Bent strut rod?

[Davea Lux]

Could I be fighting lock tite?

How would I know if the torsion bar was weak?

The LCA bushing is totally gone as far as the rubber goes.

Torsion bars sometimes develop small cracks along the outer body of the bar. More common on A-Bodies but is still can happen on others. Clean the bar carefully and look for cracks, usually the cracks if there are any will have a rust trail along the area of the damage. A cracked bar loses spring tension and is at the point of failure. Lock tight is not used on torsion bar tension bolts as it is not needed because the threads are designed to provide enough capture to keep the bolt from moving once it is properly adjusted. Always adjust these bolts with the car jacked up so that the threads do not get damaged.

Dave

 

[Joseph James]

Torsion bars sometimes develop small cracks along the outer body of the bar. More common on A-Bodies but is still can happen on others. Clean the bar carefully and look for cracks, usually the cracks if there are any will have a rust trail along the area of the damage. A cracked bar loses spring tension and is at the point of failure. Lock tight is not used on torsion bar tension bolts as it is not needed because the threads are designed to provide enough capture to keep the bolt from moving once it is properly adjusted. Always adjust these bolts with the car jacked up so that the threads do not get damaged.

Dave

Thanks. Was just wondering if whoever jacked the bolt all the way in might have used something like lock tite.

I will take a close look at the bar tomorrow when I get it out. The bolt has to be all the way down for zero tension?

 

[Davea Lux]

Thanks. Was just wondering if whoever jacked the bolt all the way in might have used something like lock tite.

I will take a close look at the bar tomorrow when I get it out. The bolt has to be all the way down for zero tension?

If you have the ball joint seperated, the LCA will move freely over a small distance once all the tension is off. It usually will take most of the bolt threads to relieve the tension.

Dave

 

[70bigblockdodge]

They should be even heights, somewhere close to even with bottom of LCA, ballpark.

 

[Gerald Morris]

Aside from making me grateful for the relative EASE (RELATIVE!!) and good condition of my '66 when I overhauled the front suspension 2 yrs ago, I recommend when you replace the LCA bushings, to consult carefully folks who advise how the LCAs should be tightened after pressing the bushings in and such. I may have had old rubber on what I bought, as it was in a kit, or I may have some trouble from one bent strut rod of my own, which I plan to replace by the Spring, the Lord-willing, as well as my LCA bushings, AGAIN.

I knew my first effort wasn't perfect, but it certainly improved the ride and steering. NOW I'm eager to re-do it and get it 100% right!

Seeing your situation, I'll pray to St. Joseph that he intercede for you.

 

[Joseph James]

Finally got torsion bar bolt down. Lower ball joint is out. Working on the strut rod.

The lower ball joint stud just flops around. I really don’t think any suspension work has been done on the car ever. Every nut was caked with grease and rust.

 

[Joseph James]

Greased caked on top of rust. Plus, my first one. Other side should go faster-I hope.

 

[Davea Lux]

That bushing is completely gone, check to be sure the pivot bolt has not worn into the LCA.

Dave

 

[Joseph James]

That bushing is completely gone, check to be sure the pivot bolt has not worn into the LCA.

Dave

Looking at the rear side I can’t tell where the pivot bolt is and the LCA metal is.

I actually broke the sway bar bushing bolt.

Strut rod bushings were shot, too, but new ones came with the kit.

taking it to work tomorrow. We have a press there.

 

[Joseph James]

Changed bushing at friend’s shop. He even bead blasted it for me. The torsion bar bolt goes by hand now.

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

See how well preserved the metal is from someone not cleaning or repairing that leak'r for half a century.

 

[Joseph James]

Well, thanks to the forum member who sold me a strut rod, I got the driver side back together today.

The LCA is painted to hopefully keep rust away.

FSM said lower the car then tighten the strut rod but it’s not going so I must not have it lined up properly. I’ll redo tomorrow.

Passenger side torsion bolt totally stuck. Going to try heating it tomorrow.

While at the rear of stub I beat the rusted area with a mallet. A pound of dirt fell out. That probably contributed to the rot.

 

[Davea Lux]

Well, thanks to the forum member who sold me a strut rod, I got the driver side back together today.

The LCA is painted to hopefully keep rust away.

FSM said lower the car then tighten the strut rod but it’s not going so I must not have it lined up properly. I’ll redo tomorrow.

Passenger side torsion bolt totally stuck. Going to try heating it tomorrow.

While at the rear of stub I beat the rusted area with a mallet. A pound of dirt fell out. That probably contributed to the rot.

What do you mean by "not going", you can't tighten the nut, or you can't get the strut rod to stop turning as you try to tighten it?

Dave

 

[Joseph James]

What do you mean by "not going", you can't tighten the nut, or you can't get the strut rod to stop turning as you try to tighten it?

Dave

The nut wont tighten down. It’s like the bushing on the front needs to seat down more.

As much dirt as I have beaten out of the frame I have to wonder if the car wasn’t sitting in a creek or something.

 

[Davea Lux]

You are probably fighting the rubber strut rod bushings, be sure they are installed according the the photo in the FSM. Sometimes the steel sleeve comes out of the rubber bushing and the assembly will not properly compress.

Dave

 

[Joseph James]

You are probably fighting the rubber strut rod bushings, be sure they are installed according the the photo in the FSM. Sometimes the steel sleeve comes out of the rubber bushing and the assembly will not properly compress.

Dave

That is what it sounds like!

 

[Joseph James]

More than one way to skin an aggravating cat. Jacked up LCA until lower ball joint cleared. Let down jack and wiggled it out. No tension now. FFS I have been on this side for a while.

 

[Joseph James]

New bushing goes in Friday. I was going to change the ratty flex brake hose and the steel line twisted up, so I add a brake line repair now.

 

[Joseph James]

One thing leads to another. Went to change rotted brake hose. Broke the brake line. Can’t tighten brake hose due to spindle so I decided to go ahead with a wheel cylinder change. Only old one left on the car. The splice is temporary until I get a new line set from inline tube.

Lower suspension almost done. Torsion bar setting and outer tie rod.

 

[RGORHAM29]

Following up on your posting. How did you make out?