Lowering

1. Mickswan Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Apr 2013 Jarrow Posts: 4022 2003 Icelandic Grey 16v VTR 1991 Daihatsu GTti

   #1 16th August 2013, 01:00

   Can someone give me a no bullshit assessment of lowering the back end. Is it easy enough to do?
   
   I'm confident enough with the spanners, but I've never done it before (obviously). Anything I should look out for?
2. Cam Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Nov 2010 Kent Posts: 8439 Gen 7 Celica 190.

   #2 16th August 2013, 01:11

   Torsion bars being seized solid
3. Bedford126 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Jul 2010 Morley, Leeds Posts: 8469 Civic ep3 type r powered by TDI NORTH

   #3 16th August 2013, 01:12

   Take your time get a old torsion bar and cut it in half and use that to hit the bars out with, easy enough the hardest part is if you have a problem and you don't know the solution.
   
   

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by Cam Torsion bars being seized solid

   No such thing mate just use a bigger hammer and a few man hours.
4. Mickswan Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Apr 2013 Jarrow Posts: 4022 2003 Icelandic Grey 16v VTR 1991 Daihatsu GTti

   #4 16th August 2013, 01:26

   Hit the torsion bar out? I was going to pull them out using a bolt, tube and washer. Am I missing something or am I lost before starting?
5. Elodin Infrequent Poster Joined: Aug 2013 Posts: 114

   #5 16th August 2013, 11:24

   Dont forget to be liberal with the gt40.
6. Bedford126 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Jul 2010 Morley, Leeds Posts: 8469 Civic ep3 type r powered by TDI NORTH

   #6 16th August 2013, 11:51

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by Mickswan Hit the torsion bar out? I was going to pull them out using a bolt, tube and washer. Am I missing something or am I lost before starting?

   Pulling them out with a bolt and socket is useless mate.
7. LSOfreak Saxperience Addict Joined: Jan 2008 west london Posts: 13810

   #7 16th August 2013, 12:49

   im far from a mechanic but quite handy with spanners and id say it is do able, just a bit of a ball ache and quite time consuming. Read up alot on how to do it. Its very straight forward the concept of it
8. Elodin Infrequent Poster Joined: Aug 2013 Posts: 114

   #8 16th August 2013, 12:58

   Quote:

   Hit the torsion bar out? I was going to pull them out using a bolt, tube and washer. Am I missing something or am I lost before starting?

   I 2nd this. As far as im aware its 2 seperate bars, ie one for each side, hence the reason they have to be pulled out. So how does the 'hit them out' method work?
9. LSOfreak Saxperience Addict Joined: Jan 2008 west london Posts: 13810

   #9 16th August 2013, 14:44

   pulling them out will either snap the bolt inside the torsion bar, or strip the threads out the torsion bar. If you remove the torx screws and washers from both ends of the torsion bar, you can hit them out with a metal pole. Make sure you wind a bolt in the end before you start hammering them as youll just make a mess of the end of the torsion bar.
   
   I did a torsion bar the other day (2nd one ive done now), and safely say a bolt and washer method to pull the passenger side bar out would have been like pissing in the wind frankly.. it took a good hour of constant beating with a lump hammer to push it out
10. user_46658 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Aug 2010 Little Mill, South Wales Posts: 7547 Mondeo ST TDCI Saxo VTS

    #10 16th August 2013, 14:48

    Soak in WD40 or any other penetrating fluid the night before should ease the removal of the torsion bars.
11. GTuff Established Member Joined: Apr 2007 Alderley Edge,Cheshire Posts: 1048 1.6 VT?

    #11 16th August 2013, 18:47

    im fair competant with most mechanics but doing it on your own is a cunt get a mate to help makes it so much easier
12. LSOfreak Saxperience Addict Joined: Jan 2008 west london Posts: 13810

    #12 16th August 2013, 19:42

    in the past ive always just got krisb to do it for like £60-70. Saves all the blood and tears
13. Mickswan Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Apr 2013 Jarrow Posts: 4022 2003 Icelandic Grey 16v VTR 1991 Daihatsu GTti

    #13 16th August 2013, 20:46

    Thanks for the info lads, I'm getting a better picture of what I need to do now. I didn't want to start and not have a good idea of what I needed to do.
    
    So in my mind this is how it's going to go after jacking the car up and wheels off:
    
    Remove the end plate
    Remove the torx bolt and washer
    Get stuck into the area with some WD
    Put a bolt in the end of the bar
    Whack the torsion bar out
    
    Set the ride hight then replace the bar
    
    Right, if the above is correct then happy days.
    
    Any trick to refitting the bar? Also someone mentioned replacing the bearings and seals.
14. LSOfreak Saxperience Addict Joined: Jan 2008 west london Posts: 13810

    #14 16th August 2013, 22:52

    Yeah thats about right
    Disconnect the damper aswel. A good trick to get the arb is to wind the top damper bolt in there to prize it apart.
    Also keep an eye out that you don't knock the whole trailing arm off. The bar will refit a certain way as the splines would have changed position slightly. Just have to turn it one spline at a time till you find it fits in
15. L33h Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Oct 2007 North-east - Washington Posts: 7311 Clio 182, Fireblade GSX-R 750

    #15 16th August 2013, 23:35

    I got to the point where i had to remove the full axle from the car and bray the torsion bar out with a sledge hammer. believe me it can be solid
16. Bedford126 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Jul 2010 Morley, Leeds Posts: 8469 Civic ep3 type r powered by TDI NORTH

    #16 16th August 2013, 23:42

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by L33h I got to the point where i had to remove the full axle from the car and bray the torsion bar out with a sledge hammer. believe me it can be solid

    Your hammer was too small. There is always a bigger hammer.
    
17. AS_BO Infrequent Poster Joined: Jun 2013 Washington Tyne & Wear Posts: 210 Ph2 VTR

    #17 17th August 2013, 21:08

    Mick did you have a crack at it then? I'm gonna give mine a shot shortly and wanted to know how you got on?