Torsion bar bracket spread slightly and seat starting to slip. (1 Viewer)

[Seanohe]

On the left/driver side my torsion bar anchor arm bracket (the part bolted to the car that the anchor arm sits between) seems to have opened slightly to the point where the brass seat is starting to slip down on one side to the inside of the bracket. I didn’t notice it, but my mechanic did when checking something else. They told me it had slipped out and that they were able to get it back in but suspected that it would slip out again. And I should replace the bracket (est $1400 incl labor). This was two weeks ago and so far it looks ok, though it is definitely wider than the other side.

I’m not sure what could have caused it to open other than possibly dragging the bracket over something and it catching on a rock. I’ve also noticed that the seat seems to move slightly in the bracket. Sometimes it looks close to slipping out and others (now) it’s looks more properly seated. What would cause forward and reverse pressure on this bracket such that it’s position changes or am I thinking about it wrong?

Has anyone else seen this happen?

 

[Seanohe]

I should have mentioned…
2002 Uzj with an Ironman lift. I did all that and am not super experienced so possible I messed something up and have been driving around with it for over a year, but I don’t think i did.

 

[AlpineAccess]

I would grind a clean spot and weld a gusset in there. $1400, what?

Can you post a picture?

Sounds like you need a big hammer as well.

 

[MongooseGA]

Are you referring to the adjustment bracket further rearward, or the lower control arm that the torsion bar sits in?

The control arm has been known to crack at the torsion bar before. The adjustment bracket in the rear is also susceptible to damage from rocks (ask me how I know). Both are replaceable, both for WELL UNDER $1400.

Second alpine access, post a pic.

 

[Seanohe]

It’s hard to see from these pictures, but the driver side bracket is open wider than the passenger side. These were after it was reset so its not slipping down in this picture.

Driver (wider)

Passenger (normal)

 

[Seanohe]

Are you referring to the adjustment bracket further rearward, or the lower control arm that the torsion bar sits in?

The control arm has been known to crack at the torsion bar before. The adjustment bracket in the rear is also susceptible to damage from rocks (ask me how I know). Both are replaceable, both for WELL UNDER $1400.

Second alpine access, post a pic.

It's the adjustment bracket towards the rear, not the lower control arm - and yeah the only thing I can think was that I scraped it on a rock

The quote from the mechanic was for the new bracket (~$400) and then labor to install because he said he needed to lower the driveshaft and transmission to access the bracket.

 

[MongooseGA]

Oh, OK I see what you're saying. The groove in the half cylinder isn't riding properly along the bracket around it.

I'd be concerned about driving it like that. Probably not going to kill you because there's tension on it and the other side is locked in, but kind of sketchy.

To fix it you're gonna want to either pound one side of the bracket in a bit, or get creative and bend them in.

 

[AlpineAccess]

You'll need to get it down into its basic components by removing the torsion bar. If you can drop the bracket out even better. I'd beat it with a hammer until it matches the specs of the other side. Then as mentioned I'd gusset the inside of it and put a supporting strap across the open side of the bracket.

For $1400 you could own a welder and big hammer that would do this job!

 

[Seanohe]

Yeah thats exactly right. Do you think it warrants a replacement for that bracket? I would worry that bending it too much might cause a stress fracture and break the bracket.

 

[Seanohe]

You'll need to get it down into its basic components by removing the torsion bar. If you can drop the bracket out even better. I'd beat it with a hammer until it matches the specs of the other side. Then as mentioned I'd gusset the inside of it and put a supporting strap across the open side of the bracket.

For $1400 you could own a welder and big hammer that would do this job!

Missed this one before I replied, but I like the big hammer suggestion How big are we talking?? I'm imagining a hammer and brass drivers.

I'm intimidated by welding, but can visualize what you're suggesting and this might be a good opportunity to practice.

 

[AlpineAccess]

Missed this one before I replied, but I like the big hammer suggestion How big are we talking?? I'm imagining a hammer and brass drivers.

I'm intimidated by welding, but can visualize what you're suggesting and this might be a good opportunity to practice.

With a component like this I wouldn't recommend it being a first welding job - I was primarily noting just the price quoted being quite high.

Honestly beating it until it lines back up with the groove is probably the majority of what needs to happen. I wouldn't worry about the fatigue of a a few hard hits to reshape it by what looks to be about a half to three quarter inch. You will need to remove it from the vehicle from what I'm seeing there, but maybe it can be done on the vehicle. I would inspect the welds where it attaches to the frame and look all over the bracket itself to see if there is an actual failure somewhere in the bracket as well.

A pretty good size hammer is needed to bend that bracket. If you leave it in you're probably looking at only being able to swing a smaller dead blow in there.

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That 36oz ball bean is a pretty sweet tool for nearly all things on a land cruiser that really need to be persuaded. For your job a regular dead blow would work very well as it won't glance off the surface its striking too much - but it isn't as nice to translate to other jobs like ball joints, etc. where you need a high shock impact to pop stuff loose.

Again, grain of salt here as none of us are there looking at the bracket - its a little odd that it spread apart like that without a direct incident you can attribute it to (like landing on it rock crawling).