Torsion Bars

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RustyRatRod

RustyRatRod

I was born on a Monday. Not last Monday.
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I realize there's a very recent torsion bar thread, but I do not want to bogger up his thread with my questions, so here is my thread.

64 Valiant slant six. I have a Addco 1 1/8" front sway bar installed now. I will have a 7/8 rear bar installed before long.That MAY prove too much and if it is, I'll snatch it off. We'll see. I have new regular replacement gas shocks all the way around. However, hitting bumps and low spots in the road, the front end does bounce more than I like. I am certain the factory torsion bars are about shot.

That said, Do yall think the PST 1.03 bars would be overkill? As most of yall know, I have a 400 swap planned. Although it may not come to fruition, I want some bars that can handle it too and I feel sure they can.

So what do yall think? Thank you for any and all advice.
 
I don’t think the 1.03’s would be overkill at all. Especially with a 400 up front. You will probably want better shocks at some point to go with the 1.03’s, but that doesn’t have to happen all at the same time.

I ran 1” torsion bars on my Duster at first when I was still running 225/60/15’s. I didn’t have sway bars on it and was running the stock style Monroe’s. I was really surprised how soft the 1” bars still were, even though they should have had close to double the factory wheel rate. And that was with a 318 up front.
 
Overkill..... your going to find the front end so stiff that its not going to be a comfortable road car.

If you intend to drive it, it all depends what you want to use the car for.

Fresh Replacement stock spec or slightly thicker. Assuming you want a firm highway car that feels new again.
 
I have those PST bars on my 64 valiant slant 6. I like it. I also have double adjustable shocks and it rides great.
 
72bluNblu said:
I don’t think the 1.03’s would be overkill at all. Especially with a 400 up front. You will probably want better shocks at some point to go with the 1.03’s, but that doesn’t have to happen all at the same time.

I ran 1” torsion bars on my Duster at first when I was still running 225/60/15’s. I didn’t have sway bars on it and was running the stock style Monroe’s. I was really surprised how soft the 1” bars still were, even though they should have had close to double the factory wheel rate. And that was with a 318 up front.
Click to expand...

So, what shocks would you recommend? I presently have stock replacements, although they are gas charged, unlike the originals. ....and don't tell me 100 bucks a pop shocks. That ain't happenin. LOL
 
Princess Valiant said:
Overkill..... your going to find the front end so stiff that its not going to be a comfortable road car.

If you intend to drive it, it all depends what you want to use the car for.

Fresh Replacement stock spec or slightly thicker. Assuming you want a firm highway car that feels new again.
Click to expand...

Well, I like a TIGHT handlin car. The sway bar made a good improvement, but we ain't there yet. At ALL.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I realize there's a very recent torsion bar thread, but I do not want to bogger up his thread with my questions, so here is my thread.

64 Valiant slant six. I have a Addco 1 1/8" front sway bar installed now. I will have a 7/8 rear bar installed before long.That MAY prove too much and if it is, I'll snatch it off. We'll see. I have new regular replacement gas shocks all the way around. However, hitting bumps and low spots in the road, the front end does bounce more than I like. I am certain the factory torsion bars are about shot.

That said, Do yall think the PST 1.03 bars would be overkill? As most of yall know, I have a 400 swap planned. Although it may not come to fruition, I want some bars that can handle it too and I feel sure they can.

So what do yall think? Thank you for any and all advice.
Click to expand...
I have 1.03 bars in my 69 Swinger, combined with Hellwig front sway bar and Billstein shocks on all corners. Rear springs are reproduction 383 GTS spring that have a slightly higher rate than factory 340 springs. In my opinion it handles great, it is not harsh at all but is firm. The car now corners very flat with little body roll. The tires are definitely the weak link in the corners. My steering box is a fast ratio Flaming River manual box. Overall I am very pleased with the results. I still have the Hellwig rear sway bar in the box I have yet to install.

Not sure I answered your question exactly, also I'm not sure of the weight difference of a small block vs slant 6.
 
cpearce said:
I have 1.03 bars in my 69 Swinger, combined with Hellwig front sway bar and Billstein shocks on all corners. Rear springs are reproduction 383 GTS spring that have a slightly higher rate than factory 340 springs. In my opinion it handles great, it is not harsh at all but is firm. The car now corners very flat with little body roll. The tires are definitely the weak link in the corners. My steering box is a fast ratio Flaming River manual box. Overall I am very pleased with the results. I still have the Hellwig rear sway bar in the box I have yet to install.

Not sure I answered your question exactly, also I'm not sure of the weight difference of a small block vs slant 6.
Click to expand...

There's about 50 pounds difference between the 225 and a 318.
 
Not overkill. We went to 1.14" MP bars in my son's 383/4sp '67 Barracuda fastback. With KYB shocks I didn't feel that it was too harsh to ride in. I wish I had kept the .990" bars we had in his car to start with (sold 'em for way too little) for my Barracuda convertible. As it is, unless something changes I'll keep the factory big block bars that I have in it.
 
RustyRatRod said:
So, what shocks would you recommend? I presently have stock replacements, although they are gas charged, unlike the originals. ....and don't tell me 100 bucks a pop shocks. That ain't happenin. LOL
Click to expand...

Bilstein RCD’s. Don’t know what to tell you. If you upgrade the springs you have to upgrade the shocks too if you want it to ride right.

You’d be better off with the stock replacement shocks than some of the other stuff out there, but they’re not going to be a match the performance of the 1.03” bars.

