How to lower or raise torsion bar

[pastadog]

I figure we need to start loading up this site with all the amazingly useful info TVP might have and this is a question i am wondering :lol: :thmbup:

[timsrv]

I noticed you posted this question on ToyotaVanPeople.com (http://www.toyotavanpeople.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3316&start=22) and I tried to answer it there, but for whatever reason I can't get my picture to display so I'll repeat the response here on this forum. Here it is:

Loosen the jam nut shown in the bottom figure, then tighten/loosen the adjustment nut until you achieve the dimension shown in the upper figure. Do this with the weight of the van resting on the wheels. You can jack up to loosen the jam nut and to get your tools figured out, but final adjustments should be done with the weight on the tires. It's easier if you put blocks under the tires (same thickness on all 4 tires), then just add their thickness to the final dimension. If you need to adjust a lot, it can be a PITA due to the length of the stud. Some people cut the studs off, but if you do that you won't be able to lower the van later (at least perhaps not to the degree you would like) and if you ever need to remove the bars it would be a real PITA to put them back on. When I cranked my bars up I needed to max them out (due to my heavy cargo) so I brazed (2) 7/8" deep sockets together. The 1/2" square drive hole is just big enough for the stud to fit up through the center of the 1st socket and I can crank away without any problems.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/timsrv/TVT%20pics/suspension/torsionbar.jpg

Here's a picture of my brazed socket:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/timsrv/deepdeepsocket.jpg

THIS THREAD (http://toyotavanpeople.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1079&st=0&sk=t&sd=a) over on TVP has a lot of valuable info in it, so you may wish to review that as well. Tim

[pastadog]

Exactly what I was looking for! Also, I figured I would post it on TVT as well TVP so we're able to build up the archive knowledge here :lol:

Thanks Tim!

[timsrv]

Well I figured out why I couldn't post the picture on TVP. After anylizing the picture link I discovered that due to my photobucket folder name, the URL has the consecutive letters "tvt" in it. In an attempt to prevent TVP members from finding us (TVT), TVP owners have set up censorship software to prevent this combination of letters from being posted (it changes TVT into TVP). That software also modifies URL code, so it prevents me (or anybody else with links containing these three consecutive letters) from posting them there :LOL2:. Of course I could rename my picture folders but that would break links I already have posted in other places on the internet. As a result I probably won't be posting new pics over there anymore :no:. Sorry. Tim

[timsrv]

BTW, thanks for posting the question here too. I'd really like to just put links here to direct people to the same subjects on TVP (to save some time), but all things considered, it's better to have duplicate information (as a back up) because that site is unstable and will likely go down again. Tim

[pastadog]

BTW, thanks for posting the question here too. I'd really like to just put links here to direct people to the same subjects on TVP (to save some time), but all things considered, it's better to have duplicate information (as a back up) because that site is unstable and will likely go down again. Tim
Exactly!!!:clap:

[joegri]

first of i,m not good at a search so i thought i,d put it here i just got new rubber and ureithane bushings for my 4 wd front swaybar and ready to install them. the origials were shot. but mostly i want to adjust the front ride height ans would like to stiffen it up a bit. the present ride height seems a tic low (the slider closes by it self) and as i mentioned need to stiffen it up a bit. iguess i need to know raise it to stiffen or lower to stiffen ? i,ve spent the last 3 days assembling the interior and insulating the fridge(van). next up is the front suspention and put her in primer. thanx guys in advance for replys! "cover me i,m goin in" joe g

[ARP]

I believe they get stiffer as you raise them up

[joegri]

:thmbup:thanx for that arp. after doing more research i did adjust the tbar. first i had to clean up the threads (rusty) with a wire brush and squirted them and let en soak a bit. the project van had a very soft n bouncy ride even with new shocks. so with a deep 22 mill socket and a long chunk of pipe i was able to get the nuts loose. i jacked up the van and started to tighten 1 nut and was showing 1 3/4 inch of thread showing and did the same on the other side. after letting the van down i found that i had gained more height than needed (was hard to get in it). so with more adjusting i got the ride height pretty good now from ground to bottom of the door it is 29 3/4 inches and it rides much stiffer not so bouncy i,m quite pleased with the finished product but i did agrivate my shoulder from wrenchin on my back and layin on the ground! jeez i wish i had a lift and a garage. i tried to figure out how to do a blog but gave up. but just to say i,ve been wrenchin on this thing for a month now and it is done for the moment and i,m driving it as of yesterday very happy for the moment!:dance2:

[SoDakYota]

Hello all. I'm the proud owner of an '89 LE 4wd auto with 97,000 original miles that has given me years of flawless service. After over a decade of ownership, I've finally got the resources and am ready to fully dive into some minor mods. I want to start by getting a set of General Grabber AT2s in 27x8.5x14 and doing a lift. The passenger tire thing just isn't cutting it anymore. I've got some Mr. Gasket spacers for the rear and know about cranking the torsion bars. Problem is.... I can't seem to get my eyes on what to crank! I've looked through the various posts and looked at the FSM and still am lost. Needless to say, I feel like an idiot! But am hoping one of the fine contributors of this site can post a photo or otherwise point me in the right direction...

