Torsion Bar Questions

[8thTon]

I'm a torsion bar noob. I don't have any need to mess with them now but eventually I will have to for front end service.

My first question is the compression tool - what can be made or obtained economically? It looks like one could modify a 2-jaw puller?

My second question is the bolts - I see the factory says not to reuse them due to a "dry adhesive coating". Any reason you could not clean them and use LocTite?

 

[Bird76Mojo]

I re-used the bolts. Still no problems to this day. The main thing is unloading the suspension before you go cranking on the bolts..

I used a regular Craftsman 2 jaw puller, without modifying it. Was it safe? Hell no, but it worked. It wanted to fly off and kill me at every opportunity but I didn't let that happen..



GB

 

[snoranger]

Compression tool? You don't need that.

Put the truck up on jack stands. Put the jack under the lower control arm from the side of the truck. Disconnect the sway at and lower ball joint. Lower the jack all the way down. No more tension on the torsion bars.

Edit: I guess you should unbolt the shock too...

 

[pjtoledo]

alternate method

remove shock, put biggest piece of threaded rod that fits in place of shock. add washers with grease between them top & bottom, nuts too. ratchet wrench highly recommended, then crank, and crank, and crank. adjust procedure as needed. lube the rod.


of course you could always rent/loan the proper tool from a parts place. looks like a really strong big C clamp. the really fun part will be removing the rust belted torsion bar from the lower control arm.