lowering with torsion bars

[Mel]

Hey gang, I've decided to lower the front end of my '59 dodge to even out the ride height. Currently the front end sticks WAY up high while the back is nice and low.

It has torsion bars on the front, which I've never played with before. Anyone have any tips on lowering with torsion bars? Anything I should know before I start? Is it really just a matter of loosening the adjusting bolt?

Thanks for your help in advance =)
~Melissa

[caddychris]

Hey Mel-
My buddy has a '63 imperial and we dumped it about 3 inches in the front by taking out all the adjustment in the torsion bar bolts.It only took about half an hour, and most of that was jacking it up and down, pretty simple.The only thing that he had to do after that was go to the alignment shop. makes for a stiff ride but thats what we must sacrifice to be cool. Good Luck.

[Lionheart]

MEL, thats about it , just loosen tension adjustment bolt the same on both sides. Re- align the front end if ya lower it alot.... happy cruuuuussin http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[Mel]

Thanks guys http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
When I was looking into this, I thought there is no way it can be really just that easy... glad to hear it is!

~Melissa

[BARNETT]

AntiChrysler lowered his with the torsion bar method...looks real nice and still rides pretty nice...considering the amount of drop!

[Rocky]

Mel....show us a "before and after" photo when you're finished...

[Rooster]

Yeah, definitely re-align! The upper A-arms will need moved inboard and it also affects the toe in. It's That easy and gotta be the best suspension there is. Even Ford and GM finally realized it, look under a newer SUV.

[atch]

we can't emphasize enough: realign. no matter how much or little you lower it.

and, oh yeah. pix...

[4t64rd]

I worked part time in a gas station with a lift for about 6 months. Not much to do except take money for gas, beer and cigs.

Sundays were dead. so I would play, I had a 73 Imperial that sparked underneath when I drove over manhole covers. the next week, I had it sitting up gasser style.

Chryslers fun!

I never re-aligned it, but it sure needed it.

[DrJ]

When you get it aligned, be sure you take it to a shop that understands that you want it aligned at the ride height you have set it at and one who is known to be able to align lowered cars, and understands that you want it aligned to te new lowered positionOtherwise, if they have specs on that car, the first thing they may do is adjust the ride height back up to stock spec!....then you're back where you started from!

(General stuff now) Some cars just don't have enough adjustment available to alighn after lowering so the upper control arm mount may need modifying.
Some cars can benefit from raising the upper control arm inner mount point an inch or so so they are sitting more level in the new normal ride height.
Yes, that changes the front end geometry, but it's been changed already buy lowering it so a little more won't hurt and will keep the camber from changing so much on bounce.

[Mel]

Sweet http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif Good info DrJ thank you!
And that's a big 10-4 on those pics guys... (I need some new ones anyhow)

~Melissa

[volken65]

Mel, like these guys said this is totaly easy.
Last night after work after reading this post i figured my dart needed a little drop.
It took me 15minutes tops... and out of the 15min it probably took 3 minutes max to do the drop... seriously. the other 12minutes i wasted trying to get that damn jack from under that K-member http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

here's a after pick i took this morning before coming into work.
http://photo.starblvd.net/volken65/1-2-5.jpg
I should have taken a before pic but you could imagine what it looked like... nosebleed like many other mopars..

[gowjobs]

We lowered my buddy's '70 Challenger a couple of months back, and even with the A-arms adjusted all the way out, it still had about 2 1/2 degrees of negative camber - fine for the race track, but may cause funky tire wear on the street and tended to hunt a bit.

$400 later, we just installed new trick Cro-Mo/CNC adjustable A-arms that add caster and allow us to get the camber more in-line with where it needs to be.

We probably could have just cut and re-welded the upper A-arm pivots, but those tubular A-Arms just look so trick...

[Mel]

Holy shit! I feel like I got power steering now... did wonders for the ride. Pics will be developed next week..... I'll definately be posting them. Thanks again guys. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

~Melissa