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  #1  
Old 05-14-2011, 06:48 PM
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Anyone in Northern Colorado want to help me with a torsion bar repair kit? UPDATE

Hi,
new to the forum. I just traded my 05 subaru and its associated car payment for a 1985 300d turbodiesel sedan. Body isn't bad, 143k miles on it. I'm back in college, so funds area obviously on the shallow end of the spectrum.
The end of my torsion bar failed on the passengers side yesterday. clunking around like crazy, scary during braking. So i ordered the peach parts kit after some research. my friend who welds is out of town for a month so
Anbody from the forum willing to help? I'll buy ya pizza and beer.

Thanks
Schuyler


Last edited by sky44; 05-24-2011 at 01:18 AM.
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  #2  
Old 05-14-2011, 06:58 PM
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welcome to the forum.
I wish I was closer, i'd help for pizza!
it's REALLY unsafe driving the car with the ends busted off. best to have a tow to a welder.
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  #3  
Old 05-14-2011, 07:02 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vstech View Post
welcome to the forum.
I wish I was closer, i'd help for pizza!
it's REALLY unsafe driving the car with the ends busted off. best to have a tow to a welder.
i actually drove it about 100 miles today like that.. thought it was a brake issue
I live in town, i'll be driving it just a few miles at <30 mph if i do end up needing to move the car. for now i'll be riding my bike to work.
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  #4  
Old 05-14-2011, 10:53 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vstech View Post
welcome to the forum.
I wish I was closer, i'd help for pizza!
it's REALLY unsafe driving the car with the ends busted off. best to have a tow to a welder.
X2
Best find some one who is very good at welding. Maybe some one at your college?

Also welcome!!
Moving from a subie to a MB is a big step forward !!
My youngest brother started with a subie & has had 3 MB's since. He will never go back now.
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  #5  
Old 05-15-2011, 11:59 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by layback40 View Post
X2
Best find some one who is very good at welding. Maybe some one at your college?

Also welcome!!
Moving from a subie to a MB is a big step forward !!
My youngest brother started with a subie & has had 3 MB's since. He will never go back now.
yeah i think i may know some good welders.. what's preferred on this? TIG or MIG?
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  #6  
Old 05-16-2011, 09:07 PM
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sounds like i should be able to get this done at work. they encourage personal projects

so any noco folks? Seems like i see these cars really often. someone at CSU has a beautiful beige one.
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  #7  
Old 05-16-2011, 09:20 PM
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I live here in Fort Collins. Welding is about the only thing I can't help out with. Good luck with the repair.
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  #8  
Old 05-16-2011, 10:33 PM
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Originally Posted by JohnM. View Post
I live here in Fort Collins. Welding is about the only thing I can't help out with. Good luck with the repair.
cool i'm in fort collins as well. Any shops you recommend? I got my car at european motor cars over on riverside. Really nice guys, and i got a great deal on it. They were also kind enough to give me a handful of copper benz fuses to replace some of the corroded aluminum ones.
Who's my best bet in the area for parts like brake pads and such?
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  #9  
Old 05-16-2011, 10:59 PM
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Is the end to be welded subject to torsion? I mean, a weld on a twisting bar doesn't sound like a good combination, wouldn't the weld give out?
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  #10  
Old 05-17-2011, 03:10 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scottmcphee View Post
Is the end to be welded subject to torsion? I mean, a weld on a twisting bar doesn't sound like a good combination, wouldn't the weld give out?
I assume this is one of the last W123s... if so you pays your money and you takes your choice...

To remove the front torsion bar and replace with a good one would mean battery out, master brake cylinder etc out, disconnect heater coolant pipes, disconnect some vacuum lines, accelerator linkage, er may be some more bits! And then you're still stuck struggling with a very awkward rod of steel that will probably scratch the heck out of any paint it contacts and most likely will get itself stuck at the back of the engine...

...I removed my front torsion bar with the engine out and engine bay stripped to virtually nothing in it (done for painting) and it was still a pain in the backside. It took me nearly 10 minutes to get it out and there wasn't anything that could be removed in the way.

So to cut a long winded answer short - welding on an end seems like a good way out - although it really does need to be done correctly.

Regardless of which method you choose - you need to get the front suspension geometry adjusted.
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  #11  
Old 05-17-2011, 08:32 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scottmcphee View Post
Is the end to be welded subject to torsion? I mean, a weld on a twisting bar doesn't sound like a good combination, wouldn't the weld give out?
The torsion bar twists in the middle. The ends of it basically serve as lever arms. The part that failed (due to rust) is the narrow threaded bit that runs through the bushings. Given how thin this metal is on the original, I have no problem welding in this area. The heat treating/springiness factor is really only an issue through the center of the bar where it twists. out at the ends loads are light, deformation is minimal. I think this is a good fix, if someone else hadn't already invented it, i would have probably made a similar part on my own.

I'm a sophomore engineering student with 4 years of experience in production metal work, for whatever that's worth.

also learned how to run a wire feed mig welder today.
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  #12  
Old 05-17-2011, 08:34 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Army View Post
I assume this is one of the last W123s... if so you pays your money and you takes your choice...

To remove the front torsion bar and replace with a good one would mean battery out, master brake cylinder etc out, disconnect heater coolant pipes, disconnect some vacuum lines, accelerator linkage, er may be some more bits! And then you're still stuck struggling with a very awkward rod of steel that will probably scratch the heck out of any paint it contacts and most likely will get itself stuck at the back of the engine...

...I removed my front torsion bar with the engine out and engine bay stripped to virtually nothing in it (done for painting) and it was still a pain in the backside. It took me nearly 10 minutes to get it out and there wasn't anything that could be removed in the way.

So to cut a long winded answer short - welding on an end seems like a good way out - although it really does need to be done correctly.

Regardless of which method you choose - you need to get the front suspension geometry adjusted.
yeah i'm definitely going to get it aligned. I'm also going to be figuring out the position of this thing with a set of dial calipers.

this is an 85 W123... was there a torsion bar issue on these things?
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  #13  
Old 05-18-2011, 03:19 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sky44 View Post
yeah i'm definitely going to get it aligned. I'm also going to be figuring out the position of this thing with a set of dial calipers.

this is an 85 W123... was there a torsion bar issue on these things?
Naah I don't think so - all cars rust... I guess you're just a bit unlucky
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Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!
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  #14  
Old 05-23-2011, 09:45 PM
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all done! right side anyway...
so things i learned-you gotta take out the battery tray to get to the inner control arm bolt.
take off the air filter housing too

the baum part is NOT stainless as far as i can tell. it welds very nicely with standard mild steel MIG wire.
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  #15  
Old 05-24-2011, 02:24 AM
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pardon my ignorance... its late...

is the torsion bar the sway bar?

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