RustyRatRod said:
There's about 50 pounds difference between the 225 and a 318.
Click to expand...

Yeah and what again to a 400? The 1.03’s aren’t really all that much bigger than the factory big block bars, and those cars were undersprung in a big way.

I mean, I get it, my Duster the way it’s set up now isn’t what you want. But with a small block, 225/60/15’s, stock replacement shocks and 1” bars I wasn’t tire limited, I was still suspension limited.
 
RustyRatRod said:
There's about 50 pounds difference between the 225 and a 318.
Click to expand...
I take it you're not an average weight either? With your personal size and the thought of putting a big block in there I would think the bigger torsion bars would be a no-brainer...
 
I also have the 1.03 PST bars with Addco front sway on my 273 65 Dart. I really like it, I also have the 100$ per shock bilsteins also.
 
Jim Lusk said:
Not overkill. We went to 1.14" MP bars in my son's 383/4sp '67 Barracuda fastback. With KYB shocks I didn't feel that it was too harsh to ride in. I wish I had kept the .990" bars we had in his car to start with (sold 'em for way too little) for my Barracuda convertible. As it is, unless something changes I'll keep the factory big block bars that I have in it.
Click to expand...

If KYB offered me free gas-adjust shocks for life I still wouldn’t run those things. Not even if they paid me on top of that. Worst shocks I’ve ever run.
 
72bluNblu said:
Bilstein RCD’s. Don’t know what to tell you. If you upgrade the springs you have to upgrade the shocks too if you want it to ride right.

You’d be better off with the stock replacement shocks than some of the other stuff out there, but they’re not going to be a match the performance of the 1.03” bars.



Yeah and what again to a 400? The 1.03’s aren’t really all that much bigger than the factory big block bars, and those cars were undersprung in a big way.

I mean, I get it, my Duster the way it’s set up now isn’t what you want. But with a small block, 225/60/15’s, stock replacement shocks and 1” bars I wasn’t tire limited, I was still suspension limited.
Click to expand...

I honestly don't see a problem with 100 buck a piece shocks as long as they're GOOD. I'm just gonna have to do it a little at a time.
 
j par said:
I take it you're not an average weight either? With your personal size and the thought of putting a big block in there I would think the bigger torsion bars would be a no-brainer...
Click to expand...

Shut up dummy. I've lost almost 30 pounds and countin.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I realize there's a very recent torsion bar thread, but I do not want to bogger up his thread with my questions, so here is my thread.

64 Valiant slant six. I have a Addco 1 1/8" front sway bar installed now. I will have a 7/8 rear bar installed before long.That MAY prove too much and if it is, I'll snatch it off. We'll see. I have new regular replacement gas shocks all the way around. However, hitting bumps and low spots in the road, the front end does bounce more than I like. I am certain the factory torsion bars are about shot.

That said, Do yall think the PST 1.03 bars would be overkill? As most of yall know, I have a 400 swap planned. Although it may not come to fruition, I want some bars that can handle it too and I feel sure they can.

So what do yall think? Thank you for any and all advice.
Click to expand...
I had them on my 63 valiant with a 360 magnum and it worked nicely. I thought they were significantly cheaper than most as well.

Jake
 
72bluNblu said:
If KYB offered me free gas-adjust shocks for life I still wouldn’t run those things. Not even if they paid me on top of that. Worst shocks I’ve ever run.
Click to expand...

Also, while I have your attention, do you know if a 26" tall tire will fit the front of my 64 Valiant? I am after running the same height front and rear. Thanks.
 
72bluNblu said:
If KYB offered me free gas-adjust shocks for life I still wouldn’t run those things. Not even if they paid me on top of that. Worst shocks I’ve ever run.
Click to expand...
No kidding.
They seem as if they were designed to fool people with skinny torsion bars and soft leaf springs into thinking the suspension is dialed in.
 
KYB USED to be good shocks. "About" 98 or so is when they crapped out. Outsourcing maybe?
 
Princess Valiant said:
After reading this thread, I might try the thicker bars on the next car.
Click to expand...
There are a lot of naysayers that talk trash about big torsion bars. I have 1.03s in this car:
IMG_1214.JPG


360, 4 barrel, 904. It rides just fine.

1.15" bars in THIS car....

Folsom 10.JPG


Folsom 11.JPG
 
1,03 will in no way be over kill. I think you'll love them. They will firm things up but in no way be harsh by any stretch of the imagination.

Like I stated in the other thread. I'm running just suspension 1" bars (got them cheap on sale years ago) with a hellwig front sway bar and crappy kyb shocks (too lazy to buy and install better ones yet ). And there is nothing harsh about it. Originally put the 1" bars in when the car still had the slant in it and that was no where near harsh. The car I thought handled pretty well and didn't have much lean in the corners with no sway bar on it. Then I installed the front bar and man it really made a difference. Pleasure to drive.

I think if anything after a 400 goes in I think you may wish you went larger on the torsion bars.
 
‘73 Swinger with a 318. I went with 1.03” PST t-bars, front and rear Hellwig sway bars, and am running the Bilstein RCD shocks. I started with the KYB’s due to budget constraints and actually loved the ride (firm). I went with the Bilsteins due b/c they worked with me to find the right dimensions for my lowered ride height. After driving the car for the last two years, I wish I’d gone 1.12” bars personally. It’s very comfortable, corners well, but it’s not my daily and I wouldn’t mind a little more stiffness in the ride.
 
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