Torsion bar removal.... aw, crap!

[Matthew J]

So, both torsion bar adjusters on my car were frozen solid. After 3 days of marinating in WD-40, the LH side broke free. The RH side chose to go a different route (suspension was unloaded.)

I'm stumped how to get the bar off now... My only idea is to jack the car up to unload the suspension, start cutting through the bar and wait for it to snap. There is a ton of energy stored though, so I really don't want to do that. I *think* it would just (violently) unwind, but nothing would go flying. But would rather not bet my life on it. Anyone else ever deal with this? Any better ideas?

 

[dadsbee]

Pop the upper ball joint stud out of the steering knuckle. That will allow the lower to go all the way down.

 

[pnora]

Bottom shock bolt to.

 

[Matthew J]

Pop the upper ball joint stud out of the steering knuckle. That will allow the lower to go all the way down.

Never tried that with the suspension under tension. Jack under the knuckle to keep it from snapping down?

 

[dadsbee]

Jack under the knuckle to keep it from snapping down?

Yep, jack under the LCA... undo the upper ball joint stud and then lower the jack BUT make sure you block the frame.

 

[pnora]

Never tried that with the suspension under tension. Jack under the knuckle to keep it from snapping down?

You need to let the suspension hang. Jack stands on the frame. Then a jack under the lower control arm. Lower shock bolt and pop the upper ball joint loose. Lower the jack.

 

[eldubb440]

I cut them all the time (with suspension hanging), unless being reused

 

[Matthew J]

I cut them all the time (with suspension hanging), unless being reused

Thanks, good to know. These parts are all poop. I just need to get them apart and gone safely.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

When I was younger I cut loaded torsion bars with a torch... The heat kills the spring & the bar kinda relaxes before separating..

 

[WileE]

Torch it off.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Just to be clear... I didn't cut right through the bar, I let the whole area of the bar get hotter than it would have if I'd hit the oxygen as soon as it turned red... Might be fine to hit the oxygen sooner but I wasn't sure & wanted to let the tension relax first...

 

[eldubb440]

I just use the 4 1/2 inch tool of death.........both ends of the bar are in the sockets, they aren't going anywhere...... anti-climatic for the most part

 

[dvw]

After it's jacked up with the ball joint seprated I'd torch the remaining bolt off above the cresent through the moon shaped hole in the control arm. Why ruin the torsion bar?
Doug

 

[zyzzyx]

I would try putting the car on stands as mentioned before and knock out the upper ball joint.
Then you can take a die grinder and grind through the top of the adjuster bolt that you snapped
the head off of from the front of the car. Don't grind too close to the top! Try and not touch the
lever that puts pressure on the torsion bar. You should be able to remove everything in pieces.
That is, unless you don't want to keep the torsion bar. In that case, heating with the cutting
torch will gently release the tension.

 

[twecomm]

If that was the condition of the adjusting bolt, think I'd be considering new torsion bars to replace the ones that have been supporting the car for likely 50+ years plus.

 

[Matthew J]

If that was the condition of the adjusting bolt, think I'd be considering new torsion bars to replace the ones that have been supporting the car for likely 50+ years plus.

Absolutely. I plan on replacing all the front suspension parts. They are all old and crusty... I don't trust any of them. Just need em off the car.

 

[dvw]

I've been doing front end work for close to 50 years. I'll bet I've done 5000+ alignments. Built a lot of hot rod Mopars. Never replaced a torsion bar on any of them. Heck my racecar has the original 6 cylinder bars. 11 years and 800+ passes of good wheelstands. In fact it has the original ball joints, pitman arm, and tie rods. It did need an idler arm. If they're not worn out, a good sandblasting and paint. Good as new.
Doug