Torsion bar height vs. ride quality?

gilliam · September 23, 2004

I know this subject has been beat into the ground, but I wanted to hear from those of you that have either tightened your torsion bars and/or installed the ford keys and lifted the front end.

My question is: How much will raising the front about 1.5" hurt my ride quality? I want to level it out to look better, but don't want the teeth-jarring ride, I think it already rides stiff enough...

Comments greatly appreciated.

Halen5150 · September 23, 2004

I had my front end raised as far as it would go without using the keys about 3 months ago. I didn't notice any difference in the ride.

groger · September 23, 2004

I ruined my pick up's ride. I have larger tires put on and they rubbed the plastic. So my buddy who has a small 4wheeler told me to adjust the tbars. I tightened the tbar bolts and gained three fourths inch or so. Looked fine. But the ride was like over-filled tires. Very hard riding. Every little bump.

I have tried lowering the tbars back to they were. But the ride is still mean. It is not comfortable. I think I ruined my truck. Next week I'm taking it to my truck seller and pay the bucks to get it back right.

So I say don't do it. I think it is so dumb of GM to not put a sticker or decal by the tbars warning to not adjust, like that z-rating sticker that is on my frame.

So don't touch them.

Wingnut · September 23, 2004

Lots of people have adjusted their tbars and are very happy. I'm one of them.

The primary problem with raising the front end like this is you lose most -if not all- of your downtravel. Basically the front shocks are fully extended, or "topped out" when the truck is sitting still.

This can be remedied using a couple of different methods. The easiest two are

a.) Longer shocks (what I did).

b.) Shim the front shocks down with a spacer, or a few washers.

Or you could modify your shock mounts.

I put longer shocks on mine, and it almost rides stock again, it's still just a tad rouger, but nothing like the tooth rattling that was going on the first time I cranked my bars.

Of course, that's just my .02.

lrymal · September 23, 2004

...I put longer shocks on mine, and it almost rides stock again, it's still just a tad rouger, but nothing like the tooth rattling that was going on the first time I cranked my bars.

Of course, that's just my .02.

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After re-reading Groger's post in another message exchange or somewhere, I caught that he lowered his torsion bars to where they originally were and his ride is still stiff. I wrote him to barely adjust just one of them after this lowering and maybe he'll get his ride back.

gilliam · October 2, 2004

I think I'm just going to leave them stock for now. Although I would really like to raise the front end up a little to level it out, I really don't want it to ride like a log wagon.

lrymal · October 2, 2004

It might not ride like a log wagon.... I think it might depend on the kinds of roads you have. If you have smooth city roads, then you might be ok. It certainly is a mixed bag as you can see from the conflicting views.

My negativism toward the idea is that I have ridden in a few trucks which have had this done and the ride was harsh, but the appearance was certainly "cool". None of the trucks had a ride that I would want to ride on a long trip in, or go on a hard rural dirt road.

And, one thing to consider on "leveling" the truck.... if you do this, and ever carry a load, your back end will look a little silly since it will be lower than the front. I'd suggest saving up some $$$ and getting a good body lift.

I've been saying that for over a year and have yet to do it. My truck rides so good on the bad roads and great on the smooth roads. I just don't want to mess with anything, even though the body lift has no effect on the ride.

03 GMC · October 5, 2004

Just crank them up and give it a try for a week. If you don't like it, then you can lower the bars and return to the stock ride. Just remember to write down the adjustments so you can accurately lower the bars if you want to.

Hotrodvw · October 13, 2004

I cranked mine all the way. Rides better I think! No more front end dive. It feels balanced, and positive.

Z71 · October 19, 2004

I had my t-bars adjusted to raise the front end, only like a 1/2 to 3/4 inch. As soon as I hit the dirt and got back on the pavement, I drove right home and put them back.

