Suspension Tech General discussion of suspension for the Ford Ranger.

Do I need to unload the suspension?

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Old 05-14-2008
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Do I need to unload the suspension?

Do I need to jack up the front of my 2000 Ford Ranger XLT 4X4 3.0L by the body jack points and place jackstands before attempting to crank the torsion bars? Sorry if this is just something that everyone knows, but I can't seem to find more info on torsion bars other than "just crank em"... Which direction do I turn the bolt? I have read somewhere in the search option tab that 4 full turns translates to 1" of extra lift! How many times can you turn it? How many times should you turn it, may be a better question to ask?


My assumption is that you must first unload the suspension by lifting the tires off the ground and BY THE BODY NOT THE DIFFERENTIAL OF COURSE THAT WAY THE TIRES AND SUSPENSION WILL JUST HANG! Then I guess you turn the bolts to the right, you know "righty tighty." Just a little clarification would be nice, and very much appreciated! This site will definatley be a big help for my desicion making on this truck!
 
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Old 05-14-2008
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You can just turn the bolts
 
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Old 05-14-2008
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if ur cranking them in i would. my impact wouldnt even turn em, i had to use a breaker bar.
 
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Old 05-14-2008
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Beware of broken bolts too. I know one of the guys here had his drivers side bolt broken off when someone else was cranking it with out it being jacked up.
 
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Old 05-14-2008
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Get an allignment afterwards, or your tires will wear like crap
 
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Old 05-14-2008
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jack it up as I believe this puts less stress on it when you turn it. Breaking the bolt could really suck.
 
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Old 05-14-2008
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Jack it up so that there is no pressure on the torsion bars. Measure how far the tires are away from the fenders on each side. Make sure to use the same points for all measurements on both sides. Those bolts are going to be very tight so maybe let some WD-40 sit for a minute. Use a socket and breaker bar to tighten the bolts and pay attention to how many turns you do so you can match both sides. Do a couple turns and measure again. Repeat until you get your desired lift. I wouldnt do more than 2". When you're done I suggest an alignment.

From what I understand this doesnt actually change the tension being put on the torsion bars, it just changes the angle as which force is being applied to them. The front end will feel stiffer afterwards.
 
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Old 05-14-2008
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is this a torsion bar thread?


search?


Are you trying to unload the bar and remove it?
 
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Old 05-14-2008
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Yep, cranking torsion bars limits the downward travel by quite a bit.. be aware that your *** will feel the bumps quite a bit now.. instead of jsut the tires going up and down on the road, the front end of the vehicle will be going up and down. I sorta like it, especially since at the same time I put brand new KYb MonoMax shocks on, but it is definitely a pretty stiff ride up front.
 
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Old 05-14-2008
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Thanks for all your Help! I think I should be safe getting it to raise about one inch! My steering wheel is off center for some reason, so maybe an aligment would be a good idea and an opportunity to fix that problem at the same time! I am thinking I will follow up with a 3" body lift and some 32-33" Tires! DON'T WANT TO GO TO CRAZY FOR MY LITTLE 3.0L
 
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