RCD shock and mount numbers.

[cmax13007]

enough of going down with your X (j/k)....start building her up!!!

CMAX

P.S - I will admit that I initially was going to go street with my X until I attended MTU way up in the Upper Peninsula. Lots of good trails.

 

[nickm347]

Is there any lift to be gained from switching to coilovers, or is a drop bracket of some sort needed for any real lift, like the superlift bracket.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

You could do the equivalent of a TT with coilovers, but that is the max you can lift without drop brackets. The benefit would be it wouldn't ride like crap.

 

[chad551]

I adjusted my preload the other day and got another 1" of lift. But my front end was actually kind of lowered, due to the springs breaking in. I did about 3 revolutions of the spanner nut, and up it went!!

 

[CDW6212R]

Evan, are you also thinking of this to go with the rear air bags? I'd love to gain a better ride, but it may not change much for a lowered truck.

 

[cmax13007]

I started my conversion today and thought it could be done in a day. Lets just say that didnt work out to well. I am stuck on getting the torsion bar out of the LCA. It will not budge. The torsion is off as well as the torsion bracket all loose. Tried sludge, Air hammer, and ball joint press. Got no where.

You guys have any ideas? I am thinking mine are welded in.....................

Other than that the brackets from RCD are all in, new moog lower ball joints are in, and shocks will be going in as soon as the torsion bars are out of the way.

Any one know if someone has tried cutting the torsion bars before? Saw-zaw or cutting wheel. I might have to pull them out and get them pressed out professionaly.

Please....lets here some suggestions....


CMAX~

 

[MountaineerGreen]

My bars slid right out- are yours rusted in? If so, try some penetrating oil overnight. I can't imagine how they'd be welded in, they are spring steel.

 

[CDW6212R]

Ditto, my old bars came right out. My truck was from Milwaukee, but it gave me no trouble. The bar is plenty long to use as leverage. Can't you pull/push the bar around at the back to work it loose at the front? Do you have the adjuster key out, the bolts and all from the back? Night,

 

[chad551]

Mine came right out. You did remove all the brackets holding the bars correct? If they are welded you would see it, there is only 1 place where they could be welded, and it would the front side of the LCA.

Chad

 

[cmax13007]

All the brackets are out. I tried PB Blaster a few times. I just went at it for an hour this morning. Then I tried taken the LCA's out. Yea, that didnt work either. Bolts are probably rusted in as well. As far as it goes for if it is welded, its hard to tell. I am guessing i just have some major rust.

What about heating up the torsion bar from the front and then letting it cool? Worth a try???

CMAX~

 

[kert0307]

If you heat it up, pull it out when it's still hot.

 

[CDW6212R]

Yes corrosion can and does act like welds. You can heat it but you wouild have to heat the control arm also to expand it as well. It should be much easier to remove with the control arm bolted in place.

 

[chad551]

How about a BFH and a pipe that fits into the torsion bar hole in the LCA?

 

[cmax13007]

I have tried everything!!! Do not worry, I would never give up. I have recently tried heating up the LCA with a propane torch. Thinking it would expand the LCA and not the TB. Then either hit or work the TB out. I worked at it for about an hour again tonight and just hit it with some more PB Blaster and Liquid Wrench. Tomorrow night I will try a BFH (15lb Sludge) and solid pipe.

Any more suggestions???

CMAX~

 

[mounty71]

Couldn't you just cut the torsion bar where it exits the back of the LCA, and leave it in there? Maybe weld it in at the front of the LCA to make sure it never does pop out while you're driving?

 

[chad551]

It sounds as if your ST is sitting in a garage and not driveable. So I would just take out the LCA and try using a press. You have alot more patience than me, I would have already cut the T-bar off and said F#$% it and leave the other piece in the LCA.

I am actually suprised this kind of issue did not happen to me, seems like I get all the weird $hit going wrong when I work on my ST. I have yet to be able to remove a leaf spring bolt without cutting it off:scratch:

 

[cmax13007]

Well, cutting it will require a torch or plasma cutter. I have neither. The reason I say this is because the TB is made of some pretty hard material. RockWell is up in the 100's....thats a lot!!! Saw-zaw would take a day and 10 blades.

My plan tonight if the TB doesnt come out by using the BFH and Pipe is to just bring it into work after everything is together. Have my boys cut or hammer it out for me. Oh, I did however try taking the LCA out but the bolts just wont budge. See superlift uses a fully threaded bolt through the LCA bushing. This eventually makes it impossible to get them out. They should have found partially thread bolts. It urges me to ask whether or not an engineer designs these superlift components.......



CMAX~

 

[William Schumacher]

subscribed for updates
I have the RCD on my 2dr sport,the original springs sagged so I put on the eibach 750.
since I have the 2dr and went SOA,the rear sat a bit higher
with the 4dr leaf pack.
I adjusted the coils to level the truck and the drivers side is just about maxed out,the passenger side still has some thread left though.

I very much want to swap out these coilovers to gain a smooth ride while keeping it level with the rear !

 

[chad551]

William,
My springs are already getting to weak for my ST. I have the 700# springs and they are tightened almost as tight as I can go, so it looks like I will go up to 750 or maybe 800 lb springs.

Chad

 

[CDW6212R]

Do update us on the ride quality, hopefully it will still be much better.