Broken Torsion Bar

[steve340]

I went for a drive in the car today and returned home. Went under the hood and closed it and at the same time BANG and the drivers side dropped.
It has snapped the torsion bar (sort of split it) at the back in the back in the cross member under that rubber weather seal. At first I could not see where the problem was.
I did some searching on the site but could not find a satisfactory answer so here goes!
How common is it for the bars to snap?
I lowered the front a little a couple of months ago with the weight on it has that perhaps caused this?

 

[kiwigtx]

I don't recall ever hearing of one snapping before....but I don't know everything

I have the original torsion bars out of the GTX I once owned if you are needing a pair of replacements. A box of Heineken should swing the deal
Let me know if you want them.

 

[Kern Dog]

Well, since you gave absolutely no information on the specifics, you made it nearly impossible to answer with confidence.
You could be driving a 68 Dart with a Slant six, an '89 Gran Fury 318 with the bent torsion bar suspension, a 79 Magnum....Who knows?
I have seen straight torsion bars break but every one that I have seen was the smallest diameter available in a car with a slant six on the passenger side.

 

[steve340]

I have done the old goggle search thing and broken torsion bars is fairly rare but it seems it does happen. One thing I noticed is the bar has been installed with no grease at all around the hex at either end. Maybe no lubrication is at the heart of the issue.

 

[miller]

Torsion bars work off of 'twisting', but only in one direction. Stock bars are usually marked R and L, from the driver's seat.
If their installed in the wrong side, the twist is backwards. Just something to check.

 

[BeepBeepRR]

You should not have to grease a torsion bar. By searching his previous posts he could be talking about his 68 coronet 318 4 door.

 

[miller]

You should not have to grease a torsion bar.

It's only greased, when you install the bars...both hex ends. One time deal. Keeps 'em from turning into rusted junk. Those hexes go through a lot of strain, lube lets 'em work.

 

[bobs63wagon]

I went for a drive in the car today and returned home. Went under the hood and closed it and at the same time BANG and the drivers side dropped.
It has snapped the torsion bar (sort of split it) at the back in the back in the cross member under that rubber weather seal. At first I could not see where the problem was.
I did some searching on the site but could not find a satisfactory answer so here goes!
How common is it for the bars to snap?
I lowered the front a little a couple of months ago with the weight on it has that perhaps caused this?

The numbers on the end of the bar will tell you which one it is and which side.

 

[ddpsnake]

Dont know if it makes any difference what mopar it is, it broke plane and simple.Its a first for me.Must of bin a stress crack.

 

[Demonic]

Stress crack, or maybe rust. They do occasionally break. Now you can get bigger diameter aftermarket bars. Make sure they have the correct 30* offset.

 

[andyf]

They all break eventually

 

[Daves69]

...….How common is it for the bars to snap?...…...

It's something you don't forget. I had it happen on my '66 Charger (383) in the early 80's. Sounded like a M-80 went off and the right front dropped like a rock onto the control arm bumper. Left turns home weren't an issue but those right turns were a bitch. The bar broke about 8" in front of the rear mount. It didn't show any gradual indications as darkening in a cracked area might. I kept the short end around for several years after for show and tell.

 

[steve340]

Thanks for all your reply's. The bars have been installed in their correct locations so no problem there.
I plan to remove the bar today and I will post pics.
The fracture line I can see is all grey - indicating OK one minute and a sudden fracture.
Sounds like it is the luck of the draw concerning this problem.

 

[ddpsnake]

It's something you don't forget. I had it happen on my '66 Charger (383) in the early 80's. Sounded like a M-80 went off and the right front dropped like a rock onto the control arm bumper. Left turns home weren't an issue but those right turns were a bitch. The bar broke about 8" in front of the rear mount. It didn't show any gradual indications as darkening in a cracked area might. I kept the short end around for several years after for show and tell.

would not be sooooo nice at 120 ouch

 

[Don selleck]

 

[steve340]

You can see from the shiny part there must have been a fine crack and then it broke.
Hope the new ones are OK.

 

[Kern Dog]

Black and white pictures ? ? ? Are you trying to be classy or something ??

 

[steve340]

No they are digital colour I just put some wrapping paper under it to try and highlight the break so it can be seen better.
The fracture is grey the pic is pretty accurate to how it looks to your eye.

 

[steve340]

Another shot it broke quite close to the cross member.

 

[Kern Dog]

I guess a sense of humor is a rare thing nowadays.