy,
I'm doing the same thing you are. I've got a '73 Dart. 72blu has got this pegged. Through the LCA's range of travel there is/was only one place, and one place only, where the hex socket will line up with the hex on the T bar, and that is up just bit from where it hangs near the bottom, at approximately 45 degrees.

 

[andysauto1]

Hi Andy,
I'm doing the same thing you are. I've got a '73 Dart. 72blu has got this pegged. Through the LCA's range of travel there is/was only one place, and one place only, where the hex socket will line up with the hex on the T bar, and that is up just bit from where it hangs near the bottom, at approximately 45 degrees.

I should have my new torsion bars this week, I will have to wait for the weekend to install them. I really believe the left one has lost its tension, nothing else looks to be damaged or worn.