Q. about indexing front torsion bars

[450knotOffice]

Hello all you experts out there. Chuck Mooreland, TRE Cup, Tyson, MuffinMan, anyone? I have just installed my 22 mm front torsion bars in my '84 Carrera and am wondering about indexing the bars. The car had the stock 18.8 mm bars in it before I decided to rebuild the entire suspension. What technique do you guys use to initially index the front torsion bars so that the car will sit close to Euro ride height (a little lower, actually). If I do as Wayne says in his book and leave the A-arms hanging at their lowest point I'm afraid that the car will sit at a 4X4 ride height due to the bars being significantly stiffer than the stock ones.

Do you guys use a jack to lift the A-arm up a certain amount before putting the adjusting cap on? If so, how much would you recommend?

I sit here patiently waiting for some guidance.

[Tyson Schmidt]

With the arms hanging down at their lowest point, (strut fully extended) you would then push the cap over the torsion bar splines with the arm pointed down to approximately the 4 O'clock position on the right side, and the 8 o'clock position on the left.

That will give you the adjustment range to lower it sufficiently. Then screw the adjuster in until you have about 10mm showing through the arm.

[450knotOffice]

Thanks Tyson! I was hoping you'd answer.

I'll do as you suggest.

[Tyson Schmidt]

No problem. Just remember this is a starting point.

Set the final height with half a tank, and some good hard runs in between to settle the car.

[450knotOffice]

Got it.

[450knotOffice]

Now that I've done this, another question. Is it OK to have the adjustment bolt not in contact with the top of the crossmember while the car is up on jacks with the struts fully extended? I ask this because, if I did this right, I screwed the adjustment bolt only about 10 mm into the adjustment arm. This leaves the top of the bolt a good 1/2 inch plus from touching the top of the crossmember while the car is up on jacks.

Is this OK?

Any other suggestions, if not?

[lateapex911]

If I recall, that is just fine, and that space will get taken up when you lower the car to the ground, then the bar will twist, lowering the car further. I imagine a little fine tuning will be in order, but I bet Tyson will have you pretty close...he does this stufff in his sleep!

[Tyson Schmidt]

Yeah, that's exactly right. It will make contact once the car is dropped on the ground.

[450knotOffice]

Thank you to all of you.

This has been a fun project but I miss driving the thing.