torsion bar adjustment
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torsion bar adjustment



If the bars do not have enough preload on them, which will result in lower ride height in the front, the spring rate will be softer than what it should be.  The Chrysler service manual mentions taking measurements from two places on each side of the front suspension, which generates the height spec they use in the service manual.  In later years, the spec was changed to the dimension between the lower control arm and the bottom of the rubber bumper that contacts it when the suspension is compressed.  With torsion bars, the less preload they have the softer the spring rate and vice versa. 
 
Visually, the rocker panel of the vehicle should be parallel to the flat road surface.  If you extent an imaginary line from the rocker panel through the wheel covers, the front and back should "hit" the center section of the wheel cover in the same places.  If, per chance, the rear springs have sagged, this particular exercise might not be entirely accurate, but you can then use the advertising pictures of the day for Chryslers or Impeials for an idea.
 
Other than that, shock absorbers can have an effect too, but if the spring is not strong enough or the speed is way too fast for the terrain, bottoming out will happen.  My experience has been that if the bars are set to specs and the shocks are good HD units (although current shocks might not be as good as the older Monroe Super 500s or Gabriel Striders!), the cars should have greater capabilities than anything else in their size class.
 
Get a Chrysler manual for those years and check the basic positioning of the bar in the rear housing.  You should be able to do this without disassembling anything, if I recall correctly. If the indexing is correct and one side takes more preload to hit the specs, then it might be getting ready to have a problem.  If removing/installing the bars, use Chrysler-specified tools to remove them as others might damage the bar!  Seems like I saw where someone was repro-ing them (in one of the recent Mopar mags or Mopar Collectors Guide).
 
Hope this helps,
W Bell


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