Need help with LCA

[CoronetDarter]

Once again I'm in need of you Mopar gurus to walk me through a tight spot. During the Coronet resto I dropped the K member and rebuilt the front suspension with new parts from PST. Boxed the LCA and then had a front-end shop install new LCA bushings. I installed larger T-bars, new tie rods, pitman, idler arm. I assembled the front end off the car and recently installed it along with the engine and tranny from beneath. Finally got new tires and wheels this weekend; after mounting them I lowered the car to load the suspension so I could torque down the LCA and strut rod bolts.
Problem is, the car lowered itself all the way down so the inner fender was resting on the front tires. Jacked the car back up to take a look. Turns out the upper stop on both the LCA's isn't rotating down and applying pressure on the adjustment bolt. The LCA bolt is torqued to about 70 ft-lbs, half the factory spec. Maybe I torqued it too much before the initial suspension load? The upper stop rotated freely before the LCA was mounted to the K.

Here's a couple of pictures. This is with the suspension partially loaded; partially held up by a floor jack.

From this angle it looks like the stop is up against the frame rail, but its not, there's clearance.




Thanks again in advance for your help.

 

[5.7 hemi]

Back the bolt all the way out, take tb out of the socket, rotate the socket down, insert tb, tighten bolt, check ride height.

 

[CoronetDarter]

Those new T-bars went in way too easy the first time; I should've known they were coming back out. lol. Thanks Hemi.

 

[5.7 hemi]

No problem.

 

[threewood]

Not sure what upper control arm you have but if there is an upper control arm bumper, remove it as well. That way you get full sag on the suspension.

 

[747mopar]

Well feel good knowing re-installing them with the car together will make indexing the torsion bars correctly a bit easier. Simple enough fix.

 

[CoronetDarter]

Not sure what upper control arm you have but if there is an upper control arm bumper, remove it as well. That way you get full sag on the suspension.

Yep, the bumper has been reinstalled so it will come back out too.

- - - Updated - - -

Well feel good knowing re-installing them with the car together will make indexing the torsion bars correctly a bit easier. Simple enough fix.

Right. Gonna jump on it tonight; thinking a couple of hours and I'll be back on track. Won't make this mistake when I rebuild the Dart's front end. (Probably make a couple of new ones, lol).

 

[CoronetDarter]

A couple of hours last night and tonight and the suspension and t-bars are back in. Got to the point tonight where I was taking the bars in and out of the socket by hand. It was a good exercise, I learned a lot more about the dynamics between the t bars, lca, and how it affects ride height.

One more question though - the adjuster bolt heads sit about 1" below the bottom of the LCA. If they're tightened the front end raises too high. Compared to the Dart, it's adjuster bolt heads are flush with the bottom of the LCA, the Coronet was about the same when i took it apart a couple of years ago.
Can swapping from .89" to .96" t-bars be a reason why the adjuster sits low? I'm thinking the larger diameter, stiffer spring, needs less tension to achieve the same ride height.




Car is supporting it's own weight, with 4 matching tire/rims, for the first time in two years. Measuring from the bottom of the frame rails, there's an 1 1/8" rake back to front.

 

[747mopar]

I think your right on the stiffer bars, I also installed the same bars and my adjusters hang down too. Way to go on getting that issue resolved in short order.

 

[CoronetDarter]

I think your right on the stiffer bars, I also installed the same bars and my adjusters hang down too. Way to go on getting that issue resolved in short order.

I did a quick look on some of the suspension sites and didn't see any reference for shorter bolt kits for large diameter t bars. I'm picturing running over a small mammal and dragging it around town because its impaled on the adjuster, lol.

 

[Cranky]

How long are your bolts? I some shorter ones that are 3 1/4" long vs the longer 3 5/8" but it wouldn't be that hard to shorten a pair and machine a new nose on them if you want them shorter.....and I just happen to be a machinist and the post office has a mailer for like 2 bucks one way if you want to shorten the ones you have.....

 

[CoronetDarter]

How long are your bolts? I some shorter ones that are 3 1/4" long vs the longer 3 5/8" but it wouldn't be that hard to shorten a pair and machine a new nose on them if you want them shorter.....and I just happen to be a machinist and the post office has a mailer for like 2 bucks one way if you want to shorten the ones you have.....

Interesting solution - PM sent.

 

[5.7 hemi]

I cut 1.250 off my bolts, used a new nut and tigged er up. Worked great and now the head sits flush with the control arm.