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  #1  
Old 10-22-2004, 05:46 PM
7200LITER 7200LITER is offline
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torsion bar to coilover conversion

hei
i am thinking about taking the torsion bar out and replays them with
coilover, this is a 71 charger.
how much work is this and whats the easy way to do it.

thanks
svein
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  #2  
Old 10-22-2004, 06:17 PM
custom880 custom880 is offline
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Why, torsion bars work great. I have a 73 Charger and would never think of switching. Besides it's a lot of work.
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  #3  
Old 10-22-2004, 06:51 PM
64dartwagon 64dartwagon is offline
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Default Coil over

Magnum performance makes a kit from basic to very indepth. It's like 500 just for the coil overs with adapters, but i believe you'd have to relieve the upper control arms for clearance, or buy the tubular ones for an additional price. Or you could buy the complete front end kit with tubular k-member lower control arms and uppers, spindles, with rack and pinion stuff, for about 3700. If I could only find that money laying around i'd go with it myself.
But i'm po so i'll just have to fab it up myself, and buy a set of coil overs and go from there.
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  #4  
Old 10-22-2004, 06:54 PM
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ehostler ehostler is offline
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It is a lot of work. There is no easy way to do it.

If you end up doing it, be sure to reinforce the shock towers. They weren't designed for that kind of abuse and will rip apart.
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  #5  
Old 10-22-2004, 07:30 PM
64dartwagon 64dartwagon is offline
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Default reinforcements

I had planned on putting some kind of tubular hoops instead of the stamped piece that way i could go with a taller shock and spring set-up
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  #6  
Old 10-22-2004, 07:56 PM
GaryS GaryS is offline
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Why would anyone remove the most simple, trouble free, effective suspension ever designed and put in cobbled-together, home-built coil-overs?

Why not just chop the entire front half off and graft on parts from a '71 Chevy, fenders and all?
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  #7  
Old 10-22-2004, 09:28 PM
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He asked for help/advice. Let's not attack him for wanting to do this. All that will do is make him leave this board and go to another one that might help, instead of attacking him.
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  #8  
Old 10-22-2004, 09:33 PM
64dartwagon 64dartwagon is offline
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Default Simple minded me

Because I really love how i have to fight my headers to wrap around my passenger side. And I really love and I mean really love the driver's side. And why run a factory set-up when it makes me happy to change things, and to try them on my own. I see systems like these and how they are in use and I try and figure out ways of doing it cheaper and better, and I have a tendency "I've had A.D.D all my life" and figuring this stuff out makes me non-fit in with the average crowd with my car. And if I wanted to bolt on a cheb front end to improve my car i'd do it, just to make myself happy. Unless someone want's to pay me to keep my car the way it left the factory. Till then it's mine and all mine.
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  #9  
Old 10-22-2004, 09:52 PM
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cutting torch cutting torch is offline
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A Mustang II / Pinto front end is most likely the easiest and cheapest route, plus, there is great aftermarket support for this suspension system. It also upgrades to rack and pinion steering.

Whatever we may feel about Fords and GM's, they are still American iron!!

torch
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  #10  
Old 10-22-2004, 10:02 PM
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ehostler ehostler is offline
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You might want to look into the AlterKtion. It is a better design and will bolt in with very little problem. Bill has done alot of R&D work on this setup.
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  #11  
Old 10-24-2004, 07:01 PM
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One look at the header dillema for the 64/66 A cars and you would think about the coil overs too. Imagine a 89 buck set of headers fitting without removing the motor. A rack and pinion would be the icing on the cake for these cars.
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  #12  
Old 10-24-2004, 07:15 PM
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Yep, the torsion bar setup was great, when it was new. Now there is much better, when it comes to steering and suspension.

I am really begining to think that coil overs and rack & pinion may be the way to go, when I begin the real work on my convertible.

I'll keep the original setup in my Charger, as she is going to be as close to factory as possible.
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  #13  
Old 10-24-2004, 09:24 PM
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go for the coil overs they are a lot easier on the header thing i helped a freind of mine put a kit in his 69 dart it was easy we did reinforce the shock towers the car rode better and transferd weight better also when i get the money im going to do it to my 67 b body
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  #14  
Old 10-24-2004, 09:39 PM
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The AlterKtion setup doesn't depend on any of the original suspension. So, there is no need to reinforce the shock towers.

