torsion bars

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68 Rat Rod

68 Rat Rod

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Installing new torsion bars in my 68 Dart. I know there is a right and left torsion bar, but does it make a differance which end goes to the front control arm or the rear cross member?
 
68 Rat Rod said:
Installing new torsion bars in my 68 Dart. I know there is a right and left torsion bar, but does it make a differance which end goes to the front control arm or the rear cross member?
Click to expand...

How difficult of a job is it to replace them?
My new Just Suspension 1 inch diameter torsion bars showed up today for my 1971 Dart GT.
 
Common practice is to install them with the L and R showing at the rear so anyone can see they are / were properly placed. Even the factory didn't adhere to this though.
The important thing is always put them back where they came from when reinstalling used bars.
 
340_dart_power said:
How difficult of a job is it to replace them?
My new Just Suspension 1 inch diameter torsion bars showed up today for my 1971 Dart GT.
Click to expand...

This depends on how well your old bars are greased. There are tools you can buy, but I've found the best way is to pull the clips in the back, and drop the lower control arms. Once the lower control arms are unbolted and hanging free, you can use a dead blow hammer on them (so you don't trash the LCA) to "convince" the torsion bar to slide out the back. Once the hex head is clear of the rear socket you should be able to work it out of the LCA.

Obviously, damaging the old bar on the way out isn't as nearly as big a deal as damaging the new one. Since I happen to have just gotten some of the Just Suspension bars myself I know they aren't powdercoated or painted, and that's a good thing. Other manufacturers have painted their bars in the past, and that can cause problems on reassembly (especially if you have powdercoated new tubular LCA's), since you run our of clearance with the thickness of the paint/powdercoating. Be sure to clean up the torsion bar sockets as much as you can and re-grease them, this should help the new bars slide in easier, although you may have to use the dead blow a little too. Just be sure not to damage the new bars, and don't use anything on the shafts of the bars. A dead blow on the hex ends is no big deal, but a gouge in the shaft means you need a new bar...

Also, with the larger diameter bars you may want to soak the torsion bar boots in some hot water before hand, especially if you went with polyurethane boots. They're awesome, but I think they're all sized for stock bars, so getting them on the larger bars can be a little tricky. I wish I had heard the hot water trick before I installed the 1.12" bars on my Challenger, would have made things a bit easier. :-D
 
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