Passenger side torsion bar is broken

[Maritime-elf]

Hello everyone - My passenger side torsion bar is Broken. I have searched the internet and forums with sadness and worry. I did find a PDF on how to replace it, but I am terrified. I am looking for a video, or advice or hope of some type. Some places say it?s a 3 man job, I found one claim on YouTube where a guy said he did it himself, but doesn?t detail how. I have contradictory claims saying I need a jig, and other places saying I don?t.

Please does someone have a good video on how to do this?

[David T]

Hello everyone - My passenger side torsion bar is Broken. I have searched the internet and forums with sadness and worry. I did find a PDF on how to replace it, but I am terrified. I am looking for a video, or advice or hope of some type. Some places say it?s a 3 man job, I found one claim on YouTube where a guy said he did it himself, but doesn?t detail how. I have contradictory claims saying I need a jig, and other places saying I don?t.

Please does someone have a good video on how to do this?

You need the jig unless you remove the rear louvre. To do it safely it is a 2 person job. If you have never done it before you really should get someone who has to help you. If you don't do it right you can damage the car and hurt yourself. You also need some tools like a 1/2 inch breaker bar with "cheater pipes" and a long extension with an allen wrench socket besides the jig (which you can build). The local club should have the tools and expertise. it isn't that difficult a job if you know what you are doing.

[pk2678]

This video is not exactly about replacing the torsion bars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C6FjQmwJV4
Its about to reduce the torque on torsion bars when too much torque has been put on them.
But it shows the critical part of releasing the torque of the torsion bars and remove the torsion bar plate without the risk to damage the rear window by a snapping torsion bar plate.
The video does not show how to put back the torque to the torsion bars and to re-apply the torsion bar plate. Its the reverse procedure of that what is shown.
The video shows that this is at least a 2 person job. And gives an idea which tools are needed.
The torsion bar removal procedure described in the workshop manual at BODY P:02:07 together with that video should give a good idea how to do the job.

--Peter

[dn010]

The one thing I never see anyone do or mention is to remove the gas strut first, then opening the door as far as it will go in order to further reduce the tension on the bar. Without the strut attached, you'll get a few more inches opening the door past where the strut stops it. I know you don't have to worry about removing the bar but it also means you don't have to torque it as much when installing the new one.

I wrote this 20 years ago:
https://web.archive.org/web/20080825...orsionbar.html

[JBaker4981]

But it shows the critical part of releasing the torque of the torsion bars and remove the torsion bar plate without the risk to damage the rear window by a snapping torsion bar plate.

This is the most critical part of the job and why it can be a 3 person job. It can absolutely be done with one person, but an extra to help is a god send. Make a jig or buy one from a DeLorean owner who has one.

Don't shatter the window. Even mothership Houston has this on the description of the rear glass:
"Typically only replaced as a result of torsion bar adjustment gone awry, odds are that's the only reason you are even reading this. If so, we hope you didn't bend up the stainless steel t-panel, too."

https://store.delorean.com/100624-re...dmNzLZrk0QprgK

[Dickey]

Some years back I changed my passenger torsion bar because it broke. I did it by myself and documented what I did in case there were shenanigans. I'd venture it a success since the door still works but others might not:

http://www.deloreaneurotec.uk/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=2851

[82DMC12]

This is not too bad a job but if you've never performed or even seen someone else do a door adjustment, you will want to have someone help you who has.

As David said, the wooden jig is required if you are not removing the louvers because it will be difficult to maintain control of the breaker bar without it if the bar is too far from the torsion bar end (and it will be if the louvers are in the way).

Or, you can remove the louvers and probably get away without it. I can do such a job by myself with no jig. I would advise removing the gas strut, the louvers and T-panel so you can hyperextend the door a bit past perpendicular so less twist is needed to install the bar, plus you have a lot more room to work without possibly damaging anything when installing the spline plate to the roof box.

You can hold the door open using something sturdy like a screw jack for holding up trusses in a basement. I bought one at menards for about $50. The nice thing is you can adjust it to any height so it can hold the door open at a specific angle. Or you can have a friend hold the door open but it's heavier than you think and it might be a big problem if things go wrong and he has to hold it up for half an hour....

Get the old torsion bar out and remove the spline plate. Check the threads in the roof box and make sure they aren't stripped. Replace the M8 screws, washers, and lock washers. Get 1/8 inch spacers if needed so that the spline plate is set flush with the end of the spline end of the torsion bar so the threads don't mushroom out. Put some tapping oil on the splines and use the breaker bar with a HIGH QUALITY I.E. SNAP ON 3/8" allen key half-inch drive socket on a solid extension and longer than average half-inch breaker bar. Carefully run the new torsion bar through the roof box and set it into the front hinge. Slide the socket through the spline plate and turn the torsion bar COUNTER CLOCKWISE about 22 degrees, then slide the spline plate onto the torsion bar and lock it in place with the M8 bolts. Make sure you can hand-threads the screws most of the way BEFORE using a ratchet or wrench and make sure the breaker-bar-holder is holding the plate just right so the bolt is center in the hole and not fighting the edge of the hole, or else you will strip out the threads. This should make more sense once you get working. Mark the spline plate and end of the torsion bar with a paint pen so you can see the current position Now put the gas strut back on the door and test the door. If it's too tight, you have to rotate the split plate one spline CLOCKWISE, then slowly let the torsion bar de-tension using the breaker bar before locking the spline plate back in place. NOTE: YOU MUST MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE TORSION BAR USING THE BREAKER BAR BY APPLYING OPPOSITE TWISTING FORCE WHILE REMOVING THE SPLINE PLATE AND M8 BOLTS. IF YOU DO NOT, THE SPLINE PLATE WILL SUDDENLY SPIN WITH THE BAR AND CRACK THE REAR WINDOW AND PERHAPS INJURE YOU.

