Do I need this component?, Cotton vs. new Poly Options

[ctc911ctc]

'74 2.0 - mostly original

I am in the middle of rebuilding of the front end - all new bushings, shocks, etc.

Torsion Rods are in very good shape though they are both marked "R"....

I was told on this board that an R can be inserted in reverse which would make it an L, is this OK......???

I am trying to replace the cotton washer that seems to hold the grease in the torsion rod container.

I have found some made of a spongy synthetic material instead of the cotton found in original cars.

I am thinking about replacing the original cotton washers since they seem OK,

Should these be replaced? How critical do we think this component is ?

See #22

[Dave_Darling]

Note that if you swap a torsion bar end-for-end it is still loaded in the same direction. (If you doubt that, try marking a paper towel tube or something similar.)

What I have read (in Panorama years ago) is that the torsion bars were actually all the same. They were marked for installation so that they could be installed back in the same side they came out of, because reversing the stress tended to lead to premature failure.

If you can't tell which side they came out of, just re-install and hope. You have a 50-50 chance of getting it right, and even if you don't it may last for a while anyway.

--DD