Torsion bar won't come out.

[hula]

Adjuster is totally loose, shock out, CA just hanging and bump stop out, C clip out, heated the collar and can't beat it loose. I'm replacing them anyway so maybe cut it with a cut off wheel and remove CA to get it out hopefully?

 

[krazykuda]

Have you tried pounding it rearward with a hand sledge on the lower control arm, then if it comes loose in the rear cross member, then try banging the lower control arm forward to release the bar....

If you don't care about the bar, you can also try clamping some vise grips on it and banging on them to get it out... Heat if necessary...

 

[pishta]

pry LCA back from behind the K member. Also if the frame is drooping from jackstand placement, try a jack up front to take all warp out of unibody.

 

[snate66]

Adjuster is totally loose, shock out, CA just hanging and bump stop out, C clip out, heated the collar and can't beat it loose. I'm replacing them anyway so maybe cut it with a cut off wheel and remove CA to get it out hopefully?
View attachment 1715165334 View attachment 1715165335

how is the car supported? jack stands on the frame by the rear t bar socket? maybe binding. put a jack under the k member and lift slightly to release some tension. helped me.

 

[snate66]

pry LCA back from behind the K member. Also if the frame is drooping from jackstand placement, try a jack up front to take all warp out of unibody.

ha! beat me to it!

 

[pishta]

ha! beat me to it!

works, dont it!

 

[hula]

Had stands under front bolts of k member. I beat the crap out of it with some vise grips on it and heated the collar around it also. After I cut it it felt loose in the CA and when I pulled the CA off it fell out so maybe it was bound or everything cooled and contracted and fell out. LMAO Stands ok there reinstalling?

 

[68383GTS]

You need a torsion bar clamp tool so you can really give it a smack.

 

[hula]

Its out.

 

[snate66]

You need a torsion bar clamp tool so you can really give it a smack.

made up this little beauty with some scraps around the shop and cheap ubolts.

 

[adriver]

Its out.
View attachment 1715165475

Your problem is obvious now.
You need a bigger hammer.


Seriously, I have one of brass that takes two hands.
Of mine anyway.
That and KK's method never has failed me.
Wack rearward, wack forward.
(That all sounds dirty.)

 

[snate66]

Had stands under front bolts of k member. I beat the crap out of it with some vise grips on it and heated the collar around it also. After I cut it it felt loose in the CA and when I pulled the CA off it fell out so maybe it was bound or everything cooled and contracted and fell out. LMAO Stands ok there reinstalling?
View attachment 1715165410

Might still bind going back in. The flex of the car is just enough to sometimes cause a problem. I keep the jack stands close to the rear socket so you only need to temporarily take the flex out with a single lift point under the K member. (Not lifted off the jackstands mind you)

 

[MRGTX]

Might still bind going back in. The flex of the car is just enough to sometimes cause a problem. I keep the jack stands close to the rear socket so you only need to temporarily take the flex out with a single lift point under the K member. (Not lifted off the jackstands mind you)

Snate is right on. A bar coming out doesn't guarantee a smooth ride on the way back in.

I had some moderate difficulty in getting the old bars out but one of my new ones is bound up going back in, stuck 1/2 way.

I've been away from the garage for a few days and I've been contemplating ways to get out of this jam...for whatever reason, lifting under the k-member to reduce flex didn't occur to me until this thread. So...that will possibly do the trick. :cool:

My only worry now is if the hammering on the bar (progressing from a gloved hand to a rubber mallet to a sledge hammer through a piece of hard wood and finally a few good whacks with the hammer directly) may have deformed the hex-end of the bar at all. It certainly wouldn't take much deformation to cause a problem.

 

[mbaird]

It is so easy to just unbolt the lower control arm spindle and pry whole assembly back.

 

[DARTLARRY]

Snate is right on. A bar coming out doesn't guarantee a smooth ride on the way back in.

I had some moderate difficulty in getting the old bars out but one of my new ones is bound up going back in, stuck 1/2 way.

I've been away from the garage for a few days and I've been contemplating ways to get out of this jam...for whatever reason, lifting under the k-member to reduce flex didn't occur to me until this thread. So...that will possibly do the trick. :cool:

My only worry now is if the hammering on the bar (progressing from a gloved hand to a rubber mallet to a sledge hammer through a piece of hard wood and finally a few good whacks with the hammer directly) may have deformed the hex-end of the bar at all. It certainly wouldn't take much deformation to cause a problem.

push the bar through the rear mounting sleeve, and just get it to start on the LCA sleeve, place a C clamp across the LCA and the torsion bar adjuster, now when you tighten the clamp you rotate the bar. Now you can watch the rear bar sleeve, and tighten the clamp to line the bar up. They are usually off by a few degrees, using the clamp on the adjuster to pull it down, once they are lined up a few hits with with a mallet will set the bars into the sleeve.

