Torsion bar rookie

[No Quarter]

Yes, haven't worked with these things before

1. the torsion bars I have and the brackets and the lower a-arms, they've been apart for 12 years and don't want to go together. I've spent quite a lot of time wire brushing the "star" on both end of torsion bars, and one bracket can now gently be hammered on, but shouldn't they slide on easily? And the bracket has to slide on to the other side, the inner side of torsion bar to adjust, right?
2. What's a good starting point? Locals have told me, assemble a-arms and hub carrier, don't install shocks, let it hang down all way, install torsion bar, that shold be a good starting point. Later adustment could be a nightmare due to 1.

I thought torsion bars were for cost saving only... (no need to answer that one)

[Gfhug]

Mikael, please look at the topics listed below they may give you help. The torsion bars should slide in fairly easily. Remember there are 25 splines at the rear and 24 splines at the front, so be very careful you don’t try to hammer the wrong end into the fittings!! Also if I remember correctly you need to keep them on the correct side, certainly with old ones.
Have you got the proper owners workshop manual for the car?

Geoff

[mgcjag]

Hi Mikael.....yes the splined ends should slide easily into their fitting......maybe a slight tap with a mallet only....clean them up really well....check all splines on the bars and the fittings that that slide on them...possibly a small file may be needed if there are any burr,s...they need to fit easily so that you can adjust them easily....and dont resort to a hammer....Geoff is correct they are left/right and an L/H should be stamped on the end of each bar so you can fit the correct bar to each side.....Steve

[Series1 Stu]

Yes, the parts should slide together quite easily. Keep wire brushing them until you can see clean metal in the bottoms of the splines. I used a cup wire brush in a pillar drill that I didn't care too much about. Probably didn't do the drill press' bearings much good but it saves a lot of hard work.

You will need to use the appropriate setting links to ensure you load the torsion bars at the correct point.

If you diligently follow the steps in the Jaguar Service manual it should all go together relatively easily.

Look for the L and R stampings on the ends of the torsion bars and ensure you put them on the correct sides.

Regards

[No Quarter]

It's strange when I have problems nobody else seems to have. I've now wirebrushed, sand blasted and filed on all components. But nothing slides on at all, neither front part in lower a-arms, nor bracket at the back. I see that you can buy upgraded torsion bars, has anybody done that, then I'm happy to buy old torsion bars and brackets? Or????

About the starting poing, yes understand now, and have produced tool to measure, so that is ok

[mgcjag]

Hi sand blasting the splines wasnt the best thing to do .....it creates a rough surface.......weve all had these problems before so your not the only one......you need to keep working on them......i assume youve tried greasing them......possibly you may need to tap bar in a bit then out. ....and keep repeating......post some close up photos....Steve

[No Quarter]

Just want to add that the rear bracket, the collar, it doens't fit inside the big hole in the frames, nor in the similar hole in the thick cross bracket. Strange

[mgcjag]

All these fittings are very close tolerance.......they should assemble by hand.......possibly yours have been hammered in the past.....Steve

[No Quarter]

Well got it sorted now, thanks all. It took a few hours more of cleaning and filing, and as a local guy suggested oil(!). Also found that what didn't fit right after I worked on it fit well when cold, that tiny heat expansion apparently meant something. Now they're aligned perfectly

[RICHOT]

Good result