Weak trunk torsion bars - fix?

[Mr Bean]

Since I swapped to Vic rear fascia I noticed that my trunk torsion bars can no longer hold the lid up in the air. I have them adjusted to max tension and the trunk will still barely stay open. I looked up the part numbers from Ford and they list same torsion bars 1984-1991 Vic and GMQ which would lead me to believe that I already have the correct bars in there. I thought about adding struts to help support the lid but thought I would check here first in case I am missing something.

[sly]

Yours may be the correct part, but may be worn out as well. It might be worth just swapping in another one (especially if you can find one from a vic). The 88 MGM I had was always weak. It would hold the lid up, but a little breeze would make it sag quite a bit.

[gadget73]

wonder if the Lincoln ones are any more stout. If the MGM lid is heavier than the Vic lid, and if the Lincoln ones are heavier yet maybe that would be a fix.

[sly]

I think the MGM is the lightest because it doesn't have that big lip.

[Mr Bean]

The Lincoln ones must be somehow different because they are not listed in the interchange. Perhaps someone who has both can compare? I wonder if Aero or Whale ones can be made to fit.

[mercurygm88]

I don't know about the Town Cars but my Mark VI has the gas charged lift supports for the trunk lid.

[sly]

The aero/whale ones are a different length IIRC. I think they go about 3-4 inches wider.

[Mr Bean]

I don't know about the Town Cars but my Mark VI has the gas charged lift supports for the trunk lid.

Oh really? Could you post a pic of how they attach?

[Pvt.Hudson]

I don't know about the Town Cars but my Mark VI has the gas charged lift supports for the trunk lid.

Mark VI looks like a torsion bar setup same as a Town Car.

[kishy]

The early year Lincolns (both Continental/Town Car and Mark VI) get the silly little strut lift support things. 84LTC is torsion bar; my 83LTC had lift supports. I know I've seen an 80 Continental (Town Car) which had the lift supports.

In the case of my cars:
The 91MGM and 84LTC, and I believe also 88LTC, you pop the trunk, and it hangs open just above the closed position. If you lift it, it will stay where you leave it, but it will not spring upwards, you need to lift it to the height you want.
The 83MGM and 86MGM, you pop the trunk and it launches itself all the way up violently. It cannot be left mostly closed, it will shoot all the way open as soon as you let it go.

This doesn't really tell anyone anything useful since we have no way to account for wear, so it's just information. What's interesting to me is that the 83/86MGM and 91MGM, which have fundamentally the same trunk lid (I think?) behave so differently.

[Pvt.Hudson]

Huh was thinking it would be like a scissor hinge style setup like later cars. I stand corrected.

[aharonLTC]

My 88 Town Car used to launch into full open, but in the last week or so it's started to only open halfway and stick where I set it. Coincidentally this is after I finished installing a trunk muncher.

[VicCrownVic]

The early year Lincolns (both Continental/Town Car and Mark VI) get the silly little strut lift support things. 84LTC is torsion bar; my 83LTC had lift supports. I know I've seen an 80 Continental (Town Car) which had the lift supports.

In the case of my cars:
The 91MGM and 84LTC, and I believe also 88LTC, you pop the trunk, and it hangs open just above the closed position. If you lift it, it will stay where you leave it, but it will not spring upwards, you need to lift it to the height you want.
The 83MGM and 86MGM, you pop the trunk and it launches itself all the way up violently. It cannot be left mostly closed, it will shoot all the way open as soon as you let it go.

This doesn't really tell anyone anything useful since we have no way to account for wear, so it's just information. What's interesting to me is that the 83/86MGM and 91MGM, which have fundamentally the same trunk lid (I think?) behave so differently.

In my case, 2 '91 MGMs behave very differently. The Ice Car will fly all the way open. The Scab sometimes I'll pop the trunk and forget I did. I know there are a few adjustment settings but i've never actually comparted to the two to see if they are adjusted to the same adjustment slot.


Since Mr Bean mentioned he has his adjusted to the max, I would think replacing the torsion bars would be the way to go. Though I have no idea what all is involved with that or if it is even an easy task. Just have to test the JY donor trunk lid's ability to stay down (pass on those torsion bars) or tendency to want to open (take those ones, especially if not adjusted to the max).

[kishy]

I definitely prefer the trunk lid to not open itself, but at the same time, it must be able to hold itself fully open when I open it.

Since Mr Bean mentioned he has his adjusted to the max, I would think replacing the torsion bars would be the way to go. Though I have no idea what all is involved with that or if it is even an easy task. Just have to test the JY donor trunk lid's ability to stay down (pass on those torsion bars) or tendency to want to open (take those ones, especially if not adjusted to the max).

I believe the torsion bar removal is "easy" (not complicated) but there is some fighting of physics involved, and you really need the special tool to do it without probably hurting yourself or just failing to get it back together at all.

I recall that someone here made a DIY version of the tool with a parts list so someone could replicate it, but I can't find the thread at the moment.

[VicCrownVic]

Found a video on installing torsion bars on a '67-'70 Cougar. Not exactly the same, but close enough that the basics apply.