Chevy/GMC Duramax 01-04 LB7 Discussion of Chevy and GMC Trucks with LB7 Duramax Turbo Diesel Engines

adjusting torsion bars

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #1  
Old 04-15-2009, 08:38 PM
dhardy1357's Avatar
Diesel Fan
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Houma,La.
Posts: 70
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default adjusting torsion bars

im wanting to lower my torsion bars till the cv shafts are parallel but not quite sure what to do. anyone got pics of what to look for and what to adjust. i have some 305's on there now and dont want to have to downgrade to 285's when i lower it. is there a way to get around this?
 
  #2  
Old 04-15-2009, 08:49 PM
cashwheel's Avatar
Diesel Wrench
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Luling, TX
Posts: 685
Received 57 Likes on 32 Posts
Default

Its pretty easy man, just follow the torsion bars back till they end in a crossmember, there you will see a porkchop looking piece at the end of the bar inside the crossmember, at the bottom is the adjusting screw. First decompress the "porkchop" with a C-clamp, enough to take the load off the adjusting screw, back it out the desired amount and take the clamp off. You will want to do this on a level surface, pref. concrete slab, measure each side from the ground to the fender, make sure they are the same, some will tell you to count your rotations and keep them the same, but it doesn't always come out right when you do it that way. If I had a chevy around I'd take some pics for you, sorry.
 
  #3  
Old 04-16-2009, 12:13 AM
2500HeavyDuty's Avatar
Super Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Houston, Tx
Posts: 14,872
Received 764 Likes on 627 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by cashwheel
Its pretty easy man, just follow the torsion bars back till they end in a crossmember, there you will see a porkchop looking piece at the end of the bar inside the crossmember, at the bottom is the adjusting screw. First decompress the "porkchop" with a C-clamp, enough to take the load off the adjusting screw, back it out the desired amount and take the clamp off. You will want to do this on a level surface, pref. concrete slab, measure each side from the ground to the fender, make sure they are the same, some will tell you to count your rotations and keep them the same, but it doesn't always come out right when you do it that way. If I had a chevy around I'd take some pics for you, sorry.

you really dont want to to try putting any kind of clamp on the tortion keys while the truck is still on the ground. theres alot of load built up in them torsion bars and even more when the truck is flat on the ground.

jack up the side you want to do first and make sure that the front tire is off the ground, and then you can use an 18mm socket and breaker bar to unscrew the adjusting bolt.

some people also hit the bolt with some spray paint and add washers all the way up to the paint mark to make sure the bolt goes back where they used to be before the lower the truck completly fo racing and sled pulling.

be sure to use antisize on the bolts too
 
  #4  
Old 04-16-2009, 12:27 AM
cashwheel's Avatar
Diesel Wrench
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Luling, TX
Posts: 685
Received 57 Likes on 32 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by 2500HeavyDuty
you really dont want to to try putting any kind of clamp on the tortion keys while the truck is still on the ground. theres alot of load built up in them torsion bars and even more when the truck is flat on the ground.

jack up the side you want to do first and make sure that the front tire is off the ground, and then you can use an 18mm socket and breaker bar to unscrew the adjusting bolt.

some people also hit the bolt with some spray paint and add washers all the way up to the paint mark to make sure the bolt goes back where they used to be before the lower the truck completly fo racing and sled pulling.

be sure to use antisize on the bolts too
Not to be a D*%k but yeah you do want to unload the keys, I've done literately hundreds of different trucks and that is the easiest and safest way to guarantee that the adj bolts wont strip.



Sorry about that, I thought I put jack the truck up in there, guess I'm the a&*h%$l
 

Last edited by cashwheel; 04-16-2009 at 12:36 AM.
  #5  
Old 04-16-2009, 12:44 AM
2500HeavyDuty's Avatar
Super Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Houston, Tx
Posts: 14,872
Received 764 Likes on 627 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by cashwheel
Not to be a D*%k but yeah you do want to unload the keys, I've done literately hundreds of different trucks and that is the easiest and safest way to guarantee that the adj bolts wont strip.



Sorry about that, I thought I put jack the truck up in there, guess I'm the a&*h%$l
wont worry bout it.

i adjust mine with out the tool because buying a 70+ torsion bar unloading tool to do the job right not every one wants to do. but it is safer that way and easier on the thread cause those bolts strip easy, too tight = broke
 
  #6  
Old 04-16-2009, 04:13 PM
dhardy1357's Avatar
Diesel Fan
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Houma,La.
Posts: 70
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

ok thanks guys. is there any like kind of spacer or something so i dont have to get 285's. my 305's rub when the torsion bars or lowered
 
  #7  
Old 04-16-2009, 09:16 PM
2500HeavyDuty's Avatar
Super Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Houston, Tx
Posts: 14,872
Received 764 Likes on 627 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by dhardy1357
ok thanks guys. is there any like kind of spacer or something so i dont have to get 285's. my 305's rub when the torsion bars or lowered

use a really big hammer to fix that
 
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
carid
Diesel Bombers Sponsors
1
04-15-2015 07:29 AM
rvlmeyer
Dodge Truck and Cummins Turbo Diesel Forum
0
02-15-2015 03:36 PM
Cumminsfreak24
24 Valve 2nd Gen Dodge Cummins 98.5-02
0
01-21-2015 09:10 AM
carid
Diesel Bombers Sponsors
0
10-28-2014 08:42 AM



Quick Reply: adjusting torsion bars



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:11 PM.