77 Volare Wagon Transverse Torsion Bar Question

[Leizurtime]

I have a Base 77 Volare Wagon, equipped with a 318. I'm just curious if anyone would know the size of the socket for the adjuster bolts for the transverse torsion bars. I think they are just below 1"? Also, if anyone knows the standard ride height for this model it would be extremely helpful. Thanks for any input.

 

[MiradaMegacab]

According to AllPar, 12" ride height and 15/16"socket for adjusters.

 

[89.Fifth]

Yep. Adjusted mine recently. 15/26" or 24mm

 

[BudW]

I don’t like how ride height is determined, according to my FSM.

On other Chryslers (before FMJ’s), you measured the torsion bar anchor (on LCA – Lower Control Arm) and lowest point at lower Ball Joint, then subtracted the two, to get ride height.
Here, the specs (77 FSM) say the LCA inner pivot bushing should be 10-¼” from ground, with all tires at normal air pressure. That measurement does not compensate for different tire heights.
The tires on my wagon are 25½” tall compared to 5th Ave at 27” tall.

Another service manual (non-FSM) I have says this

Before taking measurements, grasp the bumpers at the center (rear bumper first) and jounce the car up and down several times. Jounce the car at the front bumper the same number of times and release the bumper at the same point in the cycle each time.

1. Ride height is measured from the head of the front suspension front crossmember insulator bolt to ground.
2. If necessary, turn torsion bar adjusting bolt clockwise to increase height and counterclockwise to decrease height.
3. After completing adjustment, jounce vehicle and recheck riding height. Both sides must be measured even though only one side may have been adjusted. Front vehicle height should not vary more than 1/4 inch from the specified riding height. Riding height should also be within 1/4 inch side to side.

I guess they compensated for the taller tires . . .

 

[BudW]

After reading the last part of the instructions, it says “Ride height is measured from the head of the front suspension front crossmember insulator bolt to ground”.

I wonder what that does for those of us who got rid of the rubber insulators (the “front crossmember insulator bolt to ground” is now somewhere between 1 to 1½” higher, due to bolts being shorter).

Something to ponder,
BudW

 

[Aspen500]

If you measure inner pivot bushing and ball joint to ground and subtract the two, that number won't change no matter what size tires or insulators are present. The idea, as I'm sure you already know, is to set the front end height so the suspension/steering geometry is correct. Taller or shorter tires would change the measurements but the result would be the same number after subtraction. I mean, the car itself would sit higher or lower depending on tire diameter but the "ride height" would still be exactly the same. Unless I misunderstood what you were saying?

 

[BudW]

Instructions (to me) went from something simple to figure out - to what could be not good if tire size is now different.

The older instructions didn’t care what size tires are on car.

Who today is running the tire size that came with car (if metric conversion is the same)?
BudW