[DMCForum] Re: Torsion Bar Issue

["twinenginedmc12" <twinenginedmc12@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Brandon.

Nay.  I'm skeptical of welded torsion bars.  I might weld mine up 
myself if it broke, but I'd never ever trust it again.  Everytime 
time I closed the door, I'd be waiting for the "bang" of a new break, 
unless I made a testjig and torqued that sucker to 125% a few hundred 
times, and then I still wouldn't trust it.

The repair mechanism your guy did is good in theory.  An unavoidable 
side effect is that with the welded metal sleeve, which probably 
isn't as "sproingy", the tension has to be absorbed by the untreated 
remainder of the torsion rod, which has decreased in length by about 
10%. So you can expect the stress in the torsion bar to go up by 
about 10%.  I have no idea how much margin is in the torsion bars to 
begin with, but it's probably more than 10%, so you're probably 
okay.  If the weld isn't ground to a smooth taper, that should be 
done.  There should be no sharp edges, or holes anywhere in the weld.
I would polish it.

Changes in thickness tend to concentrate the stress, and alloy 
differences can result in corrosion on a molecular level over time, 
and the stress will fatigue the joint.  I expect this torsion bar to 
fail. 

I wouldn't want any part of me to be between the door and the car at 
that time. 

I'm not a professional.  Good luck.

Rick.
--- In DMCForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "brandelorean" <brandelorean@xxxx> 
wrote:
> 
> Hey Guys,
> 
> I recently put up a post on the DML and I figured I might be able 
to 
> get a good yay/nay response from you guys as well.  
> 
> My Passenger Door Torsion Bar is broken...but it broke about 1 to 2 
> inches away from the rear part, not what goes into the door hinge 
> but what faces the rear of the vehicle.  NOW, I've already had the 
> torsion bar welded...which didn't cost much yet they did a superb 
> job of placing a thick steel sleeve over the entire break that 
> extends about an inch outwards on both sides of the break.  So 
where 
> the break was, it is now a solid piece of metal.  
> 
> My question is do you guys think, with the location of the break 
and 
> the quality of the welding, that I should test the bar out?  I was 
> told someone has done load testing on the bars and maybe could 
point 
> out something I don't know.  
> 
> I have the hinges off the car to be powdercoated, so I might try 
> securing the hinge and putting a bit of pressure on the bar to see 
> how it feels.  
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brandon
> Vin 3323
> Denver CO

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