Torsion key bolt swap

[Turdle]

Be aware the t bars cannot be flipped, they are made for directional twist. Also, they are different length side to side.
That being said, I have a set of b bars that had lots of bolt left when I removed them. Long as someone hasn't stole them you can have them. Not sure if I can ship though.
That and a body lift so you can retain some torsion bar down travel would be a good start.
Do the body lift now so accessories later fit.

 

[VWbaja10]

Dude, Your getting rude now. I don't post to post. I don't need your attention but those who would follow your "Upgrade" post. 3" is too much lift for stock axles and kills down travel.

A consensus builds over time and you are outside the parameters of what many here would consider safe. You dismiss the knowledge here and post an "upgrade" which is not an upgrade but questionable. Gets some better torsion bars or actually use a lift key with a stock bolt designed for this.

Did you upgrade shocks since it is lifted and running 33's? Running 33's, did you upgrade gears? Do you know how fast you are driving? Did you think about a brake upgrade? How much down travel do you have left? Don't expect the CV's to last.

I post here and take my time due to this not being an upgrade or fix but IMHO, a band-aid.

It has the appropriate shocks for a lift. I don’t need longer shocks because I didn’t add any extra travel. I’m running 4.10 gears at the moment. I know how fast I’m going, I have verified different ways to know my speedometer. I would say I have about 2.5-3in of droop left atleast, can verify later. I do have the cv’s in mind and check for binding. Brake upgrade was thought about when I received it on 32’s. Sorry for wording the title wrong.
This is not my first build, I have built a few Jeep’s, samurai, Toyota’s, Chevy and some class 5 cars. The 4wd explorer platform is new to me as I haven’t dealt with torsion bars since my dodge d50.

 

[VWbaja10]

Be aware the t bars cannot be flipped, they are made for directional twist. Also, they are different length side to side.
That being said, I have a set of b bars that had lots of bolt left when I removed them. Long as someone hasn't stole them you can have them. Not sure if I can ship though.
That and a body lift so you can retain some torsion bar down travel would be a good start.
Do the body lift now so accessories later fit.

Yeah if they were splined we would have more adjustability with them over the hexagon end. I’m not a fan of body lifts so I won’t do that. I don’t have a problem with rubbing, and the tires tuck surprisingly well so the extra clearance isn’t needed from the body. If you have the bars still send me a pm and we’ll work something out.

 

[Blown]

It has the appropriate shocks for a lift. I don’t need longer shocks because I didn’t add any extra travel. I’m running 4.10 gears at the moment. I know how fast I’m going, I have verified different ways to know my speedometer. I would say I have about 2.5-3in of droop left atleast, can verify later. I do have the cv’s in mind and check for binding. Brake upgrade was thought about when I received it on 32’s. Sorry for wording the title wrong.
This is not my first build, I have built a few Jeep’s, samurai, Toyota’s, Chevy and some class 5 cars. The 4wd explorer platform is new to me as I haven’t dealt with torsion bars since my dodge d50.

Go man! Good answers, not that you answer to me and Sorry, not meaning to give you a hard time. I hope it works for you.

I had good luck grabbing T-bars at the local Pick N Pull by finding a rig that was not beat-up and with lower miles. The yard I go to will trade them if you get them home and find them to be wasted. I grabbed the adjusting bolts/large threaded bars and still have a spare as one of the original bolts was bent on mine.

 

[VWbaja10]

Go man! Good answers, not that you answer to me and Sorry, not meaning to give you a hard time. I hope it works for you.

I had good luck grabbing T-bars at the local Pick N Pull by finding a rig that was not beat-up and with lower miles. The yard I go to will trade them if you get them home and find them to be wasted. I grabbed the adjusting bolts/large threaded bars and still have a spare as one of the original bolts was bent on mine.

My only luck local is finding 1 bars that I heard are the stiffest. But not really sure cause B is more talked about. I found B bars but they are 90ish miles away one way lol. So it’s if they did the swap also thats a lot of miles. I’d rather do a coil over conversion if it came down to redoing the front end. And I bought spare bolts when I first got them just in case I needed them I already had them. Better to have and not need vs need and not have.

 

[DintDobbs]

@VWbaja10 Coilover swap is a good option for a lot of reasons, and as long as you do it right, you only have to do it once, and then it's just a matter of swapping in new springs when they wear out.

