What diameter torsion bars?

[72bluNblu]

Glad it worked out for you!

If you end up replacing any bushings, get the Moog offset UCA bushings. Will get you some more positive caster, although with manual steering you won't want a ton.

The 1" bars are pretty nice. Not too harsh at all. I may need to go bigger myself, have to keep an eye out for some 1.03's or 1.06's.

 

[buck351]

Glad it worked out for you!

If you end up replacing any bushings, get the Moog offset UCA bushings. Will get you some more positive caster, although with manual steering you won't want a ton.

The 1" bars are pretty nice. Not too harsh at all. I may need to go bigger myself, have to keep an eye out for some 1.03's or 1.06's.

Only bushing that were not replaced were the swaybar and the LCA. Poly in all the others. I didn't want to take the time to do the LCA ones while doing the torsion bars. Later project. I know most would say do it while you are doing the torsion bar. Bars were easy after I got tool. What took the time was adjusting things for the larger bar on the drivers side and the the &%$^& poly boots. Had to make a slight dent in the exhaust pipe and make a shorter bracket for an adjustable proportioning valve for torsion bar clearance.

Boy doing the bar showed me another instance of the lack of close tolerances back in the 60's on cars. The space between the clip for the torsion bar and the bar is about 1/2+" on the passenger side and just barely enough room for the clip on the driver's side.

 

[buck351]

I tried the Dart GTS with the new torsion bars and alienment on my favorite double s curve at work. It's a fun section of road in my S-Runner Tacoma. I was pleasantly surprise how well the dart handled in the s curves considering the heavy front end. Manual steering is not the best for rapid changes :tonqe:.

 

[71_340]

I have .870 torsion bars on my 73 Swinger (340, P/S). I also have SS rear springs and new KYB gas shocks. The ride is not soft but it was leaning to much during cornering.

I installed a Helwig front tubular sway bar which improved the handling greatly. I didn't see a need for a rear sway bar with the leaf spring suspension. I guess if you just want a stiff ride all the time go with larger torsion bars. if you just want it to handle better during cornering a sway bar will do the trick.

Last, the Helwig set up was easy to install and fits perfect.....I read a lot of bad reviews about Adco, cheaper though.

 

[72bluNblu]

I have .870 torsion bars on my 73 Swinger (340, P/S). I also have SS rear springs and new KYB gas shocks. The ride is not soft but it was leaning to much during cornering.

I installed a Helwig front tubular sway bar which improved the handling greatly. I didn't see a need for a rear sway bar with the leaf spring suspension. I guess if you just want a stiff ride all the time go with larger torsion bars. if you just want it to handle better during cornering a sway bar will do the trick.

Last, the Helwig set up was easy to install and fits perfect.....I read a lot of bad reviews about Adco, cheaper though.

There's a lot more to that equation. Yes, a sway bar will help your tiny .87" bars work better. But, with SS rear springs you're not even close to being balanced front to rear. .87" bars are in the ~110 lb/in range for rate. The SS springs are stiffer than that, they run from 160-180 in/lb, and they support the lighter rear end of the car. .94" bars are around 155 lb/in for rate. Most 1" bars are around 190 lb/in, and with SS springs in the back you still probably wouldn't need a rear sway bar, but you could use a front. I'd be willing to bet if you downgraded your rear springs to XHD's (130-140 in/lbs) and upgraded your torsion bars to 1" and kept your sway bar you'd have significantly better handling AND a better ride.

Balanced is the most important thing for handing. Pretty much all musclecar era Mopars are ridiculously undersprung in the front, and a sway bar won't fix that by itself. Better than nothing, but not even close to good handling, the wheel rates are still too low. Especially with SS springs out back.

And 1" bars are not "stiff". I run them on my Duster. They're still softer than most modern cars, even though they're a huge improvement over stock. I still need a front sway bar with the 1" bars, I get a decent amount of body roll with just the bars. One of these days I'll have to upgrade them to 1.03 or 1.06, the 1" bars are a touch too soft for what I have in mind.