Rear trunk torsion bar removal Options

[watsonrx13]

Does anyone have a link to the posting showing the home-made tool and technique for removing the torsion bars holding the rear trunk?

I need to replace/reweld the trunk hinge bracket. I'm planning to remove the torsion bars, then remove the rest of the old bracket, clean up the old weld and/or any metal missing from the inner fender well, then postion the trunk, with the new bracket attached, and weld the new bracket on.

Any other suggestions, comments, observations, prayers, etc?



BTW, the search function doesn't work too well....

-- Rob

[highways]

I made a tool that worked great. I took about 2' of 1" diameter copper pipe. I cut a rectangular notch in it about an inch and a half from the end of the tube. My notch measured 11/16" and passed halfway through the diameter of the tube. Make sure you cut the notch so it fits snug and deeply on the torsion bar- you don't want any slop. In the end it will very much resemble the official tool. Hold the copper pipe on the torsion bar with tension and use a large screw driver to pry the torsion bar free to the side. Rear trunk lid must be removed. As you bring the torsion bar back to rest you have to rotate the copper tube around the axis a bit. I think I used some large vise grips to hold the torsion bar and slip the copper out at the end. Took two minutes to make the tool and two more minutes to get the torsion bar out.