Torsion Bar Help-Lever hits Frame

[Arty]

Hope the Mopar experts can help. Have a 56 Chevy Pickup with a torsion bar suspension. I believe it is from a 1976 Codoba(based on notes in paperwork I got with the truck). After I finished the truck, put a couple hunder mikes and noted driver side upper and lower stops smash. Driver side lever sticks out further than pass side and hitting the frame. Any thought appreciated

 

[Mr. Sinister]

Torsion bars are not indexed the same.

 

[junkyardhero]

either your index is off or the bar needs to go in the other way around.

it's possible the stub frame wasn't fabbed up properly and the excessive adjustment is the band aid here. but i'd try pulling the bar and mucking about first.

 

[Arty]

Thanks for the response. Forgive my ignorance this is all new. Both bars have the line vertical. I can only read the number on the driver side. I am guessing indexing means I need to pull them out and rotate so the line is horizontal and numbers readable left to right.

 

[Dana67Dart]

The "L" on that bar should be on the driver's side of the car.

If they both have an "L" then that's not correct.

There also should be a ring to prevent the torsion bar from from walking out of the x member.

Do your torsion bars run front to back or are they L shaped

 

[Mr. Sinister]

Those are straight- L bars are clamped to the lower control arm and the adjusters are at the front of the subframe.

 

[Dana67Dart]

Thanks for the response. Forgive my ignorance this is all new. Both bars have the line vertical. I can only read the number on the driver side. I am guessing indexing means I need to pull them out and rotate so the line is horizontal and numbers readable left to right

Go to mymopar.com and download a Factory Service Manual.

67 -76 Plymouth or Dodge.

There is a front suspension section that should answer a lot of your questions.

Also if the bars are not strong enough they would need to be twister excessively to get the ride height needed and the adjusters might stock up too much ( or I have that backwards) but you get the idea

 

[Mr. Sinister]

How about a picture of the passenger side, same shot as the first. I am thinking someone installed the driver side lower control arm clocked higher than the passenger side. If both lines on the T bars are vertical like he is saying. It’s the control arms socket position that needs to be corrected.

 

[RustyRatRod]

How low do you have the truck sitting? If it in the damn weeds, Here's your sign.

 

[Arty]

Thanks all. They are straight bars. Below is the passenger side. I can’t read the numbers. The driver side is the problem and based on the numbers seems like the correct side. The passenger side is unknown, but both installed with the line vertical. Sounds like a have a bit of a project, and pull them out. So fun when everything is painted. Thanks again, really appreciate the help

 

[Dana67Dart]

Don't forget to get the clips


One clip should go into the recesses, 1 per side of car

 

[AJ/FormS]

Judging by the preload, those bars are too soft for your application. Ima thinking those bars cannot be reclocked and still be installed.

Or the ride heights are all over the place, including the rears. If you have a soft rear spring, you will have to crank up a front bar to get the car straight; but now she's preloaded in a twisted state and she sure won't handle very well like that.
Most of my V8 F-bodies were also sensitive to front, side to side weight distribution.
I love the color.

 

[michiganpat]

if you have a sway bar, that could be hiding the problem a bit, too. if your drivers side isn't preloaded enough, the L-R tie with the sway bar could be raising the left up some as well, so they're preloaded differently, making your corner weights off. I had that issue adjusting my suspension after rebuilding it. took a lot of tuning/trial/error measuring corner heights on all 4 corners to get it right, would have been a lot quicker if I had 4 corner scales, and adjust so L-R front weights and L-R rear weights are the same. I also adjusted mine with 230 lbs in the drivers seat position (about my weight) since I am driving the car solo about 90% of the time, so it sits level with me in it.

'76 Cordoba would be a later B body. IIRC a few places make heavier t-bars for the '74-up cars if you feel you need more spring rate. if you want it slammed/low another option would be to get drop spindles, so you can crank up the preload and have sufficient travel before hitting the bump stops

 

[Arty]

Wanted to thank this group for the advice and provide an update. Kudos to the folks at Firm Feel. Called them and explained the problem. After some discussion, they recommend I email them some pics. The next business day had a response and recommendation - upgrade to a new and larger bar. The other primary supplier of t-bars was not that interested in the issue and "would need to check the warehouse and call me back." I'm still waiting.

Now the truck sits nice and rides like a modern vehicle. Tabs are not even coming out of the a-arm and no issue with bottoming out. Appreciate everyone's input and helping a "rookie".

 

[Dana67Dart]

Check the torque on this. FSM has the spec and it is a lot?

 

[michiganpat]

Wanted to thank this group for the advice and provide an update. Kudos to the folks at Firm Feel. Called them and explained the problem. After some discussion, they recommend I email them some pics. The next business day had a response and recommendation - upgrade to a new and larger bar. The other primary supplier of t-bars was not that interested in the issue and "would need to check the warehouse and call me back." I'm still waiting.

Now the truck sits nice and rides like a modern vehicle. Tabs are not even coming out of the a-arm and no issue with bottoming out. Appreciate everyone's input and helping a "rookie".

View attachment 1716419787

 

[jos51700]

I'm glad OP got it worked out.
I'm amazed nobody here asked if photos were taken vehicle in the air wheels dangling, or vehicle on the ground... But it's fixed and now I'm just pissed at OP for not posting photos of the whole vehicle.

 

[MoparLeo]

You should be used to only getting 1/2 of the info from the OP.
They don't realise that we can't see what they see. and end up guessing.
Not a very good way to help answer questions.
Better details, better answers.

 

[RAT ROD AL]

Looks like you need some of these . They keep the bars from walking out the rear side !

 

[66fyssh]

@AJ/FormS. for the win!! Good eye AJ.