I've just adjusted my torsion bars - the suspension is now great but the headlight beams are too high! Can anybody tell me how to get at and adjust them, please? Thanks!

- (#3712) Frank Newall, 8 Jul 02

I can tell you how to adjs Frank but I cannot remember the size of screw. Inside the footwells behind the headlamps up slightly you will see the plates that cover the lights. In the plates top left/bottom right or top right/bottom left are 2 rubber bungs on each plate. Pull them out to show the screws tops to higher or lower. I think I used a 8 mm box spanner on my magnetic screw driver.
Hope this helps a bit. Phil

- (#3713) phil cook, 8 Jul 02

Thanks for your help, Phil, much appreciated! I'll give it a go as soon as it stops raining!

- (#3722) Frank Newall, 9 Jul 02

Frank. Phil has outlined the answer to your query and, I am sure that he is correct re the 8 mm nut size. I found that a spray of lubricant, onto the threads, the day before, made the adjustment quite easy. I needed to do mine in readiness for the MOT so I made up a simple extension tee bar, with the socket on the end, and this made adjustment simple.
I, too, adjusted the torsion bars when I fitted new shock absorbers and did get a slightly improved ride but, there is still that "thump" when going over even the smallest depression in the road. Did you, or has anyone else, discovered any vunerable bushes or worn fulcrum point/s, on the front suspension of the Town or Masterace ? My next experiment is to remove the torsion bars, so that the suspension, on jacks, is totally free, and then, hopefully, I will be able to discover where this "slack" or "lost motion" is in the suspension system. The suspension "travel", on my Masterace, is excellent when tested with the vehicle stationery but, on the road, the slightest depression or projection ( rumble strips) sends alarming shudders through to the body. I have, visually, checked all the mountings and the anti roll bar bushes etc but cannot find where this "slack" might be. Has anyone any more ideas ?
Comments much appreciated.

- (#3745) John Davis, 10 Jul 02

Still can't pinpoint the noise, John, but I reckon it's to do with the lack of isolation between the torsion bar and chassis letting the shock through. What I have found is that replacing the bottom balljoints quiets things down a bit (£50ea)- play in the lower joint lets the wishbone load/ unload as the antiroll bar levers it. Spec is zero play, and you'll really only feel it with the joint out or with a really LONG prybar. I replaced the LHS only to find the RHS was actually worse.If you remove the joint and put it in a vise, you'll find you can compress the ball into the housing against spring pressure...by perhaps 1.4"...
Something else is to check that all the dash support to body and steering column fasteners are tight. Reading the russian site, it seems they have problems with spotwelds on these brackets breaking!

- (#3749) david miller, 11 Jul 02

Thanks again David. I will pay particular attention to those bottom ball joints and will post any "discoveries" which I am able to come up with.

- (#3752) John Davis, 11 Jul 02