Solved Torsion Bar 101, Everything you Need to look for!

[BonesDT]

thanks, i didnt think so, but there is a slight rotation of the axle i guess.

 

[taxx]

very slight, but it won't change the camber or anything. and they (the wheels) will still be pointing forward (or backwards, however you like it)

 

[RGK]

Anybody know how to get these TB's quiet when it turns cold. Mine have started clunking again and I'll be da**ed if I'm gonna replace the adjusters again. The kevlar must get harder in the cold and there are no aftermarket solutions out there. Anys suggestions, it sounds like the truck is falling apart!

 

[taxx]

Suggestion:

Louder radio

 

[Jason_25]

Originally posted by RGK
Anybody know how to get these TB's quiet when it turns cold. Mine have started clunking again and I'll be da**ed if I'm gonna replace the adjusters again. The kevlar must get harder in the cold and there are no aftermarket solutions out there. Anys suggestions, it sounds like the truck is falling apart!

You must have not done it right when you replaced them the first time. My adjuster has the original 7 year old Kevlar with 102K miles and makes no noise.

 

[Robert]

There really isn't a way to install them incorrectly. Mine do wear throught he kevlar patch pretty frequently though. I attribute that to my torsion twist which puts more spring tension on the patch. Mine never did squeek due to temperature though, but when the patch wears out I get a pretty annoying "clank" when going over bumps.

 

[RGK]

Once the air temp gets down around 30, the clunk returns, work just fine in warmer weather so I guess you warm climate folks will never see the problem. Guess I'll just have to pull the covers and see what they look like, maybe have to tighten them down in winter.

 

[Explorer_5.0]

hey i got a qustion? i got a 97 x with an off- road package because its a police package. the thing is i got a noise when i hit bumps, sound like a ball joint thing but the ball joints are fine and the cv joints are fine too. anyone know whats wrong? i work on the truck all the time fixing it and im good at finding noise but im stumped

 

[RGK]

Sounds like it could be the TSB adjusters, thats what happens, a clunk over bumps. Do a search for 'torsion bar adjusters'. There is a good thread with pix of the problem and what to do to fix it. I've done it twice, not doin it again.

 

[rickfireftr]

Data on Torsion Twist

I read alll on the torsion twist and decided to try it out. Being an engineer I also wrote down everything so here it is. The front of my XLS '00 I started with three turns and went from 32 7/8 and 32 5/8" to 34 and 33 3/4 respectively this got me 1 1/8". Then went 2 and 1/4 turns and got an additional 1/4" went again and got a 1/2" with 2 more turns. Total turns 7 and 1/4 and raised the front 1 7/8". I also put the cheap leaf spring schakles on the rear and got 2" from them. I am in the 100 mile break in and I will see what it settles at then get an alignment. I will post results then

 

[BonesDT]

i did 6 full turns. didnt really do any measurements because each time i tried to measure i kept getting different results. but i put warrior shackles in the back with my mono leaf springs and the six turns seemed to even it out.

the wierd thing is, i started with the 3" body lift and got 265/75R16's. i had no rubbing at all on a complete turn. but after the +1" of torsion twist i started having slight rubbing on the sway bar on full turn. i figured it might be that i needed an alignment. but even after the alignment i have the same rubbing. how could this be???

also, i would assume the torsion lift would affect the camber angle in the front rather than the toe angle. but when i got my alignment the guy at the shop said that the toe angle was pretty off and the camber was within specs. furthermore he mentioned only the toe can be adjusted. camber cant be adjusted on the explorer. so im confused, any answers?

does the steering become affected after the TT? ive almost totalled my car twice after hitting pot holes and swerving all over the road. i have to drive much slower than i used to and i have to grasp the wheel with two hands now. i drove my moms mercedes over the same roads and it felt like driving over a piece of paper. is it the angle of the steering shafts or do i just have to stop driving as recklessly because of the 5" of lift and higher center of gravity? i like the lifts ive done and the mud terrains but it drives like a bicycle and it makes me very nervous especially on the broken up, crowded city roads.

 

[dgfroerer]

Torrsion bar info

Were are the markings to identify the type of torrsion bars are on the vehicle? Ie. B or D:

 

[Stephen S]

Check for the code under the spring section of the door sticker, denoted "SPR" if I remember right. The first letter is the front spring (torsion bar) code, the second letter is the rear spring code. I've also heard that the code is stamped in the front side of the torsion bar. At the front of the vehicle where the hex head fits into the lower A-arm.

 

[dgfroerer]

Thanks for the info.
I checked the door sticker....... BF
So I guess that means I have the "B" torsion bars

 

[emon]

Lowering Mine

Explorer4x493 asked a question that didn't get answered that I would like to know as well...

Will dropping 2" instead of lifting the TT cause any problem with the CV Joint? If so, what is the safest maximum drop?

All reply is very much appreciated.

 

[explorer4x493]

Originally posted by BonesDT
do you have to get an alignment in the rear after the shackles?

Not to make anyone sound stupid (including myself), but how could the rear be "off" alignment? It's a solid axle in the rear unlike the front. So how could they even be off alignment?

"thanks, i didnt think so, but there is a slight rotation of the axle i guess"

How does the axle rotating have to due with alignment?

 

[BonesDT]

say you have a slight toe-in. if you rotate the straight axle a full 90 degrees, it is no longer a toe-in but it is now a caster or camber (i get them confused).

i dont really know how alignments work exactly. im assuming that you would want slight angles other than perfectly straight otherwise the axles would come out of the factory without a way to adjust it. so i was saying that if you needed a slight toe-in for example in the rear and you used shackles, the axle would rotate ever so slightly, i wasnt sure if this rotation would be significant enough.

 

[emon]

Lowering Mine

2" Drop... CV joint problem? Please...

 

[explorer4x493]

Re: Lowering Mine

Originally posted by emon
2" Drop... CV joint problem? Please...

Probly not, and if there is one then maybe not for a while. Just depends, i think, how many miles you've got on them right now...

 

[emon]

Lowering Mine

I don't get your answer

I haven't lowered mine yet but if there will be problems with the CV Joint or any other suspension components then I'll leave it as is.

It's my daily driver. I can't afford to mess it up.