early a body torsion bar ?

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here's what iam thinking, correct me if iam wrong, with the lca down about pointing to the ground...adjuster almost out just a few threads showing, and turned down as far as it will go, and the bar slid into both hexes', lca and rear cross member. Then adjust the bolt close to where is was originally...let the car down it should hold the front end up some, needing further adjusting for ride height. If it doesn't hold up, those bars have lost there strength, some how....is this possible?
 
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per service manual TORSION BAR The torsion bars are not interchangeable side for side. The bars are marked either right or left by an “R” or an “L” stamped on one end of bar. Removal (1) Remove upper control arm rebound bumper. (2) If vehicle is to be raised on a hoist, make sure it is lifted on body only so that front suspension is in full rebound (under no load). If vehicle is to be raised on jacks, placed under center of crossmember it will be necessary that, a support first be placed between the crossmember and jack. (3) Release all load from torsion bar (Fig. 4) by turning anchor adjusting bolt (Fig. 5) counterclockwise. (4) Remove lock ring and plug from torsion bar rear anchor (Fig. 4). (5) Using Tool C-3728, remove torsion bar (Fig. 5) from its anchors. Installation (1) Insert torsion bar through rear anchor. (2) Slide balloon seal over torsion bar (cupped end (3) Coat both hex ends of torsion bar with Multi-mileage lubricant (4) Slide torsion bar into hex opening of lower control arm (5) Install plug and lock ring in rear anchor. (6) Pack annular opening in rear anchor complete- (7) Position balloon seal on rear anchor so lip of (8) Turn adjusting bolt clockwise to place a load on (9) Lower vehicle to floor and adjust front suspension (10) Install upper control arm rebound bumper.
 
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With the LCA pointed down, then grab onto the hex with a pipe wrench or something and turn it down also. Just because you've pointed
the Lca down doesn't mean that your going into the next position on the hex. You must turn the hex to get the bar in the correct position.[/QUOTE]
eekvonzipper said:
Sounds like your repeatedly putting the Bar into the same position in the hex.
Mark the spot on the hex with paint or something, and get the bar into the next tighter position on the hex that isn't marked yet.
With the LCA pointed down, then grab onto the hex with a pipe wrench or something and turn it down also. Just because you've pointed
the Lca down doesn't mean that your going into the next position on the hex. You must turn the hex to get the bar in the correct position.
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so with the lca pointed down, where the bar slips in now, i need the mark the hex and turn the lca socket one hex.....?
 
You said they held up the 440 no problem. Was that right after the 440 was installed or having you been driving around? obviously a 440 is WAY heavier than a /6. I can't see how they would hold up an RB effectively.

Something changed obviously, the trick is to figure out what.

Maybe someone did swap them when you weren't looking. Don't laugh, stranger things have happened.

Maybe they have been "sprung" beyond their limit. <--<< This gets my vote all other things being equal.
 
Cuda416 said:
You said they held up the 440 no problem. Was that right after the 440 was installed or having you been driving around? obviously a 440 is WAY heavier than a /6. I can't see how they would hold up an RB effectively.

Something changed obviously, the trick is to figure out what.

Maybe someone did swap them when you weren't looking. Don't laugh, stranger things have happened.

Maybe they have been "sprung" beyond their limit. <--<< This gets my vote all other things being equal.
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i pulled out the /6, and installed the 440...it did hold the 440 up, not to where i liked it but driveable i never driven the car, it has never left the garage, i decided to rebuild the suspension which i did, and here we are,,,lol
 
flathead31coupe said:
i pulled out the /6, and installed the 440...it did hold the 440 up, not to where i liked it but driveable i never driven the car, it has never left the garage, i decided to rebuild the suspension which i did, and here we are,,,lol
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So I'm wondering if you dropped the motor in from above, the tires held some of the weight by not moving laterally. Now then they have unweighted and set down again, you're getting a "real" sense of how weak they are compared to "correct" ones. Just thinking out loud....
 
whats hard to understand, is everyone has just pull the bars out, and slid them back in, with no issues...sounds simple, others say that i have them clocked wrong, dont i just make sure that the lca and its scocket is as low as it will go and install bar?
 
Cuda416 said:
So I'm wondering if you dropped the motor in from above, the tires held some of the weight by not moving laterally. Now then they have unweighted and set down again, you're getting a "real" sense of how weak they are compared to "correct" ones. Just thinking out loud....
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seem to be something like that, i know i sound like a broken record....the above service manual instructions dosnt say anything about clocking bars if everything lines up...i mean if everything is at its lowest, and the bar goes in both sockets, then isnt up to the bar and adjuster to do its job?
 
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What position is the adjuster bolt in when you insert the bar? They should be backed all the way out to grab the last flat you can on the hex.
 
flathead31coupe said:
seem to be something like that, i know i sound like a broken record....the above service manual instructions dosnt say anything about clocking bars if everything lines up...i mean if everything is at its lowest, and the bar goes in both sockets, then isnt up to the bar and adjuster to do its job?
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Well, I think there is a reason for bib block torsion rods... Seems pretty simple to me. Now, if someone else with experience with the same setup will chime in, I'm all ears.

I HAVE heard of people using weaker rods to help weight for drag racing etc, but I have no practical experience.

Still, I think it's simply too much weight.

Question, when you removed them, were they damaged in any way? Nicks, hammer dents etc? They can be a roal fricking pain to remove and I can see where if they were damaged at all, then maybe they were compromised.
 
Cuda416 said:
Well, I think there is a reason for bib block torsion rods... Seems pretty simple to me. Now, if someone else with experience with the same setup will chime in, I'm all ears.

I HAVE heard of people using weaker rods to help weight for drag racing etc, but I have no practical experience.

Still, I think it's simply too much weight.

Question, when you removed them, were they damaged in any way? Nicks, hammer dents etc? They can be a roal fricking pain to remove and I can see where if they were damaged at all, then maybe they were compromised.
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they came out pretty easy, just tapped the lca toward the rear and it fell out.
 
Not sure what to tell you. Either you were getting a false reading so to speak before since the car never moved and the suspension never settled (did you roll it at least before to settle the suspension?), or the bars are junk.

Have you tried tightening the adjusting bolts all the way - as in no more threads left? If so and they still won't hold the car up, get new torsion bars. I've never seen bars go bad like that, but it is what it is.

Without seeing exactly what's going on, it's difficult to diagnose. Either way, sounds like different torsion bars are in order. You do plan on driving the car on the street don't you?
 
/6 torsion bars & 440=bad idea on a street car. A good friend built a 41 Plymouth & grafted the front sheet metal & k member to it. He drove it on the street for about two years & was getting ready to sell it. A potential buyer came to look, he took them out for a ride & disaster struck, left torsion bar broke almost causing him to crash the car. Get at least a pair of 340 bars for it & save yourself time & trouble. JMHO
 
Demonracer said:
/6 torsion bars & 440=bad idea on a street car. A good friend built a 41 Plymouth & grafted the front sheet metal & k member to it. He drove it on the street for about two years & was getting ready to sell it. A potential buyer came to look, he took them out for a ride & disaster struck, left torsion bar broke almost causing him to crash the car. Get at least a pair of 340 bars for it & save yourself time & trouble. JMHO
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That's what we got when we swapped in a 5.9
 
Can you do us all a favor and let us know if you get it resolved? Post up a photo when it's back on the road.

I know you didn't ask, but even 340 bars on that car are gonna be under-sprung with a 440 with a blower sitting on top.
 
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