That said, I love this site and look forward to being more active as I try to keep my beloved TV on the road. I live in South Dakota and there are virtually none of these vans around. People constantly give it a double take at stop lights and ask me about it at gas stations. I figure I might as well feed that curiosity by making it the sweetest van in the state

Thanks for the help!

[timsrv]

Hi, & welcome to the site! That's really low miles for one of these. The torsion bars attach to the back sides of the upper control arms. Each one is about 3' or 4' long and the spot where you adjust is the farthest point from the control arm. They are angled toward the center of the van so the ends (place where you adjust) are only a foot or so apart. The adjustment for the passenger side is pretty close to the front inside corner of the fuel tank, so once you find that one the other will be easy to spot. Good luck. Tim

[SoDakYota]

Thanks Tim! Now that I have a point of reference, I've got this. Just need to make one of those handy double sockets Of yours I've seen in other posts.....

Yeah, the van is a low mileage beauty. It belonged to an elderly couple who drove it to church and such. I'd always loved the 4wd vans and happened to see it parked at the local Toyota dealership one day about ten years ago. It seriously looked like it just drove out of the showroom. I drove it home an hour later......

[mahleek87]

Hi all,

Recently when I was getting my exhaust work done I noticed that my two bolts I think they are called torsion bolts that raise the van were not even. The left one was significantly higher then the other one. I know they were fondled with when my mechanic replaced my upper control arm bushings. So basically when I tried to even out them out by measuring them the right side of the van was now higher then the left. Even when the bolts were identical length. What other suspension component could be causing this uneven bolt/height? Im going to be going in for an alignment and I wanted to be able to explain this to the alignment guy so which is why I was wondering. FYI Both the inner and outer control arm bushings on both sides were replaced with factory toyota bushings.

[timsrv]

Depending on weight distribution (load inside van), condition of your rear suspension, & condition of torsion bars, a correctly adjusted suspension may or may not result in the torsion bar adjustment nuts being even. The suspension section of the manual outlines the adjustment procedure. It's based on distance from ground to chassis. It's best to load the van similarly to how it will be used, then make adjustments per the manual. After adjusting it's a good idea to have the front end aligned. Tim

[toad]

A good alignment shop would certainly be able to check and adjust the torsion bars too. If they've been "fondled" it'll need to be done before they can align it. Its pretty easy for them and if you're lucky they might throw it in with the alignment.

[mahleek87]

Thanks for clearing that up Tim. Yup my rear suspension is probably not in the best shape. Original Coils and Toyota Shocks were replaced probably 8 years ago.

[david_himself]

Hi guys new here, I've tried doing my homework on adjusting the torsion bars for quite some time now. I've read/been told different spots to adjust. Read/been told there's 1 nut too loosen and another to adjust. It's thrown me off a bit but I know where to adjust is on the end off the bar (towards middle of van) but where's this other bolt? Behind the front wheels? Can anyone provide pictures? (besides factory diagram) any help or advice is greatly appreciated! :thmbup:


first picture is where I adjust... right?

second picture is where the hidden 2nd bolt is the one I loosen before I adjust?


where I'm basically at is...

1) jack up van
2) loosen **unknown bolt**
3) drop car back down
4) adjust ride torsion bar with the end at the middle of the van
5) tighten **unknown bolt**

[timsrv]

Don't mess with anything on the control arm attach point. Unless you 1st release pre-load, messing around here can be dangerous. The 1st picture (towards the middle of the van) as you suspected, is where you adjust. The factory put 2 nuts on each of these adjustment studs (the adjustment nut an a lock nut), but it looks like somebody removed the lock nut. If it were still there, you'd need to loosen that before you could adjust the other one, then tighten it back up after adjustment. Since the lock-nut is gone, all you need to do is crank away. Don't get too crazy with the adjustment. The factory service manual calls out dimensions and shows how to achieve factory ride height. It's recommended you stay close to what the book calls out. If you go too high the bars will have too much preload and the van will bounce/rebound harshly. Have fun. Tim

PS: I doubt the lock nut is really necessary (can't imagine this moving on it's own), but I'd want it there. Next time you find a van in the salvage yard I'd grab those. Tim

