Front torsion bar fouling chassis

[Mrs Chris W]

The Smurf's just failed it's MoT on the front torsion bar fouling the chassis and also on the bar restricting the handbrake cable's movement.

Before I dive under the beasty and start pulling it apart does anyone know what could be causing this? The truck has a 2 inch suspension lift on it and we were wondering if this could be part of the issue?

It's pulled/drifted slightly to the right ever since we had the truck and I thought it might be the ball joints so have replaced them.

Many thanks

Chris

P.S Thanks for everyone's reassurance re the towing.

[TonyN]

It shouldn't, the bar is fixed both ends, and just twists, it can't move around unless something is broken.

Very wierd, the handbrake cable is clipped to the body, then goes round the t/bar to the bracket, and would only be stretched with a body lift, not suspension lift, you may find someone has undone the brackets and it's resting on the bar.

Need pics.

[Chris W]

Cheers Tony, I'll try to get some pics tomorrow, our MoT guy was somewhat puzzled as well but he doesn't have much experience with 4x4s let alone Surfs.

[BUSHWHACKER]

MoT guy was somewhat puzzled as well but he doesn't have much experience with 4x4s let alone Surfs.

No sh*t!

[Chris W]

No sh*t!

He had to phone up VOSA and ask their advice on it, but hey they can't know it all.

[Chris W]

Had a shmooze and we think the bar's a wee bit bent.

N/S (the ok one):



O/S (the bended one):



How the hell do you bend a torsion bar?

Oh and this was another bit the truck failed on:



Can the ARB bush brackets really end up like that or has it been 'manipulated'?

[TonyN]

blimey.



I'd guess the T/bar has been overloaded by bouncing or landing hard offroad, or twisted to far when playing with suspension lifts. You need some new or good used ones. (I have lots)

The ARB is normal, they often break like that. The bar has flattened it as its moved up and down once broken.

[lord lucan]

never seen that before , [been stripping these for 3 years] pair of good torsion bars £75 inc p+p

[Chris W]

Just a quicky to say many thanks to Tony for helping out with this, looks like I'll have to invest in a bit of suspension mount straightening.

The truck's went through it's MoT. The tester asked how we sorted out the torsion bar, I said 'you don't want to know.

[TonyN]

Excellent.

Good to meet you and misses