Rear leaf spring "tensioner"??

[prowler]

So I am disconnecting everything attached to my LeBaron 7.25 diff, getting ready for my 8.25 replacement. The rear leak springs have something I've never seen before described as a "spring tensioner". It looks like a torsion bar of sorts. The factory service man states must have a special tool to relieve tension. The tension is on the back of the shackles. If I jack the diff high enough, there is space created between the shackle and the torsion bar and looks to relieve any tension at that point. This bracket assembly can be unbolted from the bottom of the frame rail but I'm not sure what to expect once the attaching bolts are undone. Anyone else dealt with this leaf spring tensioner??

 

[DCAspen]

How about some pictures of what you’re dealing with?

 

[Camtron]

Are you talking about a rear sway bar?

 

[Camtron]

Oh man, I wonder if someone left a spring tensioner one the leafs instead of replacing them….i think I know what he’s talking about

 

[prowler]

These are a bracket of sorts that has two bolts bolting them to the the bottom of the frame rails, both sides. The top of the rear shackle bolts go through them. There is a tension bar that when the car is on the ground, a tension bar goes across the two rear top shackle sides and provides tension on the back upper portion of the shackles. I had never seen this before and it is in the fac serv manual. It looked like the easiest was to remove the diff/suspension in it's entirety, is to remove the assembly, leaf's and all. That's what I planned on doing. Clean up the leaf's, new shock plates for the 8.25 and throw it all back up in place. I been Mopar all my life and have never heard of or seen these tension bracket(s) before. They are by the serv manual,... only on certain models.

 

[Camtron]

Beats me. Sounds like you either have a couple spring tensioners which are normally used for setting spring rate to determine how many leafs need to be added or removed, or there’s a factory helper system on the rear leafs and the car was used for hauling at some point.

 

[Camtron]

only thing I have is a sway bar option but my manual is an ‘89 and there’s definitely options/variations over the years.

 

[DCAspen]

Rear sway bar is the same 76-89

 

[Camtron]

Rear sway bar is the same 76-89

Yea, I should specify options across the platform not just sway bar wise. Like, my manual makes no option of towing packages but, I know people have them optioned on their cars out there. I don’t know if it’s a dealership/aftermarket install or factory option, but they’re out there.

 

[M_Body_Coupe]

...and this is a FACTORY setup???

Actual part, or a service tool...because yeah, I too would love to see a pic of this "thing"!!!

 

[AMC Diplomat]

. I had never seen this before and it is in the fac serv manual.

Pics?

 

[Mikes5thAve]

The only thing I see in the manual is a spring stretcher tool, nothing else shown at the shackle or extra steps to remove anything?

 

[M_Body_Coupe]

@prowler ...buddy, this is killing me...I MUST KNOW!!! (LOL)