Torsion Bar Question (not about lift)

[Kamaaina]

Vehicle is a '96 XLT 2wd. What actually keeps the torsion bar in position? I know it slips into the "key" on the rear and slips into the LCA socket on the front. I noticed that my left torsion bar seems to have crept forward to where it's almost flush with the front of the socket on the LCA. It's a stock front end with no lift or TT. I'm gonna jack the front end off the ground to relieve some preload and try to drive it back into position before my suspension collapses. Any ideas out there?

 

[rb142]

Pressure and rust.

It should be pretty close to the front. As long as it is in the socket. How much different is it from the other side. If it is solidly in the sockets at both ends, leave it.

Jacking the front of the truck up won't take enough torque off the bar. You won't be able to move it just pounding on it. (In the salt belt, you would be lucky to beat it out with no torque on it.) You need to relieve all of the twist on it first. You need to use a torsion bar tool to raise the cam up so you can remove the adjuster bolt and block it goes through. (You have to keep track of the bolt position so you can put it back in the same place.) Then carefully release the pressure. This is dangerous to do. Some people use other methods, like 2-jaw pullers and c-clamps in place of the right tool. I don't recommend that. Once the tension is released, you can theoretically remove/reposition the bar ... if it isn't rusted solid in place. Reverse the steps to put it back together.

 

[Kamaaina]

The right side torsion bar is recessed in the LCA socket about 1/2" while the left side bar is recessed less than 1/8". I agree there's a lot of tension on the bars and trying to drive it back into position might be fruitless. Will remove the key cover on the rear to see how much the bar has moved out of the key. Thanks for the response "rb142".