Hows it going my fellow olds owners quick question I just purchased some trunk rods for my 72 Cutlass wonder how do I install them is it pretty simple ?

 

Installation shouldn't be too bad. You do need to be careful with the tensioning though because it does have a fair amount of power loaded into the torsion bars, so you do need to either have someone help you, or have a decent set of pipes. Use a good big set of vice grips to clamp and load tension for the appropriate adjusting notch. You can use a Large screw driver to help unseat the torque rod from the notch. (I have a special J hook tool that I got made just for things like this) There's a complete write up with pics for this in the 72 Fisher Body Manual (Pages 8-8, 8-9)

What's wrong with the trunk rods that are in there now? If the trunk is closing on its own, you can adjust the tension fairly easily. The torque rods just have to be moved to a different notch on both sides.

 

 

Right now theres none in the car they were missing when I bought the car

 

Gotcha! If it helps I can take pics of them in my car and post them for you when you're ready to put them in.

 

im ready now pics would be great thanks when i look under neith i notice theres a brackets swinging freely 1 on each side looks like maybe they should be bolted to something trying to figure out what they might go to any clues

 

The parts that are swinging are held up by the spring rods. If nobody else comes up with a diagram or picture of how the spring rods go in I'll try to post pictures for you Sunday afternoon. John

 

What John said. Here's the Fisher write up on the torsion rod removal and install. Sorry, it's not easy to scan these because of the size of the manual. This pic shows the torsion bars and how they crossover each other. It's too dark right now for detail pics of how they are seated into the notch. If you get it figured out before tomorrow LMK

 

Check out Wild About Cars - look at the Fisher body Manuals. They do not have a 1972 manual loaded (perhaps someone could help them out there).
There is a 1970 manual and I am sure they are similar. Here is the link check out page 8-8:
http://wildaboutcarsonline.com/membe...E_MANUAL_8.pdf

 

Ok that's a good trick. I did look at WAC but couldn't find that info, I scanned the images I have out of a manual I have. The info is pretty much the same for the trunk, but what I don't like is how the picture detail is nearly gone. It's a scan of a scan of an original. Each layer of scanning loses some of the quality.

What section of WAC 'Oldsmobile' did you find that under?

 

Hey Allan: on the fatory publications/ olds/ service manuals page there is a link to Fisher Body manauls on the left hand side just under the IMPORTANT please read link.
The Fisher Body link will take you to what looks like a blank page, but if you read the Please Note section it will have a "click here" link.
I know what you mean about the quality of the scan. At some point I will start scanning my original manual and sending the images in to WAC if they are better than what is on line already.

 

Found it! Gotta speak to Kurt and Bob about that. It's not an easy navigation link. The theme behind WAC was to make the information more accesible but it's not doing that in this case. I don't understand their logic, even in the please note section. The FBM should be in the lineup with the CSMs. My opinion anyway. Thx again for the redirect.

re: original manual. I have one for 72 but it is hardcover. No way I'm taking that book apart to scan it though. BTW, the quality of the original pics and diagrams is incredible even compared to a 'first run' repro.

 

Ok I got some better pics for you to compare. See if this helps.

 

thanks for the pics but mines is a diffrent set up than that mines come with 2rods looks completely diffrent

 

Shouldn't be different. You have a 72 right? My car is a 72 Cutlass S. It has 2 torsion rods also. *see pic I posted 3 days ago - you can see how they cross each other*
I posted the close ups so you could see how each one is mounted to the notch. The floppy part you have in the cavity gets one of the torsion rods inserted. When the rod is inserted into the notch it provides the lift for the trunk. I only posted pics of one side - so there's 2 rods. Each 'end' goes from one side of the trunk to the other.

I went back and looked at the pic you posted. From what I can see someone may have cut the metal support box with notches completely out of your car?? They are supposed to be there. Please post better detail pics and we can go from there.

Here's another shot of a completely different car but showing the similar setup I described.

 

some more pics. I use the end on my long 1/2 inch extension to go over the end of the rod to lift it out of the notch or change the tension by going to the top notch for more and bottom for less cheerio

 

here goes a lil better pic see if this will work

 

Keep in mind that the rods on the Supreme body style, are not the same as the S body style.

 

I did not know that. Could you post some pics showing the differences? That might clear up the fitment problem here. thx, eh?

 

Sorry Allan, I do not have any pictures, but I know there is a differance because my buddy has a 72 Supreme, and last summer he broke one of the rods. We pulled a set out of a 72 Cutlass 2 door post car, and the rods were about 3 inches to long. We then took a pair out of a 72 Cutlass S, 2 door hardtop, they also were about 3 inches to long. Had to get a pair from a Supreme.

 

I give up im just gone use a broom stick to hold it open

 

do you have the rods?

 

sorry answered my own ?. The "u" shaped part goes into the bracket and fits into the hinge and the "L" shaped part goes to the other side to provide tension. It looks similar to my S pics but the "L" looks like it curves the opposite way. I don't have a supreme to look at but maybe someone else does.

 

yeah i already have the rods