If the door is too weak, do the opposite procedure.

Now is also a great time to add 1/4" structural rivets to the top of the roof box to lock it down to the body. A broken torsion bar is usually caused by the bar rubbing the rear hinge which typically can only happen if there's damage or warpage to the roof box.

[Maritime-elf]

This video is not exactly about replacing the torsion bars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C6FjQmwJV4
Its about to reduce the torque on torsion bars when too much torque has been put on them.
But it shows the critical part of releasing the torque of the torsion bars and remove the torsion bar plate without the risk to damage the rear window by a snapping torsion bar plate.
The video does not show how to put back the torque to the torsion bars and to re-apply the torsion bar plate. Its the reverse procedure of that what is shown.
The video shows that this is at least a 2 person job. And gives an idea which tools are needed.
The torsion bar removal procedure described in the workshop manual at BODY P:02:07 together with that video should give a good idea how to do the job.

--Peter

Thank you this video is an amazing help

[Maritime-elf]

This is not too bad a job but if you've never performed or even seen someone else do a door adjustment, you will want to have someone help you who has.

As David said, the wooden jig is required if you are not removing the louvers because it will be difficult to maintain control of the breaker bar without it if the bar is too far from the torsion bar end (and it will be if the louvers are in the way).

Or, you can remove the louvers and probably get away without it. I can do such a job by myself with no jig. I would advise removing the gas strut, the louvers and T-panel so you can hyperextend the door a bit past perpendicular so less twist is needed to install the bar, plus you have a lot more room to work without possibly damaging anything when installing the spline plate to the roof box.

You can hold the door open using something sturdy like a screw jack for holding up trusses in a basement. I bought one at menards for about $50. The nice thing is you can adjust it to any height so it can hold the door open at a specific angle. Or you can have a friend hold the door open but it's heavier than you think and it might be a big problem if things go wrong and he has to hold it up for half an hour....

Get the old torsion bar out and remove the spline plate. Check the threads in the roof box and make sure they aren't stripped. Replace the M8 screws, washers, and lock washers. Get 1/8 inch spacers if needed so that the spline plate is set flush with the end of the spline end of the torsion bar so the threads don't mushroom out. Put some tapping oil on the splines and use the breaker bar with a HIGH QUALITY I.E. SNAP ON 3/8" allen key half-inch drive socket on a solid extension and longer than average half-inch breaker bar. Carefully run the new torsion bar through the roof box and set it into the front hinge. Slide the socket through the spline plate and turn the torsion bar COUNTER CLOCKWISE about 22 degrees, then slide the spline plate onto the torsion bar and lock it in place with the M8 bolts. Make sure you can hand-threads the screws most of the way BEFORE using a ratchet or wrench and make sure the breaker-bar-holder is holding the plate just right so the bolt is center in the hole and not fighting the edge of the hole, or else you will strip out the threads. This should make more sense once you get working. Mark the spline plate and end of the torsion bar with a paint pen so you can see the current position Now put the gas strut back on the door and test the door. If it's too tight, you have to rotate the split plate one spline CLOCKWISE, then slowly let the torsion bar de-tension using the breaker bar before locking the spline plate back in place. NOTE: YOU MUST MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE TORSION BAR USING THE BREAKER BAR BY APPLYING OPPOSITE TWISTING FORCE WHILE REMOVING THE SPLINE PLATE AND M8 BOLTS. IF YOU DO NOT, THE SPLINE PLATE WILL SUDDENLY SPIN WITH THE BAR AND CRACK THE REAR WINDOW AND PERHAPS INJURE YOU.

If the door is too weak, do the opposite procedure.

Now is also a great time to add 1/4" structural rivets to the top of the roof box to lock it down to the body. A broken torsion bar is usually caused by the bar rubbing the rear hinge which typically can only happen if there's damage or warpage to the roof box.

Thank you for this response. It has really helped me

[David T]

One thing to mention, you have to hold the door open with some kind of stick or blocking. The safest way to do that is to use a piece of wood FROM THE SILL OF THE CAR TO THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR. DO NOT go from the floor or the ground. If the car was to move, even a little, the support would come out and the door will slam shut. It is surprising just how heavy that door is without the torsion bar. The strut really does nothing when the door is wide open.