Torsion Rod Adjuster Stuck

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GDC

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Hi Guys.
Need some advice from you guys who's been around these cars longer than I have.
Currently tearing down my 67' Dart convertible. Its pretty much torn down now and next step is to get k-member and all front suspension off.
When going to back off adjuster for torsion adjuster the bolt snapped. I did put some penetrating oil and on it before hand but that wasn't sufficient.
As far as I understand I must get the tension of the torsion bars before it is even worth a try to get these out.
Any one has a suggestion of approach to use if adjuster stuck.
I was kind of thinking of releasing the lower ball joint and shock mount, support the lower control arm on floor jack and slowly lower until tension would come off torsion bar? Will lower control arm swing low enough to relieve all tension?

Any other ways to adress?
Have been trying to find related threads on here and sure there should be anywhere but probably used wrong search words.
Any input greatly appreciated.
Thanks
 
I would say split the lower ball joint and then lower the control arm gradually with a floor jack until all of the tension is off of the torsion bar.... Don't split the lower ball joint without putting a floor jack under the control arm and control it down to keep anything from happening (like getting hurt)....
 
With it already snapped, you can separate the lower ball joint to release some tension and then carefully cut the torsion bar and knock it out. Be careful to stay clear when cutting the bar, as there can be significant movement once its cut through.

You are already destined to use replacement hardware because of the broken adjuster. If you are careful, can use heat and vice grips to remove the broken adjuster. Be sure to clean and chase the threads and then use anti-sieze or moly grease on the threads to avoid a similar situation years down the road.
 
As stated above just a note when pounding out the broken bar be seriously careful it is tempered steel and can shatter violently try to use say a brass drift on it and a face shield. Trust me on this one!:BangHead::BangHead:
 
In reading the OP’s comments, I don’t think he has a broken torsion bar that needs to be cut out, just the broken adjuster. Karl’s advice (Post 2) is what I’d do. Then once the tension on the bar is relieved, then remove the torsion bar. There are several ways to remove the TBar as described in numerous threads.
 
Here are your options. Do you have a cutting torch? If so torch the bar then or the bolt. The bar is easier on the car and you have less of a chance ruining the arm. No torch! see below

Drop the arm as stated. First you should take both the nuts off of the strut rod. Both ends doing the front first. The rear nut will hold the bar while taking the front off.

If your car has a stabilizer bar take both end links off

Remove the nut and washer off of the pin going through the K-member from the Control arm .

Remove the torsion bar clip if no done already

Drop the arm . It will drop farther once the strut rod nut is off of the front. Taking the nut off of the control arm side? The strut rod after the nut is off it could loosen up while hitting the arm back. That's a good thing

Hit back on the lower control arm pin with a soft metal drift until it is flush with the K member.

Once it is back flush against the K member. tap the control arm front at the torsion bar. This should loosen it up. If it does move back but still tight. You could then use a toothless vise grip!! after removing grease and paint off of the bar with a razor blade scraper at an area where you can clamp the bar and hit it out the rest of the way. "WARNING" Do not use a vise grip or any clamp with teeth. We use a Dodge collar with a piece of steel welded to it to hit on. You will ruin the bar if you scratch it with teath and can promote it to break at that area.

I you do not have luck cut. Get a torch and cut the bar . I have every size bar here I can help you with. I get $35 each for them or $65 a set plus ride . The bolt and swivel are $10 plus ride cleaned and ready to use. Lower arms cleaned and primed are $60 each plus ride. New rubber bushings installed add $20. I have two ready to ship if needed. These are non-stabilizer arms

I also have arms for stabilizer and the bar they are a little more money and you must buy all three pieces.

I would recommend 892 and 893 340 bars on your convertible they are sold as a pair unless there is a single that I had to cut one because of removal problems as you are having. Yeah I am getting to old to swing that hammer. If they don't come out easy they are not worth my time. I only save what removes very easy. If only these parts would fall off themselves.
 
Seperating this lower ball joints stud from the hole in lower arm is a challenge. We can hardly get at that cotter pin or get a tool on that nut, especially in the hanging down position. Would be easier to unbolt the lower ball joint from the spindle. Or separate upper arm at ball joint or bushings so the spindle assembly tilts outward to access lower ball joint stud hardware.
I found I could unload the torsion bars, pull eccentric bolts at upper bushings, defeat ball joint hardware, leave nuts on a few turns, reattach upper arm to chassis and reload torsion bar. Torsion bar load serves as helper in separating ball joints from arms. My procedure might not help you with a broken adjuster though. Good luck with it.
 
