RE: IML: Torsion Bar Front Suspension

["Ernie Stepney" <estepney@xxxxxxxxx>]

Ah yes; broken torsion bars, had an Astro AWD towed in last week with
that instant lowering job. Broke while parked overnight.

Ernie


-----Original Message-----
From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of aeyn
Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 10:20 PM
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: IML: Torsion Bar Front Suspension

What Rolland has to tell about the Torsion bar is great and very
interesting.  Has any one here seen a broken T-Bar.  I have and
it isn't a pretty sight.  It is EXTREMELY hard to break them.

By The Way, I recently bought the 1975 Dealer Trim and Accessory
for initial inventory (not hard bound.)  I discovered that my
Imperial is Moon Dust Metallic (LL5), not Aztec Gold as I had
understood.  It has a cream/camel coloured leather interior.  How
can I post photos on the web site.

Æyn & Patrick

--- Dr David George Briant <drdgb@xxxxxxx> wrote:

> Useful interesting comments by Rolland.  Thank you.
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: RWestra@xxxxxxx 
>   To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
>   Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 5:16 PM
>   Subject: Re: IML: Torsion Bar Front Suspension
> 
> 
>   I worked at Chrysler Central Engineering from 1959 to 1961
> when the "Torsion-Aire" suspension was just two years on the
> market.  The stated reasons for going to a torsion bar spring
> were two-fold as I recall:
>   1.  Packaging - lower front profile for the 1957 cars.  It
> was easier to package a long bar parallel to the frame than try
> to tuck a coil spring between the upper and lower control arms.
> 
>   2. Adjustable suspension height to avoid matching front coil
> springs at the plant.  
> 
>   Along with the torsion bar spring a new suspension geometry
> was introduced to improve handling and control front end "dive"
> when braking.  This had nothing to do with the choice of spring
> configuration but it may have been easier to design in the
> desired geometry without a coil spring to restrict packaging.  
> 
> 
>   As I recall the torsion bar spring rate was higher than the
> coil spring.   This stiffer ride improved handling.  To
> compensate for the stiffer ride a new 14" tire was introduced. 
> This provided the "Aire" component of the "Torsion-Aire" ride. 
>  (more than likely invented in the marketing department).  The
> new suspension was a good one and probably the most advanced of
> its time.  It represented probably the best ride/handling
> compromise of its time but this was due mostly to the geometry
> and tire selection and probably had little to do with the
> spring configuration. 
> 
>   I'm not sure but as I recall the suspension design looked a
> lot like the Citrone at the time.  As for the torsion bars
> influence on ride and handling it really didn't.  The
> conventional wisdom at Chrysler was:  whether you take a piece
> of spring steel and stretch it into a rod or coil it into a
> spring it is still a spring and like all springs must obey 
> Hookes law.  
> 
>   This is my 2 cents worth on the Torsion-Air ride of the 50's
> at Chrysler.  My memory of events nearly 50 years ago is not
> perfect but this is my recollection.  
> 
>   When I worked in Chassis research a rear torsion bar car was
> prototyped (a 1959 Plylmouth) and development work continued
> for 2 to three years but it never made it to production.  The
> comments were: "the leaf spring, with its multi functions, is
> just darn hard to replace.  
> 
>                                                                
>                               Rolland Westra



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