Torsion bar datums

[heathy12]

Can anyone help.

Just about to start pulling the minor apart again and got wondering how the best way would be to set the datum on the standard minor torsion bars??

Im not asking about the obvious plates but when you take the bars off the splines how do you get the datum, im sure mine have been messed about with in the past.

Cheers.

[bmcecosse]

Just make an educated guess at it - and then adjust as necessary once the weight comes on the suspension. No need to do up every bolt/nut in the initial assembly - makes adjustment a 5 minute job.

[Mogwai]

with the front suspension dismantled the height difference between the inner & outer pivot points on the lower arm should be about 5-5/8"

[mike.perry]

Mark the position of the lower arm on the torsion bar splines with Tipex etc as a starting reference point. Each spline gives 1.5in adjustment to the height and fine adjusment can be set at the back of the bar

[heathy12]

Cheers Guys appreciate the info but I was wondering where the Datum is for setting the torsion bars from scratch.

Im aware of adjusting when in situ but once you've everything apart how do you find out which spline is your start, guesstimation??? With wear thats going to occur on these probably on the drivers side first theres gotta be some mark or reference point surely - But I couldnt see one when I looked the other day!

Wonder how they were set at factory!

[MarkyB]

One important thing to bear in mind is that they have to go back on the side they came off, as they develop a set over the years.
Apart from that Mogwais answer is fine.
As far as I can see, it doesn't matter if what was the top of the torsion bar ends up somewhere else because they are round.

[bmcecosse]

They would have a setting gauge at the factory. It really is only minutes work to adjust them once the weight goes on. I used to do it at the side of the road at the start of rallies!

[mike.perry]

Make a guess at the setting, assemble the minimum suspension parts, ie no tie bar or clamp bolts and the front lower arm held in place with the nuts at either end hand tight, lower the wheels to the ground and check. As a rough guide you should be able to get your hand sideways between the wheel arch and the top of the wheel.

[les]

If you assemble the rear splines into the cast arm, then at the front, assemble the front cast iron arm as stated in a previous post---ie measuring the horizontal difference between the inner and outer pivots of the arm. exact figure is in the manual.