Torsion Bar Removal, help me make up new cuss words Options

[hmeeder]

Attempting the install of some 22mm torsion bars, yet I find myself unable to remove the old ones. What's up with that?

Procedure sounds very simple. Not sure why Haynes suggests removing the guard clip, but it"s only 1 screw. What the hey, eh?

I've removed the adjuster screws and am attempting to remove the adjuster levers, but no luck. Seems to be maybe rusted to the splines? I'm having trouble getting the right angle on the thing to generate the leverage to pry on it with enough force. I have shot some PB Blaster behind there to try to get it to release and will hit it with some heat as well.

I have gotten a small pry under the lever, but I would think that either one end or the other should let go, but nothing. (both sides are like this)

Is there some other trick to this? Am I missing something? I was thinking maybe a puller of some sort. A pickle fork might work if I could get it in there, but for the shroud through which the adjuster goes.

Any words of wisdom? words of derision? I can take it. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/headbang.gif)

[Thorshammer]

Yes,

keep up with the PB, Then drill a small hole (that you can fit a punch through) in the front cap, then you can tap the lil bugger free, the rears, keep hitting it with the PB and a hammer on the adjust arm, and maybe some heat (propane) it with come loose, don't forget to grease the new ones when you put them in.

Erik

[hmeeder]

Thanks Erik;

I've already drilled the cap per your suggestion and filled with PB. Gonna let it all sit overnight and see if I can get it to budge.

Anyone else have any pearls?

[eeyore]

Hit it with a hammer from the back end (which may drive it forward). You'll have bigger target to hit with the BFH.

At some point in my replacement project I put a pair of vice grips over the end which I then hit with a hammer. But this requires the t-bar be out far enough to get the vice grip jaw on the un-splined section of the bar.

[r_towle]

I just pryed off the cap on the front, save it.
then get a big rod, 1/2 inch steel, and pound it out.

The rear adjuster is a bit harder...
If you heat it you stand a chance of damaging the adjuster which has been heat treated (so i have been told..)

I took the entire A-arm out and then worked on it out of the car.

A press, a vise, and a coffee can full of pb like material with a good long soak did the trick.

Rich

[skline]

Try lifting the wheel a little to release the tension on the bar. It should come right off. How come nobody else mentioned that? Seems you guys do it the hard way.

[skline]

And since I read through the thread, I also notice you didnt say anything about having new adjusters to install, they are a different spline you know? Did you get the ones that go on the end of those 22mm TB's? If you try to put your old ones on, they wont come off again and will take some real beating to get them on. You will wind up destroying one if not both parts. Just a little something to think about.

[hmeeder]

Scott;

There's no tension on the bars is there? I have the assembly up in the air and the end of the adjuster is off the stop. When the adjusting screw is removed the adjuster flops loose like. I'll try jackin it a notch, but that doesn't quite seem like it.

Also, these 22mm are for a 914-4 application. The spline count is different than for the 911 front end. I've looked through the catalogs I have found and do not see mention of a different adjuster for an aftermarket torsion bar. If that were the case, wouldn't Weltmeister be selling the adjuster right next to the t-bars? Now if you try putting a 22mm for a 911 on a 914-4 front end, yeah it would get seriously dicked up. In fact, that's how I came to get these t-bars. A 911 driver I know got them for his car and goes to have his mechanic install them only to have the guy tell him that they are for a 914 application.

I like Rick's solution. I didn't look at the end of the cap closely enough to see that they would pry off, so that may be the ticket.

[sean_v8_914]

drop teh front suspension carrier as a unit. undo teh ball joint pin, then teh 4 pick ups. then disassemble it out from under the car. reassemble as a unit and reinstall

[sean_v8_914]

laying on your back will be hard to get proper leverage angles. get it out from under the car to better deal with it

[skline]

The last ones I did I removed the adjuster and tapped it forward with a hammer and it popped the front cap right off. I didnt have to drill a hole in it. It worked for me. I went with a 911 front end on the Chalon so the ones on there were not for the 914. I do know they are different. I was just making sure since I didnt read anywhere here anything specific. Sounds like you got it under control.