PST or other torsion bar experts - question

[AR67GTX]

This is in reference to my earlier post on my 66 Satellite.

Un-even front end height - 66 Satellite | For B Bodies Only Classic Mopar Forum

May have found the issue with the uneven front height/bar adjustment. I went ahead and pulled both bars back out and it appears the one marked R was on the left side and the one marked L was on the right side. I took a close look at the frame member and bar receivers and they are OK - looks like a new car down there. The hex on both appear to be clocked the same and welds look excellent. The tape in the photos shows the side I found them installed on. I remember reading over the years that switching torsion bars side to side is a good way to ruin them but I haven't any first hand experience with it.

https://www.amazon.com/photos/shared/F1mWxdnjTi2i0iKVhnHLsw.oJh-MT6Tli5Rj4NYCHaahm

So, is it likely these torsion bars are causing my problem and are FUBAR'd and need to be replaced?

These are .92" bars - would going to a .96 bar be a good idea?

 

[ckessel]

Play it safe and toss a new pair in. Besides, you already have them out. Cars and parts don't last forever and do lose ability over time. Just like us humans. As far as bar size it depends on what your intended purpose and desires are. Me, I went with 1.06's from FF on my car. I intend on doing auto-x, track days, fun driving on twisty roads with the occasional drag session. I don't like the mushy ride of the stock bars.

 

[69SportSatellite]

Just my 2 cents - I have the PST 1.03s on my '69 Sport Satellite (440, aluminum intake, no A/C) and the ride is reminiscent of an old mid - late 70's police cruiser. It handles well, but I would prefer a less firm ride. I will be swapping them out for .92s or .96s this summer.

 

[AR67GTX]

Has anyone seen the .96 torsion bars reasonably priced at any of the usual Mopar parts houses lately? Seems the only place I quickly found them was at Herbs I think but they were out of stock. Classic parts seem to want to obscure the sizes they stock. Best price I found was this place:

2006-2021 Dodge Pkg Bar-Set Torsion B/E Body .960 P5249158 | GetOEMParts.com

But the ad scares me as all the listings are for Dodge Challenger and the like from the past 20 years.

 

[AR67GTX]

I guess no one's buying torsion bars lately. This is a Hemi car. I would like to use PST for a supplier but the only bar I get that comes up on their website is a 1.03 bar but like 69SportSatellite, I fear that will be too much of an increase. Do they not sell smaller size bars? Guess I need to see if they have a sponsor's section on the forum.

 

[ckessel]

Check Firm Feel.

 

[PST]

We stopped carrying the .960 bars as our sales on them dropped as the popularity of the 1.03" torsion bars rose and our minimum MOQ with the forged made it not economical. We were selling the 1.03" torsion bars 20 sets to 1 set of .96". We have designed our 1.03 bars with the proper amount of clocking(pre-load) so they will give you a modern ride that is not harsh and have plenty adjustability. If you take sometime and do a forum search you will numerous members that are running them and love them. Just keep in mind a quality set of shocks also dictate a fair amount if ride quality.

Thanks
James From
PST

 

[69plywgn]

Jim's Auto Parts lists .92" and .96" torsion bars. Mopar Suspension Parts|Restoration Parts|Jim's Auto Parts

 

[hunt2elk]

Idk, but I really like the PST 1.03" bars. Have them on all 3 of my cars along with Bilstein shocks. I personally don't think any of the cars ride rough at all.

 

[Ron H]

Just curious - were .92 bars a factory/stock provide for police/taxi? I need to replace the bars on my '63 Plymouth.

 

[T2R9]

Jim's Auto Parts lists .92" and .96" torsion bars. Mopar Suspension Parts|Restoration Parts|Jim's Auto Parts

Don't even go there. Jim's is bad...

 

[69plywgn]

Don't even go there. Jim's is bad...

Bad? I've never dealt with him. Who else offers .92" and .96" t/bars?

 

[AR67GTX]

Anyone on here able to vouch for the 1.03" PST torsion bars? I don't mind a little firmer and more stable ride but I don't want to get a harsh, pounding over expansion joints ride.

 

[69_Coronet]

One other factor that goes into the ride is your tires. When I upgraded by torsion bars to Firm Feel's 1.00 inch bars (wheel rate of 175 lb/in), I had BF Goodrich Radial TAs, P225/60R15s on the front and the ride was pretty good, firm but not harsh. When I upgraded the tires to MIchelin Pilot Sport 4S, P245/40R18s on the front, the ride got quite a bit harsher. The lower sidewall on the newer tires is a lot stiffer than on the old ones. On the up side, the new tires are much grippier. You can't really compare torsion bars without looking at the rest of your front suspension package, including the tires. You should also remember that going to a stiffer front torsion bar isn't automatically an upgrade in your car's handling, as a a softer torsion bar will allow the car to stick to the road better. The one place a stiffer torsion bar is definitely an upgrade is if you lower your car to the point that your suspension bottoms out on the bump stop when you hit a bump while cornering. When that happens, you can expect to not stick to the road. As an aside, Firm Feel has 0.94" diameter torsion bars (wheel rate of 142 lb/in). Cheers!

 

[AR67GTX]

Looks like I'll try the PST bars since the Mopar Performance .96" bars appear to be unobtanium anymore after several hours of searching - except at exorbitant prices as high as $960/pr. I'll hang on to the old .92 bars and consider having them reconditioned if it doesn't work out for me.

Thanks for the comments.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

Looks like I'll try the PST bars since the Mopar Performance .96" bars appear to be unobtanium anymore after several hours of searching - except at exorbitant prices as high as $960/pr. I'll hang on to the old .92 bars and consider having them reconditioned if it doesn't work out for me.

Thanks for the comments.

I know it's 4 yrs ago, but what do you think of the PST 1.03" torsion bars on the street?

 

[66 Sat]

Mine are completely fine, have improved the handling but not affected the ride.

 

[AR67GTX]

I like them just fine. They are not harsh riding but do a good job on the front end. I can’t really tell a great difference between them in my 66 and the .96 stock bars in my 67 GTX. Just a little firmer but not harsh by any means.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

I like them just fine. They are not harsh riding but do a good job on the front end. I can’t really tell a great difference between them in my 66 and the .96 stock bars in my 67 GTX. Just a little firmer but not harsh by any means.

thanks for responding! Glad to hear your feedback. If you can't tell a big difference in ride quality, can you at least tell a noticeable difference in front end handling? Does it make the front end not feel so heavy with a big block? I'm running Bilstein shocks with 1.00 bars and a big block 451 and they're decent, but I want to go a little firmer. I'm debating between 1.03 and 1.06.

 

[AR67GTX]

Honestly, I didn’t get to drive it when I first bought it as the .096 torsion bars had been swapped side to side and one of the adjusters was bad and I couldn’t get the car up to height as a result and the low side was tire was rubbing. I think the bar was fatigued.

Also my car has a bigger front sway bar. Overall my car drives fine - I don’t drive it very aggressively. Based on your email I think you might be needing something just a little larger yet like the 1.06 bars. Only problem is because of different metallurgy and tempering I’m not sure if a torsion bars spring rate can be completely judged just by diameter when comparing different sources.

Maybe some others can chime in.