Need Help Replacing Torsion Bar

[wjtowne]

Hi all, I have a 1997 X Limited AWD with a 5.0L. Yesterday the driver side torsion bar broke. I managed to get the broken one out. It actually came out of the front not too bad. Also, I have one on order from a local salvage yard. It should be here on Monday (3 days). Incidentally the Ford dealer says that they are a discontinued part, so I think a junk yard is the only place to get them. I should be getting the correct one. Mine happens to be a #2 rating. Anyway my question is about putting the new one back in. Since mine was broken I could not measure the height of the truck before removing it or count how many turns of the adjustor bolt it took to get it loose.

Strangely (at least to me) the adjuster bolt was turned all the way in on the side that broke. There is about 1.5 inches out on the other side.

Right now the front end is up on jack stands. So, when I put the new bar in how do I know where to index the adjustor arm. In other words should I put the adjustor arm indexed so it is tight against the adjustor bolt with the bolt all the way out. Or should there be some preload on the adjustor arm to start with. This would all be with the front jacked up. I assume once I lower the truck with the new bar I should be able to measure the height of the side that didn't break as my target height.

Also, I have auto ride control. By plan is to remove the air lines and make the truck level with them disconnected and then hook them back up.

One other question is about the adjustor bolt. I've read some posts about replacing the bolt since there is some thread lock on it. Other posts say this is just blue locktite and I should be able to just apply new blue locktite.

What do you all think?

Thanks

 

[imp]

......... Strangely (at least to me) the adjuster bolt was turned all the way in on the side that broke. There is about 1.5 inches out on the other side. A guess would be the torsion bar yielded some, due to a beginning crack, which caused that corner to sag. Tightening the bolt inward increased torque on the failing bar, and it finally broke.
Right now the front end is up on jack stands. So, when I put the new bar in how do I know where to index the adjustor arm. You don't know.
In other words should I put the adjustor arm indexed so it is tight against the adjustor bolt with the bolt all the way out. Or should there be some preload on the adjustor arm to start with. By adjustor arm, you mean the "bump" on the torsion bar against which the bolt bears? How would you get "some" preload on the bar to begin with?
This would all be with the front jacked up. I assume once I lower the truck with the new bar I should be able to measure the height of the side that didn't break as my target height. Sure. Just remember that raising/lowering one corner of the vehicle affects all 3 others to a degree.
Also, I have auto ride control. By plan is to remove the air lines and make the truck level with them disconnected and then hook them back up. Seems reasonable, but unfortunately my Shop Manual is not available here. Sorry.
One other question is about the adjustor bolt. I've read some posts about replacing the bolt since there is some thread lock on it. Other posts say this is just blue locktite and I should be able to just apply new blue locktite. If I remember right, it's been several years, but my '96 had locknuts on the adjustor bolts. I should think if you can move/remove the old bolt, it may be reusable if it has not been yielded in compression and made fatter than in should be.
hanks

 

[wjtowne]

Well, I got my "new" torsion bar today. One problem is that the one that came is not the same diameter as the original. My original is a #2 acording to the door tag and measures about 25.1mm or 0.988in diameter and according to the dealer should have a -AH part number. The one they gave me is bigger. It measures about 27.1mm or 1.067in diameter. Acording to one post I found this is a B bar. The new bar still had the part number tag on it and is a -BC.

I decided to try to put it in anyway. The problem is that I need to twist the bar to get it in to get the adjustor bolt in and bolt mount in. This is eventhough I have the truck jacked up. I tried to use a puller hooked over the mount but can't quite get the thing twisted enough to get the bolt and bolt mount bracket in. I can't get the puller to remain straight no matter how hard I try.

anyway, gonna try to get a different bar that is hopefully the right diameter. This should be easier to twist.

Anybody have any experience changing these?

Thanks,

 

[wjtowne]

I checked the bars that are in the truck now. They have a -GA stamped on them and the right side one has a tag with part number F57A-GA on it. This does not match the door code #2 part number which is -AH.

Does anyone know what door code has a -GA part/stamp on it? I am having a hard time finding one at a junk yard. One reason is because they inventory them by door code not Ford part number. If I knew the door code that goes with -GA, I could ask them to look for that.

Thanks,

 

[gmanpaint]

I just spent some time searching the forum for the Torsion bar ratings and came up blank

I know there on here somewhere, but I'll be damned if I can find 'em right now.

When installing them, you don't "Twist" anything until it is all buttoned up. Back the adjuster bolt out, install the bar, than start tightening it to get the height your after.

Look up Torsion Bars for Dummies in the sticky section of the suspension forum here.

 

[wjtowne]

I can't get the bar in there with the adjustor bolt and bolt bracket in the truck. It either needs to be twisted about 15 degrees to get the bolt bracket in or if I go to the next position of the bar the bolt won't touch it at all. In other words it would be completley loose with the bolt all the way in.

 

[gmanpaint]

Yup, remove the bolt, rear bracket cover. Remove the old T-bar. Place the torsion key on the rear of the new bar. Slide the front of the new bar in the lower control arm. Raise the new bar in place in the rear. Return the bolt and make sure the bar/nut is in proper place. Tighten the bolt to desired height.

 

[wjtowne]

Ok so I got the new torsion bar in. I had to preload it some to get the bolt in. Then I leveled it the best I could. I think the driver side (the side I replaced) still needs to go a little higher.

Also, I may have wrecked a shock. The truck has air ride so the shocks are supposed to level the truck. It seems like the compressor keeps running to lift the truck but I don't see it lifting. I do have another shock to replace the front one, if that is the problem

I have a new problem. Remember the new bar one is stiffer than the old one and stiffer than the other side. I'm not sure if that would cause this problem or not. It seems to me like it shouldn't, but here goes.

Now when I turn the wheel the front end shimmies. It vibrates the whole truck. I can feel in through the steering wheel. So, I jacked it back up so the front wheels are off the ground. Whe I turn the wheel it shakes pretty violently. Anyone have any thoughts on what may cause this. Perhaps something got bent when the torsion bar broke or on the subsequent ride home. It's almost like a damper in the steering system isn't working. Not sure if there is such a thing.

Thanks,

 

[wjtowne]

So, I think I fixed the steering. I think it was air in the system. After searching around the forum it sounds like it can get in there if you turn the wheels with the engine off. I did this with the thing up on jacks. After turning back and forth a bunch of time I think it worked its way out and is good now.

I'm pretty sure both front shocks are shot now though. They don't seem to be lifting the front.

I happen to have two new ones because I changed them a few years ago and the company send me an extra set of fronts.

So, I guess I'll be changing those.

Thanks,

 

[wjtowne]

Well I changed one shock. The front still wasn't lifting and the pump kept trying to lif the truck. Was getting ready to change the other and found that the real problem is that I have a hole in one of the air lines. It looks like it was wore throught on something.

Now I am trying to find something to patch in a sectin of line about 4 inches long.

Thanks