Uprated torsion bar

[pete bann]

found this article on the web, any truth behind it?

"The problems that this lack of stiffer torsion bars create is that like a lot of front wheel drive cars and especially French cars, the rear suspension is set too high and too soft as standard. When you lower and stiffen the front this unbalanced situation is made worse. Sadly, many suppliers of these kits and supported by articles in motor magazines say the answer is to lower the rear suspension to make the car level again by just turning the torsion bars around on their splines. This is definitely not a solution but merely way of getting around a problem that hopefully not too many people understand the reason why it is not a proper fix. The reason it is not a fix is that to make the cars sit lower you have to take tension off the bar, which exactly the opposite of what is necessary. Yes, it will lower the suspension to get it looking good and level with the front but thats all. If you put on some lowered uprated front springs you will make the handling worse unless you can fit uprated rear torsion bars. If you are more concerned with appearance then this modification is OK but if improved handling is required it is definitely not. "

Never heard of uprated torsion bars personally, anyone?

pete

 

[BenR]

yup, in essence its correct. When we lower and change suspension for performance reasons, an increase in spring poundage is neccesary.

However, lowering using the torsion bar is the only method, we cant use higher poundage springs. And it doent relieve tension, as when the car is lowered to teh ground, tension is put back in as sag is taken up.

But, the poundage of the torsion bar will stay the same. You can get uprated torsion bars, but unfortunately, not for every car. Mostly the pugs and the citroen AX. Dont know about the clio, but i would expect that they do do uprated valver and willy torsion bars for they were used in many a rally and its own one make series. Best lower spec cars can do is use the items from the 16V but either fitting the rear axle or checkin if they can fit an existing one off a higher spec car.

 

[shanemc]

as far as i know prima used to do 16v gp n t.bars

 

[Mikey16vClio]

Doesnt coilovers solve this problem as these will take the strain, and handeling is surposably greatly improved even with the 16v?

 

[BenR]

the coilover stups on clios (the MK1 platform) only have small ID springs on the fronts, the rears stay as asj shockers only.

 

[Mikey16vClio]

So howd you stiffen the rear suspension with-out buying a new torsion bar?

Surposably impossible or does the torsion bar have a naturally progressive type of stifing, hence lowering the car would result in a harder rear end suspension cause the reflex of the torsion bar is stiffer (spring more compressed?)?

And is it easy to match the front and rear stiffness? Anyone with coilovers provide answers?

 

[BenR]

like i said, coilover only use coiled springs on the front in teh MK1 clio case.

The lowring is done by removing and then replacing the bars, hence no increase in preload.

Dampers increase compression and rebound damping rates, but spring rate stays the same.