Tips and Tricks for suspension

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 8:15 pm

No - it was NOT 'obvious' why hickup's suspension is low on one side. He had tried to correct it - but the original reason is still unknown. While new torsion bars will certainly settle in, there is no suggestion of new bars having been fitted. Sadly - the usual reason is that the rear mounting is collapsing and allowing the car to drop. The actual torsion bar is virtually bomb-proof - it's the mounting at the rear end which could give trouble - and of course the front eye-bolt in the chassis rail can also be a source of problems - the chassis rail both cracks and rusts! If all seems ok at the mountings - then just move the arm on the bar - it's not that difficult, but be careful!
The dampers may just need filling with oil - but take the chance to tighten the four mounting bolts on each one when you are down there.

Post by **minor_hickup** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 8:53 pm

This weekend ill get the car up and check the state of the mountings, check the dampers and if all is well try and raise the suspension, ill let you know how i get on. cheers

Post by **minor_hickup** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 10:17 pm

I've finally got round to looking at the mountings and they look brilliant. It looks as though the crossmember has been replaced, probably about ten years ago and maybe the ride was set too low then. Im not 100% sure a bout how to increase the height. Does the arm that anchors the torsion bar to the crossmember come of it? If so do i take it off and move it to a different place on the torsion bar? If that all makes sense.

Post by **bigginger** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 11:40 pm

It's the arm at the front of the bar that needs to come off and be rotated 1 spline. Once the kingpin is disconnectet, 'persuade' it to the front of the t bar with a rubber mallet

Post by **minor_hickup** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 11:42 pm

Cheers, how much increase in ride height will i get for every one spline?

Post by **bigginger** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 11:46 pm

Oooh heck - I *THINK* it's 2 inches, but it's late, and it's just taken me 12 hours to drive 400 miles

Post by **minor_hickup** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 11:48 pm

ouch, well thanks for that, im still a bit nervous about atempting it

Post by **bigginger** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 11:54 pm

It's not as difficult as it sounds, but be careful to be sure you know what the position is now, so you can return them to the same if things don't work out. I usually mark the bar and the arm with Tippex, simpy 'cos it dries quickly, but you can use paint, and some put a dot on each with a centre punch

Post by **minor_hickup** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 11:58 pm

yeah i thought about tip ex. Im usually eager to take things apart but i told a friend i'd 're-vamp' the village notice board, after ripping of the piece of wood at the back things went pear shaped, so i think thats knocked my confidence in terms of taking things apart.

Post by **bigginger** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 12:01 am

Post by **RogerRust** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 10:20 am

The haynes manual is very good for this job.
When I changed the bushes on mine I spent ages getting the car level and at the right hieght. Its all to do with the diference in hieght at either end of the wishbone. Not at all hard if the bushes are OK but if they haven't been changed for years you'll need a new set. Its a good time to overhaul the whole king pin and fit new track rod ends.

Post by **rayofleamington** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 11:03 am

You can remove the front or the rear arm from the torsion bar, but you need to make sure the front arm slides on the splines anyway to allow even spacing on the eybolt bushes.
If the rear arm isfree on the splines it makes torsion bar removal much easier.
The torsion bar has an adjusting plate at the crossmember (plate with different holes to set the height) but as mentioned, for larger adjustment you need to move it rond on the splines.

Post by **wanderinstar** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 7:19 pm

Seem to remember reading somewhere that if the bars are taken off and put back on the wrong side that can upset the ride height. Could that have been done on the restoration??
Ian.

Post by **aupickup** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 7:21 pm

also if it is just the driver that travels in the car, van and no passengers

Post by **bigginger** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 7:36 pm

wanderinstar wrote:Seem to remember reading somewhere that if the bars are taken off and put back on the wrong side that can upset the ride height. Could that have been done on the restoration??
Ian.

Also, I seem to recall that the bars become 'handed' over the years, and mustn't be changed over, 'cos they'll break more easily.

Post by **Willie** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 8:44 pm

For the record, moving the suspension arm one spline on the torsion bar
will alter the height by approx 1 1/2". The rear adjustment plate on the
torsion bar has five holes in it and moving the arm DOWN by one hole will
raise the height by 1/4" each time so there is a maximum adjustment at the
rear end of the torsion bar of 1". You most definitely should not swop used
torsion bars to the other side of the car but, if you are using replacements,
the problem is, as with second hand half-shafts, that you usually have no idea
which side they were originally fitted