Adjusting torsion bars

-
Richie

Richie

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 27, 2005
Messages
1,113
Reaction score
392
Location
Kelowna BC Canada
This is probably a really dumb question but I've never done it before. Do I need to jack the front end up and have the wheels off the ground to adjust the torsion bars on my 69 Dart? Thanks.
 
Yes. Jack it up, adjust, drop it down, check, repeat until it is where you want it.

You can do it on the ground but you will be ready for a nap or the hospital when you are finished.

And that is not a dumb question.
 
How and where do you make the adjustment to the torsion bar? I would like to check if mine can get any lower before i take it in for an alignment.

Thanks, Wilco.
 
Be sure to "Bounce" the front end after each adjustment so it will settle. Just a tip!


John D. Beckerley
Austin, Texas
 
I've always adjusted mine on the ground. Bouncing won't help. The tires need to scrub when moving up or down. You need to roll the car. I just adjust the alignment myself. What's the big deal?
 
I bought the car 5 months ago and i've just put new tires on it. The old tires had some pretty bad and strange wear, so i think having a proper alignment done would be necessary. I think it is off a bit more than it should be LOL.
 
375inStroke said:
I've always adjusted mine on the ground. Bouncing won't help. The tires need to scrub when moving up or down. You need to roll the car. I just adjust the alignment myself. What's the big deal?
Click to expand...


Not all of us have alignment equipment and some of us of like how easy the bolt turns when you are not lifting the car with a wrench.

None of it is a big deal. It's just the difference between the easy way and the hard way.
 
hey...i have a question for you guys...I have my car sitting pretty low, and I dont have much more room for a lower adjustment, cuz theyre dang near backed out...lol...and when i jack it up by the k frame and wheels hangin, the torsion bar adjustment bolts are loose....is that okay?? or supposed to happen, i never really payed attention to that..so i dunno if its normal or not..lol
 
I should have said Jounce. Taken from the FSM.

John D. Beckerley
Austin, Texas

Height Adjustment.jpg
 
mopardude318 said:
hey...i have a question for you guys...I have my car sitting pretty low, and I dont have much more room for a lower adjustment, cuz theyre dang near backed out...lol...and when i jack it up by the k frame and wheels hangin, the torsion bar adjustment bolts are loose....is that okay?? or supposed to happen, i never really payed attention to that..so i dunno if its normal or not..lol
Click to expand...

Only if you are planning to rally jump it. other than that no. Although if you are to the point that you have no spring rate and it is still moving you might have a strange feeling suspension (equivalent to lifting the wheels off the ground). You might want to look into some travel limiting straps. to keep it adjusted.

As for jacking them up or not? I like to do it unloaded. Less stress on the threads and more precision in adjustment.
 
Rather than bounce or jounce only, start the vehicle and turn the wheel full left and right. You'll see the front settle.
 
1968FormulaS340 said:
Not all of us have alignment equipment and some of us of like how easy the bolt turns when you are not lifting the car with a wrench.

None of it is a big deal. It's just the difference between the easy way and the hard way.
Click to expand...

There is obviously nothing wrong with turning the bolt with the cars weight off of it. I would advise against the use of power tools. With locking threads, a fast turning bolt has a tendency, especially when dirty and rusted like our adjusters are, to gall.

Jouncing the car would only work if on sliding plates.

I don't have actual alignment equipment. I use a tape measure for toe, and a carpenters square and machinists scale for camber and caster. The measurements, and some trig, gives you the angles, or if you work backwards, input the angle you want to get the measurement. The wheel tilted in .26" (close enough to 1/4") at the top gives you 1° of negative camber. I go for the most caster I can get, but if you want to get them equal, just turn the wheel all the way left, measure camber on the left wheel (just the difference in inches between the top and bottom of the wheel from vertical), then turn the wheel right, and measure the right wheel. The difference in these measurements compared to what they are with the wheels pointed straight ahead, should be the same from side to side. That means that the caster is the same from side to side. You can turn the wheel left 20°, measure camber, then turn the wheel right 20°, and measure the camber again on the same wheel, put it in a formula, and get the actual caster, but who cares. I've done it out of curiosity, but I don't think it's necessary. There are cheap direct reading tools that mount on the wheel hub if you want to go that route. I'm cheap, and nobody touches my car. The tire shop can't even get the lug nuts right, even after I tell them about it first.
 
Ok... now here's a stupid question. I'm getting ready to adjust the height on my 63 Valiant for the first time since she's sitting way too high, and based on what I've read here it shouldn't be a problem but could someone tell me what size the bolt head is? I think I read somewhere it was 3/4"?
 
I always jack my car up with wheels off the ground while adjusting.
It seems to put alot of tension on the bolt threads with the car on the ground, almost feels like they are stripping out.

I have tried to jounce the car to get it to settle after adjusting only to find that after a test drive, the measurements were different, so I always test drive and readjust as necessary as someone else mentioned above.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top