Great feedback, Thanks for all the input. Going to work on it now, will try to get strut rods off and lower ball joint off as adviced.
 
RedFish said:
Seperating this lower ball joints stud from the hole in lower arm is a challenge. We can hardly get at that cotter pin or get a tool on that nut, especially in the hanging down position. Would be easier to unbolt the lower ball joint from the spindle. Or separate upper arm at ball joint or bushings so the spindle assembly tilts outward to access lower ball joint stud hardware.
I found I could unload the torsion bars, pull eccentric bolts at upper bushings, defeat ball joint hardware, leave nuts on a few turns, reattach upper arm to chassis and reload torsion bar. Torsion bar load serves as helper in separating ball joints from arms. My procedure might not help you with a broken adjuster though. Good luck with it.
Click to expand...


GDC said:
Great feedback, Thanks for all the input. Going to work on it now, will try to get strut rods off and lower ball joint off as adviced.
Click to expand...


If you can't get to the lower ball joint cotter pin, then split the upper ball joint with a jack under the lower control arm and let it down gradually after you get it split... Then you can move the brake assembly out of the way more and try to split the lower ball joint....

It may help to put a piece of wood under the upper control arm to hold it up some while splitting the upper ball joint (with jack under lower control arm)... Jack up the lower control arm a little until it comes off the jack stands and then put a block of wood (like a piece of 4x4) to hold it up some to make splitting the upper ball joint a little easier... Once the car lifts off the jack stand, you won't be able to get any more clearance under the upper control arm to put the block of wood...
 
GDC said:
Great feedback, Thanks for all the input. Going to work on it now, will try to get strut rods off and lower ball joint off as adviced.
Click to expand...

Heating the T bar red hot in one spot will take the pressure off.
You don't have to actually cut it.
 
Just forget about that cotter pin, hammer the socket on and the nut will cut it clean off, no worries.

As for me I also would just torch the T-bar, then remove all the parts and replace as required. I've done that a few times. Tip#683: coat the replacement threaded areas with anti-seize. You'll be able to come back in ten years and drive the adjuster up with all the weight still on the tires. Wipe it off exposed areas after final adjustment, so it doesn't hold dirt and moisture.
But I've also driven the T-bar out using the pin as Oldmanmopar details.
 
Some partial sucess. Got the strut rod loose upper end, shock absorber lower end loose, got yhe cotter pins out both upper and lower and bolts loosened, got the upper to release from balljoint and thought I was almost home. However with tension on it now only rotates when trying to get the last threads out. My approach now is to cut it, just need to get some saw blades. (Basically the only parts going to be saved for my build is upper and lower control arm. Think I need to get the strut rods new as well as it seems bent.

The other concern I have, since working on a almost complete bare body (no engine, no trans, no interior and so on, when I place a jack under the control arm it only lifts the body and I'm a bit concerned if I have a jack under the control arm it will throw the whole body of the stands when control arm releases?
My current thought is to have it high enogh the spindle assembly wont hit the floor and keep arms and feet away when cutting the ball joint.

The point with heating the t-bar red hot would have been nice but unfortunately I dont have a torch avalaible.
 
So did the torsion bar snap? (That isn't how I read it... adjuster bolt snapped)
If the t-bar is not broken, you can ignore 1/2 of what these guys are telling you to do!
 
The bolt on the adjuster snapped so I can't release the pressure on the torsion bar. Basis for the whole operation is to get the K-member of the car and dismantle everything and resuable stuff to blasting & painting and not reusable stuff replaced by new or rebuilt stuff. Basically What I'm saving are K-member, upper & lower control arms and the old manual steering gear and center control arm. Thought I could use the strut rods but wrenching on it today most likely I will replace those as well. The OE 9" drums will be replaced by a Kelsey Hayes Disc set I have rebuilt, Bushings will be PolyUrethane, Swaybar will be added and so on.
 
Just a warning do not use poly strut rod or lower control arm bushings, By PST's own admission they are not to be used on uneven or bumpy roads. When tightening OEM lower'uppers and struts make sure the arms are at ride height. You will damage them if they are not.

