First drive after brake upgrade, then - BANG!

[SF_Ripper]

So, I put '73+ disk brakes and a QA1 UCA onto my '69 Barracuda and went for a test drive. The car is new to me, and hasn't been registered since '84 - it's a solid car w no real rust issues. All of a sudden, while driving down the road - I hear a LOUD bang from where the torsion bar is mounted under the passenger's seat (solid/no rust). Now, the car sits about 2" lower on the front passenger's side and the frame is sitting on the LCA bump-stop. Torsion bars seem to have been replaced recently (I suspect the guy who sold it to me had some suspension work done to it) and nothing appears broken.
1) Could the torsion bar have turned inside the mounting box?
2) if so, do I need to remove the torsion bar to rotate it back to correct ride height?

 

[DartGTDan]

Did the torsion bar break? I've heard stories of them snapping in half.

 

[SF_Ripper]

Did the torsion bar break? I've heard stories of them snapping in half.

Nothing appears broken - I even put a prybar on it to see if it moves but...no obvious movement.

 

[valiantwagonguy]

My money is on the weld that holds the rear end of the bar to the cross member frame let go and the whole mount turned on the frame

 

[SF_Ripper]

My money is on the weld that holds the rear end of the bar to the cross member frame let go and the whole mount turned on the frame

I looked for that. Granted, I didn't look long and it's covered w road-grime - I'll check again.

 

[Car Nut]

 

[valiantwagonguy]

I looked for that. Granted, I didn't look long and it's covered w road-grime - I'll check again.

Could also be on the lower control arm where the adjustment is.If the bar isn't broken these are the only places where the failure can take place

 

[toolmanmike]

You will have to check it and find the issue. We can't see the problem from here. You knew that

 

[Dfr360cuda]

My guess

 

[A56]

 

[72bluNblu]

Either the torsion bar socket broke loose in the crossmember or the threads on the adjusting bolt stripped

 

[GTX JOHN]

I have had several adjuster strip year ago before I started to
jack weight off the car before adjusting ride height!
That is my best hunch.
I had a 63 Sport Fury on my chest trapped like a mouse in a trap for
a couple hours be friend found me (no cell phones in the 60's).

 

[SF_Ripper]

I'm a total newb to torsion bars and all things Mopar - I posted, in order to get an idea of where to begin looking.
This is what I can see now that all the crud has been removed...

 

[Car Nut]

No clip? Why is this bolt loose, I would check everything.

 

[SF_Ripper]

ANY thoughts on the QUESTIONS I posted?

 

[SF_Ripper]

No clip? Why is this bolt loose, I would check everything.

View attachment 1715981425

The clips are in place - on the other side. I'm in the process of checking, and have found MANY loose bolts.

 

[valiantwagonguy]

Looks to me like someone did some real shoddy work on this car . No good mechanic would ever leave front end bolts loose .I'd start checking the entire car before I took it out again

 

[Tooljunkie]

The clips are in place - on the other side. I'm in the process of checking, and have found MANY loose bolts.

One of them guys, i”ll go back and tighten em later.
My buddy did that, lots of loose stuff, tie rod end nuts finger tight and no cotter pin. I really let him have it when i found all that.

 

[SF_Ripper]

Looks to me like someone did some real shoddy work on this car . No good mechanic would ever leave front end bolts loose .I'd start checking the entire car before I took it out again

I couldn't agree more. You should see the wiring.

 

[valiantwagonguy]

I couldn't agree more. You should see the wiring.

Well,this is why most of us do our own work.It's not rocket science and with some reading and patience anyone can learn this stuff.Most of it is just nuts & bolts .

 

[67Dart273]

Look we are not there and we cannot see. Use your head. One thing is to compare sides. Look at the two adjusters, are they adjusted different or sit different? If a weld has broke at the anchor I would think you could see that even in the "grease." where it's moved. If you can get it up on a hoist with weight off the suspension, pry around and see if something moves that shouldn't.

A failure like this is fairly dramatic, and it really should not be really difficult to pin it down.

 

[SF_Ripper]

Been looking all morning for obvious signs of trauma but I don't see anything out of the ordinary, except for the height of the car. Next move will to be to get it up on a lift to look more closely.
guy said the power steering didn't work, cause the pulley was bent (no belt) - since then, I found out the wrong brackets are on it, and it's a big block pump (on a small block). Also, the starter had only one loose bolt holding it on. It'll take time, I know - but I am going thru it - even more carefully, now.

While I was at it... WTF?

 

[mopowers]

Keep driving it. You'll figure it out eventually.

 

[Car Nut]

Been looking all morning for obvious signs of trauma but I don't see anything out of the ordinary, except for the height of the car. Next move will to be to get it up on a lift to look more closely.
guy said the power steering didn't work, cause the pulley was bent (no belt) - since then, I found out the wrong brackets are on it, and it's a big block pump (on a small block). Also, the starter had only one loose bolt holding it on. It'll take time, I know - but I am going thru it - even more carefully, now.

While I was at it... WTF?

View attachment 1715981438

Glad you’re finding this out now, could’ve been a lot worse if you didn’t have that little bang.

 

[Kern Dog]

The power steering pumps were not specific to engine size. The brackets were though.
Torsion bars do break.
The lower control arm mounting pin can move if the metal surrounding it has broken away.