I have two projects that I want to drop to the ground but both are mid sixties unibodies with torsion bar front suspensions. What would be the best method to lower them without losing drivability?
Just loosen the tension arm on the bar, super easy. Count how many turns you lower it, so both sides end up the same. It should take you about 15 minutes.
If you want it lower than adusting will go.... remove the torsion bar from one end and rotate it a spline or two and then bolt it all abck together.
The best ways I know of is get bigger torsion bars and crank down the ride heigth or drop spindles. If you car is a 6 cyl. go with hi-po SB V8 bars, if a SB V8 go with BB V8 bar, if BB go aftermarket. This will help keep a firm feeling suspension. If you just turn down the factory bar, it may feel a little squishy. Drop spindles will allow the most drop, with the above crank down, and wont kill the alignment.
That's the easiest way (loosening the bars). The best would be dropped spindles, which may or may not be available for you cars. Don't forget to trim the bump stops to allow more suspension travel.
I don't know of any drop spindles for either car but they are six cylinders so I will get some V8 torsion bars to maintain ride quality.
i wouldn't worry about changing out the torsion bars. i've never noticed any before and after difference. i thought the latest suspension trend was loose springs and tight shocks anyway.
What type of cars are they? For Mopar, the F/J(Volare) drop spindles that Fatman(and others)sell will work on A, B, and E body cars.
I had a mini truck when I was a kid and I just cranked 'em down. I can't remember if I had it re-aligned or not. It was so low the bump stops were squished and it rode like shit. Total garbage! Don't forget to trim 'em. It was only about a month old when I started modifing it. My dad just shook his head. Wish I'd had the H.A.M.B. to give me guidance...I'd already have a cool car, instead of just now building one.
Yeah, I don't want a shitty ride, that's why I haven't cranked them down already. I've heard it can get a bit squirley that way as well, and putting my life at risk is one thing, someone else's, I'm not willing to do.
64 Valiant can use the F/J body drop spindles. 273/318/360 bars are easy to find used or go new. I put 383 bars(.890) in my 65 Barracuda. I wouldn't go under a .870
When I was a young high school kid, I cranked on my torsion bars of my 73 Charger, along with pumping up the rear air shocks,...lol...it WAS the eighties...anyways. Still learning hot rods, I had no clue. My buddy tells me " Dude, your car is throwing all kinds of sparks from your front tires"??? Put the alignment WAY out, brought her in to my votech class, and put her on the Hunter machine. The only way I could kepp the right alignment was to "un crank" the torsion bars. So I found a happy medium and bought tires more often.
On the Mopars, you can drop them with nothing more than a wrench (I remember doing it back in the 70's with a spark plug socket on a ratchet) if you lower it a bunch, you will decamber the front to about three degrees negative- this will beat-up the tires on the inside of the tread. If tire wear is an issue for you: for mild lowering, use the adjustment, for big drops - find some spindles.
i have a 66 valiant. When i lowered it i cranked down the front bars 3 inches, and put blocks in the back. i had to get it realigned. the ride actualy seems stiffer to me than at stock height.
Loosen the torsion bars. Just make sure to have some decent shocks up front.... my car would bottom out when I hit potholes up until I changed the shocks.
dropped my 61 dodge a few years ago. dropped it til it looked cool. drove it for a month and raised it up til it rode decent. then i dropped the back. looks better as a tail dragger... new shocks did not help it ride any better.
I lowered my '65 Chrysler about 3" in the front, 2" in the rear a few months back. Took about 15 minutes to get the front right. Just make sure you measure both sides as you do it to make sure it comes out even...
Would the bags be mounted in the lca's? I'd eventually (barring much more play money) like to bag it for adjustability as well as ride comfort. That 300 is absolutely sick!
This source in AU sells drop spindles specifically for A-bodies. They're set up for discs IIRC so you may need to scrounge some parts from an early 70's A-body. http://www.rodshop.com.au/
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