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Posted by: finstermojo Feb 10 2009, 02:10 PM

I have been working on the suspension on my car and I know the front bars are marked left and right but when I took them out I forgot to notice which end goes in first. On the red bars there is a bluish strip closer to one end. Does it matter which end goes in first? as long left is left sand right is right.


Matt

Posted by: Eric_Shea Feb 10 2009, 02:21 PM

Colored ends to the back I believe. Double check replies here first though.

Posted by: Dave_Darling Feb 10 2009, 09:27 PM

Doesn't matter; the bars are stressed the same either way around. Just don't swap them left-for-right, that will reverse the stress and may lead to premature failure.

--DD

Posted by: Eric_Shea Feb 10 2009, 09:36 PM

Hmmmmmmmmm... simple test:

Right hand, index finger pointing straight out.
Left hand, grab index finger (full fist) and twist down.

Same test but point the finger toward you.
Grab with the left hand again and twist down.

Seems to me the stress would be reversed of the bar was reversed end to end as well. No? Maybe I'm confusing myself...

Help me wrap my mind around this.

Posted by: sww914 Feb 10 2009, 09:43 PM

I don't think I'm strong enough to twist a torsion bar like that Eric. And I don't think my arms are that long either.

Posted by: Racer Chris Feb 10 2009, 11:06 PM

here,
pull my finger...

Posted by: 6freak Feb 10 2009, 11:25 PM

Im with Dave on this ...............think of it like a candy cane!...twist go`s left to right swap ends and they still go left to right...

Posted by: Eric_Shea Feb 11 2009, 08:43 AM

I'm with Dave on this as well because after referrencing the good book last night I didn't see any mention of front or back, just left and right. I just couldn't wrap my mind around it. I think the candy cane helps but again, it seems the strips would be going against the grain once the bar is turned.

Posted by: 6freak Feb 11 2009, 08:54 AM

A piece of rope will show the same affect ..Just make sure you get them in the proper side and you`ll be fine

Posted by: 6freak Feb 11 2009, 08:58 AM

Picture is messed up somehow...This comeing Christmas everyone will be playing with there candy canes ...LOL

Posted by: Racer Chris Feb 11 2009, 09:07 AM

you have to rotate the picture, not flip it!

Posted by: Richard Casto Feb 11 2009, 09:13 AM

I think Eric's picture was flipped top to bottom (sort of like turning it inside out), which is not the same as rotating. If you rotate, you see that the spiral goes in the same direction.



(Edit: Chris beat me to it)

Posted by: Dave_Darling Feb 11 2009, 09:27 AM

Another way to see it: Take a paper towel tube, and draw arrows on it. On one end, draw an arrow pointing one way; on the other end draw it pointing the other way. Flip the tube, look for the arrows. If you've got a steady hand, you could draw on a pencil instead.

--DD

Posted by: Joe Sharp Feb 11 2009, 09:30 AM

O.K. so I'm setting the bars in Carerror and I don't know which side they came from. What happens when they break? My guess is that the car falls, if it's low enough it will hit the ground.
Question, what should the angle be on the arm to start with? How colse to level should they be before I start to adjust them?

Posted by: Eric_Shea Feb 11 2009, 09:46 AM

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh... I see Weedhopper.

Posted by: So.Cal.914 Feb 11 2009, 09:54 AM

Say Eric, there is a rumor your out of business.

Posted by: Eric_Shea Feb 11 2009, 09:55 AM

If you have an old torsion bar wrap a towel around it and stick it in the a-arm to use as a lever. Push the arm down all the way.

The manual says to put the adjuster cap on pointing as high as possible in the rear adjustment gap. If you're looking to lower the car you can set it in the middle and then install the adjuster screw.

Posted by: Eric_Shea Feb 11 2009, 09:55 AM

I should be...

Posted by: jcd914 Feb 11 2009, 10:48 AM

The front bars I have (well at least the pair I could get to) have the L or R stamped only on one end (the end nearest the dark blue paint stripe). I have always put them in with the L or R visable until I put on the adjuster cap. Makes for an easy last minute check that I didn't screw up.

Jim

Posted by: finstermojo Feb 11 2009, 01:35 PM

When i pulled them out i am pretty sure the L&R was visible along with the stripe being closer to the rear but i was not 100% positive.

Thanks for clearing this up
Matt

Posted by: Eric_Shea Feb 11 2009, 01:46 PM

Matt, I do the exact same thing Jim does so... can't go wrong there.

Also, coat them with litheum grease before you put them back in. Splines and all...

Posted by: Joe Sharp Feb 16 2009, 02:57 PM

The brown ones I have, have a R or L stamped in the opposite end of the stripe and the 19 mm have a R or L and an arrow on them.