Installing 69 Bee torsion bars, and just have to ask

[440beep]

So I've started the process of installing new PST torsion bars on my 69 Bee, figured I do something enjoyable on this holiday before having to go deal with family.

I've read most of the posts and have the FSM, but for the life of me, I can't understand why the upper control arm bump stop is removed. With the shock absorber still firmly attached, there's no way the suspension arm is moving by hand; and the FSM simply states, remove the TB and install new one. Sounds so simple. If need be, do I use a jack to raise the lower control arm to get the TB in? But all the other posts say to lower the arm, not raise it. So what gives? (and I have the QA1 upper control arms if that makes any difference).

And here's some pics of the two front lower control arms. The driver side has plenty of room to get the torsion bar adjuster plate out, but the passenger side looks like there's more give and this adjuster plate won't come out (yet). Any ideas what would cause this misalignment?

 

[Sam69sat]

I'm no expert but i believe you need to get all the weight off the lower control arm. This relieves all the tension off the torsion bar. You need to remove the lower shock bolt and the bump stop because you want the lower control arm as far down as it will go when installing the new one. If it's not all the way down then you've just lost part of the torsion bar adustment and spring.

Just imagine if you installed the torsion bar with the lower control arm all the way up. When you lowered the car, there wouldn't be any tension on the torsion bar and you'd have little to no adjustment and your front end would be sitting really low.

When you install it with the lower control arm down, as soon as you start lowering the car, there will be tension on the bars and you'll have the adjustment the torsion bars were designed for.

Hopefully other more experienced in this will chime in.

 

[Kern Dog]

Part of the reasoning is that the upper control arm bump stop limits downward travel. The LCA hex socket only has 6 points so lining up the torsion bar is easier with more travel. The added travel by removing the bump stop may make the difference between cussing.... and getting the TB to seat easily.

 

[R413]

Kerndog is right. You can’t see it now, but you will See it when you try to install the bar.

 

[dadsbee]

Unless he has those non-indexed bars from PST.. why they make'm that way is beyond me and not sure what their install position is supposed to be..

 

[440beep]

These PST bars are indexed, the hex'd ends don't line up, so assuming that means they ARE indexed.

Unless he has those non-indexed bars from PST.. why they make'm that way is beyond me and not sure what their install position is supposed to be..

 

[dadsbee]

GOOD, so your arm needs to be pulled fully down and your adjusting lever (that the adjuster bolts end pushes against) should be down about flush in the arm. This should have the socket approximately in position for the bar hex to slide right in. That said, it's damn hard to get one 60 degrees off, your adjusting levers end would have to be pointing at the ceiling.

 

[440beep]

Torsions bars successfully installed, even though getting the poly dirt seals on were a royal f**king PIA. Pisses me off, no matter how careful you are, the bars still get scratched up going in through the back mount and then having to mostly hang out the back end while the fight ensues trying to get the dirt seals on the front of the bars; but she's not a trailer queen nor being judged, she's a driver. As mentioned in other posts, I also loosened the shock top nut so the control arms drooped more, and the bars slipped right in. This really isn't that hard, just follow what everyone else has said, and the install should be straight forward. And don't worry, the control arm won't come crashing down once the torsion bar is removed, it actually doesn't even move.

Car handles the corners way better now. A few simple pics.

 

[Pat Mercadante]

I'm no expert but i believe you need to get all the weight off the lower control arm. This relieves all the tension off the torsion bar. You need to remove the lower shock bolt and the bump stop because you want the lower control arm as far down as it will go when installing the new one. If it's not all the way down then you've just lost part of the torsion bar adustment and spring.

Just imagine if you installed the torsion bar with the lower control arm all the way up. When you lowered the car, there wouldn't be any tension on the torsion bar and you'd have little to no adjustment and your front end would be sitting really low.

When you install it with the lower control arm down, as soon as you start lowering the car, there will be tension on the bars and you'll have the adjustment the torsion bars were designed for.

Hopefully other more experienced in this will chime in.