Stuck Torsion Bar, SERIOUSLY stuck

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FomocoReformed

FomocoReformed

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How the *expletive* do you get these things out when they're stuck. :banghead:

I have the LCA completely removed from the car, has no tension on it whatsoever, and I have soaked it in penetrating oil for a while. I have no interest in saving the bar but I want the LCA it's frozen to. I've pushed pulled, wiggled, and I clamped a vice around the end of the torsion bar, secured the LCA and beat the vice/bar out with a sledge until my vice literally shattered.

I now have a broken vice, sore arms, and the torsion has not budged even half a millimeter from it's home in the LCA.

I'm getting very frustrated with this satanic thing... other bar came out easily just pulling it out by hand.
 
river rat said:
you did remove the retaining clips, right ?
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I don't imagine he could have gotten the lca out of the k without some rearward movement. It sounds like the problem is the bar is stuck in the lca. If that is the case I have never heard of it happening and all I could suggest is adding some heat from a torch carefully.
 
Yes the retaining clips from the rear anchor were removed. It's all outside the car I just have the LCA sitting on my garage floor next to a broken vice and a hammer, with a torsion bar stuck in it.

Tried using a little bit of heat as well, no such luck.

Considering securing the LCA to a tree and strapping the end of the bar to my truck. :happy1:
 
Grasshopper, Soak fpr days with Kroil. Then put lots of heat to the LCA end. Let if cool. Tap Tap Tap with a knockometer (hammer). Your going no need lots of heat. The LCA rubber bushing need to be replace anyway, along with your vise.
Good Luck
 
I have had best success with heat. If you have a welder you can add a couple of taps and pull/jack.

Frank
 
Both the ones I swapped in my car came out with just a little upward and downward movement, both had the k member out as well. I've seen a friend of mind put a pair of good vice grips on the bar and beat it out of there.
 
ATF and kerosene gets into your pores so it should get into the torsion bar socket. Do yourself a favor and grease the new one before you slide it in, hopefully itll come out later when you need it to.
 
Slight update, heated the hell out of it, clamped my other vice on and wedged a bottle jack against the LCA, still no dice.

I'm worried I'm going to damage the LCA trying to get this out.
 
The easy way would be to just replace the LCA, but where's the fun in that? Burn the rubber bushing out so that the LCA pin will just fall out. Then take the arm to a press and press the t-bar out..........
 
Deep breath- don't get pissed and go nuts-you know you'll regret if you fascrew it up. Take 73 up on his offer. When you get it out, use boat trailer bearing grease on the ends of the replacements...that sh@t survives getting dumped in the ocean time and time again, tenacious as a hungry fat kid chasing a cookie.
 
I would like to see a picture of this. I have never heard of one being that hard to get out. It must be rusted pretty good. I think all the above advice is what I would throw at it.
 
I would just take it to a shop with a press and ask them to pop it out. Most local places would most likely do it for free around here.
 
You can try soaking it with a good penetrating oil(Castle Thrust is about the best I've found if you can find it!) then if you have an air hammer with a blunt attachment (like a body hammer) in it give it a few bursts around the LCA & the t-bar to shock it some & that may help to loosen it free. If not I'd cut my losses & just replace the LCA & the t-bar.
 
mullinax95 said:
I would like to see a picture of this. I have never heard of one being that hard to get out. It must be rusted pretty good. I think all the above advice is what I would throw at it.
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This is the bastard, soaking in PB blaster right now. Probably going to swing by 73swinger's shop and see if we can get it out. If not I'll start looking into tracking down a nice pair of LCAs with sway bar tabs.

031320121014.jpg
 
I changed mine 2 weeks ago just like yours They didnt move at all, I soaked them good with just oil and left for 2 nights when I came back they came out like magic, Iwas impressed.
 
Boy, you guys working on 30-40 year old cars in the rust bucket states here in America, i feel for you.
I don't see anything like that at all, being in California.
Sure is nice out west, in California, Nevada, Arizona, not having to deal with rust issues that your going through.
Wow, good luck with that project.

What year car are you working on anyway?

I have a rebuilt pair of LCA's, with sway bar mount tabs on them, for the 73-76 cars, currently listed on eBay.
Jim V.
 
hemi71x said:
Boy, you guys working on 30-40 year old cars in the rust bucket states here in America, i feel for you.
I don't see anything like that at all, being in California.
Sure is nice out west, in California, Nevada, Arizona, not having to deal with rust issues that your going through.
Wow, good luck with that project.

What year car are you working on anyway?

I have a rebuilt pair of LCA's, with sway bar mount tabs on them, for the 73-76 cars, currently listed on eBay.
Jim V.
Click to expand...

Mine is a 1970
 
FomocoReformed said:
This is the bastard, soaking in PB blaster right now. Probably going to swing by 73swinger's shop and see if we can get it out. If not I'll start looking into tracking down a nice pair of LCAs with sway bar tabs.

031320121014.jpg
Click to expand...

Jeez, just get a new arm. Don't know for sure if it would work, but cut TB off flush, Drill nice size hole through bar, tap hole with fine thread tap, use fine thread bolt as jacking screw.
 
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