Torsion Bars?
#2419495
12/16/17 03:48 PM
12/16/17 03:48 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 98 Spokane Wa
slick526
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I'm putting torsion bars back on my 63 Dodge. Don't have my old ones anymore, went to coilovers. Couldn't get the coilovers to 60', so back to torsion bars. Car weighs probably 3600 to3700?? Big block, 727, dana60, full interior, exhaust, all steel. Runs 10.0 @135. Any recommendations on torsion bar size? New or used? Also a good double adjustable shock??? Have strange double on rear now. Also, the engine is in stock location, 63 k-frame. (nose heavy )
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Re: Torsion Bars?
[Re: slick526]
#2419506
12/16/17 04:39 PM
12/16/17 04:39 PM
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Joined: Apr 2005
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SCATPACK 1
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You can order new torsion bars. I have seen Several places here advertise them. Do you want to just drag race the car? If so, then just go with the thinnest bar you can order. Or call Stephens and order a used set of 6 cylinder bars for yoru make model. IF you are going to street drive it, the 6 cylinder bars will be a little too flimsy on the street. Go with Small block or 383 torsion bars. I like the QA-1 Shocks. Available in double and single adjustable and reasonable priced. How free are your front control arms (upper and lower) without any springs or torsion bars on them. Try to get those freed up as much as possible.
Old Geezer Racing
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Re: Torsion Bars?
[Re: slick526]
#2419650
12/16/17 11:10 PM
12/16/17 11:10 PM
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Joined: Sep 2014
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madscientist
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Firm Feel has T bars also. Call and talk to Dick and he can help you get the correct bar.
Just because you think it won't make it true. Horsepower is KING. To dispute this is stupid. C. Alston
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Re: Torsion Bars?
[Re: Cab_Burge]
#2419717
12/17/17 02:38 AM
12/17/17 02:38 AM
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slick526
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The front shock is mounted in the stock shock tower. The spring is a 10" . I've tried everything from 350# to 500#. Front end travel is about 3-3 1/2". The car hooks, then unloads the rear tires. It kind of porpoises. The front end is like dead weight.
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Re: Torsion Bars?
[Re: slick526]
#2419718
12/17/17 02:42 AM
12/17/17 02:42 AM
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slick526
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Also, i forgot to tell that the rear is mono leaf and caltracs.
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Re: Torsion Bars?
[Re: slick526]
#2419857
12/17/17 02:22 PM
12/17/17 02:22 PM
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oldiron
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What do you have for rear shocks? After having gone through the porpoising with the barracuda, I switched to ladder bars. But after thinking about it, I think I could have solved the problem with much stiffer rear shocks. The caltrac shocks could not control the motion. Just a thought...
66 Belvedere Vert, 4 Speed/Jerico, slowly, very slowly, getting faster - NA LD Wedge New New Best: 10.56 @129 68 B'cuda 4 gear Jerico - Another New Best of 9.86 & Trying to slow up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4jDLKwd9Gs
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Re: Torsion Bars?
[Re: slick526]
#2419872
12/17/17 02:51 PM
12/17/17 02:51 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,608 fresno ca
mikeysmopars
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The front shock is mounted in the stock shock tower. The spring is a 10" . I've tried everything from 350# to 500#. Front end travel is about 3-3 1/2". The car hooks, then unloads the rear tires. It kind of porpoises. The front end is like dead weight. Man do I know how you feel, I went to a Bob's pro fab front with Afco double adjustable front shocks and QA1 double rears. I adjusted them til I wore out the adjusters and did nothing but spin. Got advice from many great folks here as well as the shock manufacturer....Still spun. I was right at the same place you are but was determined to make my $5000 race stuff work. I've finally after over a year of adjusting, got my car to leave. Looking back I wouldn't have changed over to coil over front end but like you I was running 10.0s @133 to 135 on a good day but the car always shook the steering wheel when it came down pretty bad and moved around on shut down. I'm now going 138 to 140 and is much more stable on the top end and doesn't have that violent shake after the launch as it doesn't pull as High as it use to. Best 60 Foot with the stock front clip was 1.38 now it will do 1.33 which I think I can improve with converter adjusmet. Don't want to sway you one way or another, just my experience.
Founder and CEO of the Central Valley Mopar Drag Pack
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Re: Torsion Bars?
