Ride Height Adjustment '82 911 SC

[Markymike]

I am trying to adjust my rear height down about an inch. I loosened the bolt closest to the torsion bar, then loosened the eccentric bolt next to it. Although I was able to turn the eccentric bolt, the radius arm did not move in relation to shorter arm coming from the torsion bar. They seem to be stuck together with some corrosion. Is there a good method to free them up?

[slow&rusty]

1-in drop will require removal of the torsion bars completely and re-indexing them.

[klaus]

So the eccentric is moving and the two spring plates are not?

If the eccentric is seated correctly this should not be possible. How far are you able to rotate the eccentric?

[aston@ultrasw.c]

they could be corroded together, try some liquid wrench or equiv and some gentle persuasion, remove the bolts altogether and gently jack up the hub

it may be at the lowest point already turn the eccentric the other way and see if it raises the spring plate

[rootmatt]

From a look at Wayne's book (free plug), it looks like you will need to remove the lower, rear bolt from the torsion bar cover. Otherwise, the torsion plate (or radius arm) will be held hard against the said bolt by the torsion bar and no amount of adjustment will shift it. Equally, you won't be able to measure the effect of your adjustment until the torsion plate is able to swing freely.

Hope that helps.

[bkreigsr]

Originally Posted by rootmatt

From a look at Wayne's book (free plug), it looks like you will need to remove the lower, rear bolt from the torsion bar cover. Otherwise, the torsion plate (or radius arm) will be held hard against the said bolt by the torsion bar and no amount of adjustment will shift it. Equally, you won't be able to measure the effect of your adjustment until the torsion plate is able to swing freely.

...not sure what that means. I thought that the only thing changing was the relationship of the locked portion of the spring plate to the movable section of the spring plate. I didn't think the torsion bars or their retaining plates came into play for this procedure. Bill K

[na2ub]

The plates should move relative to each other. Both the bolts closest to the torsion tube should be loosened, the lock bolt and the eccentric. The plates do tend to get corroded together, so you might need to persuade them. Rootmat was referring to a torsion bar adjustment, which is not applicable to your question. I think the max adjustment, with the spring plates, is about 1/2 inch up or down, assuming they started in the middle of their adjustment range. If you need an inch, you need to re-index the torsion bars. Maybe you could fudge it if your adjusted one side 1/2 inch up and the other 1/2 inch down, but that would be kinda ghetto. Good luck.

[bkreigsr]

when I did mine- I had to get a 24", x 1/2" drive breaker bar (torque values are very high) and the thin Wilding combo tool/wrench from pelican to hold the bolt heads that are between the wheelwell and the spring plate. Bill K
Pelican Parts - Product Information: PWE-2436RHW

[wildcat077]

Don't forget you have to unload the rear sway bar by disconnecting it from the drop link ...
Should make adjusting your spring plate eccentric bolt a little easier !

Cheers !
Phil

[rootmatt]

Originally Posted by bkreigsr

...not sure what that means. I thought that the only thing changing was the relationship of the locked portion of the spring plate to the movable section of the spring plate. I didn't think the torsion bars or their retaining plates came into play for this procedure. Bill K

Sorry. What I was trying to say was that, unless the lower, rear bolt on the cover is removed, the torsion bar will/may not be able to drop far enough to unload the torsion bar. With the torsion bar still under tension, the eccentric bolt will be hard to turn. Also, the torsion bar will remain hard up against the bolt and not move during the adjustment. This may give the impression that nothing is happening when, as you rightly say, relative motion is indeed happening. Also, unless the torsion bar is able to hang free, you cannot predict the new ride height by measuring the free-hanging angle of the torsion bar.

[pete3799]

Removing the bottom cover bolt is not necessary to lower ride height. Would make raising it a little easier. If things were moving as they should simply loosening the 2 bolts (pinch and eccentric) would result in the TB rotating the spring plate to its lowest setting. Least it does on my recently rebuilt spring plates with never-seize applied.

[slow&rusty]

Looks likes the OP got scared off.