Torsion bar question

[plmczy]

Hey all, I have a friend that has a 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner and he want's to know how they are supposed to be installed. The question is there is a line on the back end of the torsion bar, which way is that line supposed to point when installed with no load on the suspension? ---, /, |, \, ? Thanks for the info in advance. later shawn

[Doug Wilson]

I don't think it matters, as long as the bars are installed correctly side-to-side.

[rb77413]

I think I remember something about indexing them in a Mopar chassis manual. However I think that was when welding in the socket for the bars. I would say the only thing to worry about is the adjustment screw. I would try to make it centered in the adjustment arm, to allow enough room for adjustment later. Other than that I dont think it matters either.

[George G. Leverette]

Read an article sometime ago think it was Mopar Muscle, the article recommended the A-arms be at their lowest point even removing the bump stop to obtain it, the bars were the installed so they could be identified left or right, there was no mention of the ajuster arm or screwin the article. I turned the adjuster arm even with the top of the lower control arm. A concern I have with this procedure is it appears to pre-load the torsion bar when the car is taken off the jacks and the upper control arms return to center. Maybe that is why some people have reported torsion bars with defects snapping when the cars are Parked.

[Doug Wilson]

I'm pretty sure that pre-load is intentional.

[Mills]

I know of no specific way the bar should be rotated to be installed, or does it matter which is front and which is back. Correct side is all that matters. Mine have never snapped - although I was in a car driving done the highway that had a bar snap - very scary!