[pookie]

So I am picking up new front and rear torsion bars this weekend and I was wondering if anyone would like to help a novice install them. I've never done the torsion bars so I could really use some help. I mean I'll even take some supervision assistance, I can listen to orders I'm thinking we can do it one of two ways.

1. You guys can come to my place and I'll supply the food and drink. I have a garage, regular hand tools and air tools. But no lift or anything fancy. Plus a grill and a 100 qt cooler which will be filled with stuff...

2. I can bring it to someone and still supply the food and drink, fitting the cooler in the car could be fun.

On the list of things to do is:
-Remove and replace front and rear torsion bars 21mm F/27mm R and bushings
-Install front monoballs
-Replace cracked cv/boot (if there is time)
-Replace the heater hose from flapper boxes to exchangers (if there is time)

I'm open all this weekend but then not again until June 2-3. I'll also already be in Falls Church area picking up my parts on Sat morning if we go with #2.

Thanks in advance to anyone that can help.

[Vicegrip]

If some folks want to help Ryan out on the T bar work I could be talked into letting you all use the shop so along as there is at least one wrench that is fully up on a rear bar swap. I have mucho worko around the humble abode and can't help out much other than make sure no one kills themself on the lift or playing with the power tools.

Ryan T bars all around is a full day even when all goes OK. Indexing the rears can be a frigging bitch.

[Jase007]

Ryan:

Sounds like you are set for parts ... I didn't know where Martinsville, WV was so I plugged it into maps.google.com and you are about 90 miles from Falls Church. That's better than the 284 miles to Martinsville, VA

At that distance ... I would think you'd be better off doing / starting this project in your garage so that if [not when, I am an optomist] you run into problems [frozen bolts, etc...] the car will be over-nighting at your residence versus someone elses

Plus --- after doing the monoballs [rennline or other...?] and torsion bars up front and dis-assembly / re-assembly of the rear .. your alignment will be off and you probably don't want to be driving to far if it is acting real funky on road.

Search here for threads on "how to" as well as on pelican. Some thoughts on things to have on hand / preparations to make:

1. dremel tool and cutoff wheels for stubborn bolts [you mentioned air tools]
2. four good size jackstands
3. access to the Internet and spring plate angle calculator from www.rennlight.com page up and ready to use [know your cars weight]
4. cheap harbor freight magnetic based angle finder for springplate angle($6.00)
5. PB Blaster / Liquid wrench [soak suspension nuts / bolts before people get there]
6. Enough grease to coat all four torsion bars +
7. Black sharpie pen to mark relative position of suspension before dis-assembly [mark toe and camber eccentric bolts in spring plates, etc...]
8. tape measure to check before / after suspension alignment settings [thinking toe on front and on rear when re-attaching spring plates and realigning up to sharpie marks you made]. *these will change if you are adjusting ride height.
9. whatever you weigh in lbs to put in your front seat when setting ride height [also, 1/2 tank of gas].
10. long pole / rod to knock out rear torsion bars in case one is stuck in there [push through from other side after removing one t-bar].
11. Couple of different sized vise grips that can grasp a t-bar to pull out. [tape the jaws of the vise-grips to protect old t-bars if you are keeping]
12. propane torch to burn off vulcanized rubber on control arms / springplates.
13. long screw drivers / handled pry-bars for getting bushings off arms, prying off spring plate cover, etc...
14. "monkeysnot" = lube weltmeister sells with their bushings [assuming you are installing poly or neatrix bushings] to lube new bushings [believe performance products sells a small tub].
15. tie-rod / ball joint seperator tool [preserve rubber boots of tie-rods when separating]. *if you aren't replacing strut housings / ball joints then you can leave the strut housing attached to the ball joint / control arm when you remove from car to burn off old bushings].
16. cotter pins for tie-rods in case you destroy ones that were in castellated nut holding tie-rod to strut housing.
17. POR-15 to hit any rust spots on suspension [control arms, gouged chassis, etc..]
18. new blades for box-cutter or sharp knife if you have to cut old rubber inserts out of strut bearings / OEM plates. [cut rubber from top ... do not remove bolts for plate or you'll lose your F alignment ... and push old rubber down and out to make way for monoballs].

There are other tips / tricks that I'm sure people will chime in with. This should get you started and cover most of the unknowns I have come across.

[pookie]

Wow thanks Jase that is a great list. (It's Martinsburg WV, not Martinsville, but it's about 90 miles from Falls Church).

Thanks for the offer Kurt, but this sounds like this is something I should do at my house cause I don't want to inconvienence anyone. So hopefully someone will won't to go for a drive and come help me out.

From your list I don't have
#3 an angle calculator
#4 angle finder
#12 torch
#13 pry bars

So now not only do I need some assitance but I need some tools too.

