Suspension reassembly

[eagleone1983]

Can anyone tell me why the LCA shaft and strut can't be tightened until last? Is it so you can adjust the height, then you can tighten them? It just seems to me it would be hard to get accurate alignments with nuts and bolts loose. It's a '69 Runner but I'm pretty sure the procedural steps are the same for most models. I have a factory maintenance manual but it makes the alignment seem like rocket science and I'm pretty much lost.

 

[69 Runner]

You mean the shaft that is pressed in to the LCA's bushing?

I don't tighten them until I have the torsion bars installed, cause it can make it much easier to align the ends and install the bars. Beyond that I have everything tight before considering an alignment. Can't think of a reason why things should be left lose.

 

[eagleone1983]

Yeah thats the shaft I'm talking about. Well yesterday I was trying to button everything up for the alignment but my passenger side torsion bar didn't seem to want to seat all the way in so I could install the clip. Needless to say I got pretty mad and was able to beat it in with a wood dowel and hammer but I was only able to get the rear of the torsion bar flush with the backside of the socket it goes into. Any ideas on how to get this thing the rest of the way in? It's the last part I have to do before I can set the ride height and semi set the alignment as best I can so I can take it to a shop. BTW what is the ride height supposed to be? The factory manual says I need some measuring sticks and all this other complicated stuff. Why can't it just tell me from ground to the top of the fender. Sorry just had to vent a little bit there.

 

[69 Runner]

If you already have that tight, then I'd loosen it up so you can get it more in alignment with the torsion bar and get it to seat.

I understand about the book and the ride height. Measure here under the LCA and there under the LCA and subtract one from the other etc etc. Crank it up so it looks about right (make sure to bounce it a couple of times) then take it to be aligned. The shop should be able to set it when they align in

 

[eagleone1983]

No, the LCA isn't tightened down yet just finger tightened. I don't know why the torsion bar doesn't seem to want to seat all the way. I'm going to try and take the UCA bump stop off to get the suspension as low as possible and see if that frees up my now stuck torsion bar.

 

[69 Runner]

the adjuster is loose too? If these are new bars I'd maybe look for a glob of paint on the bar. If not that, then some piece of trash that has gotten in there and is jamming it up.

 

[eagleone1983]

Yeah the adjuster is loose too. Taking off the LCA bump stop didn't help anything it's still not seating in all the way. I only need it to go in about another 1-2 mm so I can get the ring in. I'm going to try and beat it in with a socket and hammer and hope that when it comes time that I decide to do a full resto and pull the suspension back apart all goes well. If I have to replace the torsion bars it'll be no biggy I have a set in the garage from a 426 hemi car. Once I get this torsion bar on I can bleed the brakes and head off to the alignment shop. I just hope that my alignment is good enough that I don't jack my new tires up. The shop is only about a mile away, if that but, I'm kind of worried because I have the passenger's side camber as positive as I could get it but holding a level to it is still shows even.

 

[69 Runner]

My guess there is a piece of trash obstructing the bar. Otherwise it should slip right in.

One mile won't be enough to hurt your tires.......assuming you aren't doing 100 on the way to get it aligned:grin:

 

[eagleone1983]

I'd be tempted if it weren't for the piece of crap 400 I have in it right now. I have a 383 I'm going to be doing a rebuild on but not yet the wife says the house comes first. She doesn't understand priorities :grin: I know I checked for any foreign objects before sliding it on. Maybe I put too much grease in the socket. I don't know. Either way it is so close to going on I'm going to force it the rest of the way.

 

[5.7 hemi]

NO, NO, NO, do not force it in. Let the suspension go to full drop, take out the adjusters bolt AND pivot, block of wood on the FRAMEpry bar on the torsion key. push down the torsion key into the lca, as much as needed, slide ever so efforestly torsion forward into the socket, now use a BRASS drift on the end of the torsion bar and tap it all the forward, put clip into place, bolt and pivot back in place, finger tighten the bolt until it engages the torsion key, now get out the air gun and tighten torsion bars. Now your done in about 20 minutes total time, grab adult beverage and relax.

 

[69 Runner]

It IS possible you got to much grease in the pocket in the LCA which could keep the bar from slipping in. It could also cause a vacuum to form and keep you from pulling the bar back out as well.

HOWEVER.....if this is the case, the bar would probably move some then snap back when you let it go. Dead giveaway

 

[eagleone1983]

Thanks for everyones help. I was able to get the torsion bar in finally. Now I'm on to bleeding the brakes so I can roll it to the alignment shop. Only problem is the rear brakes won't bleed, I'm thinking the bleeder is corroded shut. My fronts did just fine but it is all new parts up there.

 

[69 Runner]

So what was the major malfunction with the bar?????????

 

[eagleone1983]

Well, besides not exactly sliding in easy nothing. There was no trash or caked on paint so I'm not entirely sure what the deal was. I kind of had to force the bar in but it went in and I was able to adjust the height. I'm just praying that there is nothing wrong with the passenger side suspension and the alignment shop will be able to fix the extreme positive caster it has. Plus I have the cam bolts kicked out as far as I can get them and I'm still not showing much positive camber.

 

[howiedodat]

Hello !! I see that this thread is 6 months old, but I don't think the question was answered. The reason I am attempting to revive this thread is the original question. The manual states the strut bar and LCA are not to be tightened to spec until after the car is on the gound and the ride height set by adjusting the torsion bars. Is this critcal to the alignment ? I am assuming this allows the LCA to "set" before tightened. The manual doesnt say whether the fasteners are to be tightened while under load or is the load removed then the components tightened ? I am going thru my 68's front suspension. New tubular uppers, all new steering components except center link and box, boxing the LCA's, new Mopar Perf .96 torsion bars, all new bushings, shocks. Any thoughts would be helpfull. Thanks !!!!!!!!

 

[Meep-Meep]

I believe the reason to tighten last is to get the LCA in the proper angular position to put the bushing in more of a neutral position. I never seen a procedure on it but I have done it for years just because it seemed to be the right thing to do. If there is an official reason I would like to know as well.

 

[69HEMICORONETR/TCONV]

I have always tighten these last........why ? ...............because I'm a creature of habit,........If there is a reason I would like to know too !

 

[howiedodat]

It does seem that it would be simpler to tighten the items while the car is up and access is easier. Maybe thats why the manual says to tighten after its on the tires. ?? I guess I will follow the manual. I read in the A body forums about possible binding/preload on the bushings if not done re the manual. Any other ideas ??? I'm sure someone out there had to figure it would be easier to tighten these 2 fasteners will no load was on the suspension, so come clean and tell us how it worked. Or didn't..........

 

[Sublime70]

If no one minds having this thread revived a second time, I have a comment and a question. The comment is that my understanding is the same as Meep's that the LCA and strut arm are left loose until the car is on the ground so that the bushings are in a neutral position and not pre-loaded. The manual definitely says to drop the car and set ride height before tightening. My question is what do you do when you have the drive train out of the car? I want to do my front end while the motor/tranny are still out of the car, but the car will not be at normal ride height obviously because it's missing the weight of the drive train. I'm wondering if there's a way to compensate, or if I need to leave them loose until I install the motor/tranny.

 

[69 Runner]

Just put it together and only "snug" the LCA and strut