Front torsion bars

[Brett Proctor]

How many torsion bars are there in the front upper and lower tubes of a 69' type 1??
What I have doesn't look right and when I removed them the arrangement was different between the top and bottom tube. I'm thinking that one of the previous owners removed one or two torsion bars to lower the front end.

Thanks
Brett

 

[letterman7]

I think there are ten total, four big ones in the middle that are dimpled to hold the grub screws and three on either side of those, two stacked on top of each other and one to the extreme outside: C18-6284 - NARROWED BALL-JOINT TORSION LEAFS - 1 BUNDLE (2 BUNDLES REQUIED) - FOR USE WITH 2 INCH NARROWED BEAM ONLY

Normally one wouldn't take out leaves to lower the front end; adjusters would have been placed at the center of each tube in the beam to rotate the leaf pack to raise or lower the front. Removing leaves makes the front end softer, which is a fairly common thing to do with kits and dune buggies.

 

[Brett Proctor]

Well thats what it looks like someone did.
The front end was lowered but I kept looking for how they did it. The front tubes weren't cut and the spindles were stock. This weekend I was rebuilding the front end and thats when I discovered that it was missing some torsion bars.
I thought as we progress through our projects that there is less and less to do and then its finished?? It seems to be going backwards for me. I keep finding more and more things to fix and replace.

 

[Brett Proctor]

OK my next question would be How much do you lower the chassis?? The torsion leafs are sold in sets which will run around $100 then I will have to get the weld in beam adjuster. Or could I get dropped spindles and leave the front end alone? Price would be about the same to do either one.

Thanks
Brett

 

[letterman7]

If the packs were just turned in the tubes without any kind of central support, they are probably on their way to cracking anyway. If it were my preference, I'd simply purchase a new beam that has the adjusters already installed: Aircooled.Net, Inc. - Online Autoparts Catalog

These are new right out to the brake assemblies on either side. Whichever way you decide to roll, if you're going to keep the stock beam, now is the time to replace the roller bearings and the seals in the tubes. It's not expensive to do and will turn dividends in the long run.

And yes... restorations always seem that you're going backwards, replacing crap that previous owners have done "wrong".

 

[time907356]

It might be too late to comment, but as an added degree of freeedom (another option...) the aftermarket vendors sell beam spacers, or beam shims that fit between the torsion tubes and the tunnel head. I bought several sets of these for my speedster before realizing the wheelbase was too far out. They are small crescent shaped aluminum pieces aobut 4" long, and ~1/4" thick, with I.D., and O.D. suited to fit snugly between the tube and head. Placing a pair of them between the lower tube and head raises the front end, while placing a pair between the upper tube and head lowers the front end. I can't remember the centerline distance between the uppoer and lower tubes, but with that dimension, you can trig. - out how much effect there will be. I'm thinking this is the easiest way for me to adjust the front up a bit, since my wheels are dragging the fiberglass on turns. They are a cheap way to go.

 

[Brett Proctor]

That sounds like you need to adjust the steering lock stop.

Brett