Wondering what some people’s opinions are about different torsion bar companies and the quality/repeatability. I know mpd and Schroeder make good bars that repeat and don’t mushroom out on the ends. I have also run t-bars and they are repeatable and don’t mushroom out but sometimes require a little tap with a dead blow on the arms and stops to get them on the splines. I have heard chalk makes a good repeatable bar as well, but how is the machining on the splines? Does anyone have any experience with the newer dmi bars? I know when they first came out with bars they mushroomed out bad and only lasted about 10 nights. Thanks in advance for any insight/opinions.

I guess you'll have to enlighten me on the "mushrooming" issue, the only time I have that problem is when I use them for tent stakes! As far as having to use a deadblow hammer to get them on the splines, usually only the first time a bar and arm are assembled, is the only time they will "slip" together with out some light "force", I guess I don't understand how they can "mushroom" without being beat on with a claw hammer. ?Bob!

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I am with Bob, although I have never thought of using them as tent stakes. We go a little further and remove the bolts all the way, then take a medium size screw driver and tap it into the slot lightly, this open up the bore and makes it a snap. Care should be used in tightening the bolt too tight is as bad or worse than too loose.

As far as brands we like Sanders, some people like Chevys. Steel is steel the secret is in the heat treatment process.

The biggest mistake people make is reversing the twist on the bars, this kills them, and talk about handling problems, you got handling problems.

Honest Dad himself

Last time i worked on a sprint car....Gambler bars were the ones to use.

Chalk bars are real good but often the splines are on the tight side. Schroeder makes a real nice bar that gets the car down in the track and fit really easy on the arm. Schroeder also has a groove inside for their new safety locks. Both are great bars but none last forever.

DAD, make it even simpler, and before you put on a new stop or arm, set it up in a mill, and just tap the bolt hole with a 3/8 tap, fine or course, then when you need to move it, just remove the bolt, and take that T handle bolt you made, and run it in the bolt hole against a penny or something, and shazam, it'll slide right off, and right back on, and always take a small brass or stainless wire brush and make sure the splines on the bar and arm are clean before going back together with them, dirt will work it's way in now matter how much you try to keep it out. Bob!

Bob

That just goes to show you "Laziness is the Mother of Invention". I could have figured that out in a few more years.

Honest Dad himself

No, just give a lazy man a hard job, and he'll find an easy way to do it! Bob

Bob

Like the old comedian Dave Gardner once said. "After looking at it, sitting back and studying it a little bit, I made the con--clusion>>>>>" Could not you just machine a flat spot on the other side of the stop or arm so you could start the clamp bolt easely from the other side and put in in backwards to act against that coin to make it a spreader bolt?

I guess you might say IOW is like GE "better ideas through BS".

Honest Dad himself

Now just think a minute, that is normally a 5/16" hole thru, so you tap both sides, then you can screw in your T-handle from either side, it is not a step hole, or at least what I've seen over time. Bob