Also where can I get my cars weight? The dump or truck scales are the only places I know to get it. I wonder if a truck weight station would do it, probably not huh?

[Dr K]

Originally Posted by Jase007

Ryan:

Sounds like you are set for parts ... I didn't know where Martinsville, WV was so I plugged it into maps.google.com and you are about 90 miles from Falls Church. That's better than the 284 miles to Martinsville, VA

At that distance ... I would think you'd be better off doing / starting this project in your garage so that if [not when, I am an optomist] you run into problems [frozen bolts, etc...] the car will be over-nighting at your residence versus someone elses

Plus --- after doing the monoballs [rennline or other...?] and torsion bars up front and dis-assembly / re-assembly of the rear .. your alignment will be off and you probably don't want to be driving to far if it is acting real funky on road.

Search here for threads on "how to" as well as on pelican. Some thoughts on things to have on hand / preparations to make:

1. dremel tool and cutoff wheels for stubborn bolts [you mentioned air tools]
2. four good size jackstands
3. access to the Internet and spring plate angle calculator from www.rennlight.com page up and ready to use [know your cars weight]
4. cheap harbor freight magnetic based angle finder for springplate angle($6.00)
5. PB Blaster / Liquid wrench [soak suspension nuts / bolts before people get there]
6. Enough grease to coat all four torsion bars +
7. Black sharpie pen to mark relative position of suspension before dis-assembly [mark toe and camber eccentric bolts in spring plates, etc...]
8. tape measure to check before / after suspension alignment settings [thinking toe on front and on rear when re-attaching spring plates and realigning up to sharpie marks you made]. *these will change if you are adjusting ride height.
9. whatever you weigh in lbs to put in your front seat when setting ride height [also, 1/2 tank of gas].
10. long pole / rod to knock out rear torsion bars in case one is stuck in there [push through from other side after removing one t-bar].
11. Couple of different sized vise grips that can grasp a t-bar to pull out. [tape the jaws of the vise-grips to protect old t-bars if you are keeping]
12. propane torch to burn off vulcanized rubber on control arms / springplates.
13. long screw drivers / handled pry-bars for getting bushings off arms, prying off spring plate cover, etc...
14. "monkeysnot" = lube weltmeister sells with their bushings [assuming you are installing poly or neatrix bushings] to lube new bushings [believe performance products sells a small tub].
15. tie-rod / ball joint seperator tool [preserve rubber boots of tie-rods when separating]. *if you aren't replacing strut housings / ball joints then you can leave the strut housing attached to the ball joint / control arm when you remove from car to burn off old bushings].
16. cotter pins for tie-rods in case you destroy ones that were in castellated nut holding tie-rod to strut housing.
17. POR-15 to hit any rust spots on suspension [control arms, gouged chassis, etc..]
18. new blades for box-cutter or sharp knife if you have to cut old rubber inserts out of strut bearings / OEM plates. [cut rubber from top ... do not remove bolts for plate or you'll lose your F alignment ... and push old rubber down and out to make way for monoballs].

There are other tips / tricks that I'm sure people will chime in with. This should get you started and cover most of the unknowns I have come across.

As I'm about to do this, too--AWESOME POST, JASE!! Thanks.

Anybody know the best place to get a SMALL quantity of POR-15 (to be used for touch-up as noted above)?

Peter

[Vicegrip]

I know a guy that has scales...And all the other stuff and then some mentioned too. You help move his (stalled) project car and get your on the lift he will get you a total weight on Sat am. Can you work on sat and sunday? If so the car can overnight if you have someone follow you out. Hell you can sleep over if you baby sit till 11pm on Sat night. Only works if you get a seasoned wrench to help.

Did you not have this cars susp out recently for bushings or am I thinking of another car?

[Dr K]

Originally Posted by pookie

From your list I don't have
#3 an angle calculator

Click the link! It's online.

Peter

[Dave O]

Originally Posted by pkaufman

As I'm about to do this, too--AWESOME POST, JASE!! Thanks.

Anybody know the best place to get a SMALL quantity of POR-15 (to be used for touch-up as noted above)?

Peter

Peter,

I've got a fresh unopened quart that is goiong to get opened in a week or so. You are welcome to some. I'm in Brookeville, North of Olney.

[markwemple]

Peter, best place I know for a small amount of POR 15 is may garage

[pookie]

Kurt that is awesome. I'll help move anything. I was going to suggest that I'd perform some yardwork/stack firewood or whatever for some help. It wasn't my car. I think it might have been Tim (tmdatk?) in Winchester. He had his stuff torn apart recently.

Anyone done this before free on Sat and Sun and can meet me at Kurt's place? I'm free both days as my wife is studying for the GMAT and would probably prefer me gone.

I can be there as early as Kurt says it is ok to start working. Anyone???