Torsion Bar Adjustment

Post by **g_land** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 11:58 am

Folks

I still haven't got the front suspension sitting right on the car. The passenger side is fine its the drivers side that the problem is.

I have adjusted the left and right side the same, adjusted from the rear but when i put the car back on its wheels the passenger side retains its clearence, the drivers side doesn't.

How i was going to see if i could adjust the torsion bar from the front backwards to see if i could get that extra lift. But i started thinking, could there be a problem with the torsion bar itself.

As i said i adjusted both left and right using the same procedure and but they react differently when i put the weight of the car back on its own wheels.

Coulds the torsion bar be past its use-by-date.
What sort of behaviour could i expect from a torsion bar that had past it.

At the moment the problem is the wheels are scrubbing of the wings, while it hasn't damaged the wings yet its only a matter of time.

Any help welcome

George

Post by **johnm** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 1:29 pm

Whenever I've done torsion bars Ive always done them from the rear I can't see how you would do them any other way.

My Haynes manual describes the height difference between the inner fulcrum pin centre and the bolt hole in the outer end of the lower arm.

I set this by supporting the end of the lower arm on a trolley jack and then secure the lever, vernier plate and torsion bar at the main centre cross member.

The height difference recommended is different for new bars and those that have been in use, I've never yet had any trouble with this method.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 1:36 pm

The main change is done from the front of the bar - tap the main arm backwards off the splines - move it round one spline and tap back on. The rear adjustment is for 'trimming' only. I became 'expert' at it in my rally days - lifting the car for rough rallies - dropping it back down for normal use. Torsion bars don't vary significantly with use. But check it's not a failed rear spring or spring hanger that's dragging the driver side down.

Post by **g_land** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 2:09 pm

its not a rear spring its local at the front

Post by **johnm** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 4:04 pm

The main change is done from the front of the bar - tap the main arm backwards off the splines - move it round one spline and tap back on. The rear adjustment is for 'trimming' only. I became 'expert' at it in my rally days - lifting the car for rough rallies - dropping it back down for normal use.

Ah I stand corrected, I hadn't thought of this as adjustment because it's pretty course! But actually I do insert the torsion bars onto the splines with the level preset as I described

Post by **johnm** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 4:05 pm

One further thought, you haven't inadvertantly swapped the Torsion bars over from side to side when you took them off have you?

Post by **g_land** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 6:38 pm

no they where labeled when they came out

Post by **rayofleamington** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 7:59 pm

its not a rear spring its local at the front

if a front corner is high then the opposite rear corner will be low unless the car is bent or the ground is not flat.

I became 'expert' at it in my rally days - lifting the car for rough rallies - dropping it back down for normal use

oh - I didn't realise that was 'expert' stuff

For offroading you can set the gap between the end of the front arm and the fulcrum pin at about 4.5" . This gives the front of the car a very 'high' look.

At the moment the problem is the wheels are scrubbing of the wings, while it hasn't damaged the wings yet its only a matter of time.

If the wheels are rubbing on the wings because the suspension is low, then the suspension is not the only problem you've got!
Check that your upper bumpstop is in place (on each side), and that there is no major suspension alignment problem. If the bumpstop is missing the Torsion bar can 'over-travel' and this will eventually cause it to weaken.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 10:48 pm

The 'expert' part was doing it in 20 mins flat - when word spread at the start of the event that it was going to be rough!! there is of course no great skill or expertise involved - just basic mechanics ! But very few other cars have adjustable suspension - as standard.

Post by **g_land** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 11:09 pm

rayofleamington wrote: if a front corner is high then the opposite rear corner will be low unless the car is bent or the ground is not flat.

the rear passenger side is a little higher than the drivers alrght

If the wheels are rubbing on the wings because the suspension is low, then the suspension is not the only problem you've got!
Check that your upper bumpstop is in place (on each side), and that there is no major suspension alignment problem. If the bumpstop is missing the Torsion bar can 'over-travel' and this will eventually cause it to weaken.

thanks for that, i'll check it next time i'm under the car

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 9:55 am

And the king pin assembly bashes it's way through the inner wing - also takes the damper to the end of it's travel - damages it and eventually shears off the mounting bolts !! Good bump stops are essential.

Post by **Willie** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 3:13 pm

G Land...the adjustments on the centre cross member alter the car height
by 1/4" per each LOWER hole. The moving of the front spline by one step
makes a difference of 1 1/2".

Post by **g_land** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 4:30 pm

will, i think i need to move the front spline by one so, i'll take a few pics later and put them up for ye

Post by **bmcecosse** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 11:19 am

Sounds more like 2 !