Has anyone installed a torsion bar over 1" ?

[maddart]

I posted the same question in 4 forums and asked if The PST 1.03"torsion bars were any good and i received 1 reply saying they were garbage send them back and another saying they worked great. I guess not many have tried the PST torsion bars (Only 2 people), the only way i can find out for sure is try it myself.

Ok,I have the lower control arm disconnected from the upper. There are two positions that will clock correctly with the torsion bar. One position is forced all the way UP against the LCA bump stop, The other position is forced all the way DOWN, with the strut rod loosened up for additional travel.

As i didn't receive any install instructions which position would be correct?
Has anyone used a torsion bar over 1", i understand most are clocked identical on both ends.

FYI
I ordered these 3 months ago and had emergency surgery which kept me off my feet for 2 months. PST said if they were unused that i could return for in store credit only.

 

[tpodwdog]

the torsion bars should be installed with the upper and lower control arm joined together via the spindle and hanging down. make sure the height adjusters are completely loose and turned all the way out. mine slid right in no problem but DO NOT PLOW GREASE IN THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS SOCKETS... it wont fully seat in the LCA . just a little grease on the hex, and some all the way in. i did this on a 70 road runner. im not sure what youre working on because you didnt tell us!

 

[maddart]

Thats going into a 67 coronet

 

[5.7 hemi]

You can also use a crow bar (spelling) to push the hex down alittle further when the adjusting bolts are loosened to help line up the hex to the torsion bar.

 

[TommyShameless1978]

Maddart, it sounds like you are running into the exact problem everyone has with those bars, and that PST does not seem to want to address. Be really, really careful on the install. If you manage to keep them completely undamaged, when you pull them out to return them (and you will), they should take them back. Just make sure there isn't a scratch on them.

Tommy

 

[maddart]

Even i fi i return them tommy, it is for in store credit only.

 

[Propwash]

I see that Hotchkis now has a note stating that their 1.03" bars will lower the car in the front. Maybe they're made by th same vendor?

http://www.hotchkis.net/forged_torsion_bars_be_body_models.html

 

[TommyShameless1978]

I see that Hotchkis now has a note stating that their 1.03" bars will lower the car in the front. Maybe they're made by th same vendor?

http://www.hotchkis.net/forged_torsion_bars_be_body_models.html

PST was going to give me a refund...sucks that they are only willing to give you store credit. You could always roll it over into a sway bar from them, unless you already have one.

As for the Hotchkis bars, I don't know the answer to that. PST told me they were having those bars made for them, but they didn't say by who or where. It is more than likely that it is the exact same bar. If not, then they are effectively the same product anyway.


Tommy

 

[maddart]

I have decided that since the bars are in pristine condition i should just return them and get a set of their .96 providing they are clocked correctly. I am awaiting a response from their customer service department on how i can make this exchange happen. Hopefully its not too painful.

 

[TommyShameless1978]

And if it seems like I am on some kind of crusade against those bars, it's because I kind of am. I'm really upset that a company as known as PST doesn't care enough to tell their customers about a drastic drop in ride height.

 

[TommyShameless1978]

I have decided that since the bars are in pristine condition i should just return them and get a set of their .96 providing they are clocked correctly. I am awaiting a response from their customer service department on how i can make this exchange happen. Hopefully its not too painful.

Those are the exact bars I ended up getting. The .96 bars from PST. They are clocked correctly, and will give you a very firm ride up front. I can't see you being unhappy with them. Plus, since they are clocked correctly, they will give you the option of setting your ride height exactly how you want.

 

[maddart]

Hopefully the exchange of parts goes smoothly.

 

[maddart]

I want to thank James at PST, a STAND UP GUY.
I will be returning the bars tomorrow and exchanging for the .960 bars

 

[Jim Bob The Dancing Bear]

I have the PST 1.03 bars. They will work but with a stiffening plate on the lower control arm, the driver side torsion bar adjuster bolt cannot be reached with a socket or end wrench.

