Passenger Side Torsion Bar Too Long

ElephantKiller said
I'm currently in the process of assembling the front suspension of my '73 Duster. I'm installing the factory torsion bars and am having an issue installing the passenger side bar. The bar will not install far enough past the groove to install the retaining snap ring. The driver side installs with room to spare. When installing, I can hear the bar bottoming out on the socket of the lower control arm. I measured between the mating surface inside the LCA socket to the groove on both the left-hand and right hand side. They measure at the same depth. I measured the torsion bars, and the passenger side is longer, but is still under the 35.8 specification. I replaced the LCA bushings with new rubber bushings, so I verified the passenger side was fully installed and it was. Honestly I'm running out of ideas of what could be causing the issue.
This car has been in the project stage for a while now, and I'm just getting back in the groove of putting it together. It's been a while since I removed the torsion bars, so I can't rightly remember if the clips were installed before. But I drove the car in college and the bars didn't come out. The front end of the car has been suspended with jack stands behind the rear torsion bar socket. Could the frame have sagged enough to change the distance between the K-member and the rear mount? I'm desperate for ideas at this point. I've thought about getting a new set of P-S-T torsion bars, but am worried that I will have the same issues when installing them.
I'm planning on putting a few more photos to illustrate the issue when I get back in the garage.

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Since your left and right side measurements match I wouldn’t think that you have frame issue. More than likely you need to revisit the “bar bottoming out in the socket”. Check the LCA socket for burrs and dings. Clean it out thoroughly and then put a small amount of grease on the hex walls. Also, clean off the end of the bar and put a dab of grease on the end. Re-fit the bar, and then remove it. If the dab of grease on the end isn’t flattened, then you didn’t actually bottom out the bar.

What other parts are attached? If you have anything other than the LCA attached (spindle, shock, strut rod fully tightened, etc) then remove that stuff and see if it helps. It could be that something is causing the bar to bind up before it gets home.

It may also be that the passenger bar is slightly bent, causing a binding issue.

CudaCraig said
To my knowledge there is a front and back and a left and right .. On my 68 Barracuda ' the left had two painted white strips about 8 inches from the front ... The right had one white strip about 8 inches from the front. I believe it is also stamped on the end of the t-bar . Hope this helps

There is a left and right, front and back doesn’t matter and the paint stripes only indicate the size of the bar.

Demonracer said
How about if you swap sides with the bars. Make sure the odd numbered bar is in the drivers side & the even numbered bar is on the passengers side. Look at the end of the bars for the numbers.

That would work for checking the length and for any bar specific problems. But DO NOT run the torsion bars that way, as the suspension will twist the bar the opposite direction. Also, the LCA position for lining up the socket with the bar will change as the hex offset will be opposite, so the ride height will change. Swapping sides should be done only to rule out the other torsion bar itself as an issue.