I *TOLD* you I had a sleep deficit... Just re-read below. Major typo -- just substitute the word "torsion bar" everywhere I mention hex head tool in the "retainer" and should be OK. Now you know why I let Dave perform the operation! Bill. >--- In dmcnews@xxxx, "content22207" <brobertson@xxxx> wrote: > If I understand Dave Swingle, your problem likely was hex tool not > seated completely in retainer (obviously came loose once -- lucky you > didn't crack the back window too). If tool is not fully seated, will > distort splined end of torsion bar just enough to lock into retainer. > Fellow I travelled with had same problem. Dave was able to slowly rock > it off with small pry bars on either side of retainer (where bolts > attach to the car). > > To avoid this, he repeatedly raps the hex tool into the retainer with > a hammer throughout the whole procedure. > > Torsion bar will also freeze into receptacle at front of car -- have > to use same hex tool in the other direction to literally "crack" free. > > Note that over torqued torsion bars will tear the metal plate over the > back window loose from the car and distort it. Our cars have precious > little metal in them to begin with -- don't want to mangle what's there. > > I watched Dave's every step. I understood everything he did. And I'm > still not going to attempt the procedure myself. Perhaps one day, but > not now. If there's a club or *able* mechanic within any sort of > driving distance, I again recommend making the trip, even if it's an > overnight. > > Add to the list of things you can tear up: the torsion bars themselves > (apparently even a minute scrape will magnify into a major fracture > under their stress). > > Bill Robertson > #5939