Front end keeps lowering itself

[project62]

Hello everyone. So I have a question for those that are familiar with b-body front suspensions.
Ok so the deal is my sons and I have a 62 plymouth savoy that is our project car. We have a stock front suspension just new bushings and ball joints. The problem is we raise the front end of the car up via the torsion bar adjusters to the height we like (27 inches from the bottom of the tire to the lip of the fender) but after driving the car around for a bit the front end lowers itself while we drive. We find this annoying because we have to keep raising it up and we also have a deep oil pan that gets close to the ground because it keeps lowering while we drive.

Any input would be great thanks!

 

[moparnation74]

New torsion bars.........As long as you ruled out the shocks

Ohio here as well!....what part are you from?

 

[threewood]

Possibly worn out torsion bars? How far in are the adjusters.

 

[malex]

Do you have the left and right in the proper sides? They're made to work in one direction, otherwise they won't set the car right.

 

[65-440]

Definitely check the front shocks, I had a 65 coronet do this to me... come to find out one of the front shocks was completely seized, had zero rebound. The front end was always level but everytime I'd adjust the torsion bars it would be low again after I drove it ......

 

[dadsbee]

How's your trans cross member?? Are your Tbar sockets rotten and twisting out?

 

[project62]

New torsion bars.........As long as you ruled out the shocks

Ohio here as well!....what part are you from?

I can check the shocks, however they're new competition engineering 3 way adjustable shocks. bought them new in 2016.
I'm from Massillon ohio

 

[project62]

Do you have the left and right in the proper sides? They're made to work in one direction, otherwise they won't set the car right.

I do believe when we took out the torsion bars we labeled them left and right. So I would imagine we re-installed them correctly. Is there a way to check without removing them? or do we just have to switch them to find out?

 

[malex]

I do believe when we took out the torsion bars we labeled them left and right. So I would imagine we re-installed them correctly. Is there a way to check without removing them? or do we just have to switch them to find out?

---
Why not switch them and find out. That is what I would try first. I believe that they are made with a 30 degree twist built into them. You could google to find out which way the twist faces. On my 64 the torsion bars that it came with are: Right 497 and Left 517. They are .860 in diameter.

 

[5.7 hemi]

Sounds like the lca pivot pin is “spinning” in the bushing.
Shocks only control the tb, not height.

So if the tb’s are original, they might be worn out and getting new ones should be on the list to replace.

 

[ckessel]

For sure check the t-bar areas. The sleeve in the k can be spinning, the back end at the trans x member can be doing the same plus the bars may be toast.

 

[Gold Rush]

I do believe when we took out the torsion bars we labeled them left and right. So I would imagine we re-installed them correctly. Is there a way to check without removing them? or do we just have to switch them to find out?

One end of the torsion bar is stamped with the part number. You will also see a "L" or "R" mixed in with the numbers. If you get them in wrong the adjusting paw will be WAY off from the start and you will probably run out of bolt before you get then ride height anywhere close to where it should be.

 

[65-440]

Shocks only control the tb, not height.
.

Agree 100%, unless the shock doesn't not rebound back up after the front end dips down from either road conditions or hard braking. In my case the front end never came back up, seized shock was holding the nose down.

But, the OP did say the shocks were new..so ......

 

[Sixpactogo]

I'm wondering about the adjusters themselves............Seems to me the only thing that can change would be the adjusters backing off. If something else is twisting, you will soon run out of threads on the adjusters. Measure the threads to see if they are backing themselves off. I don't think you can swap tbars from left to right without issues. They are also marked with a L and R to my recollection or else they are numbered odd even with even number on the passenger side.
I've never heard of the adjusters backing off by themselves but stranger things have happened.

 

[Cranky]

I have a set of bars that are marked L and R on both ends.....and CE stuff used to be the brand that wasn't considered to be the brand to use many moons ago but have no idea about CE these days.

 

[dadsbee]

I'm still waiting for him to check my post #6 and report! If his bars are strong enough to set ride height they certainly can't keep twisting and letting it lower or they'd be snapped by now. Seized shock in down position is the only possibility beyond a Tbar socket twisting out of either the cross member (most likely) or LCA (least likely).

 

[WileE]

Ride height = check the torsion bar Xmember, the lower control arm bushing, adjusting bolts. Check for corrosion, worn out, stripped threads.

 

[Kern Dog]

New torsion bars.........As long as you ruled out the shocks

Ohio here as well!....what part are you from?

Shock absorbers do not support the vehicle, they merely slow down the movement of the suspension.
Torsion bars may have lost their resistance/Temper. The adjusters may have also worn to the point where the screws/bolts back out. Both are easy to remedy. The adjusters can be swapped from another control arm and the torsion bars are readily available.

 

[Cranky]

Shock absorbers do not support the vehicle, they merely slow down the movement of the suspension.
Torsion bars may have lost their resistance/Temper. The adjusters may have also worn to the point where the screws/bolts back out. Both are easy to remedy. The adjusters can be swapped from another control arm and the torsion bars are readily available.

Did you read post #5?

 

[Kern Dog]

If a shock was seized, it would not move.