Front suspension help

[66 Sat]

Hi guys, I've recently got my car back together after a complete front end rebuild. I was checking all the nuts were still tight after a 60 mile test run when I noticed the lack of clearance between the front of the LCA's and the k frame. It only seems like a few mm between the two. Is this right? I then noticed both LCA's sitting on the bumpstops. Guess that explains why the car cornered so much better than before.I thought it was the poly bushings....
I'm going to investigate further in the morning but I'll sleep better knowing if there is a fundamental screw up or is it simply tightening the torsion bars up more? How much gap should there be between the LCA bumpstop and the chassis? 1"? The ride height seems okay at the moment btw.
Thanks for any advice.

 

[miller]

The ride height seems okay at the moment btw.

Doesn't from my view...what is your ride height? Has alignment been done?

 

[VANDAN]

Looks like your torsion bar adjuster bolt needs to be tightened quite a bit by the photo posted...

 

[66 Sat]

The ride height looked fine but purely by eyeying it in, no measurements were taken. I've backed the torsion bars off a number of times when I was setting the camber and thought I'd re-tensioned them but maybe not - I had a lot going on trying to finish the car. The alignment was done at home using a tape measure, and the car tracked straight at 70 mph on the freeway. I think I just need to tension the torsion bars more. This photo shows the ride height at some stage, it may have settled once I started driving it.

 

[moparnation74]

Car needs an alignment.......The torsion bars are backed out waaaayyyy too much.....Be sure to release the tension before turning those bolts.....Get the ride height close and get it aligned....

 

[WileE]

Front suspension height is factory spec which should be set, before caster,camber and toe. Please refer to the FSM. measure the difference from the low point of the adjusting arm, and the low point of the steering arm/ lower ball joint, to the level floor.

 

[miller]

I'd be real surprised that the front suspension didn't bottom out on you.

In the FSM, it will show you the right order, that each adjustment should be done.

 

[66 Sat]

It's (nearly) all good now. Fixed the ride height and suspension travel. Don't know why I neglected to tension the torsion bars - rushing around, work, 3 kids, first time doing this etc. Only problem now is one of the uca eccentric bolts stripped the thread when tightening. Only 65 lbs/ft, POS chinese steel probably. I'll clean up one of the original ones instead of buying another one I think, it's sad to think that 52 year old steel is better than 2017 stuff. Thanks for all the advices.

 

[miller]

Only 65 lbs/ft, POS chinese steel probably.

Yup, probably so. Might consider re-using all four sets.
Won't say adjusting these front suspensions is easy, but the more you do, the easier it gets. Just a process.