Quote:

Quote:

The actual rate you get at the wheel from a torsion bar depends on how long your lower control arm is (B/E different to A) and how wide your wheels/tires are.



Are you sure about this? I had always thought that, because the torsion bar is directly connected to the lower control arm inner pivot, the spring rate is the same as the wheel rate, regardless of the length of the LCA or the wheel offset - in contrast to any coil spring setup which necessarily has to be mounted somewhere between the control arm outer pivot and inner pivot and so only a percentage of the spring rate would act on the wheel, the actual amount depending on the length of the control arm and where on the arm the spring is attached (and in which case, the wheel offset would move the outer pivot and so affect the ratios and the percentage of the spring rate acting on the wheel).

Of course, I've been wrong before. . . .



Think of the torsion bar as a bolt you need to brake loose. You would not use that short stubby wrench if it was tight would you? You would use a long wrench to get the leverage.

The LCA is a lever that is twisting the end of the torsion bar. The longer the LCA the less the bar has to twist if you lift the wheel an inch. So the easier it is to twist the bar with the same force. Which is the same thing as lowering the spring rate of the bar.

I am not very good at explaining things so sorry if that sounds patronising or is even more confusing.

2002 Chevrolet Corvette 5.7 LS1 2011 Alpha Romeo Giulietta Veloce 1.6 JTD Because running a Mopar in the UK is getting TOO expensive!!