 

[hula]

Thanks! I got the second one out knocking the LCA towards the back after loosening it. Must be a bind so I know putting the new ones in.

 

[MRGTX]

It is so easy to just unbolt the lower control arm spindle and pry whole assembly back.

push the bar through the rear mounting sleeve, and just get it to start on the LCA sleeve, place a C clamp across the LCA and the torsion bar adjuster, now when you tighten the clamp you rotate the bar. Now you can watch the rear bar sleeve, and tighten the clamp to line the bar up. They are usually off by a few degrees, using the clamp on the adjuster to pull it down, once they are lined up a few hits with with a mallet will set the bars into the sleeve.

Thanks again for these suggestions, guys.
I loosened up the LCA and when I move it with the pry bar, I can see that it slides in and out of the socket. Rather, the bar stays put while the control arm moves.

So it turns out that the bar is only stuck in the rear mounting sleeve. Assuming that Swayaway made the bar to spec, I just don't even know how I screwed that up.

Using the Mancini torsion bar tool, I've been able to give it some serious whacks in the rearward direction to get it out... and it ain't moving.

What gives?
I'm guessing that my hammering in attempts to get it in have distorted the hex making it fit tightly in place...but still.

What else should I try?
Would it be worth trying to heat the sleeve and cool the bar?

I'm about to throw in the towel and pull out the check book to have a professional (with a lift) bail my *** out. This really isn't in the budget and I loathe the feeling of defeat, especially when I'm so damn close to being ready to align and drive!!

Any thoughts are welcome.
Any pointing/laughing would be well deserved.

 

[mbaird]

You removed the little spring clips behind the bars ? Right ?

 

[MRGTX]

You removed the little spring clips behind the bars ? Right ?

Thanks...but yes. I hadn't gotten the new Sway-a-Way bar in far enough to install the clip.

 

[mbaird]

I'm sorry I thought you were still trying to get the bars out.
So you cant get the new ones in? Have you tried test fitting the hex by insert it backwards into the cross member too make sure it is sized correctly ?

 

[dartfreak75]

I'm having the same problem my lca reassembly is completely out of the kframe and the tbar is hanging out the back of the cross member and it still won't come out of the lca I made a tool to clamp to the bar and iv beat and beat it will not come out! Any more ideas?

 

[hula]

I'm having the same problem my lca reassembly is completely out of the kframe and the tbar is hanging out the back of the cross member and it still won't come out of the lca I made a tool to clamp to the bar and iv beat and beat it will not come out! Any more ideas?

I'm having the same problem my lca reassembly is completely out of the kframe and the tbar is hanging out the back of the cross member and it still won't come out of the lca I made a tool to clamp to the bar and iv beat and beat it will not come out! Any more ideas?

Heat the LCA collar around the torsion bar with a torch or yellow maps gas hand torch from Home Depot. Sounds like yours is stuck in the LCA from corrosion or rust if the LCA is free from the K member.

 

[MRGTX]

I'm having the same problem my lca reassembly is completely out of the kframe and the tbar is hanging out the back of the cross member and it still won't come out of the lca I made a tool to clamp to the bar and iv beat and beat it will not come out! Any more ideas?

I know guys recommend applying heat but I'd only do that as a last resort. Heating and cooling parts can eff-up the relatively tight tolerances and the socket could shrink and clamp down even harder on the hex.

So the only way I was able to get mine out was to cut it a couple inches away from the cross member and whack it directly again and again with a sledge hammer.

Obviously if you're hoping to save the torsion bar...you may want to look into other options. They're never quite the same after you cut them.

 

[dartfreak75]

I know guys recommend applying heat but I'd only do that as a last resort. Heating and cooling parts can eff-up the relatively tight tolerances and the socket could shrink and clamp down even harder on the hex.

So the only way I was able to get mine out was to cut it a couple inches away from the cross member and whack it directly again and again with a sledge hammer.

Obviously if you're hoping to save the torsion bar...you may want to look into other options. They're never quite the same after you cut them.

Unfortunately I had to cut it out!

 

[dartfreak75]

This