My goal is to make my truck lifted by messing with the torsion bars and then use blocks on the back end so I can get 34's on my truck

OK. You will need to increase the preload on the torsion bars. This is accomplished by tightening the adjuster bolt for the torsion bar key at the rear end of the bar. I'm not sure if you'll need to hold a nut on top of the key while turning the bolt or not, but you MUST NOT USE POWER/IMPACT TOOLS TO DO THIS!!! HAND TOOLS ONLY!!!

Tighten the bolts a few turns each (keep careful track of the number of turns, so they're even), not too many at one time, then drive the truck a short distance. Just around the block would be ok.

Each time you get back from a trip around the block, park on level ground and measure the height of the top of the wheel opening to the center of the hub (it helps if you did this before making adjustments, so you know how far you've gone).

I usually count quarter turns. It just works better for me, but maybe not for you. It's important to keep the left and right ride heights close to the same, so this becomes a very tedious, time consuming project.

Make sure you go directly to an alignment shop after you get the height set where you want it. This modification will change the alignment settings you currently have. Don't get too upset if they tell you they can't get it back to spec without lowering the front. Just ask them to get as close as they can. About all you're worried about is tire wear and steering pulls. Make sure they understand that (but don't mention it unless they bring it up. No point in giving them permission to do sloppy work).

If you put mud tires on this truck you will need to rotate the tires every 2500 miles or they will wear out very quickly.

Thanks for the instructions on how to do it I think we (me and my brother) lifted my truck three inches in the front with the torsion bars and two inches in the back with blocks right now I have 265/70/16's on there right now but I am going to get 285/75/16's in about two weeks. During the lifting process I kept taking it out to see how bad my alignment was off and it doesnt feel like it is off at all but I am going to get them to align my tires when I get them then all I have left to do is get my alingment done. Thanks again for all the helpful information!

You may not notice a pull or see anything visually, but cranking your torsion bars can cause very severe tire wear, very quickly!

The reason is in the fact that the upper and lower control arms are different lengths. Since raising the ride height of the truck causes the top of the tire to tip in compared to the bottom (that's the short arm), the tie rod (which is in between the two control arms) seems to get longer in relation to the ball joints.

Basically, your camber will be way off and your tires will be pointing away from each other. Both of these, and especially combined, will cause your tires to wear very badly.

Don't drive it anywhere except to the alignment shop. I'm not kidding.

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> Clay, you are ornery. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

I'm glad I found this forum. I've been researching torsion bars for a few days now and haven't found much regarding how it affects alignment. Here's why: I took my '94 k25 burb in to have the summer tires remounted. Didn't take too much notice afterward as my wife drives it. After about 10 days I noticed an even amount of severe toe and camber (outer edge) wear on both front tires. Upon further inspection I found that the camber was extremely positive on both wheels. (tops pointing outward, bottoms inward)

I'm wondering if a local tech is trying to create business because there was not an alignment problem before and I would think that if my wife decided to take a curb, pothole or simply decided to take it bouncing over Mesquito Pass that it wouldn't have caused a almost equal camber problem on both sides. I'm on the verge of thinking he loosened the torque on my torsion bars. I couldn't find any tool marks on the bolt heads, nor could I see any signs of the bolts being adjusted out from looking at the threads. But we had a good snow here after the remounting so splashback could have covered any signs of this. There is no sign of component damage anywhere so this is the only conclusion I've been able to come up with.

Despite what might have happened somebody please check my science on this.

By loosening, therefore reducing ride height, the camber will go positive and toe will go out, correct?? (52, by your post above my toe should go in with lowering and out with raising, but by my observation of the tierod geometry I would think it should be opposite, at least on this truck???) Either way, I plan to do the following:

I'm going to loosen the torsion adjustment bolts until they just meet the torsion keys. Then I'll tighten them equally on both sides until front height is equal to rear (measured from frame just behind the front wheels, and just in front of the rears). After that I'll check my camber and toe and adjust as necessary. I'm thinking app. 0.5 negative camber and app. .25 (or app. 1/16) of toe in.

Does anyone here see anything sticking out with my fix that's not good practice?? Does anyone have access to the factory specs on this truck?? Is there a front ride height spec for stock??

Thanks

BTW Mumbles, he may be ornery, but he's not kiddin'!!!

By loweringthe ride height, the top of the tire will be pointed out more than it is currently. In theory, at least.

The toe out should increase at well.

As far as going to the extreme adjustment, that doesn't work very welldue to manufacturing tolerances and varying wear in suspension parts. You may end up with a crroked ride. I prefer to use a tape measure and the fenders to make sure it's level.

Bottomline, if you don't trust the mechanic who did the work, find another one. There are lots of lazy people in the world, and many end up fixing cars.

Check on that, I'll use the fenders for the leveling (height) adjustment at all fours. Luckly, I've adjusted Porsches at the track using fishin' line, laser levels and a steel scale!! I'll check my alignment on this myself too after this experience!!! BTW, if anyone is interested I'll try to find the URL to a site that explains how to make some simple plates that will let you check your toe using a good steel tape measure. It also gives conversion tables.

After all I've seen I don't really trust any mechanic at least as far as knowledge is concerned. I'd just hate to think this tech would intentionally sabotage though. It's a friends shop, but without being able to prove it I don't know how to approach him on what I've found.