Didn't like it, no sir, not at all.

chromechev · October 19, 2004

ok im here to solve al your torson bar questions ive been playing with my suspention for a year now my torsons been up down a few times ive had extra leefs added to the rear it was stiff i wasnt happy so after many sleepless nights i figured it out when u titen up your torsons u dont really titen them up the weight is allready there and the load is the same it dont increase so they dont stiffen up but what actually happens is your factory tuned suspention is out of tune meaning that you extend you shocks so that now u have more preasure on top of the shock to absorb the upward motion of your tires and less in the downward motion plus if you titen them up to far then your suspention bottoms out against the downward bumpstops thats just the front end factor thats going on u also position the frame in a different position reletive to the suspention so the when transfer over the suspention is changed your angle of your suspention changes less responsive because the control arms level out now the rear now with the front being stiffer not from torson bars but from over preassureized shocks the rear now has to ubsorb more of the shock and most peoples add rear add a leafs witch add to the caos its a never ending battle of how high i can get it to go hears what i did and i fit 305/70 r 16 goodyear mtrs with 16x10 mickey thompson classic 11s with no rubing and a smooth as factory ride i first starded in the front i titend up the tosons all the way then backed them off till o got a inch of clearence between my top control arm and the bump stop then i i took the shocks off cut off the top mounting bolt welded a 2 inch longer bold added 2 inches more rubber to the mounting bold wich inturn reposistions the shock in the stock location then i went out back and added a 4 inch block to the rear and a welded a 2 inch extention to the rear shocks the suspention is now still stock the shocks r in the stock position but the truck sits about 3 inchs higher suspention wize lets face it many people want to level out there truck but chevs r designed to sit the way they do so if u go higher in the front u gots to higher i the rear there designed to be that way thats where the ride is so if u want a leveled out truck go buy a ford

lrymal · October 19, 2004

ok im here to solve al your torson bar questions....

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Arrrrghhhhhhhh! I couldn't make sense of chromechev's message, so I hope no one minds, but I edited it. It does have some interesting content:

=========

Ok, I'm here to solve all your torsion bar questions.

I've been playing with my suspension for a year now. My torsions have been up down a few times. I've had extra leafs added to the rear and it was stiff---I wasn't happy. So after many sleepless nights, I figured it out.

When you tighten up your torsions you don't really tighten them up. The weight is already there and the load is the same. It doesn't increase so they don't stiffen up. What actually happens is your factory tuned suspension is out of tune. Your shocks have now been extended. This means that you have more preasure on top of the shock to absorb the upward motion of your tires and less in the downward motion. If you tighten them up too far, then your suspension bottoms out against the downward bump stops (jounce stops). That's just the front end factor that's going on.

You are also positioning the frame in a different position relative to the suspension. The angle of your suspension changes making it less responsive because the control arms level out. The rear now has to absorb more of the shock. Most people add rear add-a-leafs which contributes to the chaos. It is a never ending battle of how high I can get it to go.

Here is what I did and I fit 305/70 R 16 Goodyears, 16x10 Mickey Thompson Classic 11s with no rubbing and a smooth as factory ride.

I first started in the front. I tighted up the torsions all the way then backed them off till I got an inch of clearance between my top control arm and the bump (jounce) stop. I then took the shocks off, cut off the top mounting bolt and welded a 2 inch longer bolt. I added 2 inches more of rubber to the mounting bolt which in turn repositions the shock relative to the stock location.

I then went to the back and added a 4-inch block to the rear and a welded a 2 inch extension to the rear shocks. The suspension is now still stock. The shocks are in the stock position but the truck sits about 3 inchs higher, suspension-wise.

Let's face it. Many people want to level out their truck but Chevy trucks are designed to sit the way they do so if you go higher in the front, you have got to raise the rear. They are designed to be that way. That is where the ride is so if you want a leveled-out truck, go buy a Ford.

Hotrodvw · October 23, 2004

Buy a Ford if you want a leveled truck?????? Where'd you come up with that nonsense????? Ain't gonna happen in my world. I like my truck much better with it level. It doesn't bother me at all. If you want a level truck, adjust accordingly!

lrymal · October 24, 2004

....I like my truck much better with it level. It doesn't bother me at all. If you want a level truck, adjust accordingly!

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Only problem I have with a leveled truck is when one is hauling some cargo. The back end will dip lower than the front, assuming no adjustable airbags are underneathe, or something. Looks like it is sagging. Other than that.....