Driver side torsion bar replacements - options/experiences

[aludden]

I was driving and there was a very loud bang above my head ...
My Driver side torsion bar just snapped. I see there are a couple of options:
DMOCO/SpecialTAuto sell one for $850 (seem to be the same) http://www.dmoco.com/Torsion.html
Henninger sells one for $495 (looks different than stock, with a spring in the middle) http://deloreannewparts.com/store/page11.html

Has anyone had any experience with either?
Thanks!
Alex

[Dangermouse]

Both of these came to market about 18 months ago.

It will be interesting to hear feedback on both types.

I bought a used one about 6 months before that and it has been fine. Don't think I have seen a used on for sale since these replacements came out.

[thirdmanj]

I'm preparing for this day, one day it's bound to happen. Mine have been fucked with more than they ever shoulda been. In the event that this happens to me I do believe I'll buy from Henninger. His strut brackets really are top notch, and the price for his torsion bar replacement can't be beat. Sure they look a bit different from stock, but I can't afford to be a purist in that regard. They're damn near half the price of their counterpart. It's just seems to me to be the clear clear choice unless one can afford the latter.

[DCUK Martin]

I recently fitted a DMOCO bar to #3352. It was a sickening day when the original failed as the car was so close to completion. The new bar went in and apart from looking a lot cleaner than original (it's got a grey/silver powdercoat) you'd never spot a difference.

One word of warning: the reason for the failure of #3352's bar was the roof had come unstuck and the bar was the only thing preventing it from bending upwards like a pyramid! The roof is now held in place with an injection of "bond & seal" and six monobolts. That bad boy is going nowhere...

[thirdmanj]

I recently fitted a DMOCO bar to #3352. It was a sickening day when the original failed as the car was so close to completion. The new bar went in and apart from looking a lot cleaner than original (it's got a grey/silver powdercoat) you'd never spot a difference.

One word of warning: the reason for the failure of #3352's bar was the roof had come unstuck and the bar was the only thing preventing it from bending upwards like a pyramid! The roof is now held in place with an injection of "bond & seal" and six monobolts. That bad boy is going nowhere...

I'm a little confused. The roof came in stuck? The T panel? What does that have todo with structural integrity? I thought it was just a cover.

[Dracula]

There's a steel box beneath the T-panel that provides support and rigidity to the roof. For some reason, it's only glued in. When it either rusts or comes unglued, the roof can twist and contort.

[Delorean02378]

I beleive this is the procedure he's talking about.


http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?12...-Reinforcement

[thirdmanj]

My t panel moves a little bit when the doors open and shut. It's been removed and replaced a few times in the past couple months. I noticed that it was just a stainless cover piece. Didn't really seem to be doing anything but covering the box.

[SIMid]

I know this may sound strange, but would it be better to have the doors open in the garage when not driven or closed instead? Would having them open reduce the tension in the torsion bar?

[Nicholas R]

After 30 years I doubt it would make a difference. Think about how many cars have sat for 20+ years in barns with closed doors with torsion bars that are just fine. Plus the bars are still under a pretty intense load with the doors open. As long as you're within the normal operating zone of any spring, failures are pretty unlikely. Most often there is an underlying cause (such as the roof piece mentioned above, over torqued bars, bars that have nicks in them from drilling the weather stripping rivets, etc.). Plus in the very unlikely event that it does actually fail, wouldn't you rather have the door closed to contain it? Either way, as far as common DeLorean part failures go, torsion bar failure is pretty low on the list. I think if anything, all leaving the doors open for long periods of time is going to do is ruin the interior.