Trunk Lid Torsion Bar Help

[Lee Craner]

My trunk lid will not stay up. In fact, it feels very heavy when opening. The torsion bars aren't broke and are in the highest (upper) position on both sides. Anyone have any help or hints?

[Graham Rollo]

2607826079Maybe the torsion bars have lost some tension

[Barry Wolk]

An automotive spring shop should be able to restore the proper bends. Please post pictures.

[Barry Wolk]

Was your trunk lid ever repaired with lead filler? It's a fine balancing act. To test, put a filler block between the springs and perches. If it stays up it's your springs.

[Blacktophat]

Just fixed mine, I found the the end collar was broken loose and the inner collar was rusted stuck. The end collar was brazed but I welded it back with a lot of spatter from the original brass. Then to get the inner collar I drilled a hole in the collar to fit a zert fitting in the collar. Put creep in the fitting, screwed it in and compressed it with grease. Used an air hammer and after 6hrs it started moving again. Hoping yours isn’t that bad! Best of luck, David

[Knickoliss Iv]

Hey David, are your hinge arms that go bolted to the lid bronze or steel? Mine are bronze but a set I picked up from Jack Rosen are steel. Wondering when the change came. My car is of the first week that came with torsion hinges.

[Blacktophat]

Knick I have two sets I’ll check them both and let you know

[Lee Craner]

Well, last night I video'd both torsion rod connections to the hinges. The weld from the rod to the hinge on the right side is obviously broken. So, before pulling the deck lid and the hinges, any words of wisdom? Anything that I should be aware of before proceeding?

BTW, my collar is steel.

[Blacktophat]

You can’t take the bars out without cutting the welds on the brackets. If you’re gonna grind you might as well weld the collar in the car. Put down damp blanket and welding blankets so you don’t burn the carpet. Check the inner collar the torsion bar should be moving in the collar. If not that is what broke the end collar and will again if you don’t get it lubed up.

[Blacktophat]

Yes the collar is steel but mine was brazed with brass. Clean the joint and you’ll probably see brass

[Lee Craner]

Thanks, David.

My version of the shop manual only covers the scissor hinges. Does anyone have a 1957 manual? That should cover the torsion bar hinges. If so, could someone scan and send me a copy of that portion of the manual that deals with the trunk lid? At least that will help me to know what I'm dealing with.

[Blacktophat]

Both sets I have are steel 3200 and a parts car I once owned

[Mark Norris]

Thanks, David.

My version of the shop manual only covers the scissor hinges. Does anyone have a 1957 manual? That should cover the torsion bar hinges. If so, could someone scan and send me a copy of that portion of the manual that deals with the trunk lid? At least that will help me to know what I'm dealing with.

Unfortunately I don't think there is any such thing as a 1957 version of the maintenance manual and the parts book contains no illustrations of the either trunk hinge type.

[Knickoliss Iv]

The rods on my car were not welded. They are just inserted into the socket and came out fairly easy. The rods I got from Jack did take some heating and pounding to get them separated as they were very rusty. Fortunately I could do the work on the vice. What are you needing the shop manual section for? Just an assembled view or a disassembly procedure?

[Lee Craner]

Knick,

Exactly, I'd like to read up on the disassembly procedure before removing the bars and hinges. Unfortunately, if Ford never published that, I'm out of luck.

It seems to me that if I unbolt and remove the deck lid, then unbolt the hinges, the hinge and bar should come out as one piece (absent the broken weld). Am I correct?

Lee

[Knickoliss Iv]

You have to remove the torsion rod in order to get the hinge out. In my photo, see the entire primer red piece? That is what is coming out. Once you remove the two bottom nuts and bolts, two nuts on top and the torsion bar, then the whole assembly tilts towards the outsides of the car (left or right respectively) and comes out towards the rear. There is barely enough space the width of the collar (shown in blue) for it to slide back. In my second photo with the hinge out, you can see that the collar goes through the welded trunk brace in body color just slightly larger diameter than the collar itself. There isn't enough side to side movement to get the entire torsion rod through the brace hole without cutting, bending or otherwise destroying the torsion rod.2609326094

[Lee Craner]

Knick,

Thanks for taking the time to do up the pictures and the write up. Seems like a real pain. I wish I could find someone here in Las Vegas that has done this before and can do it for me :rolleyes:

Lee

[Knickoliss Iv]

Maybe start by soaking the rod into collar part with penetrating oil. Little by little each day for a couple days helps. Make sure it goes in using the little straw, not just all over the outside. Then if you can tap on the end of the torsion rod (assuming they are already loose) at the "L" you might get it to come out. Heating the collar with a torch will help. Of course for all of this you want to remove any carpet, padding, wiring in the trunk area to avoid a fire or worse, staining the carpet (Bad humor).