Front lowering torsion bar woes!

Bags · 04-09-2002, 03:21 PM

I replaced the front (and reat) torsion bars on my 87 C. The new bars are 22,29. The rear rid eheight is set at 25.5" but I cannot get the front lower than 27.5"(started also at 25.5 with stock bars) I am familiar with Steve Jagernauth's article on front bar replacement but the sentence "if the car is still to high turn the bar clockwise" looses me. On the right, clockwise movement of the end cap by the adjustable bolt actually pushes the A-arm down and raises the car, doesn't it? There has to be some tenion on those end caps to hold the bar. Where did the extra 2" of ride height come from between the old and new bars? Thanks for the always excellent help.
Mike

pbs911 · pbs911's Garage

Are you installing the end cap with the weight off the front? I am no expert, but when I did this I had to place weight on the front torsion bars by lowering the wheels on the ground. Try removing the end cap and lowering the car just enough for you to reach underneith to place on the end cap and adjustment screw. The extra ride height is coming from the increased resistence of the torsion bar to twist. This worked for me.

As far as turing the splines on the torsion bars to raise/lower ride height, I am not aware of this having any effect on the front, only the rear.

Jdub · 04-09-2002, 04:11 PM

Paul:

I was hoping someone would say that because that is the only way I could see "pre-loading" the torsion bar. And yet, the bar is free to rotate in a sense as it is only pinned down at the front, where we have put the 'bar into the captive splines.

I suppose I would probably touch the wheels down lightly and then put the cap on such that the "ear" of it (where the bolt goes through) is at the very topmost, touching the upper "wall" of the box within which it resides.

Hope this makes some sense. It better; I am doing a full susp. strip and rebuild!

John

katigbr · 04-10-2002, 06:07 AM

Mike,
There are a couple of things that come to mind.

1) If you have adjustable swaybars they could be preloading the suspension. I learned to disconnect mine when messing around with ride heights

2) Are you placing the adjuster caps with enough travel to adjust the torsion bar? I usually put the caps on with the tab at max or maybe halfway in the range of movement. This means you have to figure out how the torsion bar is going to rotate when you drop the car and place the cap with the tab at either the top or bottom of the crossmember.

Rick

32Flat6 · 04-10-2002, 07:11 AM

Mike,

Had the same problem when rebuilding the suspension on my '87 a couple of months ago. John and Rick are right on. If the suspension is unloaded, you need to position the endcaps on the t-bars such that the tab is at the highest point possible within the cross member channel (where you can still get the adjuster screw started). I upgraded to 21mm bars in front and this worked for me. Haven't tried it with 22s but think this should still work.

Preloading the suspension (putting some weight on the wheels) should also work, but I found there was more elbow room leaving the car up on jack stands.

Kevin

Bags · 04-10-2002, 07:05 PM

Thanks Paul, John, Rick, Kevin etc.... You are all correct. There needs to be some loading of the A-arm/t-bar holder before the bars are locked in with the end cap. The end cap adjuster will only allow about 1/2" of vertical travel at the greatest. Therefore, I lowered the car with the wheels touching and the clearence much less than the 27.5" and replaced the end caps and the adjusting screw. It worked great, I have the height I want. Thanks again.
Mike