In the front beams I have adjusters welded in so I can adjust the torque bars, to adjust ride height. Can some one tell me is there a particular technique of adjusting the top and bottom
Thanks.. Bill
from The Land Down Under
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In the front beams I have adjusters welded in so I can adjust the torque bars, to adjust ride height. Can some one tell me is there a particular technique of adjusting the top and bottom
Thanks.. Bill
from The Land Down Under
Thanks.. Bill
from The Land Down Under
G'day, Bill!!
Without separating the lower ball joints (or link pins) the front end may be carefully height adjusted using this:
1. Get the front end up off the ground and release the lower shock mounts to allow the trailing arms to go as low as possible.
2. Check the threads on the beam adjuster pegs and get another nut exactly same as what's already on there.
3. Using a scribe or a felt-tip marker, mark the edges of the top and bottom tube adjuster moveable toothed plates so you'll have a reference point.
FOR EVERYTHING HERE DOWN, BE CAREFUL!! THE ADJUSTERS ARE UNDER LOTS OF SPRING TENSION!!!
4. Screw on that second nut you bought onto the adjuster peg sticking out of the plate. Leave about 1/4" space between the two nuts.
5. Carefully loosen the original nut on the peg (Watch it!! The adjuster may let go when loose). Back off the original nut until it hits the new nut you put on. If you wish, you can read #6 and use the extansion as a lever on the outer nut to lessen pressure on the peg while loosening the inner nut.
6. Preferably using a 1/2" drive, 6" - 10" extension, use the proper socket to slip over those two nuts and use the drive extension as a lever to push the adjuster either up (to raise the car) or down (to lower the car) to where you want it. As you move it, you can press the moving toothed plate against the stationary toothed plate and feel them engage. NOTE! The peg will want to go down when loosened because of the torsion bar tension!
7. Now....VERY CAREFULLY hold the plates together while tightening the original nut against the toothed plates until they stay together where you want them.
8. The other torsion tube is adjusted in the same way.
Some people and some builders often set the two tubes to two different tensions, thinking that it will provide a softer ride (kind of like two-stage springs on trucks). I have not personally done this, but the concept is sound so you could play with that if you wish, till you get a ride you like.
IF YOU WANT TO SEPARATE THE LOWER BALL JOINTS FROM THE KNUCKLES:
The process is the same, but there will be very little residual tension on either torsion bar, making the whole process inherently safer. Just let the trailing arms hang where they want (lift the knuckle up a little because of the weight) and set your adjusters. Just remember that, if you don't like the height after adjusting, you'll have to separate and set everything all over again |>(
gn
Without separating the lower ball joints (or link pins) the front end may be carefully height adjusted using this:
1. Get the front end up off the ground and release the lower shock mounts to allow the trailing arms to go as low as possible.
2. Check the threads on the beam adjuster pegs and get another nut exactly same as what's already on there.
3. Using a scribe or a felt-tip marker, mark the edges of the top and bottom tube adjuster moveable toothed plates so you'll have a reference point.
FOR EVERYTHING HERE DOWN, BE CAREFUL!! THE ADJUSTERS ARE UNDER LOTS OF SPRING TENSION!!!
4. Screw on that second nut you bought onto the adjuster peg sticking out of the plate. Leave about 1/4" space between the two nuts.
5. Carefully loosen the original nut on the peg (Watch it!! The adjuster may let go when loose). Back off the original nut until it hits the new nut you put on. If you wish, you can read #6 and use the extansion as a lever on the outer nut to lessen pressure on the peg while loosening the inner nut.
6. Preferably using a 1/2" drive, 6" - 10" extension, use the proper socket to slip over those two nuts and use the drive extension as a lever to push the adjuster either up (to raise the car) or down (to lower the car) to where you want it. As you move it, you can press the moving toothed plate against the stationary toothed plate and feel them engage. NOTE! The peg will want to go down when loosened because of the torsion bar tension!
7. Now....VERY CAREFULLY hold the plates together while tightening the original nut against the toothed plates until they stay together where you want them.
8. The other torsion tube is adjusted in the same way.
Some people and some builders often set the two tubes to two different tensions, thinking that it will provide a softer ride (kind of like two-stage springs on trucks). I have not personally done this, but the concept is sound so you could play with that if you wish, till you get a ride you like.
IF YOU WANT TO SEPARATE THE LOWER BALL JOINTS FROM THE KNUCKLES:
The process is the same, but there will be very little residual tension on either torsion bar, making the whole process inherently safer. Just let the trailing arms hang where they want (lift the knuckle up a little because of the weight) and set your adjusters. Just remember that, if you don't like the height after adjusting, you'll have to separate and set everything all over again |>(
gn
I found it nearly impossible to release the lower ball joint from the steering knuckle, but quite easy to release the top one. If you do that, you must mark where your camber adjustment eccentric is positioned so that you don't mess that up. Even if you do, it shouldn't be a major problem since you will need an alignment after changing ride height anyway, as it changes your toe-in.
I just had both lower ball joints off a week or so ago when I relaced my torsion bar bushings.
A "regular", American-size ball joint remover seems to be too big for these cars, but a tie-rod end remover works spiffy. It looks like a big pickle fork.
I just greased up the tangs, slid it on, hit it once or twice with a hammer and the lower ball joint popped right apart. Didn't even mar the rubber boot.
Saves you from having to get the front end re-aligned, too.
gn
A "regular", American-size ball joint remover seems to be too big for these cars, but a tie-rod end remover works spiffy. It looks like a big pickle fork.
I just greased up the tangs, slid it on, hit it once or twice with a hammer and the lower ball joint popped right apart. Didn't even mar the rubber boot.
Saves you from having to get the front end re-aligned, too.
gn
Thanks Gordon Great Help
"Saves you from having to get the front end re-aligned, too."
You sure about that, G-dawg? I believe that changing the ride height is going to affect toe-in regardless of how you do it. I could be wrong, though - it's happened before.
You sure about that, G-dawg? I believe that changing the ride height is going to affect toe-in regardless of how you do it. I could be wrong, though - it's happened before.
Lane, it depends on how much you change the ride height. I would think you are safe if you don't change it more than an inch, which is two or three teeth on one adjuster, lower in my case, I've never touched the upper.
To add to Gordon's post, be VERY CAREFUL, you could lose a finger!
Gord's #6: I use a scissor jack under one tire to rotate the leaves to the desired adjustment, a lot easier than trying to do two things at once, i.e. hold the adjustment and tighten the nut to set it.
I don't remove anything except the lower shock ends, but if you loosen the uppers, it is a lot easier to get the bottom off.
To add to Gordon's post, be VERY CAREFUL, you could lose a finger!
Gord's #6: I use a scissor jack under one tire to rotate the leaves to the desired adjustment, a lot easier than trying to do two things at once, i.e. hold the adjustment and tighten the nut to set it.
I don't remove anything except the lower shock ends, but if you loosen the uppers, it is a lot easier to get the bottom off.