Torsion bar adjuster

[TNT440]

Need a little guidance. I am putting front suspension back together and I am not sure what the orientation of the torsion bar adjuster should be for installing the torsion bars. The nut holding the lower control arm in is loose, suspension is hanging as low as it will without pulling down on it. I can move the adjuster anywhere I want it but I am not sure where it should be. Some say horizontal but at horizontal it doesn't seem like it would have far to go before the heads of the bolts would go up into the lower control arm. Here is a photo of the nut that is loose and where the adjuster is now. Bar is not full installed, just slightly engaged. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[MoPar~Man]

I was in your position back in July. I found there was only 1 position where you can clock the torsion bar into the lower control arm to get the proper adjustment range out of the screw. You have to back off the screw completely so that only the rounded top-head is sticking up above the ajuster bar. Then rotate the arm so that it contacts the head and then slide the torsion bar in. This came up somewhere here a couple months ago.

 

[TNT440]

I was in your position back in July. I found there was only 1 position where you can clock the torsion bar into the lower control arm to get the proper adjustment range out of the screw. You have to back off the screw completely so that only the rounded top-head is sticking up above the ajuster bar. Then rotate the arm so that it contacts the head and then slide the torsion bar in. This came up somewhere here a couple months ago.

How far in are your adjuster bolts at your desired ride height? Are the heads of the bolts near the bottom of the control arm? Have you had the car on the ground? With or without engine in the car?

 

[MoPar~Man]

How far in are your adjuster bolts at your desired ride height? Are the heads of the bolts near the bottom of the control arm? Have you had the car on the ground? With or without engine in the car?

Bolt heads are screwed in to the point where they are at or just under the lower edge of the control arm. Factory service manual calls for 1 inch height difference between the bottom of the lower ball joint and what the manual calls the "adjusting blade" :

I'm almost at the 1 inch mark, I'll have to check again but ride height is basically there. Yes I've measured that with the wheels on the ground, car is fully assembled.

That photo from the manual is highly exaggerated - the lower edge of the LCA is almost parallel with the ground to get that 1" measurement. Not at the 45 degree angle they show.

The photo shows the adjusting bolt head to be recessed into the LCA - I don't have mine screwed in like that.

 

[TNT440]

Bolt heads are screwed in to the point where they are at or just under the lower edge of the control arm. Factory service manual calls for 1 inch height difference between the bottom of the lower ball joint and what the manual calls the "adjusting blade" :

View attachment 690572

I'm almost at the 1 inch mark, I'll have to check again but ride height is basically there. Yes I've measured that with the wheels on the ground, car is fully assembled.

That photo from the manual is highly exaggerated - the lower edge of the LCA is almost parallel with the ground to get that 1" measurement. Not at the 45 degree angle they show.

The photo shows the adjusting bolt head to be recessed into the LCA - I don't have mine screwed in like that.

Thanks, the reason I am asking is because the heads of the bolts on mine are almost an inch below the control arm. There is no engine or front fenders, bumper etc.on the car and if I put a jack under the LCA and jack it up it doesn't budge, just lifts the car. I guess that could be because all of that other weight is not there. Just wanted to be sure that I have the torsion bars clocked correctly. They are in as you described in earlier post.