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Torsion bar install, adjuster position, bolt position

4mulas

4mulas

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Going to install my bars,

Arms are hanging, upper c arm stop removed. Pivot bolt nut not tight, same with the strut rod bushing nut. The pivot nut was tightened just enough to suck the pivot shaft tight to the cross member and then backed off, strut rod bushing nut just barely compressing the rubbers.

Question: roughly how far out is/should the adjuster bolts be below the arm and where should the arm be ‘clocked’ to when installing the torsion bar.

Thank you!
 
beerestoration2018 033.JPG
 
Bump stop NOT in place, bar not engaged at either end yet, adjuster basically all the way out. Slipped right in..
beerestoration2018 032.JPG
beerestoration2018 040.JPG
 
dadsbee said:
Bump stop NOT in place, bar not engaged at either end yet, adjuster basically all the way out. Slipped right in..
View attachment 844754 View attachment 844755
Click to expand...

The last pic really helps. Thanks. Mine is just like that and the bar goes in nicely, it’s just that there is no motor or trans in the car and when I tighten the adjuster up just a little bit to remove the slack it’s enough to raise the car off the jack stand supporting the front subframe portion (I currently have the LCA supported by a jack as I don’t have the disc brake spindle in place connecting it to the UCA - just test fitting) and that made me second guess things. I imagine once the big block and 4 speed is in it the adjuster will end up into the recess of the LCA where it should be when proper ride height is set.

Thank you very much, I can carry on Tmr in the AM now..
 
Expect to put about 20-23 full turns on the adjuster... It may take a little more or a little less but you'll be close...
 
Yea that bolt usually ends up roughly flush (or close to either direction) with the lower control arm when its done and adjusted close so it'll take quite a few turns to get it there.
 
1 Wild R/T said:
Expect to put about 20-23 full turns on the adjuster... It may take a little more or a little less but you'll be close...
Click to expand...

Good to know, thanks. With no motor or trans weighing it down now it the adjuster screw is way out and the car sits high... I’ll just get them both in and the car on the ground, get the motor and trans in, then tighten the pivot shaft nuts and strut rod bushing nuts at that time. I’m not putting the motor and trans in from the bottom (lack of equipment to do so) although one day I’d like to experience that. It’s going in through the top, trans attached etc...

@dadsbee - what grease did you use there on the bars?
 
It's just good old White Grease, anything you have handy will do it's just to stop the bar and socket from rusting together or squeaking! Last reply.. we're off to Alabama !! :thumbsup:
 
The arm installed should be around 1 o'clock not the next position which be around 4 o’clock.
 
Hi, got a torsion bar issue so I thought I'd bump this older thread instead of adding another.

My '71 RR had a visible front ride height difference in spite of adjusting the bolts to extreme degrees. Then I noticed the bent original bars. So I just installed a pair of PST bars, which went well thanks to FBBO, and I've been able to equalize both sides. That's great but, in order to balance the two sides, the left (driver) adjuster bolt needs to be cranked in a good 1/2 inch more than the right side. I made sure the L/R bars are in the correct position. Right now the left side bolt isn't quite flush with the control arm and the right side bolt is much lower.

My question: Is this normal or is something else causing this? From what I've read here, the bolts should have fairly equal tension on the bar. What's up?

Thanks,
 
Dang. I'll look into the twisted frame thing. Any problem with leaving it the way it is and just having the adjusters level the car? I'll need to drive it more to notice a difference in the suspension performance.
 
First, I'm no expert on this, but I just put new arms , torsion bars etc on my car and I read many posts on it, including this one. You didn't say what kind of lca bushings are there, or if you changed them. I installed new pivot shafts and rubber bushings in the lca's. After just snugging the shaft nuts and adjusting the tb adjusting bolts to be the same on each side, my passenger side was too high. I backed off the passenger side adjuster and it was still high. After a lot of jouncing on the front bumper and a little tweeking. I was able to get the car level and the adjusters very close to being identical. I suspect that the bushing on the right side was keeping the ride height up. If you didn't replace the bushings on the lca's, could that be a problem?
 
If your torsion bars were bent, the car may have been in a collision, which could have tweaked the frame rails.

My 71 Super Bee sat lower on the passenger side by about 1/2" (with the adjuster screws close to equal positions), before I started working on it. My torsion bars don't appear to be bent, but the passenger side bar looks to be older. The driver side bar looks newer, like it was replaced maybe 20+ years ago, where the passenger side looks like it might be the original bar.

I'll see what kind of alignment I get out of it when I'm done. In the Fall, I may replace both torsion bars, LCA bushings and strut rod bushings if its still 1/2" difference like before.
 
Also, if your TB’s are over 1”, install them with the lca at ride height.
 
I installed the TB's with the car on a lift and the upper control arm bumpers out as per this post. A bit of weedling but both went in.

The front end has all new bushings as well as steering linkage, spindles, brakes, etc. Handles well and I don't feel any slop. Also looks great underneath on a lift. However, that may indicate the parts had to be replaced from damage. The front valance under the bumper is a little skewed. New radiator too. Hmmmm. I'll get out the magnifying glass and snoop around for other clues.

Still would like to know if running it with TB adjusters set so different is hard on the car.

Thx,
 
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