so I went out to level my truck finally, raised it up and did the left side and it was a breeze. I went around to do the right side and the damn torsen bolt is rounded off. It will accept the 13 mm socket but when I go to crank it,it just break free and spins on it. No wonder the truck wasnt leveled when I bought it, but any ideas on how to work this.

 

Vise-Grips or weld on a nut.

 

but even if the vice grips work how can I turn the bolt. because it cant lay like level with the ground because it will hit on the square pieces around the torsen bars and if you connect it like facing sky to ground how would you turn it because you def cant crank torsen bars by hand i wouldnt think.

 

Use a file and make the head of the bolt into a square and use a wrench

 

use two pairs one horizontal on the head and clamp the other set onto the side of the first set verticaly to give you leverage.

 

FYI its torsion. Torsen is the L/S rearend in some FX4 Rangers.

 

yeah the vice grips def arent working. I cant get enough torque on them without them wanting to move or slip off. thers jus no way for me to make them tight enough to fit. I dont have a tiny file to do it but ill go buy one if you all think thatll work or any other ideas.

 

I would weld something on to it like a nut or somthing you can push on to turn such as a rod.. Lol quick adjust torsion bars ftw :O

 

You could use an air cut-off tool and make a straight cut in the head of the bolt. Then use an impact gun with a large flat tip socket to remove the bolt. Of course I'm sure this requires more tools than you have.

 

im thinkin the file way to make it square is gonna be the best. was gonna suggest the same, but maybe with a cut off tool or a grinder

 

yeah I think im going to try the file but thats going to def b a pain in the ***, and then if I cant get that to work then ill try to cut the bolt as suggested above. how would I take it out, like can you just take the bolt out and put a new bolt in or how does all that work. also even if the file worked and i got a wrench on it how would I still turn it. At first it would work but in order to level the truck out the torsion bolt actually goes up in the black square so a wrench would fit on it.

 

to take the bolt out get a big c clamp and take the flat part off the end so you can take all the pressure off the bolt,or go buy the right tool for that

 

yes if you get it out you can put a new one in. but idk if they are a standard thread or what. i would go to a junk yard and get a new bolt or get on from ford

 

is there a how to or a detailed instruction that someone can post that will show me how and what to use to take the bolt out and put a new one in. i take it you cant just take the bolt out and screw a new one in.

 

First off. Become good friends with the search button.

Second, This post should help you out. Read it.. T-bar Removal

 

If it was me and if there was room if its rounded to where u cant get a socket on it, just put a 14" pipe wrench on it, crank it to where your happy and forget about it lol :D

 

There is like a metal piece that surrounds it so you kinda have to use a socket..

 

I wrote in that thread before I found a safe, no-special tool required way to do it. Simply unbolt everything up front to make the suspension droop like crazy......top balljoint bolt, sway bar end link, top shock mount, maybe caliper, maybe CV nut, maybe tie rod end. I found this out when my 2-jaw puller took a massive fail on me and I HAD to get her truck back on the road. Once everythings unbolted, there should be enough twist of the key upward to remove it from the key holder, then slide the t-bar out. It's how I do it now. It's TOTALLY safe and not sketch whatsoever.

Personally, the way I'd fix the OP's truck is by doing what I posted above and hope you can get the 'keeper block'(#9 below) w/ the adjustment bolt(#8) still in it. If you can't, cut it as close to the block w/ the threads(the bolt head side), then snake it out. Of course, do it only after you get your new parts from Ford or a junkyard donor truck.

 

thanks for the info and yea sorry about the search, i searched and searched but I kept spelling it wrong so that thread never showed up. I looked through it and it never said how to take the bolt out, it just says unscrew it. im just making sure that I only have to unscrew it and screw the new adjuster bolt back in or if I have to use a C clamp or whatever wehre exactly and how to place and do it. and also how would I go about taking off my stripped bolt, You cant fit anything up like a wrench and obviously a socket wont fit and unscrew/screw it.

 

IMO....either weld on a nut to the stripped bolt head, leave it or unscrew it and replace the bolt. No need to unload the bars to replace the bolt that way.

Or....read my post above. Cut it off and get a new adjustment bolt and nut("keeper block", #9 in the diagram). This requires unloading the torsion bar and I covered that above.






Of course the other thread just says unscrew it....it isn't meant to cover stripped t-bar adj bolts.

