Sign Guy

I just introduced myself on the newby post and already have a question. I picked up my new to me 72 Scamp today. The car was loaded up on a roll back for the 150 mile ride home. When it was backed off the truck the right front was considerably lower than the left-and it wasn't like that when I test drove it and when it was loaded on the truck.

I can press down on the fender and bottom the suspension out with almost no resistance. It's dark now, but what should I look for first? Would locking it down on the rollback cause a problem like that?

Thanks in advance for the help.

440roadrunner

Could be several things---if you don't have a shop manual, you can download a lot of stuff on this very site, but over at "A bodies only" "AbodyJoe" posted this 72 shop manual for free--very good to have

http://www.abodyjoe.com/pictures/Mis...Serv%20Man.pdf

If the car has suffered rust, it's possible that the torsion bar socket welds have failed.

T bars can break, the adjuster mechanism may have fallen out due to a weird situation when loading, although rare. Really, you need to look through the shop manual to see how these work, then look under there and compare side to side to see "what."

I once had a cheapo "driver" that actually cracked a lower control arm.

Sign Guy

thanks, the car doesn't appear to have rust issues there, but I'll get the front end up an look at it tomorrow. I'll download that link now and see what I can find.

Coronet 500

Welcome. When you inspect I would suggest jacking the drooped side at the lower control arm, when you get the tire up say 6 inches block the car up at the K member. At this point a helper would be good to lower the contol arm so you can watch the suspension relax and possibly get your answer.

TVLynn

Could have a frozen shock ??

Sign Guy

I took a look at it this morning, nothing looked out of order to me. (I have almost 12 hours experience with Mopars!) There was of course rust mostly surface rust. Nothing appeared to be rusted through or weakened by rust. The shock had no resistance, and appears to be original to the car. I went to our local Advance Auto Parts, not in stock but a pair will be here tomorrow.

After getting home and moving on to another project I was talking to a friend that said a shock wouldn't hold a car up, and he didn't think that was the problem. So I may be barking up the wrong tree. If the shock doesn't work I'll take it to the tire shop and let them diagnose it.

440roadrunner

It might be rare, but a damaged shock could absolutely cause this problem. Imagine if something like the shaft got bent, or the internals of the shock piston were damaged, the shock could become "jammed" in one spot, and the jostling around getting it on/ off the trailer could have somehow knocked something loose.

So the question becomes does the car now sit lopsided and the suspension seem to move normally on both sides?

Or is one side lower than the other?

and does one side "not move" as it should?

Get the car on a level floor, actually before it came off the trailer would have been better for us old arthritic guys!!!! and have one guy "jump" the suspension up and down on each side while the second watches underneath

Sign Guy

I can with little pressure press down on the lower side (passenger) and bottom out the suspension. When I let go it returns and bounces (like a bad shock would). The drivers side bounces and returns like it should and no matter how hard I press I cannot bottom out the suspension. You can hear the "swishing" of the shock, but not on the side that appears to have a problem.

jacilynn_s

its a mid 70's dart by another name, yes I know its called a plymouth scamp big whoopie, In the middle of the car under the drivers side floor is the crossmember. On the back of that is a large steel anchor for the torsion bar. These cars are Notorius for rotting right around that and the anchor twists free of its welds.

Unless you look closely you probably wont see it even if the rest of the car is almost rust free that spot can and usually will be full of gravel, road dust dirt causing it to completely rot out. If your front end dropped and let go it is almost always because that section of the frame let go. although extremely rare it is also possible the front bolt for putting tension on the torsion bar broke clean off.

Sign Guy

I just went out and inspected that area. There is rust, and it appears to be weakened but not broken. I prodded around that area a good bit and ended up cracking the fuel line slightly, LOL. It's sitting there dripping a drop from time to time in a glass jar now. I've got a lot to learn and a lot to do. If that rusted area is the problem what the suggested way to repair it?

jacilynn_s

Your gonna have to remove the seats and carpet in the car. Then inspect the floor as well I bet it's very rusty.

http://www.autometaldirect.com/ they do have the front crossmember that fits this car but I can't seem to find the listing.

The section is welded intoplace and the torsion bar retighted.

We have plates cut specifically for this type of repair that we weld intoplace on the a body front frame It's usually only around that area that it rots out. it twists in place like i said previously you have to actually look at it to see it.

Just a note the fuel line is on the passenger side. The drivers side has a brake line.

