Stubborn Torsion bar

[Rdchallenger]

So on my build thread it's been determined that the torsions bars are no bueno and are going to be replaced. So can I get this stubborn thing to let go of the lower control arm? I'm running out of ideas.

[Chryco Psycho]

Wow usually when you get it that far apart it will slide out , , I would put the T bar in a vice & use a pair of long crowbars to rock it out

[Rdchallenger]

Wow usually when you get it that far apart it will slide out , , I would put the T bar in a vice & use a pair of long crowbars to rock it out

Yeah, this bastard has not budged at all... tried some zep45 a few times. Hammer, rocking it back and forth.

[Chryco Psycho]

heat ?
I would heat the heck out of the bar to swell it then freeze it with ice

[gzig5]

Couple ways to go about it but from where you are now I would clamp the torsion bar in the vice good and tight and then put a sacrificial piece of brass or aluminum up against the socket in the control arm and wail on it with a 5lb hammer.  Bigger the hammer the better.  Safety glasses and gloves please.

Or you use some u-straps to clamp a piece of metal angle or block to the torsion bar and beat on that.  This is how I did mine while there were in the car.  Passenger side didn't want to play, but it came after a couple good smacks.

Failing that, fire up the smoke wrench...

[JS29]

I have had things that did not want to move. I would use the torch heat the thing, hit it with water, then heat it again. expand-contract-expand. works well, except on cast iron! 

[Rich G.]

Probably would have come out a lot easier if it was still in the K Frame . Do you have the tool that clamps to the bar so you can knock it out? I made one pretty easy with a couple pieces of flat stock. Works great.

[Rdchallenger]

Probably would have come out a lot easier if it was still in the K Frame . Do you have the tool that clamps to the bar so you can knock it out? I made one pretty easy with a couple pieces of flat stock. Works great.

It came out like that when removing the K-frame. Other side gave me no more problems than the usual. 

[Rich G.]

I always took the torsion bars out first and then the K Frame.

[Rdchallenger]

Exactly. You have to get the torsions bars off before the K frame... this bar has different plans though 

[73_Cuda_4_Me]

 

I thought the TB's had to slide backwards out of the cross-member? They can go either way, so you can pull it out going forward???

[Rdchallenger]

It's funny what I did was use a pry bar to release the lca from the k frame because the torsion bar was stuck... thought for sure it would just pull off like normal... nope!!

[RUNCHARGER]

Vice and two pry bars opposite each other. Try not to beat on the socket that the bar goes into of course. Heating the socket wouldn't hurt, maybe even a Map gas small torch.

[Chryco Psycho]

I would heat the bar over the socket as you are scrapping the bar anyway

[RUNCHARGER]

Expand the socket, maybe ice the bar to cool it.