Re: [DML] Broken torsion bar

["twinenginedmc12" <twinenginedmc12@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Welding torsion bars is a desperate idea.  As long as replacements
exist, I wouldn't weld a torsion bar to save a buck (or 1500).

Several years ago, I knicked my torsion bar.  To get rid of the stress
concentration point a knick presents, I ground off a wide faired area
to remove the knick, and polished the torsion bar.  (That seems to
have worked, by the way, so far).  Thank you, Mr. Metallurgist.  I
can't remember your name, but you know who you are.

Anyway, while thinking about torsion bars back then, I researched the
torsion bars.

They are under about 100,000 psi of stress, which is a lot.  (Shooting
from memory, don't quote me or take my word for it, do the math
yourself, and correct me if I'm wrong, please.)  It's impressive more
don't break.

I thought about what one could do to weld them.  It's hard to create a
weld that would duplicate the strength to withstand that stress.
It's my belief that a very good welder, using the right material,
could weld up a torsion bar, make the welded section a little wider,
fair the thicker section into the virgin material, polish it up, and
make it work, though the unbroken part of the torsion bar would be
under even higher stress.  Even if it worked, I wouldn't put it on my
car without stressing it to 125% of load through lots and lots of
cycles. If no replacements existed, I'd give it a shot.  If you weld
it, it's important the welder is skilled both in welding itself, and
in stress reduction. 

I also thought about how to make a replacement, and came up with a
design that doesn't involve cryotwisting that would/might work.  I
abandoned it because of risk.  If all of the oem torsion bars break
simultaneously, I'll resurrect the idea.  Personally, I'd rather see
someone duplicate the tooling to create "stock" torsion bars.  It'd be
expensive, but at least nobody will get sued for deviating from the
original design.

I store my car with the doors up.  I make sure I don't have anything
in the way of the door when I close it.  


Rick 11472



--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Rod Dillman <rhdillman@...> wrote:
>
> If the torsion bar is under the greatest stress when the doors are
closed, should the doors be left open when the car is in the garage? 
Rod  10921




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