 

oh ok yeah i was typing when you posted that so I didnt get to see it until I already posted and sent you a message. so let me get this straight just so im 100% clear. my goal is to take out my torsion bar adjuster bolt to replace it with one that isnt stripped. IF I can jack the truck up, use wd 40 or some heat and get that bolt out somehow like that then I can just take my new torsion bar adjuster bolt and just screw it in its place and be good to go thats it, correct? Secondly, IF I cant get the adjuster bolt out for w.e reason than I should go about it the way you suggested in your previous post with the diagram, in which case I would need a tool because I would have to unload the torsion bars to cut off the old adjustment bolt and nut and replace those with new ones. Do I got it right now.

 

haha...it's all good. I didn't even notice the times. lol.


Mkay....


Get a new bolt anyhow. You can steal it off a 95-01 Explorer or a 98+ Ranger, or order new from Tasca like linked earlier in the thread.

Find SOMEWAY to get the current bolt out. Whether it be welding a nut, heating the nut, whatever.....get it out. Replace it with the new one. NO SPECIAL TOOLS are needed if just replacing the bolt.

If you do use heat, I suggest getting a new nut/keeper block whatever you wanna call it. And replacing that requires unloading the bar. All the unbolting crap I mentioned earlier, the safer, no special tool way.

If you can't remove it using heat or don't have access to someone with a welder, remove the 'skid plate' and cut the bolt as close as you can to the nut/keeper block. Use a hack saw, sawzall, or even a torch(but don't come close to the nut/keeper block w/ the torch). THEN, all the unbolting crap to get the nut/keepblock and the threaded stub out. Replace with new bolt and new nut(only you can't get the old threaded stub threaded out of it). This route in my opinion is about the best option as it requires no real special tools other than a saw of some kind.






IMO...easiest solution to your problem is getting a nut welded onto the stripped head. You can just leave it like that if you wish. Or fix it down the road. It's up to you. And whatever route you do choose to take, feel free to post up a thread if you need help...just remember to get all your parts you may need before hand. Don't wanna be stuck with a suspensionless truck! lol.

 

thanks man i appreciate the help, im glad someone is on at these times. I work nights so im always on when no1 else is. I like this site alil better than FRF just because more people seem to post and reply on here. Everytime I post something on FRF I never get a repsonse or any useful responses but on here it seems like I do, I wonder why because I know most of the people are members too both. Also one last question, I did my ujoints this weekend and greased my ujoint boot and hopefully I did my ujonts right all seems well so far. But I broke 1 of the clamps on the boot like most do. I did get it back on the driveshaft and it seems to be staying in place which is good until I can get a replacement, but what should I use to replace that. Ive read most either use zip tie or screw type clamp but most dont want to use the clamp for fear of slightly throwing the driveshaft off, so should I just use a zip tie and get it as tight as I can.

 

See! I'm glad you're on a site where people ACTUALLY KNOW THINGS!!! You're welcome man....I had my fair share of asking for help when I got started, no I'm just returning the favor.



The U-joint issue....what boot...?? Are you the one that had the slap-bump/rear end clunk issue? Hose clamp is just fine IMO. My truck bounces pretty darn good as it is...I wouldn't notice it! lol. The clamps on that driveshaft slip are used in plumbing.....so you should be able to find something just like stock at Home Depot. Buy the special tool, use it to crimp the bandclamp, then return it. Just take your old broke clamp to Ace or Home Depot with you and match it up. You really need to get on that...you don't want gunk getting in that slip joint.

 

Yes I am the one with the clunk issue and I did my u joints this weekend and greased the slip yoke boot it was my first time but it wasn't toooo bad for my first time ever by myself. the new u joints and greasing the boot on the slip joint did help some with the clunk but not 100% so idk what the deal with that is, and now my pulleys are squeeling because its been raining all weekend so thats gay as F, hopefully when it stops they dry up and not do it anymore. idk why they are, they never have before after rains???? you think spraying some wd 40 or something on them would help or maybe something else I could try?? anyways yeah im going to try to get it tomorrow or if worse comes to worse throw a zip tie or hose clamp until I can get around to getting the right one. my trucks only got 50,000 miles on it so this weekend with this lil bs grimlins are killlllllin me jeez but hopefully tomorrow I can get that clamped up and my pulleys stop sqeeking and itll be a good weekend as long as my u joints hold up good. I drove around with speeds all the way up to 50 55 mph for like 15 minutes and no problems so I guess I did it right. Idk if ill get to the torsion bolt tomorrow or not, I want to so I can get it done but with my luck I wont be able to get it off so if thats the case im def not tearing it all down and getting into all that tomorrow when mon everything starts back up n this truck is my DD and just driving it and taking care of it at another time, its not hurting anything besides looks lol.