Installing torsion bars - no instructions on clocking them correctly or evenly into the LCA ???

[MoPar~Man]

I've just finished installing UCA, LCA, T-bars, knuckle / brake backing plate / lower ball joint / shocks. T-bars are not loaded. But I notice now that the adjuster arms that come off the pivot shaft are not symetrical. In other words, I'd have to screw one of the adjuster bolts in quite a bit to even make contact with one of the arms and start loading it.

I'm looking through the manual ('67 Dodge Monaco/Polara) and they make no mention of how to clock the front side of the T-bars into the LCA when installing them. The last step in the instructions is "slide t-bar into hex opening of LCA". That's it. No mention of where the adjuster arm should be pointing when you do that.

Am I getting this wrong, or is this an important consideration?

 

[Samplingman]

I am also looking for an answer to this question.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Each torsion bar has a number stamped into the end(s) - perhaps those numbers need to be oriented to be readable (and not sideways or upside down)? Just a guess...

 

[Davea Lux]

At the dealership we installed the numbers on the rear of the torsion bars horizontally. The adjusting screw should be left most of the way out with the LCA down and then align the hex in the adjuster socket and install the torsion bar. When you tighten the adjuster, have the car supported with the weight off of the front wheels. Once you have tension on the torsion bars, remove the support to check the ride height. Measure the distance from the bottom of the seam on the rocker to the floor, it should be the same front to rear so the the car sits level. It may take a couple of tries to get it right.

Dave

 

[MrMoparCHP]

The socket in the control are spins and the bars can be inserted in more than one position.
You want the lobe/cam basically horizontal before you put the bars in.
Once adjusted the head should be the only part of the bolt sticking out of the arm, no shaft and seeing all the head.


Alan

 

[413]

Doesn't matter which direction front to back end, or the clocking of the bar in the car. Left and right in correct sides is the only stipulation.

 

[CBODY67]

In the FSMs of that similar vintage ('66 and '70), it mentioned that when removing the front bars, to position the special tool to remove them with about 1/2 or so to the rear of the bar. Where more of a "clean shot" could be had with the hammer. It ALSO mentioned that this was where there was a slight "step" in the bar diameters, which the tool would index with, for best results when removing them. By observation, many people just used soem clamped-on Vice-Grips to hammer against for removal. Use of such a "toothed tool" could imprint on the bar's outer diameter, putting up "stress risers" which the FSM noted should be dressed down and repainted.

Just some observations,
CBODY67

 

[MoPar~Man]

There is one position for each bar, when inserted into the FRONT socket, where there is about 1 inch of a gap between the adjuster cam or arm and the top of the adjuster nut. This position gives the maxium capability for twist or torque loading (and hence ride height) of the bar when the adjuster bolt is advanced. I'm guessing this is the correct initial position, the next possible position would be 60 degrees away, probably too far given the length of the adjuster bolt.