The poly struts do not have the metal sleeve as the OEM do so they shear off where they slip through the K-Member. And the lowers allow the control arm to move front and back as though they are OEM rubber style that are ripped.

Also I never used a ball joint fork or puller. Take the nuts off all the way and turn it back on a couple threads with your fingers. Right front turn the wheel all the way to the left and crack the control arm on the corner where the ball joint tapered stud goes through. After the lower is off do the same to the upper at the spindle. I do this on every car we strip and there are many.

Definitely use 340 or larger bars , control arms, a stabilizer on your Convertible they will help keep it off of its roof .
 
When you get the spindle assembly out where is workable, zip that upper ball joint nut tight again with a impact enough that the tapered stud sticks in the bore. A drop of lube on the threads if needed and zip the nut all the way off. Splitter will pop the stud a lot easier this time.
Now... splitter worked on upper ball joint because that arm affixed in 2 places. The lower arm has a lot more lateral movement, even more without the stud rod attached. Much of your effort with splitter and hammer is lost in the movement of that arm. If you have to unbolt the lower ball joint from the spindle, put the lower arm in a vise to separate the ball joint from it... we do what we must to geter done.
 
A lot easier to split the lower on the car and uese the weight and car for stability. Then split the upper using the weight and stability . One good crack with a good heavy hammer and its off. Just did another set two days ago. That fork will do more damage then you realize. When I remove them to replace bushings you can reuse the ball joints when they are new. I do this with all the tie rods and pit-man arm also. Some times I will get a puller out oif the drag link with all the parts are on the bench. Use a fork when you don't are about ruining the parts . I have seen guys bend up the end of the lower arm using a fork. Giving the side of the tapered hole a good shot and they fall right off .
 
Hi
Again thanks for all the input. In the end I did cut the upper ball joint with a saw, having the car upp on jackstands and nothing under the control arm, it went down with a bang but I think it was better to do this way as if I have had a jack under the control arm I'm almost certain it would have thrown the body of the jackstands, (body basically just a shell now with most parts dissassembled). Never got the lower to let go. I normally also use the strategy with a big hammer and another as a counter on the other side if room enough. Didnt work this time and was starting make some marks on the lower so decided to let be for now and set it up on the bench somehow when lower is off the car. So basically now I have the tension off the Torsion bar and can start removing that but that won't be tonite.

Oldmanmopar, you had me concerned regarding poly bushings on strut and lower control arm, If I understand correct it is not the bushing material as such but they are different design and missing a shell the OE bushings have that make the difference? Need to check what I've got in the basement cause these are parts I already have at home.
Rods when putting back together will be brand new Mopar Performance 0,92 thick, Hellwig front & rear sway bar, Hotchkiss lowering rear leafs so I definitely hope I will be able to turn without ending up on the roof.

One check question, above I did get some advice on knocking lower control arm bolt flush with K-member, Should be the bolt in one of the pictures with the nut loosened?

Second thought, upper control arm ball joint, looking at it seems to me best to give a try to remove that one whilst still upper control arm on the car. As I understand it is threaded and when control arm the car as such holds it rather than trying to set it up in a wise and bend the metal it the ball joint doesn't want to cooperate?

IMG_20190923_215617.jpg


IMG_20190923_215526.jpg
 
Looks like more rust that my worst case had. I ended up cutting those upper arms out of the chassis clips with a torch. The burning bushings made thick smoke and stank too. I didn't plan to save and reuse those upper arms anyway but you might.
I suggest you start spraying those bolts and ball joint threads with some penetrant days ago. Good luck
 
RedFish said:
Looks like more rust that my worst case had. I ended up cutting those upper arms out of the chassis clips with a torch. The burning bushings made thick smoke and stank too. I didn't plan to save and reuse those upper arms anyway but you might.
I suggest you start spraying those bolts and ball joint threads with some penetrant days ago. Good luck
Click to expand...
Probably looks worse than is, think it will clean up in the end but its a gym workout to get the stuff apart. Will need to get one more can penetrant tomorrow after work.

Did get Torsion Bar and lower off the car today. Still has upper left to do on the first side and its just the other side left to do but getting the hang of it now thanks to all the good input here.
 
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