If you stick with T-bars, B-code bars might be a bit stiff with the V6's, but since you've got the V8, B-codes should be more ideal (more flexy than the 1- and 2-codes). If I could go back and do it again, I'd probably pick a softer spring for my Sport. They flex enough for me, and they hold up well to the kind of abuse I put them through. If I added, say, a steel bumper and/or winch then it would handle the weight well. The weight of all that AND the V8, as yours is outfitted, I can see that you might want a 1 or 2.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

My only luck local is finding 1 bars that I heard are the stiffest. But not really sure cause B is more talked about. I found B bars but they are 90ish miles away one way lol. So it’s if they did the swap also thats a lot of miles. I’d rather do a coil over conversion if it came down to redoing the front end. And I bought spare bolts when I first got them just in case I needed them I already had them. Better to have and not need vs need and not have.

1 is stiffest bar

@VWbaja10 Coilover swap is a good option for a lot of reasons, and as long as you do it right, you only have to do it once, and then it's just a matter of swapping in new springs when they wear out.

If you stick with T-bars, B-code bars might be a bit stiff with the V6's, but since you've got the V8, B-codes should be more ideal (more flexy than the 1- and 2-codes). If I could go back and do it again, I'd probably pick a softer spring for my Sport. They flex enough for me, and they hold up well to the kind of abuse I put them through. If I added, say, a steel bumper and/or winch then it would handle the weight well. The weight of all that AND the V8, as yours is outfitted, I can see that you might want a 1 or 2.

st least once ya have a winch bumper nooe its not stiff! even before it felt fine to me stock too and yeah b is def s good stoc one, but with the bumper etc have looked into 1 bars

 

[Mbrooks420]

The “research” you did must have been garbage if you think that 8.8 bolt isn’t hardware grade junk.

Those bolts are trash. Just because you are in the stock range doesn’t mean the cvs will be fine. It was never intended to be driven at full droop.

Saying no engineering went into suspension hardware is absolute nonsense.

 

[VWbaja10]

The “research” you did must have been garbage if you think that 8.8 bolt isn’t hardware grade junk.

Those bolts are trash. Just because you are in the stock range doesn’t mean the cvs will be fine. It was never intended to be driven at full droop.

Saying no engineering went into suspension hardware is absolute nonsense.

The 8.8 bolts are what they had in stock and I figured I’d get them and see what shorter length I’ll need. So I’m ordering grade 10.9 and flange head and a bit shorter than 100 mm. I do not have this cranked so I don’t have any droop.
As for the engineering aspect they didn’t put much into it, they did just enough to see some adjustability and it be strong. Not for full range of adjustability

 

[donalds]

Best I can find for a longer factory replacement style bolt
Hope this helps

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

 

[Mbrooks420]

The problem is most fasteners won’t be full thread.

M12 x 1.75 x 80 MM Coarse Thread Class 12.9 12-Point Flange Screw Alloy Steel Thermal Black Oxide

Bulk pricing and Free Shipping on M12 x 1.75 x 80 MM Coarse Thread Class 12.9 12-Point Flange Screw Alloy Steel Thermal Black Oxide. In stock and ready to ship.

www.asmc.net

 

[donalds]

The problem is most fasteners won’t be full thread.

M12 x 1.75 x 80 MM Coarse Thread Class 12.9 12-Point Flange Screw Alloy Steel Thermal Black Oxide

Bulk pricing and Free Shipping on M12 x 1.75 x 80 MM Coarse Thread Class 12.9 12-Point Flange Screw Alloy Steel Thermal Black Oxide. In stock and ready to ship.

www.asmc.net

Ooh a new website to explore hardware
Thank you

 

[Mbrooks420]

Unfortunately, I only have these bolts in 304, which I wouldn’t use.

 

[VWbaja10]

Best I can find for a longer factory replacement style bolt
Hope this helps

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

I have a place near me that sells them or can order if they are out of stock. I just need to make my way over after work before they close

 

[Mbrooks420]

Skip the 10.9 and get the 12.9 grade.

 

[VWbaja10]

Skip the 10.9 and get the 12.9 grade.

I saw those and I’ll see what my supplier can get