Torsion Bars... Best Diameter for a Lowered Street / Autocross car?

If you don't agree with what I have to say- that's fine move along. My interpretation of the question and my answer is based on my information from 40 years in this hobby and having been a professional mechanic for 20 years- yes even back when these cars were modern. Torsion bars do need pre-load otherwise they twist backwards and snap. There is a left and right side for a reason. I have seen them break when cranked up too high or driving around lowered. Driving on the bump stops are not what these front ends were designed for.

The unequal a-arms on these cars from the factory were designed to operate within a certain range. End of story. If you operate them off the bump stops and you will damage the parts, the ball joints are also bottoming out...they are designed to operate with the shaft at a fixed center starting point and not at the edge of the seal. They need as much movement left of center as they do right of center. The factory has a ride height measurement for a reason. Modifying a car for a particular form of racing is not factory settings so I understand you may not agree with what I am saying.
If you dont like the information that's okay- we can agree to disagree.

I think there’s confusion here due to terminology.

You are right, bottoming out the suspension where the LCA hit the frame is not good.

Raising the ride height will prevent that. I believe that is what you are calling preloading.

What also prevents that is stiffing Springs. The 1.12” is 3 times stiffer that stock T-bars that resist bottoming out.


I have bottomed out and broke a k-member stud hole weld out. I loaded my Barracuda to 5600 lbs total of stuff coming home from collage. I had to add air shocks in the rear cause the leaf were reverse arching. BUT I didn’t turn up/adjust up/pre-load up the Torsion Bars.

Well, in 1600 miles I cracked that weld.