Torsion bars

rkhracing · 7/10/09, 6:23 PM

What is the average life of a torsion bar?I hear some guys how they buy new bars all the time after only just a hand full of races and was wondering if they have that short of a life or are these guys just not taking any chances of 1 failing.

TQ29m · 7/12/09, 1:53 PM

Man, this can be a can of worms, everyone has a different opinion, and you will get them all. I got to assume, that if you went to the trouble, to buy/build a test rig, and checked them after every race, then you'd have facts, otherwise, you'll get opinions. And, I'm guessing, it would also depend on the bar, and how you treat them. I know one racer, that NEVER, lets the car set, even on the way to and from the track, with ANY weight on the bars, he's done this for at least 20 years, me, mine sits all the time with the weight of the car on it. I built this car in 98, and it still has the original bars in it, I thought one time, we had killed the LR, had a real hard landing, but it is still working good, maybe a replacement would be better, but for now it's still doing OK. It would be interesting, to send these bars back, for re-run on the static test bench, just to see how close they are, to what they were 10 years ago. Expect a lot of opinions on your question, but you'll have to make the final decision, I know, I used to go to Dayton's Auction, and watch hundreds go across the block for less than a buck apiece, so one year, I bought 1 lot, you can't buy the material in them for that, and I've used them for a lot of projects, it's damn good steel, and all you got to do is grab one, and saw off what you need, and use it. Good luck! Bob

SprintRacer4 · 8/5/09, 6:35 PM

Like TQ said, there are going to be a lot of opinions on this. There isn't really a right or wrong answer, I think it's just a matter of opinion. Obviously bars need to be inspected, cleaned & greased after every night. I've used bars upwards of 3-5 years, if the car is still consistent & feels good then the bars are probably okay. If the car feels "sloppy" or seems to be "falling down" on 1 particular corner, I'd say that bar is probably shot. And I am one of those guys that does not let the car sit with any weight on it/bars. Traveling up & down the road the car gets blocks under the frame so the car isn't bouncing around & wearing out the bars & shocks. And if the car is going to be sitting in the shop for a long period of time it's on stands with set up blocks under the axles & torsion stops off.

Larryoracing · 8/7/09, 5:14 AM

I agree with TQ29M...lol. Never let your car sit on the bars at the shop or while traveling to the track and back home. Place a 6 in block of wood across the bottom of the frame, then tie the car down. Keep the wt off the bars.
At home invest in some stands and keep the car off the ground. I know TQ29M did not say that, but I know three racers. They have raced all thier lives. Some good, some better and some will never give up, but they all keep the car off the bars at home and while traveling to and from the track.

And good question.

Larry "O"

7/10/09, 6:23 PM	#1 Torsion bars
rkhracing Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 56	What is the average life of a torsion bar?I hear some guys how they buy new bars all the time after only just a hand full of races and was wondering if they have that short of a life or are these guys just not taking any chances of 1 failing. _________________________________________________ Last edited by rkhracing; 7/10/09 at 6:26 PM.

7/12/09, 1:53 PM	#2 Re: Torsion bars
TQ29m Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 6,262	Man, this can be a can of worms, everyone has a different opinion, and you will get them all. I got to assume, that if you went to the trouble, to buy/build a test rig, and checked them after every race, then you'd have facts, otherwise, you'll get opinions. And, I'm guessing, it would also depend on the bar, and how you treat them. I know one racer, that NEVER, lets the car set, even on the way to and from the track, with ANY weight on the bars, he's done this for at least 20 years, me, mine sits all the time with the weight of the car on it. I built this car in 98, and it still has the original bars in it, I thought one time, we had killed the LR, had a real hard landing, but it is still working good, maybe a replacement would be better, but for now it's still doing OK. It would be interesting, to send these bars back, for re-run on the static test bench, just to see how close they are, to what they were 10 years ago. Expect a lot of opinions on your question, but you'll have to make the final decision, I know, I used to go to Dayton's Auction, and watch hundreds go across the block for less than a buck apiece, so one year, I bought 1 lot, you can't buy the material in them for that, and I've used them for a lot of projects, it's damn good steel, and all you got to do is grab one, and saw off what you need, and use it. Good luck! Bob __________________ "Being old, isn't half as much fun, as getting there"! Ole Robert I!

8/5/09, 6:35 PM	#3 Re: Torsion bars
SprintRacer4 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 356	Like TQ said, there are going to be a lot of opinions on this. There isn't really a right or wrong answer, I think it's just a matter of opinion. Obviously bars need to be inspected, cleaned & greased after every night. I've used bars upwards of 3-5 years, if the car is still consistent & feels good then the bars are probably okay. If the car feels "sloppy" or seems to be "falling down" on 1 particular corner, I'd say that bar is probably shot. And I am one of those guys that does not let the car sit with any weight on it/bars. Traveling up & down the road the car gets blocks under the frame so the car isn't bouncing around & wearing out the bars & shocks. And if the car is going to be sitting in the shop for a long period of time it's on stands with set up blocks under the axles & torsion stops off.

8/7/09, 5:14 AM	#4 Re: Torsion bars
Larryoracing Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 380	I agree with TQ29M...lol. Never let your car sit on the bars at the shop or while traveling to the track and back home. Place a 6 in block of wood across the bottom of the frame, then tie the car down. Keep the wt off the bars. At home invest in some stands and keep the car off the ground. I know TQ29M did not say that, but I know three racers. They have raced all thier lives. Some good, some better and some will never give up, but they all keep the car off the bars at home and while traveling to and from the track. And good question. Larry "O"