URGENT...Please Help... Torsion Adjuster... Gear Puller Slipped

[BrandonB8]

Ok I read the post on how to do the torsion bar adjuster removal. I rented the autozone two gear puller and put it in the dimple. It didn't sit flush but after screwing it up into the dimple it held securely. I tightened it up and removed the adjuster bolt(screw) and began to lower it down. the gear puller slipped and is now wedged sideways preventing the adjuster from dropping all the way down. It did make a loud pop so is all the tension released. I am afraid to free it up by banging it with a hammer because I really don't feel like getting hit with a puller missle. could I put a jack on the torsion bar itself and raise it up enough to release the tension holding the puller up there? Please help me I have to go to work tomorrow and need to get this fixed. If you don't understand the way the puller is currently at, instead of being in the hole, it slipped and is now parallel to the ground instead of perpendicular. the Clamps are still attached to the adjuster brackets. PLEASE HELP ME

 

[boominXplorer]

just hold it with one hand and slowly back it off. It will be ok

 

[silverfords2001]

just hold it with one hand and slowly back it off. It will be ok

What he said, I just did mine and it does work. Be carefull tho

 

[BrandonB8]

I can't really back it off because the bolt is lying sideways. its wedged sideways and the length of the bolt is what is holding the torsion adjuster up. Can i take a floor jack and put it on the puller bolt and jack it up to release the tension and then just back the jack down once it releases itself? I would feel a whole lot more comfortable doing this than grabbing that missile waiting to launch.

Thanks for all the help already

 

[BrandonB8]

Ok I finally got the puller off and the old adjuster off. Now when I try to install the new one the puller wants to keep kicking out again. Im really afraid of this coming off. Is it possible that I have too small of a puller. It fits into the hole, but there seems to be a lot of play. Also, there is no real flat spot to get a good grip with the two arms. Please anybody that has done this give me some tips, because it is nearing 11 oclock and i have to be at work in 7 hours. The thread on this said it would take 1-2 hours and it has taken me 5. Please help me

 

[GJarrett]

There's no need to use a puller at all. Disconnect your upper ball joint from the upper control arm via the single bolt that goes through the top of the spindle just below the ball joint. Now unbolt your shock, which is the only thing holding it up at that point. The entire spindle, wheel, and bottom control arm will fall down far enough to release totally all of the torsion pressure completely. Install your torsion adjuster and adjuster bolt with the wheel assembly down low while there is no torsion in the system. Now take a floor jack and put it under the lower control arm and jack it up enough to reinstall the spindle/ball joint back into the upper control arm, and reinstall the bolt holding it to the arm.

The reverse of that procedure would have allowed you to take your torsion bolt out without any gear puller in the first place.

 

[dmasini]

Don't want to change the topic but I got 2 extended torsion bolts because when I did my TT I found that I had to crank my drivers side all the way to match what I already had on the passenger side. I've had one side cranked 100% and the other side is still half cranked with no issues so I want to replace the drivers with a longer bolt. Am I going to need to get all the pressure off the bar like GJarrett suggests or is this something totally different?

 

[jimbo74]

yeah i removed my tbars on my yota and although they arent exactly the same the principle is.... just raise the truck.... let the suspension hang and unscrew the adjusters......

 

[GJarrett]

Dave, I mistyped, that procedure is to remove the adjuster and bar. If you're just replacing the bolt, you should be able to simply unscrew the stock bolt and replace it with the longer bolt. Unscrewing the bolt all the way out will still leave the adjuster bar torsioned in place against its stop plate, there's no need to remove it or the bar just to replace the bolt.

 

[dmasini]

GJarrett: Cool. That's what I figured but then I got worried that something might pop out if the bolt was gone. Thanks!

 

[PloderGuy97]

Torsion Adjuster Bolt

I have the same issue with my adjuster bolt. Mine is maxed out on the drivers side and only halfway on the passenger side. Is it an acceptable solution to just put a longer bolt in? Or does it mean my torsion bar is shot?

 

[Ray Lobato]

You guys need to remember that the torsion bars are not the same length.
The torsion bar on the passenger side is shorter than the drivers side, so this will make a difference. The longer bar will need to be torqued more than the shorter side. The adjuster bolts will not be the same length because one is tightened more that the other.

 

[CDW6212R]

All of the trucks have that characteristic. My 99 Explore has no right bolt, and the left is many many threads from being out. It's normal, adjust them to level the lower control arms, not the fenders. Regards,