I have replaced all the parts in the front end that matter, and we checked the car today and the right side torsion bar seems loose.

I did just buy all the fittings to reinstall the A Arm with the Rebel Racing parts from Jonathan, and today we did redo the top rubber mounts on the new Bilstein Sports.

The left side is fine.

Anyone have any thoughts on whether I should scrap the torsion bars together?

And what should I put in to replace them?

I did get new adjusters from Bruce. I did drop the front end to very low, so the torsion adjusters are almost loose. But the passenger side seems like it has problems.

The car is not going to fall apart, and we checked the bearings (old and about to be replaced but fine), shocks (fine and new), turbo tie rods (fine and new), balljoints (fine and new), and the steering rack (tight as a crab's ass). Also checked the new tarret drop links, the new swaybar arms and it all is fine.

When I go over a bump, the right side seems to clunk on rebound only. Car is otherwise tight.

But, never had a torsion bar get loose. Car will not be driven again until the entire front end is torn down and remaining items replaced (calipers/rotors/bearings/rebel mounts), but has someone had this experience?

THANKS!

John

Something is loose. Go back and check every nut and bolt everywhere from the steering rack to the strut top bearings.

in an OEM install there is a felt washer that stops that from happening.
It goes over the end of the torsion bar...keeps it centered, and attempts to keep all the crud out.

I replaced mine with large rubber washers from the local hardware store...custom made to fit.
It need to be about 1/8 inch wide...and the diameter of the hold that the adjuster fits into.....so about 1.25 inches outside diameter.
I found washers that were 1/16 thick (so I used two per side) and I have to cut the middle hole larger to fit over the end of the torsion bar.

Look at the diagrams online or in a factory manual and you should see the part in question.

it appears Pelican sells the new Foam piece.
http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/...29%2C%20each%20

Rich

if your anti sway bar is hollow, and your gas tank is riding to low, the bar will flutter at slow speed bumps and tap the bottom of the gas tank.
The fix is remove the tank, take a piece of garden hose and slice it open.
Put the hose on the bar.
Add another piece of carpet to the bottom rest that has a piece of carpet to hold up the tank.
Put the tank back in...and make sure to close your hood slowly the first time to see if the tank is to high.

Rich

The felt washer won't center the bar. It does keep the crud out.

You mention that you have the Rebel stuff ready to go. Are your current bushings old? This will play a large part in centering your bar. Actually, the bushings center the arm around your bar so, a couple of questions:

1. Old a-arm bushings?
2. Have you taken that torsion bar out and looked at it? Bad bushings will show wear on the torsion bar in question.

Rich brings up a good point about the sway bar if you have one.

Otherwise, like Andy said, go back and check everything. There's really not too many bolts down there to check. Grab a torque wrench and make sure everything is good. I'd slide out that bar and see how it looks. If it is, or has been rubbing, you'll see all the paint worn off and quite possibly a good piece of the metal missing, that being the case, get a new one when you put the Rebel products on your car.

Thanks, All!

Swaybar is tight. But that is ONE HELL OF AN IDEA!

We all agree here in Stanton at Brintech Shop. It is a loose torsion bar, so when I pull the entire front end apart in 2 weeks, I will know more.

If the bar is worn, who makes new and stronger ones? I know L is Passenger side. R is driver.

I am cool with getting new ones, and already have the front and rear fittings. And those Rebel mounts.

I will check that swaybar when apart. Had that damn tank out 3 times in 2 years.

THANKS!

J

rubber piece instead of foam does center the bar.
Anti sway bar makes a hell of a clunk when it taps the tank.
SirAndy and I had the same issue...hunted and replaced everything...still had the clunk...

Easy way to check...takes ten minutes.
Loosen the tank strap.
Pull up the tank and jam the rubbers down hard...
Try to get it to stay up.
Make sure the hood does not hit it.
Go for a slow drive over bumps....see if it still clunks.

Glueing the rubbers in position is also a cure, but I just used a hose and a piece of carpet...simple.

I chased that clunk for a year....that is when I went for the rubber on the end of the torsion bar..
Its a total mis-direct...its not the torsion bar...its looks like it on a lift...but its not.
I know, it looks loose...btdt.
Its under a ton ot tension when the car is on the ground.
If you are lifting a tire...adjust your front bar.
The tap..its the bar or the strut top nut.
Could also be the strut insert tapping...

RIch

Do you need stronger ones? Porsche felt strongly enough about the 914 spring rate to create a special bar for the 911 a-arms when they put that suspension in the 914-6. A sure fire way to mess up a good ride quality (in my book) for a street car is to replace those with bigger units. i have a 911 suspension on my GT project, bars and all. i also have a spare set of factory 914-6 t-bars on the shelf if I feel the need (and I think I will probably feel the need, which is why I bought them).

If it's a daily driver, keep that component stock and enjoy a very good "sports car" ride.

And Rich... the bar is centered by the nose of the a-arm in the front and the adjuster cover in the rear which is housed in the cross bar... but you knew that.

Eric,,I did not know that...I thought it was coil overs????
Airbags? Hydraulics?

Seriously...the tolerances suck on the adjuster to housing...and when the front wheel is lifted (autox or track) it does clunk..
At that point in time, its the last thing on my mind...so I dont care anymore.

the around town clunk was driving me nuts...it was the sway bar...and it took a long time to figure that out...both Andy and I had the same noise years ago...

For the front torsion bars....I went up to 22 or 23mm front torsion bars.
Then I went back to stock.
With the right struts and the right sway bar..stock is perfect and gives you a faster turn in on slow speed cornering.

Rich

BTDT

I will check the tank height tomorrow morning!

It would not surprise me.

THANKS, ANDY and EVERYONE!

I can loosen the band and raise the shims because it is almost empty!

I have no clue as to the sway bar being solid or hollow. It is stock, and it is an early 73 2.0L unit off the August 72 Assembly line with a 9/72 black sticker.

THANKS!

I will report on this tomorrow!

John

Hey Guys,

I raised the gas tank a full inch, and the same noise still applies on the passenger side.

I am pretty damn sure it is the loose mounting brackets, from old age.

They are tight on the car, but I can see space all around the passenger side on the mounts, both front and before the adjuster. That rubber is just thin as hell.

So, on to the disassembly of the front end.

But, that is some cool suggestion. I did raise the tank, and will leave it raised.

At lease we know it is NOT the swaybar. When I loosened the tank strap, I pulled both rubber snubs up, and felt it touch the bar. Then I raised it over an inch, so it was close but not touching.

Any more suggestions just to check a possible adjustment before I disassemble?

The Rebel mounts, Eric Shea's calipers and the new rotors/bearings/brake shields by Bruce go on when I yank it all apart, plus blasting the A Arms, and reassembling all that already is new.

THANKS!

John