another torsion bar question

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snowmobiler7c

snowmobiler7c

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I have seen alot of post about people wanting to upgrade bars but im not sure if i would need to or not.

I have a 70 swinger origionally a 318 car. I swaped to a 8 3/4 rear with 3:55 gears. Currently i still have the stock rallye rims and tires. I am sticking with small bolt pattern so not sure what rims and tires i will be going to. I am also keeping the 318 motor just completely rebuilding it and planning on 300-375hp. I also plan on only using this as a street car if i do go to the strip it would only be once to see how it does.

Should i upgrade torsion bars? If not is there any disassembly i should do to them like rebuild bushings or anything while the car is on jack stands and completely disassembled?

Any tips on removal and installation never had any other cars with torsion bars
thanks
mark
 
I just removed mine not long ago. First thing is to release the tension by unscrewing that adjusting bolt under the lower control arm. Then I removed the clips on the back of the torsion bars where its locked in the frame. What I did next was unbolt the lower ball joints from the spindles so I could wobble the lower control arm by hand. Somebody told me you only have to remove the rubber bumpers under the upper control arm. That will make it go low enough to make the torsion bar loose. Then I just grabbed the torsion bar and shook it real good and it popped out and slided it rearward. It was pretty easy. But if you put those back in again, dont make the same mistake I did. Make a diagram of all the numbers and slots stamped into the ends of the torsion bars and put them back in the same way. And also make note of the postion of the control arm when its removed.
 
Usually, a good and common upgrade for the Mopar suspension is to use 1.0 inch torsion bars, along with a front end rebuild...All available at PST, or Just Suspension.
 
ok thanks i think i might remove them tomorrow then i can remove my k member to have sandblasted and painted. I am planning on rebuilding the whole front suspension just ordered everything i could from rockauto got MOOG for everything i could. Is there any trick to putting the new torsion bars back in if i buy differant ones?
 
leave the control arm in the same position when you take the torsion bars out. Then slide the new ones in the same way. Like I said, take a picture if you can, of the control arm right after you remove it so you can see after. I have read on this website also that if you use new torsion bars you can install them any way you want, but have to be left in that same postion always.
 
thanks got them out will be ordering a set of 1in from just suspension in the morning. When installing them whats the deal with the grease? My old ones had alot between the dust boot and the frame. How do you fill the new dust boot with your finger and stuff whatever you can in there?
 
You might look on ebay for the torsion bars. I don't know about now but a few months back they were offering the 1" bars at a really good price.
 
Just suspension has them for a little under 200 on their website right now
 
Sorry to but in but I was thinking of doing the same thing. So I would just loosen the adjusting nut and slide the bar to the rear to get it out?
 
Have all of the weight off of the front end, I did it with the car supported under the frame at all four corners. Loosen the adjusting screw all of the way and take the retaining clip out of the rear of the torsion bar mount (at trans cross member). Get or make a torsion bar removal tool and beat the old bars out with a hammer. Mine were stuck in place and needed a lot of convincing to come out.
 
Removing the upper control arm snubbers will let the suspension drop a bit farther. Might make the difference in getting all of the load off of the bars.
 
I found it easiest to have the car jacked up on all four corners, loosen the adjusting bolt, removed the spindle and upper control arm, undo the strut rod and lower control arm, remove the clip on the rear, slide the torsion bar with the lower control arm half way out and then take a 2x4 up against the lower control arm and hit it toward the front of the car. worked like a dream. Although i removed my k member and completly rebuilding the front suspension.

i ordered the 1in bars from just suspension. 179.00 for a set and 199 shipped to my door should be here by thursday.

Any tips about installing the new ones and adding the grease and new boots?
 
just remember that theres left and right bars. don't get them mixed up.
if you're NOT using poly bushings, just use a good quality petroleum grease on everything. if poly, use a marine grade grease, the blue stuff.
 
I found it very helpful to spray penetrating lubricant into the LCA and Torsion Barr Crossmember, (where the Tosion bar is enclosed on both ends) the day before removal, especially if they are OE. Apply generously!
 
Grease. I cleaned it up and jammed as much in as I could then cleaned up again.
 
What the tool look like? I cant get any straight answers from google. That guy is being a dick. I saw some C clamp looking things, is that it? Can I get em out w/o it? Maybe a chisel and a hammer?
 
Couple of options, The first is from Mancini Racing.

The second 2 pictures are from eBay, see eBay listing

You could probably remove them with vise grips and a big hammer, but they are then worthless, and cannot be reused.
 
this is the entire suspension rebuild tool kit. the torsion bar removal tool is third from the right. mancini also has them.
 
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