73 Duster 340 Low Ride Height

[NYJohn]

Hi
New to muscle cars and new to the forum and have a lot to learn. Front drivers side is super low so from reading on here was looking to adjust the torsion bar adjustment bolt. Bolt seems all the way in. Does this mean new torsion bars or could there be another reason for this ? Would replacing one bar with another stock torsion bar be an option ?
Appreciate any help and sorry about the duplicate pic. Like I said a lot to learn.
John

 

[MoparMike1974]

Could be several possible causes. 1. worn out torsion bar 2. bar was installed (clocked) wrong. 3. Socket in the crossmember has spun due to rusted out crossmember.
I would check the crossmember first.

 

[Dave 74 Dart]

Definitely check where the torsion bar goes through the transmission crossmember right under the drivers side floorpan.

 

[yellow rose]

Could be several possible causes. 1. worn out torsion bar 2. bar was installed (clocked) wrong. 3. Socket in the crossmember has spun due to rusted out crossmember.
I would check the crossmember first.

Yep. Looks like whoever installed the torsion bars had the LCA not hanging all the way down so the bars aren’t able to lift the car.

Or the bars could be weak, or the wrong bar.

 

[NYJohn]

Thanks for the good advice. How would I know if the torsion bar is clocked wrong or installed it with the LCA not hanging all the way down ? I see no rust or rot as the issue and just from looking that torsion bar doesn’t look like it’s been messed with for a very long time. I’m leaning towards it being a worn out torsion bar and looking at replacement with PST 1.03 bars. What do you think ? Also Is it normal for that exhaust pipe to be pinched in like that next to the torsion bar ?

 

[72bluNblu]

There doesn’t need to be any rust or rot for the torsion bar anchor to break loose from the crossmember, the factory welds on these cars weren’t always the greatest and the anchors have been known to break loose even on cars with no rust at all. You have the same problem on both sides though, usually if an anchor breaks free it’s only one side and the car gets parked at that point, so it’s probably just worn out bars.

These cars have been around a long time, so just because it looks like it “hasn’t been messed with for a very long time” doesn’t mean it’s factory. Somebody could have messed with it 20 years ago, it would look the same. Somebody could have swapped in /6 bars because they were drag racing.

The only way to tell if the bars are clocked wrong is to reinstall them using the correct procedure and see if it fixes the adjusters. Being clocked wrong looks the same as worn out bars as far as the adjusters are concerned.

Yes, pretty much all the stock head pipes end up looking like that.

The PST 1.03” bars are great, a lot of people use them and they’re a good upgrade even for a plain old street car if you’re running radials. But you should figure out if there’s anything else worn out or broken in the suspension before you start throwing parts at it.

 

[MoparMike1974]

Your not showing pics of the end of the torsion bar that is suspect. Its where the rear of the bar goes into the frame.
What engine is in your car and what did it come with? Could be a small block sitting on worn out slant bars. I have used slant bars with small blocks and there was still plenty of adjustment left. You can ID the bars, there is a number stamped on the ends.
The exhaust pinch looks like someone hammered in some clearance. I think factory exhaust had a pinch in that area too but that looks hammered in.
Sometimes you need to remove the upper bump stop when installing the bars to get the suspension to hang low enough.

 

[Demonic]

Sometimes you need to remove the upper bump stop when installing the bars to get the suspension to hang low enough.

^ Yup, this. Seems to be a thing on A bodies, haven't had to do that on my Charger. Spray some lube on the adjuster bolt, jack up the car and back it fully off. Remove the upper rebound bumper on the bracket by the shock. Spray lube on the bar ends, 'cause they often are a bear to get slid back. Note where it was, mark it at the LCA. See if you can index it, reinstalled one spot down.