Torsion Bar installation question

[AR67GTX]

I’ve replaced torsion bars in both my 66 and 67 without ever having to disconnect a ball joint, LCA or UCA. But I did leave out one possible step they may be needed - loosen the LCA mount bolt at the frame. Pull the bump stops, back off the shock mount bolt at the top, back off the adjusters so they are loose and loosen the LCA mount bolt and on both of my cars the bars just slide in and out, no working the front suspension, or banging them in. The only time I had one hang up I realized I had not backed off the adjuster enough - I backed it off until loose but apparently the suspension relaxed a little more afterwards and caught the adjuster again stopping further drop. Backed off the adjuster again and the bar came right out.

 

[4mulas]

Are the bars made correctly? The hexagonals should be offset by 30 degrees. You do not have to disconnect the upper ball joints to install them if everything is correct.

I agree, removing the control arm bump stop rubber usually helps lower the LCA enough to slip the torsion bar in.

 

[German_Mopar]

I put them in on the "wrong" side and it works perfect.
Car sits on proper ride height, adjuster bolt is perfect.

 

[hunt2elk]

Something just doesn't seem right with this whole deal. Wouldn't swapping sides have the twist of the bars going the wrong direction? I have never heard of anybody having to do this.

 

[AR67GTX]

Well, it’s been a long time since all my properties of materials courses but I’m no aware that torsion bars have any sort of pre-torsional stress manufactured into them - maybe I’m wrong. But once run for awhile I believe their elastic limits in the opposing direction of twist can be compromised. Again I might be wrong but I believe the R and L markings are due to the indexing of the hex offset and for servicing to keep them straight as to which side to reinstall them on. But I for one don’t understand how these bars could be mis-stamped. In Germany, do they consider right and left sides of the car to be consistent with sitting in the drivers seat, looking ahead? Who sold or manufactured the bars?

 

[LowBikeMike]

Is Driver or Paaenger side Left in Germany?

 

[AR67GTX]

Well - glad I said I could be wrong. Apparently some torsion bars are pre-torsion stressed during production. Not sure if all are. I don’t think this is how they achieve the 30 degree hex indexing however.

I wonder if he somehow got a set of bars without the 30 deg index? I know PST sold some for awhile without it.

Influence of pre-torsion angles on torsion fatigue properties of 45CrMoVA steel bars

 

[myfeather626]

The torsion from the bars in the air is quite a bit. I know my dad always said get as much torsion as you can with the control arm as low as it will go or else you will have a bouncy shitty ride with little to no torsion on the bar in the next position on the hex key. Sometimes you have to give up a bit to find the next hex spot in the control arm, but it should have a decent amount of pressure on it. I usually end up with the bolts being 1/2" or so sticking out below the bottom lip of the lower control arm when the car is at ride height. I set both my cars at 26"-26.5" from the front fender center lip to the ground in my garage and thats were I am at on the bolts sticking out below the control arm.

Exactly where mine sit 26.5!

 

[Mister.X]

@German_Mopar : I got the same probleme! write you an pm