Torsion Bar clips won't install

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The left side is fine, but with the right torsion bar fully seated in the lower control arm, the clip won't quite fit.

A little history. I completely rebuilt the front suspension on a 73 340 Duster project car. No problems were encountered, as this is my third. Then while looking for a donor car, I found a much better 73 Duster 6 cylinder car, and decided to build it instead of the V8 car. It would be a clone, but I would be a lot of money and time ahead.

The K-member on the V8 car turned out to have issues (it turned out to be bent, along with the front frame extensions) , so I modified the 6 cyl K member for the 340 motor mounts, installed the K-member back in the 6 Cyl car and bolted on the previously rebuilt V8 suspension. All went fine, until I put on the right torsion bar. (the left installed fine) The right bar is fully seated in the lower control arm. When you look at the back of the torsion bar it is beyond flush - it is almost to the point the clip will go in but not quite enough.

Since I have observed in past rebuilds that the torsion bar will go "deeper" into the rear socket as the suspension wears, I am guessing that because these are brand new bushings on the control arm that is the source of the problem. it is also possible that the machine shop didn't get them pressed completely on - and the problem didn't become apparent on the "other" car because of the bent K-member.

It looks like I am faced with two options, one of which is easier. I could disassemble the whole thing and take the lower control arm back for another run on the press. that might work and might not. Or I could spot weld two small beads on the back of the torsion bar to simulate the clip.

Any opinions (facts would be even better) on the cause the clip won't fit or suggestions on how to deal with it would be welcome.
 
Pilgrim said:
The left side is fine, but with the right torsion bar fully seated in the lower control arm, the clip won't quite fit.

A little history. I completely rebuilt the front suspension on a 73 340 Duster project car. No problems were encountered, as this is my third. Then while looking for a donor car, I found a much better 73 Duster 6 cylinder car, and decided to build it instead of the V8 car. It would be a clone, but I would be a lot of money and time ahead.

The K-member on the V8 car turned out to have issues (it turned out to be bent, along with the front frame extensions) , so I modified the 6 cyl K member for the 340 motor mounts, installed the K-member back in the 6 Cyl car and bolted on the previously rebuilt V8 suspension. All went fine, until I put on the right torsion bar. (the left installed fine) The right bar is fully seated in the lower control arm. When you look at the back of the torsion bar it is beyond flush - it is almost to the point the clip will go in but not quite enough.

Since I have observed in past rebuilds that the torsion bar will go "deeper" into the rear socket as the suspension wears, I am guessing that because these are brand new bushings on the control arm that is the source of the problem. it is also possible that the machine shop didn't get them pressed completely on - and the problem didn't become apparent on the "other" car because of the bent K-member.

It looks like I am faced with two options, one of which is easier. I could disassemble the whole thing and take the lower control arm back for another run on the press. that might work and might not. Or I could spot weld two small beads on the back of the torsion bar to simulate the clip.

Any opinions (facts would be even better) on the cause the clip won't fit or suggestions on how to deal with it would be welcome.
Click to expand...

Are you sure it was perfectly clean when installing the torsion bar? Is the grove that the ring snaps into clean? I wouldn't put spot welds there.....
 
Maybe someone else could chime in but you may be able to loosen the bolt that holds the lower control arm to the k frame, install the clip and re tighten the bolt.....?
 
Something is not right.I wonder if the pivot pin is pressed to far into the bushing and not allowing the t bar not to seat further into the lower arm.i say don't spot weld.Can you post picsssss?
 
I won't claim the slot for the clip was completely clean - as i don't normally attempt to remove all the original grease. That has never been an issue - the slot for the clip is not yet visible, as the bar would need to go forward another sixteenth of an inch or so. As for the suggestion for loosening the bolt, my approach is always good to install the bar with the bolt loose as it allows for slight up/down, left/right movement. It does not, however, give any additional travel room for the bar to slide forward when you loosen the bolt. Thanks.
 