To get it close to being inline, after the carpet and seats are out you dont want a fire, put the car on a hoist so its up in the air. pop the lower ball joint and remove the shock bolt. Back off the adjusting bolt 10 turns. Then using a pipe wrench twist the torsion bar anchor so that the front arm points down as far as it will go. Your anchor is almost right where it needs to be.

Clean off the back of the cross member as best you can and find where the good metal is, most of the time it's about an inch or so away.

The patches we weld on are about a foot wide. Weld patch to anchor with two beads on either side. It wont penetrate with a mig welder easily but thats ok this is just a tack weld at first. Once you have a bead on the patch and a spot weld or two to the good section of the cross member remove the torsion bar. On the back of anchor inside is a clip. Pull both ends of clip together and remove clip. There should also be plastic shims between the end of the torsion bar and clip. Remove it. Work the torsion bar loose from the lower control arm backwards and once it is free it should drop down enough to allow you to remove the rest of the bar out the front along with the rubber cup on the front of the anchor. If it has a clamp remove the clamp with a screwdriver to expand the collapse joint.

With the torsion bar removed you will need an arc welder and put a bead around the anchor to your plate.

The plates i use are made out of 1/8 stock.

Use a mig welder to weld the plates to the cross member all around. With the bar out put another plate on the front section of anchor. When welded into place, and painted, install torsion bar in reverse of taking it out.

Install lower control arm to spindle and shock.

Turn the torsion bar adjuster in 10 turns and set car down.

Push car forwards and backwards about 10 times to settle the suspension.

Measure from the floor to the edge of the front fender in wheelwell. Adjust the torsion bar adjuster turning in to raise car turning out to lower car so that both sides match in height.

I should warn you that if one side went the other is close behind.

Sign Guy

it was the passenger side that I was looking at. That is the side that dropped. On the cross member there are two round fittings one on the drivers side and one on the passengers side, near where the fuel lines turn and start inboard toward the center of the car. That is where I found the rust. I guess I should go back and re-read your post if I'm looking in the wrong place.

Sign Guy

I've read and reread your post. I am pretty sure you are right. This isn't going to be easy is it? Being new to chrysler products there is a lot I don't understand about the torsion bar set up. Lots of reading, I understand the situation now, even looked at some photos I found on google of the repair. My car doesn't seem to be that rusty but I am sure that is what happened. Off to the mechanics shop this week!

jacilynn_s

easy nope. Is it super hard no. However replace that fuel line with steel from the front to back its 5/16 about 16 feet long and the cost is like $25 it will cost more in rubber hose.

If the fuel line is rotten so is the brake lines replace those too its not hard with the right tool.

http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/345-Flar...l/EN/index.htm best one on market pretty much idiot proof doesnt leave marks like others and does the flare correctly on the first try everytime. And yes they have the double flaring kits.

TVLynn

If you are going to make it a hot rod ? Use 3/8" fuel line. You need to take the seats and carpet out and check for rust

Sign Guy

I am new to all this,but I've done a lot of reading and checking today. I swear I didn't see the rust when I looked at the car. I see just a bit now and see that indeed the bar has twisted,but the floors seem solid. However bowing to superior knowledge I think I need to pull the seats and carpet. Everywhere I've looked that is the common rule.

My good deal is starting to burn just a little bit, LOL

jacilynn_s

It's an A body. Getting a high performance big block in there with dual 4 barrels is tough. Chances are he will have a slant 6 or maybe a small block. 5/16 is plenty good and can be bent by hand easily enough.

Sign Guy

I'm not planning on any big motor changes just want a good dependable cruiser for car shows, cruise ins and those little weekend road trips.

Coronet 500

If you go with the larger fuel line it will help reduce vapour lock that everyone experiences with the new gas.

Sign Guy

New crossmember repair kit ordered, will replace both sides. Have a friend with welders that's agreed to help me out. Going to order a carpet kit to replace the tired one that's in it since I have to take it out anyway.

Coronet 500

Real important that you record the hex "clock" position of the torsion bar mount in the crossmember.

jacilynn_s

What vapour lock?

Sign Guy

Stripped out the interior this evening. Only a tiny spot of rust on the drivers side floor and that side hasn't presented a problem yet. The passenger side is the one the cross member gave up on. There is a rust hole in the floor about the size of a 50 cent piece. Other than that the floor is solid. We will repair both sides of the cross member since I have both pieces and will make me rest easier. I am pleased the the small amount of rust I found and tickled that I also found the Build Sheet still taped to the floor and in decent condition. Are these build sheets as important in Mopar land as they are in GM?