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- With the car on a flat surface, measure ride height from the top center of the front
fender well lip to the ground. This measurement is taken to establish the amount of
lowering desired.
- Jack up front of car as high as possible and support chassis with jack stands.
- Disconnect both ends of the sway bar at the link.
- Disconnect both ends of the steering rod at the outboard ball joints.
- Disconnect both front disc brake calipers from the spindle and tie to the chassis so that
the units are out of the way. There is no need to disconnect brake lines.
- Disconnect the bottom of both shock absorbers.
- With the jack supporting the lower A-arm, disconnect the spindle from the upper A-arm
at the ball joint. Slowly lower the assembly to full extension. Follow the same
procedure for the other side of the car.
Warning: The springs are under tremendous pressure and can kill you.
- Remove both plates for the back-side of the torsion bar cross member. Disengage
torsion bars by sliding them to the rear of car. To slide out torsion bars, raise the
A-arm slowly until all the tension on the torsion bar is relaxed, and it will move freely.
There is a threaded hole in the end of the torsion bar to facilitate removal if necessary.
- Remove any sheet metal heat shielding from the bottom of the car that blocks access
to the bolts holding the torsion bar cross member to the chassis.
- Disconnect the torsion bar cross member from the chassis.
- Remove torsion bars completely by sliding them out of their splined sockets.
- Lubricate the spline of the new torsion bars with anti-seize compound or moly
grease.
- Slip the bars into the rear cross member. The end with the threaded hole goes toward
the rear. Install the rear cross member.
- Raise the lower A-arm to a position so that the distance from the center of the top of
the fender well lip to the top of the lower A-arm ball joint stud is about 22-1/2".
- By trial and error, rotate the torsion bar to find the spline alignment that permits the
torsion bar to engage into both the front and rear splined sockets easily. The torsion
bar must be started in the spline by hand, but may be pounded to its full-seated
position after initial engagement. This is an initial setting to obtain the approximate
suspension height.
- Reassemble the upper and lower A-arms. Connect steering links loosely. Leave sway
bar, shock absorbers, and brake calipers disconnected. Install wheels and lower car
to ground. Roll car back and forth and bounce front end to set suspension. Now
measure the height from the top center of the front fender well lip to the ground on
each side of the car. The height may not be the same on both sides. The ride height
will undoubtedly not be what is desired. Write down the height from ground to fender
well lip for both sides. Jack up car, remove wheels, disconnect steering link, and
disconnect upper and lower A-arms.
- Using a pencil, chalk, crayon, or marking pen, record the position of both the front and
rear ends of both torsion bars by marking a spline and a corresponding point on the
spline socket.
- The final adjustment to the desired ride height is done as follows. The ride height is
increased 1.5mm (.059") by rotating the torsion bar one tooth at each end. Right side
of car clockwise. Left side of car counter clockwise. To decrease ride height, rotate in
the opposite direction.
EXAMPLE: Desired ride height (fender well lip to ground) 26".
Preliminary height R.H. side: 26-3/4" (3/4" too high)
L.H. side: 25-1/2" (1/2" too low)
*To correct height on R.H. side use the equation 3/4 (0.750)/0.059=12.71
or approximately 13 teeth. Rotate torsion bar counter clockwise 13 teeth
at each end. Mark 13th tooth at each end of torsion bar, and match to
previous mark on splined socket. Raise lower A-arm until torsion bar
slips easily into splined socket.
*To correct height on L.H. side use the equation 1/2 (.5)/0.059=8.47 or
approximately 8 teeth. Rotate torsion bar counter clockwise 8 teeth at
each end. Mark 8th tooth at each end of torsion bar and match to
previous mark on splined socket. Raise lower A-arm until torsion bar
slips easily into splined socket. - Check ride height again as in above. Make further corrections as necessary.
After desired ride height has been obtained, re-assemble all components.
- When the ride height is changed, the toe-in/toe-out will be affected. This should be
reset as necessary. Camber will also change slightly to negative when the car's ride
height is lowered. This is desirable to reduce understeer but may be adjusted as
desired. See owners manual for toe-in/toe-out and camber specifications.
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