#2267288 - 03/28/11 10:35 AM
Trunk torsion Bars
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Over the Hill
Registered: 03/27/09
Posts: 1384
Loc: San Diego CA.
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Hello Has anyone seen or had this happend to them? Both trunk torsion bars just snapped. Cruising down the dark freeway then, BANG,RATTLE,and other piss you pants noises! I though I hit something and it rolled under down the middle of the car. I just been dreading replacing for months after reading the stories. I just found a pair for 8 dollars at Pick A Part 50% off sale. Removed from the car by removing the trunk lid, then popping off the bars with a tire iron. Now at 2 weeks later, time to man up and get'er done!. 
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Hey Iron Man, you just hit my Vic! 
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#2269342 - 03/31/11 02:20 AM
Re: Trunk torsion Bars
[Re: COSTA_VIC71]
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Over the Hill
Registered: 05/06/02
Posts: 4691
Loc: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
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You are not the first one. I had to fab a special tool to install the new rod. As I recall we used a 3/4" pipe. Slotted the end so that it would go over the rod. Then about 6" up we drilled a hole and ran a bolt through with some spacers and large washers to catch the rod. Pipe was about two feet long.
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#2269405 - 03/31/11 08:25 AM
Re: Trunk torsion Bars
[Re: COSTA_VIC71]
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Over the Hill
Registered: 10/02/08
Posts: 1512
Loc: Maryland
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My old FLM book for my 1992 has a photo of this tool, I can try to scan it if you need it.
_________________________
2004 Ford Crown Victoria LX Sport - 1 of 2656 - Midnight Gray w/Dark Charcoal
Mods: 21mm rear sway bar, Marauder head unit, Marauder sub/amp, Ford "premium" two-way door and deck speakers, Curless cure, Ford Focus fog lamps with Marauder head light switch, trunk organizer, short over head console with Homelink.
2001 F250 crew cab, 7.3L Diesel
2022 Explorer Police Interceptor
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#2269485 - 03/31/11 11:41 AM
Re: Trunk torsion Bars
[Re: COSTA_VIC71]
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I know nothing
Posting Addict
Registered: 06/05/10
Posts: 19872
Loc: I can see Detroit from here!
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While not my Panther, I had the same thing happen to my Malibu. the bars in that car must not be as stiff as a Panther's because I was able to install them by hand w/o any special tools. They were very weak in that car, could barely hold the trunk open, then one day i shut the trunk and BANG. That poor car had a rough life.
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-Steve  2006 Audi A6 ~132k miles, stock. 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis LS HPP ~100k miles, slowly acquiring modifications. 1997 Town Car Cartier ~145k miles, Ported Plenum, Gutted Airbox, Contour E-fan Retrofit, Dual exhaust with Magnaflows, cats deleted, MSD Ignition, KYB Gas-A-Justs, P71 front bar, air ride reinstated, Projector retrofit, Caddy 4-note horn retrofit, Wood rim steering wheel retrofit, holistic weight reduction as the parts fall off.. 1996 Mercury Grand Marquis GS 117,485mi. R.I.P. 7/14/12 
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#2269497 - 03/31/11 12:04 PM
Re: Trunk torsion Bars
[Re: COSTA_VIC71]
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n00b
Registered: 12/12/09
Posts: 39
Loc: Chicago
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This happened to me on the 99 a few years back, I went to a taxi shop mechanic and got it fixed for $20ish If i remember right. He slid them in and used a serpentine belt to click them into place.
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2007 CVPI Blue 60k
2003 CVPI Wedgewood Blue(Sold)
1995 CVPI Red (Sold)
1999 CVPI Silver (RIP)
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#2270097 - 04/01/11 10:48 AM
Re: Trunk torsion Bars
[Re: COSTA_VIC71]
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Over the Hill
Registered: 10/02/08
Posts: 1512
Loc: Maryland
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What was wrong with it and why did it need adjustment, just wondering?
_________________________
2004 Ford Crown Victoria LX Sport - 1 of 2656 - Midnight Gray w/Dark Charcoal
Mods: 21mm rear sway bar, Marauder head unit, Marauder sub/amp, Ford "premium" two-way door and deck speakers, Curless cure, Ford Focus fog lamps with Marauder head light switch, trunk organizer, short over head console with Homelink.
2001 F250 crew cab, 7.3L Diesel
2022 Explorer Police Interceptor
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#2270108 - 04/01/11 11:04 AM
Re: Trunk torsion Bars
[Re: COSTA_VIC71]
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Poobah
Registered: 10/16/09
Posts: 5068
Loc: Plymouth, New Hampshire, USA
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I would like to adjust my torsion bars so that the trunk can support more weight (ice frozen to the trunk).
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Victor WeSTeRLiNG  2006 "Abe" LTC Executive 6-door (3-row bench) 78k miles.
