Rear Torsion Bar cover came off!

[IMONBOOST]

I was going over my car and realized that one of the rear torsion bar covers (on the spring plate) came off. I can actually see the end of the torsion bar almost flushed with the spring plate end. Is this cover holding the torsion bar from coming out? Is this dangerous? Is this repairable or do I need new spring plates? Has this happened to anyone?

The blue arrow points to the cover that came off. It is on in this picture and this not my car either. (Picture is Chuck's)

[KTL]

The splines/grooves in the spring plate tube stop before the end of the tube so the bar can't come out.

I'd get a new cap for the tube and if it fits loosely, hold it on there with some adhesive (I used clear RTV to seal mine, not necessarily to glue it on there) or use a punch and hammer to put a couple small dimples around the edge of the cap and tube.

[IMONBOOST]

Thanks KTL! Is this cap for sold somewhere? I lost mine.

[Chuck Moreland]

I think you will find it hard to find just a cap. Buy a non-adjustable spring plate from a dismantler and use that cap.

The non-adjustables are cheap because nobody wants them.

[Tim L]

Go to an auto parts store and buy a cold plug that’s about the correct size and grind it down to fit. That’s what I did when my t bar broke and popped the cover off.

Tim,

[Superman]

Sounds like some of you are supporting your raised cars on a part that can fall off. I'm with Warren on this one.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

What is Warren's recommended jackstand point for the rear?

[rfix'n]

I think its the torsion bar tube just inboard of the springplates

[IMONBOOST]

I would rather mess up a spring plate and replace it than mess up the torsion bar tube. I am currently spending over $2000 to fix my torsion bar tube. This is an integral part of the chassis and I don't think it was desing to support the weight of the car.

[dhoward]

Was it just the round cap? I think people are getting cornfused. You can remove the very end cap, and still have the tube portion remain. I believe it's still safe to support the car there...

[IMONBOOST]

It was just the cap.

[dhoward]

That's what I thought. There are caps similar to that on the front of the a-arms...

[Superman]

What was wrong with your torsion tubes?

[Wayne 962]

I always use backup jack stands just in case.

-Wayne

[IMONBOOST]

My torsion bar tube rusted on the corners where it meets with the longitudinals. The torsion bar tube part number exists but I could not find a supplier that had it. I took my car to a shop where they have 911 donors and they will be using parts out of those. After doing the research on the tube and taking a good look at mine where it rusted, these tubes aren't very strong at all, the gauge looks close to muffler shop tubing.

[KTL]

Here's where the factory finally decided in 1987 to put little "feet"




There's absolutely no question where to put the jackstands when you look under the car and see those guys hanging from the underside.