The driver side (Left) bar is clocked 1.5 degrees clockwise. This puts the adjuster nut an inch or two farther extended than stock. I have to take everything apart, adjust the bolt by hand, put it back together, check ride height, rinse lather and repeat.

The passenger side (right) is clocked 4 degrees clockwise. This actually helped and the adjuster is farther than stock but not too far for a 1" drop in the front.

I called PST yesterday and Matt stated that the adjuster bolt will be completely bottomed out with their bars. He also stated that the clocking is standard manufacturing tolerances. He would not or did not tell me what the tolerance spec was.

I am not happy to say the least. They will work but the clock issue will bug me until I replace them.

All in all it shouldn't affect the actual spring rate. The adjust will just be a PITA to mess with but once it is set I am done and it will be fine. I can say that PST will not get any more business from me.

PST For 220 vs 400 for Hotchkis bars you get what you pay for. If I don't have any issues with the bars I will run them until the front end gets work again. I just don't have the cash to purchase new bars from another company right now.

My car should be finished in a couple of weeks. To many other things are keeping me out of the garage. I don't check ForB bodies to often but I am on Pro-Touring Mopar on a regular basis. I will post an in depth response to this over there and then transfer it over here for everyone to read.

 

[Sublime440]

These torsion bars are garbage, I have no idea why they haven't discontinued them. The .96" bars are made by Mopar Performance and will fit perfect. For whatever odd reason, PST doesn't think their 1.03" bars need to be clocked differently to work because they are larger....

 

[Jim Bob The Dancing Bear]

I do not plan on running the PST bars as is. I can't get to the adjusters to set ride height with a wrench so I have to take of the opper a-arm, drop the lower control arm, use my fingers to tighted up the adjuster, and then use a jack to put it all back together. I don't feel safe with the adjuster bolt that far protruding from the adjuster bolt plate. I did a bunch of measuring and taking pics for PST over the weekend.

Once I posted the above PST contacted me. I did some fitting and took a bunch of pics for them over the weekend. I should know in a few days what they plan on doing to fix the clocking issue.

Having a product that isn't perfect is not big deal IF you are willing to correct and make right the issue. PST getting in touch with me makes a big difference between companies that care and those that don't.

PST has an issue and they are working to fix it. I will post again when I get an answer back from PST on what will happen going forward.

 

[maddart]

I just got the .960 T bars in and the price difference was 50 bucks. They are indeed clocked correctly.
Mention forbbodiesonly with your user name and receive a discount.

 

[Jim Bob The Dancing Bear]

Same issue as MadDart and same out come. I get a refund but because I want the higher spring rate I am ordering from Firm Feel and getting the 1.06 bars.

PST is looking and trying to figure out the issue with some of the bars. I will be sending mine back for them to go over. I also took a bunch of pics to hopefully help them figure out the issue.

It is nice when company stands behind their product. There are issues and they are trying to fix it.

Shawn

 

[Lowhound]

I had purchashed the 1.03 bars from PST. But after all the horror stories I decided to send them back for store credit. I got the Mopar Perf. .096 bars instead. When I called PST they had NO problem and I was told by the sales person that they have had numerous complaints about the 1.03 bars.I like to do a job 1 time and after all the stories I heard on this site I didnt want to take the chance on not being satisfied.I noticed the 1.03 are a lot cheaper than their other bars......I guess there is a good reason for this.Sometimes you get what you pay for,in this case looks like this is true.This site has saved me a lot of money & heartache by just asking simple questions, but you have to LISTEN to the advise you recieve.

 

[doug428]

pst bars

I too bought the PST 1.03 bars when they were on sale a year ago.
I am just now getting ready to install them.
but am worried if I should even try after reading this post.
I painted the bars and they are a year old, so I dont think they would refund or give me credit. even though they knew they sold a faulty product. what a waste