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Performance Upgrades - Maintenance - Modifications - Problem Solving - Off-Road - Street Trucks. Covering the Explorer, ST, Sport, Lincoln Aviator, Sport Trac, Mercury Mountaineer, Mazda Navajo, Ford Ranger, Mazda Pickups, and the Aerostar. Featuring H.I. - Human Intelligence.
So, I don't have to relieve the tension on the torsion bar?? It almost sounds like the tension bar and adjuster are under a lot of pressure and will "blow" apart if I dont relieve the torsion bar tension. So, I'll just get a 2 jaw gear puller and start pulling on the tension bar adjuster?? after removing the adjusting bolts?? THANKS...
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Yes, you do have to relieve the tension. First, take the torsion bar adjuster bolts out. Next, remove the covers that surround the adjusters (i think 4 bolts). Then finally, put the 2-arm puller on and take the tension off the torsion bar. Once you get the tension off, you can pull the adjuster key off the end of the bar and replace.
Almost all of the pressure comes off by simply lifting the front end off of the ground.
I used no special tool, or puller, to remove my torsion bars. I changed to the stiffest "B" bars.
I unbolted the upper ball joint bolt. By using a jack, and disconnecting the upper ball joint from the control arm, all of the pressure is released.
I didn't want to risk using a puller to hold that pressure. That isn't the ideal purpose for a two jaw puller. My method was simple, basic, and required no special tools, or luck.
Don
Where did you get the B bars and how much did they cost? Do you know if they're a dealer item only, or would a spring repair shop carry them?
I have the D bars and they are still soft even cranked up. I'd like to get the suspension stiffened up more in the front to match the rear better...without resorting to buying adjustable shocks, since my shocks are brand new.
I just completed the torsion bar adjuster replacement
After reading thru these threads and referencing the Haynes and Chilton manuals, I decided to do the torsion bar adjuster replacement. I had the clunking in the front end and searched and searched for the cause and this turned out to be the culprit. The job was rather easy but intimidating at first, I was a little spooked by "torsion bar under a lot of pressure" I was very cautious and understood the problem once I took off the torsion bar protective adjuster plate. The way I did this project was:
1) Jack up the front wheels 1/2" off the ground
2) Put jackstands under both front stand plates.
3) Lower front end back down onto jackstands but leave jack under center crossmember for safety backup
4) I used the Autozone 27078 2/3 Jaw Puller as a 2 jaw puller to clamp on to the metal frame piece to either side (~1/4") from the center of the adjuster and put the center of the puller in the adjuster indentation
5) turn the puller so that it is lifting the adjuster high enough so you can FIRST, pull out the adjuster bolt and then pull out the cross piece that the adjuster bolt was threaded to.
6) then, slowly unwind the puller until there is no more tension in the tension bar and it will hang down about an inch
7) knock the adjuster off of the end of the torsion bar and put on a new adjuster, it should come off pretty easily, I used some penetrating oil but it wasn't really necessary.
Installation is simply this procedure in reverse, it will make sense.
One note. When you are reassembling everything with the new adjuster attached to the torsion bar, be careful to correctly position the puller in the center of the indentation on the new adjuster. I pushed the adjuster (attached to the torsion bar obviously) up into the frame rounded out area the adjuster sits in so that the adjuster was oriented in the "well" correctly. I centered the puller over the indentation on the adjuster, made sure the puller was vertical, and started to turn the puller to put tension (push it upward) on the adjuster. If you are using a socket wrench to turn the puller (to push up on the new adjuster) and yank the puller to one side, it is possible for the puller to "fall over" under pressure which is not good, it happened to me the first try but nothing "explosive" happened, I just had to back the puller off and do it again. All in all, the driver side took me 30 minutes, the passenger side took about 20 minutes because I had the procedure figured out.
And as always, be careful and use these procedures at YOUR OWN RISK.
Great information. I'm having the same sound coming out of my 2000 xlt 2wd. The post were from folks with 97-98 x's, so I'm wondering if the 2000 used the same setup or if anybody knows?
Thanks,
Great information. I'm having the same sound coming out of my 2000 xlt 2wd. The post were from folks with 97-98 x's, so I'm wondering if the 2000 used the same setup or if anybody knows?
