Torsion rod trouble

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Baxtman

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I have been doing a restoration on a nineteen sixty five Barracuda formula S. The engine and k member were taken out, As well as all the suspension. I'm in the process of putting everything back together, and I can't get the torsion rods to go all the way in and seat.
The only possibility that I can see is that perhaps I need to loosen the k member and see if it will slide forward. An eighth of an inch. Has anybody else experienced this problem? And if so, how did you come up with a remedy?
 
Are you putting the bars back on the correct sides and in the same direction they came out?
 
Baxtman said:
I have been doing a restoration on a nineteen sixty five Barracuda formula S. The engine and k member were taken out, As well as all the suspension. I'm in the process of putting everything back together, and I can't get the torsion rods to go all the way in and seat.
The only possibility that I can see is that perhaps I need to loosen the k member and see if it will slide forward. An eighth of an inch. Has anybody else experienced this problem? And if so, how did you come up with a remedy?
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Did You clean & grease the hex-ends & sockets? If there's too much dirt & corrosion buildup, they can jam-up going in. If You look closely at the socket hex, they are like a flank-drive socket, the corners are relieved to allow air etc. to escape as they're inserted...too much grease will hydro-lock/block them from going in all the way as well.
As RRR stated, they go in better the way they came out, AND are left & right only...
 
Been a few years since I pulled t/bars, but aren't they stamped 'L' & 'R'?
 
They are stamped L & R, so hopefully that will help the OP. Also, if you are having a hard time getting them back in, you can remove the bump stop rubbers from the UPPER control arms so the whole assembly will lower down another inch or two. Most of the time that is just enough to get the torsion bars back in. After you set the tension and torque the nuts on the LCA shafts, you put the upper bump stops back in place. I learned that trick as a kid, from laying on my back in the gravel driveway, making up new cuss words while trying to get torsion bars back in! :mad:

:rofl:
 
Even number is Passenger side, odd the Drivers side. Some are marked L and R but not all, generally the arm end has the date they were made on them, but not always L and R.
 
If you're using the correct factory k-member bolts, they won't allow the k-member to move in any direction. You'd have to oblong the holes.....not a good idea and an indication that something is wrong. Pull the torsion bar(s) and run a tape measure through from the bottom of the control arm socket to the snap ring slot in the crossmember and compare it with the length of the torsion bar to make sure things are assembled correctly. A bent/damaged k-member or incorrect assembly of the lower control arm could be the reason. so could accident damage.
 
I've never had a set that was marked L and R!
 
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