The AlterKtion kit is designed for mostly street use, with some strip time. The Mgnum Force setup is designed for the strip with no street use.
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  #15  
Old 10-27-2004, 01:08 AM
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word mr pimp you are correct as usual
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  #16  
Old 10-27-2004, 11:14 PM
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lol... Honestly, I hadn't done much research into this, until this post came up. I just posted info based on about 30 minutes of web research.
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  #17  
Old 10-27-2004, 11:42 PM
doungta1@aol doungta1@aol is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ehostler
lol... Honestly, I hadn't done much research into this, until this post came up. I just posted info based on about 30 minutes of web research.

I overheard some gear heads talking about coil overs and tubular K frame and upper control arms last week. One of the benefits that they were discussing on a ride in the 9's was either greater caster or camber. I'm not sure which does what - but when I asked they said something about allowing the front wheels to be pulled back futher - so that they have less drag while running at the higher speeds - can anyone explain what it was that I heard the pro's talking about?
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  #18  
Old 10-28-2004, 01:07 AM
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well one advantge is that it helos the wheel assembly stay vertical through the travel and i dont know which one either but it allows the wheel to be straight horizontaly so that there is less rolling resistance and all of that equals more et hope it helps
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  #19  
Old 10-31-2004, 08:07 AM
7200LITER 7200LITER is offline
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Default torsion bars

hello and thanks
can someone tell what i have to do to remove the torsionbar?

thanks
svein
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  #20  
Old 10-31-2004, 10:30 AM
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Default torsion bar removal

svein,

removal of the torsion bars: first know that each bar has a internal "C" clip at the rear that need to be removed. No special tool needed, pair of needle nose pliers will do. Second, be sure to remove all stress off of the T bar by backing out the T bar adjustment screw in the lower control arm until it can be easily wiggled by hand. Now comes the hard part. The T bar should be able to move towards the rear of the car, but only if it wants. Years of junk and corrosion can be in the two "hex holes" that the T bar ends live in. I have been able to put a pipe wrench onto the T bar and apply axial load (not rotational load) and maybe also hammer pound on the wrench. For really difficult ones, you can buy a heavy tool that clamps onto the T bar, and then you hammer pound onto the tool.

Tim
72 Cuda
360/904
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  #21  
Old 10-31-2004, 01:00 PM
George G. Leverette George G. Leverette is offline
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Another method is to follow the previous instructions, of course the car will be on jack stands with the UCA bump stops removed so the suspension will hang at its lowest level. A proper torsion bar tool should be purchased or borrowed to remove the bars, remember you are working with a straight spring with pressure, any stress crack can cause failure, thus possibly injury or vehicle damage. Removing the nut that attaches the lower control arm to the K-member also removes tension and will aid in removing the bar. I want the AlterKtion kit for my 74 Duster bad, will it fit small blocks?
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  #22  
Old 10-31-2004, 05:07 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by George G. Leverette
I want the AlterKtion kit for my 74 Duster bad, will it fit small blocks?
YES
much more info is available on their website.
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  #23  
Old 10-31-2004, 08:35 PM
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I was on another board a while back and there was a huge thread on aftermarket tubular K members and similar setups. the general consensus was that the alterktion was the best one. the name of the other board begins with mo and ends with parts, you could find the thread using the search there. It's a good read because there were actual guys on that thread who installed this stuff- some horror stories and a few good experiences....
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  #24  
Old 10-31-2004, 09:46 PM
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ehostler ehostler is offline
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There's was one of the boards that I found, when doing my search. They guys that make the AlterKtion setup had a lot of input. They provided some great information, as well as some great questions to ask.
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  #25  
Old 10-31-2004, 10:00 PM
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If you scratch or gouge the bars, make sure you polish out any traces of the damage before you put the bars back into service. The surface flaws are stress risers, which may cause the bars to fail.

torch
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  #26  
Old 11-01-2004, 01:04 AM
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ehostler ehostler is offline
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As he is converting to a coil over setup, the torsion bars aren't going to be reused. So, it doesn't really matter if he scratches the heck out of them.
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  #27  
Old 11-01-2004, 08:30 PM
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Understood, but what if he sells them to a buddy?

torch
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  #28  
Old 11-01-2004, 08:38 PM
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Oops,forgot - Norway! Probably not much market for used American car parts. What the hell, they make great prybars with a little grinding!

torch
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  #29  
Old 11-02-2004, 12:02 AM
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There is a good following in some of the european countries. We have several members from Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Germany. So, he just might give them to a buddy or maybe use them on another project...

It is good advise though, for anyone that is going to be reusing the torsion bars. Heck, even for brand new bars. You just might nick them on the way in. Then you just have to stroke your bar with some emmory cloth... (youch).
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