Guys,

I know this has probably been discussed many times already but the search function seems to be limited to posts within the past month or so since the website got the new format. That or I just can't figure out how to do a proper search now.

Anyways I need to get my OEM torsion bars out from my 1973 Charger to swap in the new 1.06" FirmFeel units I have. I don't have the "correct" removal tool. I have done the vice grips and rag in the past which usually doesn't work all that well.

Anybody here have any ideas on how I can clamp down on these good enough to knock em free? I have some 2x4 wood scraps and various bolts. I think I have seen where somebody used two pieces of wood and bolts to clamp down on them. Can anybody here clarify how that is made and how well it works? Any other ideas? I don't care if I scuff the paint on them as I don't plan to re-use them anytime soon but I would like to try an avoid destroying them if possible.

Also is this the correct steps to take to do this?
- jack front of car up off ground to unload suspension
- take off control arm bumpers
- back off adjusters all the way
- remove clips from torsion bar mount
- remove torsion bar

Also, I know that there is a L/R torsion bar but is there a front/back end or does it matter? I seem to remember that it didn't but I thought I should go ahead and ask.

Thanks!

no front/back ex some have an ID number/letter combo on one end & if so I put that end at the rear so I can visually ID it at a later date if need be (plus mike the dia). I would suggest not marring the old ones as things might change later & you might need or want to sell/trade them. have the tire/wheel off & jack up the LCA just the right amt all to get everything as light as possible and in a straight line as possible & on A bodies I tap the front LCA tapered stud rearward a bit to get the whole scheband moved rearward some then on the rear side of the Kmember tap the LCA forward to get it to come forward from the tbar hex then it is easier at that point to get the tbar able to be moved rearward/free to seperate it. grab a helper if you can.

The steps on your list look right. I usually spray some penetrating oil where the bar goes into the lower control arm and also pull back the boot at the rear of the bar and spray in that area too. I use a lead hammer to smack the sides of the bar where it attaches at both ends to help get it loose after you have unloaded it. If you plan to save the bar you will want to try not to nick the surface of it. The correct tool does make a big difference on stubborn bars.

If all else fails and you're replacing them just jack up the car and cut them in 1/2. They should wiggle out if they are in two pieces.

The good news is the car only has around 1000 miles on it with the current bars and I did the grease thing on both ends when I installed them. Hopefully they won't be too badly rusted.

And no, I don't want to cut them in half in case I want to re-use them later.

You've got the procedure right. If you can "flop" around the lower control arm the tension from the T bar is gone. Now, the bar may just slide out the back, or may not want to come out with a sledge hammer and the right tool. I don't think a clamp made of wood will do if its stuck, but you could try.

I believe the right and left letters on the bars are forward on the factory installs, and I just took a car apart a month ago and saw that as well. But the twist is the same either way. Good luck!

No need to clamp the bars. Loosen the pivot shaft that bolts through the k-member and remove the nut on the front. Use a pry bar between the lower control arm and K -member with spacers of wood or whatever you have. Then just pry forcing the torsion bar/lower control arm backwards as an assembly. If you haven't done so, spray some penetrating oil where the hex of the torsion bar fits in the cross member.
Ron

You can just remove the large forward nut on the LCA pin and use a BFH to break it loose.

So would i have to seperate the lower balljoint then to free the arm or not?

The idea is to pry the LCA towards the back of the car, thereby pushing the t bar out of its socket on the trans X member. So long as the strut rod nut is removed from the front of the K frame and the nut on the LCA pin is removed, and the t bar adjuster is backed all the way off, you should have enough slack to manage it w/o removing the lower bj from the lca. You might need to remove it from the spindle though. Try it 1st and see w/o doing anything to the lower BJ. I use a ball joint fork between the K frame and the LCA, works every time, no T bar tool needed. Ball joint fork works great too to pry a steering shaft coupler off a steering box input shaft spline. NOW IS THE TIME to replace the strut rod bushings and LCA bushings if they need it.

RapidRobert eluded to something big I discovered. If you put your car up on stands and your front suspension is hanging, the bars will actually torque the opposite way and load up enough to bind. By putting just the right amount of lift under the LCA, you get the bar unloaded to neutral and it comes out WAY easier.

I was on here asking for the same advice a couple months ago. I tried to remove the nut on the LCA and pound it rearward... Zero luck. Pry bar at the joint... Nope. I cut a piece of 20 gauge steel about 1" by 4", wrapped it in a U shape around the bar near the rear socket, grabbed it with vice grips and whacked it with a ball peen hammer. BOINK! came right out, no galling of the bar.

Ok. I got one side almost done doing the control arm thing. I backed off the LCA nut and did manage to pound it forward with a hammer enough to get the bar loose.

I put the new bar in and now I can't get the adjuster brick in! I need the adjuster arm to go up just a mm or so to I can slide it in there. I wiggled that arm some to get the bar to go in the LCA hex but now it's just slightly too low. I can jack it up to make clearance but then I can't slide the adjuster block through. LCA is as bottomed out as it's going to go. Any ideas to get the clearance???

Now I remember why I hate this job...

Also what is the trick with the seals? I installed the bar from the back and slid the seal on from the front (once through the x-member). It was a b**ch to get the seal to pop back through the transmission cross member to seat on the torsion bar mount. Did I do this right or make it way harder than it needed to be?

Remove the bumper under the UCA's. This will give you a little more downward movement on the LCA.

Got the adjuster done. I used a pry bar to get the adjuster up and got the block half slid in. I then used to jack to massage it up and got a screwdriver under it. The a hammer whack got it over to the other side!

Now I have another issue. I have these Bilsteins that I am trying to put on and they are much fatter than the KYG G2 shocks I pulled off. So fat, in fact, that I cannot seem to find a way to get them in without pulling off the UCA and the plate in mounts to. WTH. I wish I had known about this before I got them. I tried to compress them and everything but I can't seem to get them in as they wedge on the LCA and the opening in the K-frame. Ugh.

You need to install shocks in their compressed form and cut the strap that's holding them last.
If they don't come with a strap, make one.

I pulled of the UCA and the plate that it mounts to and dropped the shock in from the top.

Even compressed they were about 1/2" too long. The stem kept getting stuck in the K-frame opening and couldn't get the bottom to quite clear the LCA.

Good thing I was going to get the car re-aligned anyways because whatever alignment I had is gone out the window now!

Unless your alignment shop really knows how to work on old Mopars, I'd recommend YOU set the front end ride height. That's the 1st that needs to be done. Changing the ride height adjustment changes the alignment. Use the FSM method - measure off the bottom of the lbj grease fitting area and then off the bottom of the blade in the lca.

So I got both T-bars done now. I think I found the "trick" to get those things to just pop out. Once you take the adjuster bolts all the way out, I removed the adjuster block itself and carefully pried down on the adjuster arm while wiggling the torsion bar. It seemed after I pried that arm down about maybe 3/8" the t-bar was fully unloaded and I could pull it out with my bare hands.

Of course, this makes it a PITA to get the adjuster block back in as you have to pry the adjuster arm back up as you whack that sucker back in but it works! I didn't even have to loosen or remove the LCA on the passenger side!

Granted this is a 73-up suspension but I would imagine the 72-down is very similar. Now all I need to do is touch up the paint on the LCA from all the prying and I can take my mess in to get it aligned!

Thanks for all the help!

Oh and I lied, the bars I had were a whopping .92" thick once I measured them with calipers. I guess this will be quite a difference now!