[Re: oldiron]
#2419877
12/17/17 03:06 PM
12/17/17 03:06 PM
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slick526
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I don't think i can put any longer spring in the front. With the 10" spring i can't get the desired 5-5 1/2" travel. I did straighten the rear shock so it isn't hitting the end. The Strange dbl adjustable rear is tightened up all the way. The rear bounce or porpoising got better, but still not right.
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Re: Torsion Bars?
[Re: slick526]
#2419899
12/17/17 03:59 PM
12/17/17 03:59 PM
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Posts: 1,608 fresno ca
mikeysmopars
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I loosened my extension all the way and put 4 clicks of compression in the rear and started comming around. I set the fronts right in the middle and tightened them two clicks at a time til it started to improve.
Founder and CEO of the Central Valley Mopar Drag Pack
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Re: Torsion Bars?
[Re: slick526]
#2419929
12/17/17 05:31 PM
12/17/17 05:31 PM
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fast68plymouth
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I’m not a big chassis tuner, so take this for what it’s worth......
I don’t think 3.5” of front travel is enough for a nose heavy 10.0 car. At that performance level, the car still needs a fair amount of “help” from the front suspension.
If you had enough power to run about 1/2a second(or more) quicker I think your current front suspension would work better(be less of an issue).
For the t-bars, I agree with the /6 or 318 bar option.
68 Satellite, 383 with stock 906’s, 3550lbs, 11.18@123 Dealer for Comp Cams/Indy Heads
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Re: Torsion Bars?
[Re: fast68plymouth]
#2420916
12/19/17 01:51 PM
12/19/17 01:51 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,369 Marion, South Carolina [><]
an8sec70cuda
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I’m not a big chassis tuner, so take this for what it’s worth......
I don’t think 3.5” of front travel is enough for a nose heavy 10.0 car. At that performance level, the car still needs a fair amount of “help” from the front suspension.
If you had enough power to run about 1/2a second(or more) quicker I think your current front suspension would work better(be less of an issue).
For the t-bars, I agree with the /6 or 318 bar option. Do whatever you can to get some more travel up front. Around 5" is what you need. I still use the factory 340 torsion bars in my cuda.
CHIP '70 hemicuda, 575" Hemi, 727, Dana 60 '69 road runner, 440-6, 18 spline 4 speed, Dana 60 '71 Demon, 340, low gear 904, 8.75 '73 Chrysler New Yorker, 440, 727, 8.75 '90 Chevy 454SS Silverado, 476" BBC, TH400, 14 bolt '06 GMC 2500HD LBZ Duramax
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Re: Torsion Bars?
[Re: slick526]
#2421235
12/20/17 12:05 AM
12/20/17 12:05 AM
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,219 Bend,OR USA
Cab_Burge
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Also, i forgot to tell that the rear is mono leaf and caltracs. The car is porpoising (SP?) for a reason, you need to see if the rear shackles are swinging past straight up and down under hard acceleration, if they are move the upper shackle mount on the body towards the engine so the lower spring eye doesn't swing past straight up and down and jerk the rear end up leading to the bouncing Let us know what you do and the results
Last edited by Cab_Burge; 12/20/17 12:06 AM.
Mr.Cab Racing and winning with Mopars since 1964. (Old F--t, Huh)
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Re: Torsion Bars?
[Re: Cab_Burge]
#2421558
12/20/17 08:01 PM
12/20/17 08:01 PM
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 690 New Hampshire, USA
oldiron
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Also, i forgot to tell that the rear is mono leaf and caltracs. The car is porpoising (SP?) for a reason, you need to see if the rear shackles are swinging past straight up and down under hard acceleration, if they are move the upper shackle mount on the body towards the engine so the lower spring eye doesn't swing past straight up and down and jerk the rear end up leading to the bouncing Let us know what you do and the results That is precisely the problem I was having. (caltracs/monoleafs) At one point I had all 4 wheels off the ground (tried hitting harder) A wise man told me to add weight to the trunk and test. I added 2 40lb bags of salt and it did help. It did not solve it completely. I think with much stiffer shocks and orienting them vertically, it would have corrected the problem.
66 Belvedere Vert, 4 Speed/Jerico, slowly, very slowly, getting faster - NA LD Wedge New New Best: 10.56 @129 68 B'cuda 4 gear Jerico - Another New Best of 9.86 & Trying to slow up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4jDLKwd9Gs
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