Thanks,
Thanks,
I know it's common to update designs that's why I was wondering. I hope someone can fill me in if it's still an issue. That clanking is really annoying and the ride is suffering too. New shocks this week to start ruling out other issues.
Thanks Don, that's a decent price. I'll have to call the dealership near work to see if they have the "B" bars in stock. They give me a 15% discount on Ford parts.
I went to the dealer today to check on the bars. Their retail pricing is $62 for one side and $55 for the other, but they'd have to special order them. I didn't order them yet. I'm going to check some other places first. Any idea why one side would cost more than the other? Not a big deal, just found it a little strange.
Little bit of a different length/strength. I have a set of B's that I've yet to put on. I'll find out if I'm gonna put them on or not this weekend. I'll get you a price after I decide.
I changed mine before a lowering and larger tires. I was told that I would lose enough spring rate by lowering it that I would be more likely to bottom out. I didn't notice any more stiffness in ride quality, and I havn't had any bottoming out. Night,
Don
The 98 can't be any better than the 96 and 97 because my 98 sport has the same clunking noise and it happens everytime i crawl over a rock and come back down (torsion bar flexing) it also happens when comming to a hard stop on a down hill. I'm going to put something in the local paper to ford explorer owners not to bring their truck to the stealership to get inspected, because they don't know what it is they keep telling me its my ball joints and that my uppers and lowers both need to be replaced... Its funny because ive checked them many times, they are not worn, there is ZERO play in the front wheels side to side and top to bottom even on an angle there is no play what so ever, but they insist they need to change ALL , not just one or two, of the ball joints.
I will never bring my truck back to Ford, and personally told the manager that his business has lost a customer. Maybe if we boycott them they will lower they're outrageous prices and hire skilled mechanics with at least partial knowledge of what the signs of bad ball joints are. I'm 19 years old, and i have enough knowledge that i don't get sucked into the tricks of dealerships. Before i had a truck i thought my dad was always full of it when he said the dealerships don't know what they are doing, but now that i have my own vehicle to maintain i see that it is so very true in the town i live in.
I will never bring my truck back to Ford, and personally told the manager that his business has lost a customer. Maybe if we boycott them they will lower they're outrageous prices and hire skilled mechanics with at least partial knowledge of what the signs of bad ball joints are. I'm 19 years old, and i have enough knowledge that i don't get sucked into the tricks of dealerships. Before i had a truck i thought my dad was always full of it when he said the dealerships don't know what they are doing, but now that i have my own vehicle to maintain i see that it is so very true in the town i live in.
I quit going to Ford dealership a long time ago. It took me a while but I have identified good, honest mechanics in my area for most of the major systems (transmission, engine, suspension, etc.) The one time I had to go to the stealership, I told them specifically "Change only the rear pinion seal and don't touch anything else" and they did.... But they still tried the old "Your transfer case is leaking" So I looked under the car and all the transmission parts were dry as a bone... I just laughed and drove away... I think this will be one of the reasons Ford and GM go bye bye...
Great thread! I've had this annoying clunk under foot for 10,000 miles (low speed turning) and checked every suspension part I could think of, all good.
Now I know! I think I'll do the "B" bars and adjusters at the same time since the front is kind of mushy and dives on hard braking. This should do nicely with the new shocks, Thanks!
Great thread! I've had this annoying clunk under foot for 10,000 miles (low speed turning) and checked every suspension part I could think of, all good.
Now I know! I think I'll do the "B" bars and adjusters at the same time since the front is kind of mushy and dives on hard braking. This should do nicely with the new shocks, Thanks!
you could also just crank up your torsion bolts a little, which would make it ride a little stiffer and maybe a little higher, but a few turns i would think would just firm up the suspension as opposed to raising the ride height.
Hello , i know this post is old but , i have the same clunk and i ask my ford dealer at montreal to place an order for this part F57Z-5B328-A but they sold for 60$ each so , can someone call to a dealer in your area to see if this part cost 25$ , Maybe it s cheaper to order directly from usa . Thanks a lot
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This thread is pretty good--I have rated it.
Think it should be stickied?
It is good info, not just for the offroad guys--I think it should be in the "suspensions" forum also---
