Torsion bars

[Rich Kinas]

Hello fellow GMCers,

I completed rebuilding my front end but was so excited when I was putting it all back together and torquing, cotter pins, etc that I forgot to check
to see the orientations of torsion bar pork chops Well I greased up the lower A arm side of the torsion bars before installing at least (or so I
thought). So I checked the manual and it says to unbolt the rear torsion bar support cross member and slide it backward. It's easy to unbolt, not so
easy to slide it backward. It wont budge! I thought that if the pork chops were rusted onto the bar at least the bars would slide out of the A
arms...But alas this is not the case. Now wondering what to do....I have a hand sledge that I was going to try tapping on the cross member right next
to each bar and see what happens. I ahve been using pentrating oil for a week now, hoping that will help. The cross member is loose you can move it up
and down, side to side but not backward.

Any words of wisdom?

Rich
--
Rich Kinas
1976 Elaganza II
Orlando, FL

 

[Matt Colie]

> Hello fellow GMCers,
>
> I completed rebuilding my front end but was so excited when I was putting it all back together and torquing, cotter pins, etc that I forgot to
> check to see the orientations of torsion bar pork chops Well I greased up the lower A arm side of the torsion bars before installing at least (or
> so I thought). So I checked the manual and it says to unbolt the rear torsion bar support cross member and slide it backward. It's easy to unbolt,
> not so easy to slide it backward. It wont budge! I thought that if the pork chops were rusted onto the bar at least the bars would slide out of the
> A arms...But alas this is not the case. Now wondering what to do....I have a hand sledge that I was going to try tapping on the cross member right
> next to each bar and see what happens. I ahve been using pentrating oil for a week now, hoping that will help. The cross member is loose you can
> move it up and down, side to side but not backward.
>
> Any words of wisdom?
>
> Rich

Rich,

If you still have load on the torsion bar, it is not going any where.
If you have the porkchop loose and the bar won't slide out, wrap it with a hammer a couple of times. The porkchop to bar fit is not all that tight.

If is not loose and you don't have the unloading tool, you can still unload it.
You can unload it by undoing both the shock absorber and the lower ball joint. Have a jack under the arm and let rotate to about straight down.

If it is unloaded and you still can't get it out of the pork chop...... Hammer Time!!

Matt
--
Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan
OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit

 

[terry1]

What Matt said. Same problem when I did mine. You still have a load on the bar until you drop the A arm(LCA)past it's operating range. I had to
disconnect the lower ball joint to relieve the stress on mine to get the new one in even though the old bar came out with only the shock disconnected.
Just that extra little bit of twist that the old bar had given up made me have to take the LBJ loose and drop the LCA a few more degrees to get the
pork chop on the replacement bar. Rust is not adhering the chop to the bar, there is too much stress and movement at that connection for a rust bond
to hold up (if the vehicle has been in motion anytime recently).
--
Terry Kelpien

ASE Master Technician

73 Glacier 260

Smithfield, Va.

 

[Rich Kinas]

Well, the front wheels are off and the coach is sitting on cribbage. The
porkchops are fully unloaded, just hanging down, torsion bar will move
around in the rear support mount hole, but the pork chops will not let go
of the back of the bar. I thought that the bar could be putting some
downward force (albeit small) on the rear support so I put jack stands
under each bar ust to raise the rear support off its frame mounts by about
1/2 inch....and it still wont let loose of the pork chops. Do I just need
to hit it harder?

On Mon, Apr 20, 2020 at 9:39 AM Terry via Gmclist
wrote:

> What Matt said. Same problem when I did mine. You still have a load on the
> bar until you drop the A arm(LCA)past it's operating range. I had to
> disconnect the lower ball joint to relieve the stress on mine to get the
> new one in even though the old bar came out with only the shock
> disconnected.
> Just that extra little bit of twist that the old bar had given up made me
> have to take the LBJ loose and drop the LCA a few more degrees to get the
> pork chop on the replacement bar. Rust is not adhering the chop to the
> bar, there is too much stress and movement at that connection for a rust
> bond
> to hold up (if the vehicle has been in motion anytime recently).
> --
> Terry Kelpien
>
> ASE Master Technician
>
> 73 Glacier 260
>
> Smithfield, Va.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

 

[terry1]

If you're sure they are absolutely unloaded, try hammering the chop further ONTO the bar after hitting the bar with lube, and if you get it further on
the bar, inspect and lube the now exposed area making sure the flats are not distorted and the end of the bar is not mushroomed from some previous
installation hammering.
--
Terry Kelpien

ASE Master Technician

73 Glacier 260

Smithfield, Va.

 

[terry1]

If the chop is loose on the bar, maybe rust dust and flat wear are combining to make a jamb up. Compressed air might clear that if applied right at
the joint (if it's not too greasy).
--
Terry Kelpien

ASE Master Technician

73 Glacier 260

Smithfield, Va.

 

[Rich Kinas]

Ok, I am heading out to see if I can figure out what is what....lets hope
for the best.

Rich

On Mon, Apr 20, 2020 at 11:52 AM Terry via Gmclist
wrote:

> If the chop is loose on the bar, maybe rust dust and flat wear are
> combining to make a jamb up. Compressed air might clear that if applied
> right at
> the joint (if it's not too greasy).
> --
> Terry Kelpien
>
> ASE Master Technician
>
> 73 Glacier 260
>
> Smithfield, Va.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

 

[hal stclair]

If you have everything (TB's) loose, try dropping the cross member. Once down you can shift it side to side which will probably get things loose.
Sometimes you can have a side loading on the bars which will lock them in place.
Hal
--
1977 Royale 101348,

1977 Royale 101586, Diesel powered,

1975 Eleganza II, 101230,

1974 Eagle Bus 45',w/slideout,

Rio Rancho, NM

 

[Rich Kinas]

So....just got back in....I had to treat it like a rented mule, and
wack the heck out of it. Used the top of one of my adjustable jacks ,thick
solid steel, and just wacked away and it slowly worked its way out. Just
cleaning it up a bit then back together...All and all a good day.

Rich

On Mon, Apr 20, 2020 at 2:21 PM Hal StClair via Gmclist <

> If you have everything (TB's) loose, try dropping the cross member. Once
> down you can shift it side to side which will probably get things loose.
> Sometimes you can have a side loading on the bars which will lock them in
> place.
> Hal
> --
> 1977 Royale 101348,
>
> 1977 Royale 101586, Diesel powered,
>
> 1975 Eleganza II, 101230,
>
> 1974 Eagle Bus 45',w/slideout,
>
> Rio Rancho, NM
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

 

[Rich Kinas]

So now I just have to break out the ride height adjustment procedure.

--
Rich Kinas
1976 Elaganza II
Orlando, FL

 

[Rich Kinas]

Oh and the end result was that the very small amount of surface rust was enough to prevent them from coming apart. Once apart with a light scraping
with a screw driver and steel wool, a quick coat of bearing grease and they slid together nicely. Ready for the next time I have to take them apart
--
Rich Kinas
1976 Elaganza II
Orlando, FL