Rusty Torsion Bar...

[nfbr]

Hi people, Im taking my car to a garage tomorrow to have my torsion bar lowered. I have taken the dust caps off and given my torsion bar a blast with WD40 to make the job easier for the garage.

Can anyone tell me if my torsion bar (rustyest side pictured below) is going to be too rusty for the garage to be able to get it out and lower my rear end.

http://www.nfbr.dsl.pipex.com/rustybar.jpg

 

[Ben H]

Looks alright to me.

 

[weight]

Looks fine! na worry!

 

[nfbr]

Thanks guys It was 4 times as rusty as that when i first got the dust covers off it !

i used some WD40 and my dads "dental scraper" thingies to get as much of the rust off as i can. Just hope they can lower it for me tomorrow morning (and i hope they dont charge me too much)

Also i got a knocking that sounds like its coming from something near the bulkhead but it only does it when im setting off. You know how sometimes you dont give it enough fuel when letting the clutch out. Not sure if its anything serious, Just wondering if anyone knows what it could be?

 

[Ben H]

Engine mount? Steering/suspension component?

Should be pretty easy to see whats going on with the 1.4 Enery lump in the engine bay (I used to have a Mk1 1.2).

 

[nfbr]

Just checked all the engine mounts over. All are now set to the torque specified in my haynes manual and the knocking is still going. I know its not stearing related as i dont get any noise when i stear.

It cant be the Bearings or the balljoints as the car had new ones fitted just weeks before i purchased it.

 

[steve_rt]

inner CV joints?

 

[nfbr]

will have inner cv joints checked out. Thanks steve.

 

[nfbr]

http://www.nfbr.dsl.pipex.com/cleanerbar.jpg

Had another go at getting it cleaner. Think ive done quite a good job.

gonna attack it later with the picks again but ill use my flood light so i can see more under their

 

[cliocup]

Theres no way you can tell how siezed they are just by looking at them. Chances are if they havnt ever been out then they will be pretty tight-with a decent size slide hammer (I use a driveshaft puller-works a treat) you can get almost any bars out.

WD will help but its got nowhere to go untill you start to move the bar and it can seep in. Helps if your garage has done them before then they will have a good idea how to shift em!

 

[nfbr]

Yeah im pretty sure theyve done torsion bars before as they said straight away yeah sure we can do it. N they said theyd take a look at it first to see how hard or how easy it will be before they do it. So they must have some insite on how to do it.

I just hope they can do it for me as im fed up of seeing my car looking like a 4x4 off road thing.

 

[steve_rt]

if youre that bothered start to take them out yourself, using the home-made tool here:
http://www.daz-uk.com/cliosport/guides/lowering-torsion-bar/http://www.daz-uk.com/cliosport/guides/lowering-torsion-bar/
that way you can see if theyll go or not. and id have a go at it yourself if i were you.

 

[nfbr]

I dont have any axel stands or a jack. Or a decent wheel wrench that i dont have to break my arms to use.

Having a go at it myself will unfortunately only lead to one thing...
Total loss of Pre-tension. lol.

 

[steve_rt]

jack + axle stands = 40quid. well worth it, you save yourself so much labour charges in the long run. but your money!

 

[nfbr]

Loss of pre-tension = about a million quid or a new car. Ive got a good trolley jack. only problem is its at my grandads in blackpool (100 miles away)

 

[steve_rt]

lol ok, bit dramatic but hey im always one for tryin anything once

 

[nfbr]

lol. know what you mean. I got my springs and my Locking wheel nut key ready for tomorrow morning hope they can do it as the Photoshops ive done apear to make my car look gorgeous

http://gallery.corsacrazy.com/albums/album01/aaa.jpg

Before...

http://gallery.corsacrazy.com/albums/album01/aab.jpg

After...

 

[RicH-]

u want it lower than that mate ! get it slammed !! hehe will look much better low

 

[nfbr]

I will be lowering 55mm after ive got a load of other mods done (including new wheels) Eventually i want it lowered 55mm on new springs n shocks.

For the moment, just front springs are being replaced, and my mates gona try find me some Clio Van shocks

 

[nfbr]

Well their goes the idea of getting my car lowered. The garage i took it to cant lower my torsion bar cos the bushes have to be destroyed to remove the bars. Funny cos when i looked in my haynes manual i never even saw any bushes on the splined part of the torsion bar or any connected to it.

DOES ANYONE LIVE IN OLDHAM AND KNOW WHAT GARAGE WILL DO A TORSION BAR LOWERING????????????????????????????????????????

Driving round in an Off Roader is becoming far beyond a joke.