crankin my torsion bars
 

ok this is prob a stupid question but i've heard plenty about cranking the torsion bars to get an inch or two more of lift. i looked under my truck today and seen the bars and looked towards the front of them and looks like you need a big ass key or something to turn them. If there is a different way, how do i crank my torsion bars?????????/ i'm getting new tires and wheels tomorrow and I'm gonna need those couple extra inches for the wider tires thanks

lol.

Torsion bars or t-bars have been discussed SO many times it's actually a pain in the neck to search!

Cranking them is actually a bolt with a 1/2" hex head that sticks DOWN from the towers at the back of the bars. Follow the bars back from your front suspension and you'll see they end in a "tower" sticking down from the frame right under the front edge of your doors.

Look up into a hole in that tower and you'll see a 1/2" bolt head. It's pretty hard to turn. Turn it clockwise to RAISE the truck, and counterclockwise to lower it.

Don't go over board. Give it 2 to 4 full turns at the most, then move your truck around a bit and turn the wheels, etc. to let the suspension "unwind" so-to-speak. Then look and see if it's where you want it and readjust from there.

Since there is a sway bar that links the two sides, do both sides the same amount before you move the truck around and look at the result.

Some people say you can just bounce on the bumper -- but I've found with mine if I don't drive it back and forth and all it doesn't move very much from the adjustment.

Hope that helps.

hey thanks

(>,<) I had a picture of this, Lemme find it somewhere....

This is looking in from the passenger side, just under the door.
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...93_28_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...93_29_full.jpg

Woot! There it is! :crazy:

lol john
gotta be helpful when I can :smirk:

Hey, what can I say -- I'm too lazy to go dig up a picture. It's easier just to type, lol! :wink:

john i could SWEAR its a 13mm bolt :crazy: :wink:

Well, when I've used 13 mm's in the past, some of them have actually split on the torque when the bolts weren't adjusted for awhile (mine get buried in mud and corrode a bit). 1/2 fits on mine, so that would sort of say that 13 mm is too large? Yes, it works, but when it's too large it can break the socket (well, cheap ones anyway, lol). 13 mm wrench always fits over 1/2 in bolts, but seldom the other way around. Did you try a 1/2 inch socket on it?

Could someone PLEASE make a sticky for torsions.

Half-inch.

yeah i have posted several time as to the proper way to adjust torsion bar preload

theres more to it then just tightening a few 13mm bolts lol
:shrug:

i still think they are 13mm..... not too many standard sizes on new vehicles nowadays. nothing worth arguing though

you say 1/2 i say 13 either way the bolt turns the same :crazy:

Get someone to make your topic (and any others if there's differences) STICKY's so we don't have to hear this question again! lol! (though you know we will)

I've always done it by just adjusting those bolts. That's all the Ford manual has you doing anyway (regardless of what size they are).

Don't you have to loosen the upper control arms & then tighten them back up after you have cranked the T-Bars?

Brenton

Why in anyone's name would you have to do that???

i'll esplane lucy


if you do not loosen the upper control arms at the frame when adjusting torsion bar preload you "WILL" bind the upper balljoint and the bushings as well and as a result of this you will have premature wear on parts ie balljoints.

make sure you tighten them back to 65 ftlbs after adjustment is made

how do i know this, you should see my left upper balljoint at just 22K, of course its in a scrap pile somewhere and a set of new MOOG's are on it now.
oh did i mention i'm on my 3rd set of lowers as well

It's actually really easy. Get a 2 ton Floor jack, Jack up the front end of your truck evenly so that your tires are at least 1-2"s off the ground. Get a can of WD40, Hose down the bolts and let it sit for about 5 minutes before you start cranking. Make sure that you crank each one the same amount of turns. After it's done, if your tires are kinda cockeyed, you might need to go in and get a Front end alignment so that you don't get unusual wear on your tires.

That's ridiculous, Ricky (hey, how come I'M the girl -- never mind, don't answer that, I don't want to know or I'll cry "waaaaahhhhhhh"...)

If that were true, your suspension could never flex. Your torsion bars connect to your LOWER arm and the upper arm just follows.

Wasn't it YOU or was it someone else who told us about crappy Ford ball joints, lol? I don't think the process of how you crank it makes ANY difference and there is NOTHING in physics that suggests it.

I'm on my second set of lowers at 50K and with 35's I expect to go through more, lol.

I did let my bars down an inch to inch-and-a-half though. Rides much better. With the spindles I don't need as much lift anyway.

You shouldn't hose down the bolts or you wash off the dry threadlocker Ford puts on the -- but if you crank up, and then back down, it's gone anyway.

I will point out that Ford's service manual mentions nothing about lfiting it when adjusting.

explane to my how it could never flex?
mine seems to flex quite a lot/

and cass your so far off man!
and yes it was me who told all u's how to check the balljoints for movement. you can not just jack the truck up and wiggle the tire. wont work.

this is the "proper" way to adjust torsion bar preload
first with the truck on level ground measure the distance from the ground and the top of the fender at the opening and record it.
next with the truck on the ground with the tires on loosen the upper control arm nuts, theres 2 on each side of the truck, loosen them 4 or 5 turns.
now with a good 13 mm socket and a 1/2 inch ratchet tighten the bolts untill you have the height you want (adjust acording to recorded measurment) , DO NOT BOTTOM THE ADJUSTING BOLTS OUT!
next torque the upper control arm nuts to 65 ft lbs and have your alignment checked

this is the last time i will type this and remember i fix cars for a living , if you want advice as to how to properly repair a car or truck then ask me, dont bash me for giving good advice.

If you have to loosen your upper a-arm just to adjust the torsions (which moves the lower arm through it's normal arc a LITTLE), then how could the suspension EVER flex? That's whacked.

The idea that loosening the upper control arms does ANYTHING to that adjustment process is astounding to me. How could you think that? You STILL haven't explained why it would help and the geometry says it WOULDN'T.

And I've had guys who fix cars for a living BUTCHER my truck. No offense meant, but it doesn't mean you're right just because you do it for a living. I mean, Ford MAKES the things and doesn't tell you to lift it OR loosen those, lol.

And I must say, that whole upper arm loosening thing DOES have me wondering about you! :wink:

I've cranked my torsions up and down so many times I lost count.... I have never Used or even touched a torque wrench in the process.... Nor do you need to undo the upper control arms to crank your torsion bars... That's a waste of time... All you need is a can of WD40, a 13mm Socket wrench, a 2 ton jack stand and about 10 minutes....

ok john for you one last time,
the upper arm is set at the factory with the ford height specs
when you change the preload or ride height you bind the upper balljoint!
why do you think all the good lift companys are using "monoballs" on there upper arms?
dosent change geometry whatsoever!

dought me all you want i dont care.

spring loaded rubber suspension bushings are to be tightened at "ride height" unless there polly bushings (upper controll arms, exe)

this is one of the reasons i dont like comming here anymore, people ask for advice and most of you guys are giving bad or totaly wrong advice. i try to help and get bashed. so do whatever you want to your trucks i really dont care :lol:
i'll just keep fixing them the "right" way

WD40 = WATER DISPLACER and is totaly useless