Torsion bar strengths ?

[scruff]

Hey all,

Do the lighter Explorers like the sport and 6 cylinders have lighter strength torsion bars than the V8's ?

Since I'll be using mine on a much lighter vehicle I am interested in swapping to some lighter ones until i get airbags.

Also the same thing applies to sway bars, are there option to different vehicles ?

Thanks

 

[etc]

Sway bars from 95-97 are the same, Hollow front and back. 98- 01 have a solid front bar and a hollow back bar.

T bar ratings range from 1,2 A, B, D , E , F (I think those are the right letters). 1 being the stiffest, F being the softest. I'm not sure how the t-bars were distributed throughout years/models/options though.

 

[scruff]

Cool thanks for the info. I'll have a look at mine and see what they are and try to find some in a junkyard...

 

[etc]

I'll assume you have another truck apart from your '93? Cause before 95 there were no torsion bar explorers.


edit: nevermind, just read you'll be using it on another vehicle.

 

[reserved50]

my V8 has the letter F written on the torsion bars in the part number F***-FA, the wrecking yard had none of these in the pile of several bars they had( I guess most were V6 bars), part number is on a sticker near the front of the bar if thats where you look the code up besides the door jamb. The front of the bar will be stamped R or L with an arrow, dont mix up left and right bars or they could snap. My door code said 1F for spring code

I found my shop manual, I have a canadian truck and US shop manual so my part number I have on the truck is useless

B
D
E
F
G
H
J
L
1
2 for front

F
H
L for rear, beats me whats stiffest

 

[Dan Whitaker]

"B" are the stiffest "F" is a good medium stiffnes. That's what my '97 Mountaineer has.

I would say (but don't quote me) that a Limted X will have softer t-bars as opposed to a sport.

2wd will probably have softer ones than 4wd will do to less weight since there is not a front dif & axle sahfts.

 

[reserved50]

so B for torsion bars is stiff? I thought my 5.0 V8 would have one because the front weighs more and would need one but mine doesnt?, why would they change to 1 & 2 , 2 would be weakest? or is 1 & 2 maybe in another level than the alphabetically labelled bars?

for the rear is L the softest?

 

[scruff]

ETC well spotted, that was a the old explorer I had when I joined, it's now owned by a friend.

NOW I have a 2000 Limited 5.0 AWD, but it's being stripped for it's chassis for a hot rod. Check it out.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=174298

I will have to add that to my sig to save confusion.

 

[scruff]

Sig test

 

[etc]

1 and 2 bars only came on sport tracs if I remember correctly.

 

[reserved50]

but I have a 97 V8 and the part number starts with an F on the bars, and in Canada that means the bars were built in 96, and I have a "1" bar in the front, so V8s have stiff bars or soft bars, my trucks never hit the bump stops on the front yet (no witness marks) and I've ramped off curbs here and there....ummm only when it was snowing lol

 

[scruff]

Dredging up and old thread I started.
Does anyone know if ranger torsion bars are interchangeable with Expo ones ?
My rod (chewck my sig if you don't know what I mean) will probably weight about what a Ranger does so maybe the bars from one of them would be good ?

I am will likely end up scrounging junk yards looking for soft bars (F ?) using ETC's list formula.

Anyone have any tips ?

 

[scruff]

Can I get a sample of who has what in their Expo's ?

 

[CDW6212R]

The Mountaineers have softer bars for the same options. The 4WD Explorers should all have "B" bars. I swapped my "F" I believe for new "B" bars, and could feel no real difference.

The 95-98's with ARC air shocks(Limited and Eddie Bauer) should have softer springs also. The ARC was a rear option only in 98-01, don't expect to find those. Good luck with the project,

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Have you thought of using coilovers on the suspension? No more travel than you need, they wouldn't cost too much, ride height would be adjustable as well as shock rate.

 

[cmax13007]

Finding Replacement TB:

I asked the local dealer and they said all he needs is the last 8 digits off the VIN of any vehicle to find the spring rate.

I took the last 8 digits off a 4 Door V8 sitting at the local junk yard. I called up the ford dealer and he said the spring rate was "2".

No junk yard, just find a V8 sitting at the shoppin mall and write down the vin. Easy as pie.

Hope this helps,

~CMAXXXXXX

 

[cmax13007]

Have you thought of using coilovers on the suspension? No more travel than you need, they wouldn't cost too much, ride height would be adjustable as well as shock rate.

Check out RCD Ranger suspensions, they use a coil over springs up front. Its bad ass. Bilstein's I believe.

~CMAXXXXXX

 

[scruff]

Thanks for all the ideas guys, it'll be a while =before i can act on any of it.
I broke my leg on Sunday so wrenching is out for a couple of months.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Wow, a broken leg has to suck- I wish you a speedy recovery- at least as much as possible.

 

[CDW6212R]

Ditto, take care of the leg.