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trouble removing torsion bar from crossmember

yalpngulp

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I'm trying to remove the K member and all the front end steering components and suspension in order to put my car on a rotisserie. I got the one torsion bar out of the car but the other one does not want to move. I have tried smacking the lower control arm forward to get it to come out like I did the other side but it doesn't seem to be moving at all. Does anyone know what tricks will work to get this thing out? I did a bunch of searching but all I found was people trying to remove it from the lower control arm.

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I usually remove the torsion bars while the lca is still attached to the k member... there's a tool that clamps on the torsion bar that you hit with a hammer to drive them out.

At this point, about all I can think of is to hit the lca forward off the torsion bar.
 
Support the front of t-bar so its not hanging there. Take a piece of steel 3/4" dia, and hit T-bar from behind crossmember. Remove clip while your at it.
 
Support the front of t-bar so its not hanging there. Take a piece of steel 3/4" dia, and hit T-bar from behind crossmember. Remove clip while your at it.
I followed your advice, I have it supported and I've been using a socket inside the hole but I can't get it to move any further. It looks like it has already moved almost a quarter of an inch from my earlier attempt, but it won't budge any further
 
I fabricated a tool to remove the torsion bar, is not that hard, after you remove the pressure from the lower control arm you can hit the tool with a hammer, let me found mine and I'll send you a pic, is something like this.
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If you're placing them. Lube it in the cross-member Cut it off, back by the cross-member....and get that sledge to work to drive it out the rear. I always replace them when doing a front-end.
 
Often, if the end gets much out of alignment in the crossmember, or the grease is down to nothing or rusty inside, the bar will lock up, and it won't move. In other words, the T-bar needs to come out first, before anything else is loose.
 
I think these guys are all correct. Hose the torsion bar sockets with PB Blast, or better yet, maybe get a torch on one side or the other if you can figure out which side is stuck (?). Back that torsion bar adjustment screw ALL the way out & keep smacking on the back of the bar, lower control arm and/or use the torsion bar removal tool. Hang in there...YOU WILL GET IT OUT.
 
Just looks like BFH time to me. Knock the LCA off and then you'll have an exposed bar to pound the other way.

Do you have a jack all? Should be long enough to put it against the cross member and "jack" the LCA off if the BFH doesn't work.

You do know the bar is supposed to go out the BACK of the cross member.. correct?!
 
Just looks like BFH time to me. Knock the LCA off and then you'll have an exposed bar to pound the other way.

Do you have a jack all? Should be long enough to put it against the cross member and "jack" the LCA off if the BFH doesn't work.

You do know the bar is supposed to go out the BACK of the cross member.. correct?!
Out the back?? the other one came out the front of the crossmember
 
how does the lower control arm come off with a torsion key in the middle of it?
 
The bars are designed to be removed via the rear of the cross member WITHOUT removing the K frame or the LCA for that matter. The bar is simply "sitting" in the LCA socket.
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The bars are designed to be removed via the rear of the cross member WITHOUT removing the K frame or the LCA for that matter. The bar is simply "sitting" in the LCA socket.
is it a bad thing the other one came out the front?
 
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It should come out from the rear. You nay have to remove the rubber bump stop to get full travel on the LCA to allow the spring tension on the torsion bar to completely relax. Unless this is such a rusty piece, it should not be this difficult, provided you follow the advice as given above. :)
 
A 5 lb hammer, and a smack toward front of car and hit in area where t-bar goes in. Watch out t-bar doesn't come of crossmember and lands on your foot.
 
Tap your control arm forward and remove it from the torsion bar. Then tap your torsion bar back and out the rear. It does not matter which way they go. They are designed to be able to be replaced with the car full assembled. Meaning out the back. But the front is fine if the car is apart. The socket is continuous right though.
 
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It should come out from the rear. You nay have to remove the rubber bump stop to get full travel on the LCA to allow the spring tension on the torsion bar to completely relax. Unless this is such a rusty piece, it should not be this difficult, provided you follow the advice as given above. :)
No k member in the car.
 
No, it is a "through" hex, but it is supposed to be removed out the rear. If the current one is stuck, the LCA should knock off easy and then thump the bar out the back!
 
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