< I really like the ride of my '95 4x4, but I'm disappointed with the
<aftermarket options available for the front end with torsion bars. Does
<anyone know why Dodge went with this system? What are the pros and cons?
Why did Dodge go to this system? I dunno.... a gimmick probably. Some early
Mopars have torsion springs on =everything=.... glove boxes, trunk lids, etc.
Torsion bars have two advantages over coil springs..... no friction
("torsion quiet ride"), and physical space requirements (which are not an
issue in this application).
The definition of a coil spring is "a torsion bar wound in a helical form".
When the coils in a spring compress, they =do not= bend, they twist, just
like the bar they're made from.
To design a coil spring, the first factor you input is the "torsional
modulus", 11,500,000 for carbon steel, 10,000,000 for stainless.
Torsion bars in automotive applications are snake oil.
Maddog
Spring Design & Mfg. Eng.
O'Hara Metal Products, Inc.
Brisbane, Ca. 94005
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