Front torsions on a 3500

[Lpfm1990]

I have a 2012 3500 with the snow plow prep package, I'm lookin at going one up on tire size since they are a lot cheaper (going from a 265/70/18 to a 275/70/18) and I was told I will need to crank up the torsions, how does one go about doing that? And how much do I need to turn them? Thanks

[8.1HD/ALLISON]

Just have the shop do it when they put the tires on and you need to have it aligned then also.

[newdude]

Seen that size put on without turning before but, to be safe, if its still at stock height, 3-4 turns should probably do it.

[fondupot]

In order to crank the torsion bars you need to jack the front of the truck up off the ground. Secure it with jack stands then climb underneath and crank the two bolts on the torsion bar adjusters. The Torsion bars run along the inside of the frame rails and go down into the lower control arm and back to about under the drivers seat. You will be adjusting the ends under the drivers seat.

 

When adjusting torsion bars a little goes a long way. At least that was my experience with my 2002 1500 truck. About 1 full turn is approximately equal to 1/4-1/2 inch of lift.

 

So make sure you make marks on the bolt before you start cranking so you can adjust accordingly.

 

After you have made your adjustments, lower the truck back to the ground. Measure the fender height. And go for a short drive. After the drive the torsion bars will have settled some, so remeasure your fender height and repeat the cranking as necessary.

 

Warning: over cranking is tough on the front suspension. Good rule of thumb, you want the CV shafts to have a slight angle, if more than 3 boot folds are touching on the CV shaft....you have too much crank. Too much crank will wear about ball joints, CV axles and other important front end parts.

 

After you are satisfied with the amount of lift you have, it is VERY IMPORTANT to have your vehicle aligned. Adjusting the torsion bars messes with the front end geometry. If you dont get a realignment you will wear out your tires very quickly.

 

That being said, the amount of tire you are adding I doubt will need much crank. I would try installing them first and if you have a little rubbing, get your t-bars a couple turns for a bit of clearance.

 

Good luck!

[Lpfm1990]

Thanks for the info. I know where they are. But just wasn't sure how to do it with out messing something up