Take a look of this, this guy is an idiot he pressed it to far,if i installed my arms than tried to slide my T bar in it to would stick out past the rear socket.I had to get new bushings and have the pin at the right depth.I would look there first.
 
Snake said:
Take a look of this, this guy is an idiot he pressed it to far,if i installed my arms than tried to slide my T bar in it to would stick out past the rear socket.I had to get new bushings and have the pin at the right depth.I would look there first.
Click to expand...

Snake.....You better get all that put away before the lady of the house catched you with suspension parts spread out on her dinning room table! LOL!
 
I will try to get some pictures on here on Thursday evening (or sooner) I have checked the distance between the K-member and the control arm, to see if they were pressed on correctly, because my suspicion is that they are not pressed on far ENOUGH. But they look similar to the one on the left, and also look similar to the ones on the 6 cyl (non-rebuilt) suspension.
 
I would make sure there is not to much grease in there. It may be as simple as an air pocket too. Give it a light tap (no BFH).
 
Is the engine installed? If not, you could loosen the K frame bolts and try to knock the right side forward just a tad. I don't know what will happen when you tighten the bolts back up, might just shear the clip off.
Did you paint the torsion bars? Any chance you might have some paint build up on the end that is inserted into the LCA, or perhaps some dirt in the LCA before you assembled?
C
 
My first thought was is there was any way to put a porta power (you can rent one) in between the torsion bar cross member & the K member to push them apart just a bit. But I'm afraid the clip would just get pushed back out or destroyed when the pressure was released. If the bushings in the lower arms look to be installed to the correct depth I kind of like the idea of loosening the K frame bolts & trying to shift if forward a bit. Maybe that plus the porta power & then tightening the bolts back down before the pressure is released.
 
ok here goes a shot in the dark, jack up the car and unload the torsion bar tension with the adjuster. then loosen the pivot shaft nut and use a brass drift to smack the torsion bar into place where the clip will go back into place and retighten the pivot shaft bolt.....if the bushing was installed correctly this should do the trick
 
I'll place my quarter bet on the pivot pins being pressed to the wrong depth.
 
waggin said:
ok here goes a shot in the dark, jack up the car and unload the torsion bar tension with the adjuster. then loosen the pivot shaft nut and use a brass drift to smack the torsion bar into place where the clip will go back into place and retighten the pivot shaft bolt.....if the bushing was installed correctly this should do the trick
Click to expand...

Maybe someone else could chime in but you may be able to loosen the bolt that holds the lower control arm to the k frame, install the clip and re tighten the bolt.....?
Click to expand...

thank you Waggin.........
 
Iv'e seen in the past that even when the bushing was installed correctly would have this problem and for some reason always happens on the passenger side????
 
Its crazy but I JUST RESOLVED "my" lower control arm issue TODAY.

I know what is going on.

(1) Pivot Shaft pressed TOO FAR into Bushing.
(2) Bushing Sleeve Probably sticking through to Torsion Bar seat

This happens because someone did not know the correct procedure for Lower Control Arm bushing installation.....Like me....I pressed the bushing into the arm FIRST, then pressed the Pivot shaft in.....it never would let me get the Torsion Bar in properly.

The way I got it all to work correctly was:

1. Press Out Pivot Shaft
2. Air Hammer out Rubber Portion of Bushing
3. Chisel a Groove down the inside of the bushing "case"...drive out with chisel/hammer
4. Die Grind Groove down bushing "sleeve" still on pivot shaft
5. Remove fuBar'd sleeve with chisel and hammer
6. Get NEW Bushing
7. Wire Wheel Pivot shaft
8. Press Pivot Shaft INTO Bushing
9. Press Bushing/Pivot Shaft into LCA.
10. Look into Torsion Bar Seat to Check to make sure your Pivot Shaft/Bushing Sleeve do to protrude into Torsion Bar Seat area.

Done.:cheers:
 
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