Gen I Torsion Bars -- Too Much?

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Gen I Torsion Bars -- Too Much? #641940 08/29/05 04:12 PM

Joined: Jan 2003

Posts: 30

Dallas, TX

silverwriter Offline

Getting the Wheeling Fever

I've recently added some Old Man EMU rear springs to my 1989 LWB Monty -- then I cranked up the torsion bars to level out the vehicle. Now it seems like the stiffness of the front end is extremely disproportionate to the rear (makes sense) causing odd handling characteristics I don't really like.

Question is: what's the opinion on how much you can crank these bars past the stock setting without adversely affecting how the truck drives/feels? I maybe went about 1.5 or 2 inches beyond original and it seemed like way too much.

Thanks for the advice,
Bryan

'89 4-Door Montero 3.0L V6
'04 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 6L

Re: Gen I Torsion Bars -- Too Much? [Re: silverwriter] #641941 08/29/05 06:07 PM

Joined: Feb 2004

Posts: 10,238

Columbia, SC

FrankR

Web Wheeler

When you crank the t-bars, you increase the effort required to deflect the suspension, so the ride does get harsher. 2" is not excessive, but the less you lift, the less the effect. With the increased stiffness, you'd probably appreciate a firmer shock absorber.

Frank

'89 [color:"white"]G-Raider[color:"white"] [color:"black"]Supercharged 3.0L, MegaSquirt 2, lockup A/T, 2.5" exhaust, 172k, Cibie H4s/Oscar SCs, Hella Micro DE fogs, Cobra CB, Superwinch hubs, LSD rear/Aussie Locker front, Bilsteins, Lifeline AGM, Rust-Oleum

Re: Gen I Torsion Bars -- Too Much? [Re: FrankR] #641942 08/29/05 08:13 PM

Joined: Jun 2004

Posts: 63

CHATTANOOGA, TN

DMYERSCHATTTN Offline

Getting the Wheeling Fever

Did you re-key them, or just crank them up and past factory?
If you re-key them, you can get more lift without changing the ride characteristics too much. (at least on an '82 D-50)

90 MONTERO ... Beat, Banged, 4DR recovery and recon vehicle... just keeps going and going...

Re: Gen I Torsion Bars -- Too Much? [Re: silverwriter] #641943 08/29/05 11:16 PM

Joined: Nov 2002

Posts: 4,127

La Mesa, CA

DaphneD

Roll Me Over

You're upper control arms are riding on the bump stops. Trim them about halfway and it should be okay.

Re: Gen I Torsion Bars -- Too Much? [Re: silverwriter] #641944 09/07/05 05:37 PM

Joined: Jan 2003

Posts: 30

Dallas, TX

silverwriter Offline

Getting the Wheeling Fever

I just cranked them up... re-keying them (if possible on the monty) seemed to be a bit much work right out of the gate. I'll take a look at trimming the bump stops and maybe do the re-key/re-index later.

Thanks for the suggestions!
Bryan

'89 4-Door Montero 3.0L V6
'04 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 6L

Re: Gen I Torsion Bars -- Too Much? [Re: DMYERSCHATTTN] #641945 09/07/05 10:12 PM

Joined: Jul 2005

Posts: 250

southside birmingham al

mama

Mudrunner

what does rekeying involve/ mean

90 toy
dx
Acura seats and almost perfect matched paint.

Re: Gen I Torsion Bars -- Too Much? [Re: mama] #641946 09/07/05 11:55 PM

Joined: Jun 2004

Posts: 1,904

wyleone

Body Damage is Cool

Re indexing. It means to turn the torsion bar one spline to get more tension "bite". Usually you will only have to do this if one bar is sagging or if you bottom the ajastment and not get the factory spec height ajustment.

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