Posted this in 'Suspension" but no looks yet.

This on a 70 Charger RT, changed to heavier bars this year to remedy what we thought was a sagging bar on driver's side.
Now sagging is apparent on that side again.

Figured bar anchor in rear cross member was the culprit, but today's inspection revealed movement in lower control arm asbly.

Looks like we can loosen the suspension to the point where you install a new bar and weld the perimeter of the front anchor.

Does this sound like a fix, or am I missing something?

Thanks, Joe

PS. New adjusting blocks and bolts

If you are describing what I think you are describing it is supposed to move.

The part that receives the front of the torsion bar is a separate piece from the lower control, arm it is pressed/welded into the control arm at the pivot point and exerts the twisting force to the T-bar.

If it is allowed to move, how does it transmit the twisting force??

Thanks, Joe

via the adjuster, see the red part? That rides on the ball of the adjuster bolt and it's part of the T bar socket, it (socket and lever) will rotate with no load on it.

Well then, that lends credence to the suggestion that the K-frame may be at fault, I'll look tomorrow.

Thanks, Joe

But....is that lever and socket one piece?

No, they can't be or you couldn't install it into the LCA when it's assembled. Good point

Yes, the lever and socket are one piece. I have seen stripped threads in the adjuster.

Adjusters are new, old adjusters were fine, I think the problem is elsewhere.

Adjusting lever is a casting, I don't think the T-bar socket is cast.

The FSM shows them as separate pieces.

Thanks, Joe

Check the mounting sleeve in the K-frame itself. I've seen many break loose and spin.

That piece in the lower control arm should be stationary and should move with the control arm as it moves thru it's arc twisting the T bar. The tube in shouldn't have a big effect outside of the bushing not twisting as the control arm moves up and down.

I think you should go back to looking at the rear socket , I assume you have marked it to check for movement? the only other thing is if the front socket and it's lever are not actually one piece and are 2 then it could have slipped? I don't have a control arm handy to look at ...

Well, it looks like we'll have to take it out so we can give it a good look at how the front socket and adjusting lever are mated.

See no problem with the rear socket and all frame parts including K-frame are solid, this was a S. Carolina car originally.

I'll get back here as soon as we undo everything.

Thanks everyone, Joe

After some confusing responses, not all, the best thing for YOU to do is get that control arm off and on the bench to study it. You should see the lever , that adjuster bolt rests into the bottom of, should freely turn WITH the front T bar socket. You can rotate it some, but not 360 degrees tough. Never saw those 2 pieces turn separate of each other. If you upgraded bars, during re-install,don't be surprised when you have to pull the arms down pretty low to insert bar in front and rear.

Thanks Buildanother,I replaced the bars as I said to correct what I thought was a sagging bar on the driver's side, never thinking that the socket may have slipped on the adj. arm.

So the new bar re-install went well, dropped everything as low as it would go and removed the bump cushions too.
Went well because the driver's side socket had apparently moved enough that it had indexed to the next flat on the hex.

I'm really intrigued as to how mother MOPAR have the two parts joined.
Worse comes to worst, I imagine I my be able to put t the two pieces in the proper position and drill through them to put a good sized hardened pin through and somehow stake it to stay...we'll see

Thanks, Joe

I`m thinking that part( the lever and hex head) must be one piece and then they put the 2 halves of the arm together around it. I don`t see how it could move separately from one another. I may be wrong as I never had the arm apart to see for sure. If it is moving then I would just look for a replacement arm. Not sure I would try to repair it.

The FSM shows the hex as a separate part, we'll get some answers in a couple of days.....

Joe

Makes me wonder why they would show it separate as it is not a serviceable part. The bushing, shaft, adjusting bolt and swivel and ball joint are the only service parts. Can you post a pic of the service manual page or pages? Just curious.

I've got a junk A-body arm out in the garage. I'll cut it apart and see what the socket/adjuster arm look like.

I was mistaken, looking at the diagram in the FSM, I thought I was looking at the rear of the lower control arm when I was actually looking at the front.

Rats, I hate admitting mistakes...

Anyhow the mystery continues, as we started dis-assembling, the NEW adjusting screw and block were very difficult to undo and the threads on the screw were galled to where it's unusable... How??? Everything was lubricated on assembly.

Can't imagine it slipping though as tight as it was.

We'll see as soon as we finish.
Have a lead on a replacement control arm, hopefully he has it.

Thanks for the guidance, Joe

Did you adjust them with the car jacked up and the weight off? Are they offshore adjusters or mopar ones?

I have an a-body set out of the car and it appears the perimeter of the lever arm is welded to the round part that the t-bar plugs into.