Torsion Bar installation question

[German_Mopar]

Hi guys,

I am rebuilding the whole front end of my 66 belvedere. I bought 0.96 Torsion Bars.

My Problem is now that I have to lower the lower control arm a lot, to put the torsion bar in.
Then I have to push it up with my jack around 2 to 3 inches to bolt up the upper control arm to the spindle.
The pre load is huge, it nearly lifts of the car from my lift!!! And the adjuster bolt is completely out.

Put I the torsion bar to the next hex, so the lower control arm is way to much up, even if I put the pre load adjuster/ height adjuster bolt all the way in, I cant get any pre load.

What I am doing wrong?
Is there so much pre load?

 

[pnora]

You need to get the weight on the wheels to see what it does.

 

[RemCharger]

Sounds like you went a whole hex flat backwards. If you even can.
R+L on proper sides?
There's nothing crazy about a .96 bar, it's just thicker.

 

[91r/t]

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.

 

[R/T Boy 67]

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.

 

[khryslerkid]

I never done one before but should the stabilizer bar and sway bar be installed when installing the torsion bar?

 

[ruffcut]

I think I would disconnect the stabilizer bar. Should give more drop? ruffcut

 

[German_Mopar]

Thx guys,

R and L are correct.
The Problem is on both side the same...

I could only imagine that they are not clocked 100% correct.

 

[Kern Dog]

I install them with the UCAs installed.
My 1.15" bars don't flex much so the suspension doesn't have to droop as much to put them in.
For smaller bars, you'd need the suspension to be at full extension. To do this would often require removal of the upper bump stop and maybe even the shock absorber. The "finger" in the LCA adjuster should be pointing slightly down with the adjuster bolt dangling loose with no tension on it.

 

[AR67GTX]

I would have your arms bolted in place and on the spindle. loosen shocks, disconnect sway bar, remove upper a-arm bumper, back adjusters all the way loose and let everything droop. Set up like that my 1.03 bars slide right in with only hand labor - the LCA socket is in perfect alignment with the crossmember socket.

 

[German_Mopar]

I installed the old ones 0.88 now and they slide in perfect as it should be.

Compare I the old and New ones, the clocking is minimal different, thats the issue I guess

 

[pnora]

I installed the old ones 0.88 now and they slide in perfect as it should be.

Compare I the old and New ones, the clocking is minimal different, thats the issue I guess

Like I said above. Get the weight on the wheels. At that point you will most likely have to adjust them to get the car at the proper ride height. My bets there is nothing wrong.

 

[German_Mopar]

Foubd the Issue!!!

The New ones are marked wrong left and right.
Put I the left one on the passenger side it fits perfect....the Otter akde the same

 

[pnora]

Foubd the Issue!!!

The New ones are marked wrong left and right.
Put I the left one on the passenger side it fits perfect....the Otter akde the same

And how can you be sure they are marked wrong?

 

[R/T Boy 67]

Yes, if the bars are clocked less than 30 degrees, then left and right would make a difference as far as fit goes. If the bars are clocked at 30 then they would fit the same on either side, but factory bars with 30 degree clocking should still be installed right and left

 

[German_Mopar]

And how can you be sure they are marked wrong?

Because now they fit nearly as the factory ones, I can put them in with the upper control arms conected and Set the preload with the adjusting screw.

 

[AR67GTX]

Sounds fishy but may be OK if your LCA was really down low and the bar went right in. The test will be when you get it on the ground with the car and engine weight on them and whether you can get to ride height without nearly bottoming the adjusters. You don’t want to switch sides on used bars because they take a torsion set. But in a new bar that hasn’t been loaded and cycled I don’t think it matters.

 

[dan juhasz]

the lca's should be left disconnected from ball joint. the adjusting screw backed out completely, with the arm extended down as far as it can you will have no issue putting the bars in. I really doubt they are marked incorrectly.

 

[dadsbee]

No reason to disconnect the ball joint from the LCA.. IF he was using a stock UCA he should have the bump stop removed, but he's not using stock UCA's so another unknown!

 

[dan juhasz]

No reason to disconnect the ball joint from the LCA.. IF he was using a stock UCA he should have the bump stop removed, but he's not using stock UCA's so another unknown!

IF, I agree either disconnect the uca or the lower to get the movement he needs