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#4045484 - 01/30/20 12:47 PM
Re: Trunk torsion Bars
[Re: COSTA_VIC71]
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3 Orange Whips
Metroplectic
Registered: 10/25/05
Posts: 29128
Loc: Cleveland, OH
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So, I'm aware that this is a necrothread, but it came up over at MM.net and now it has me wondering...what causes these things to fail? I've never had one fail on any of my Panthers, but the older they get (and owning two beaters) I am sure it is going to happen in my life.
Is there anything that can be done to reduce the likelihood of it happening?
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 '91 LTD Country Squire (POTM Mar. '19, Dec. '22) | '03 Marauder (POTM Nov. '10, Jul. '20)'18 Flex EB | '92 Shadow VT1100C formerly: '02 MGM, '04 MGM, '04 MGM v2.0, '04 MM, '07 P71 (POTM Feb. '18), '04 CVLX (POTM Jun. '19), '03 SAP P71, 2010 P7B (POTM Feb. '21)
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#4045550 - 01/30/20 09:26 PM
Re: Trunk torsion Bars
[Re: COSTA_VIC71]
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Over the Hill
Registered: 04/28/19
Posts: 3562
Loc: Cleveland, OH
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I'm surprised they fail at all. They're spring steel and protected from the weather. Should last forever.
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 1988 CVLX Formal Roof (Love Boat) POTM July '19, Aug '20, Oct '21, Feb '23, 64K E-code lights w/ relays, LEDs w/ switchbacks, 15x8 Ansen slots w/ 255/60 BFG's, Kenwood stereo, various hacks. This, of course, was merely the semi-delirious notion of a fever-patient, but I remember that it struck me at the time as being eminently practical and feasible.
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#4045554 - 01/30/20 09:51 PM
Re: Trunk torsion Bars
[Re: COSTA_VIC71]
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Stranger
Registered: 05/28/18
Posts: 3
Loc: Southern Maryland
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My buddie did some donuts in a gravel parking lot and broke his. That was about 2 yrs ago, til this day it's still broke.
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99 MSP/Taxi CVPI 94k Stock SOLD
03 Township of Hampden PA. CVPI 122k Pro. Products Plenum, E250 TB, SCTX3 Canned Tune, RIP
03 LX Sport Unknown Mileage JUNKED
95 LX Candy Red Metallic Flakes 98+ Front Clip 70k SOLD
03 MNCPPC SAP, BBK 73mm Plenum/TB SCTX3 Canned Tune 198K LONG STORY
07 Unmarked Anne Arundel Co. 168K/Low Idle Hrs Stock SOLD
03 220K Stock SOLD
04 Unmarked Charles Co. EXT:C2 112k CNC PNP Heads, Comp Cam 268H, Edelbrock High Flow Water Pump, Steeda UD Pulleys, OBX Header Back Exhaust W/X-Pipe No Tailpipes, GlowShift Tach
04 Federal Gov. EXT:FS SAP 168k Factory Front Passenger Fender Mount Antenna Dorman Intake Manifold smh, Alpine Head unit, Alpine Type R 12",
09 AZ Biege(AQ) Unknown Mileage At The Moment
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#4045564 - 01/30/20 10:57 PM
Re: Trunk torsion Bars
[Re: Old_Guy_Stu]
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I know nothing
Posting Addict
Registered: 06/05/10
Posts: 19872
Loc: I can see Detroit from here!
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I'm surprised they fail at all. They're spring steel and protected from the weather. Should last forever. You would think so. I wonder if its just that they're under so much tension? Or maybe you occasionally get one that had a factory defect/weak spot in the steel and it just took a decade to get tweaked just right and snap. I dunno. Never had one break either and all of my Panthers are in their 2nd decade at this point.
_________________________
-Steve 2006 Audi A6 ~132k miles, stock. 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis LS HPP ~100k miles, slowly acquiring modifications. 1997 Town Car Cartier ~145k miles, Ported Plenum, Gutted Airbox, Contour E-fan Retrofit, Dual exhaust with Magnaflows, cats deleted, MSD Ignition, KYB Gas-A-Justs, P71 front bar, air ride reinstated, Projector retrofit, Caddy 4-note horn retrofit, Wood rim steering wheel retrofit, holistic weight reduction as the parts fall off.. 1996 Mercury Grand Marquis GS 117,485mi. R.I.P. 7/14/12
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#4045596 - 01/31/20 08:34 AM
Re: Trunk torsion Bars
[Re: COSTA_VIC71]
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Over the Hill
Registered: 08/31/13
Posts: 1669
Loc: SE WI
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Where do they break when they break?
Could be something as simple as a groove wearing into them where they make contact with the bracket/hinge, then breaking on that weak spot. Else, I'd think it would be safe to assume that they are undersized for the job. They could have been made heavier gauge with the adjustment slots relocated to achieve the same torsional resistance with increased durability. But of course, a larger torsion bar would have cost mother Ford more, so that's an unreasonable thought!
Anyway, as another poster mentioned above, I found it easy to adjust the bars in my 2011 as the setting was too weak at the time. Don't remember it being a big deal...
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2011 Crown Victoria LX - purchased @ 37k miles
currently @ 100k miles
Dark Toreador Red Metallic exterior
Medium Light Stone interior
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