[david_himself]

Don't mess with anything on the control arm attach point. Unless you 1st release pre-load, messing around here can be dangerous. The 1st picture (towards the middle of the van) as you suspected, is where you adjust. The factory put 2 nuts on each of these adjustment studs (the adjustment nut an a lock nut), but it looks like somebody removed the lock nut. If it were still there, you'd need to loosen that before you could adjust the other one, then tighten it back up after adjustment. Since the lock-nut is gone, all you need to do is crank away. Don't get too crazy with the adjustment. The factory service manual calls out dimensions and shows how to achieve factory ride height. It's recommended you stay close to what the book calls out. If you go too high the bars will have too much preload and the van will bounce/rebound harshly. Have fun. Tim

PS: I doubt the lock nut is really necessary (can't imagine this moving on it's own), but I'd want it there. Next time you find a van in the salvage yard I'd grab those. Tim

it was driving me crazy yesterday :wall: haha thanks alot tim!

[Mfry]

Does anyone know where the torsion adjustment bolt terminates? In other words, where in the top of the frame is it mounted? Almost seems like the top would be inside the Van, because I can't trace or feel the upper mount from underneath???

[PNW vanwagon]

thought i'd post my related results in the correct thread:

get those torsion bars adjusted correctly! i just did mine and man what a difference! started under 8" ground clearance and got them adjusted so van is sitting about 9" - close to what the manual calls out

my van has new shocks but i think they were bottoming out before as i could feel every minor bump and lots of squeaks and noise. used to dread going over rough roads but no more

made a huge difference. drivers side was slightly lower than passenger side as well

you'll need (2) two 22mm wrenches - got a couple at the used tool shop near my house.

[filterway]

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/timsrv/TVT%20pics/suspension/torsionbar.jpg



Hi Tim, there is something i don't understand how to adjust ground clearance. I thought torsion bar adjusting nut was only for adjusting front ground clearance. How do you adjust rear ground clearance? there is no picture showing it. where i'm wrong?

Also i took a picture of the manual showing how adjust ground clearance, but it's not the same as your pic... the difference is 2wd vs 4wd?

thanks

[timsrv]

Yes, this is the 2wd section of the forum. The page I posted shows OE recommended height for the 2wd (note tire size), yours is showing 4wd. Torsion suspension is only on the front. Rear has coil springs (except some of the 2wd cargo vans). Coils can sag, but not typically an issue with these vans. If yours have been cut (for lowering), then you'll need to replace the rear coils. If you are trying to raise the van (beyond OE specs), then that's another story. Most people just crank the front torsions beyond what they are intended. Although this increases clearance, it will also negatively affect ride comfort and stability. If you want to raise the rear coil springs (beyond OE specs) you will need to make more drastic changes. Some of the possible ways are with air bags, longer springs (like from a Ford Aerostar), or spring spacers. Several different ways have been posted on the forum before.......I'm sure a search would yield more info. Tim

PS: We have a 4wd specific forum section just for things that are different with the 4wd (this subject qualifies). Tim

[filterway]

Yes, this is the 2wd section of the forum. The page I posted shows OE recommended height for the 2wd (note tire size), yours is showing 4wd. Torsion suspension is only on the front. Rear has coil springs (except some of the 2wd cargo vans). Coils can sag, but not typically an issue with these vans. If yours have been cut (for lowering), then you'll need to replace the rear coils. If you are trying to raise the van (beyond OE specs), then that's another story. Most people just crank the front torsions beyond what they are intended. Although this increases clearance, it will also negatively affect ride comfort and stability. If you want to raise the rear coil springs (beyond OE specs) you will need to make more drastic changes. Some of the possible ways are with air bags, longer springs (like from a Ford Aerostar), or spring spacers. Several different ways have been posted on the forum before.......I'm sure a search would yield more info. Tim

PS: We have a 4wd specific forum section just for things that are different with the 4wd (this subject qualifies). Tim

I just want to reach OE specs, no modifications or raising the van. I just want to reach the best alignment . But for rear ground clearance, what is the reference? there is no pic showing it like the front (where to take measures).

I posted the same message on 4wd section, but i thought posting it here also was a good idea because all vans have torsion bars, if i do abstraction of 2wd/4wd différents specs.

Thanks Tim.

[timsrv]

That's because the front is adjustable and the rear is not (it sits where it's going to sit). If you notice it sagging, then it might be time for new springs.........otherwise, it should be good. IMO it's not worth worrying about unless it gives you reason (enough things in this world to worry about, don't go looking for more) :wnk: :yes: :wave2: Tim

[filterway]

That's because the front is adjustable and the rear is not (it sits where it's going to sit). If you notice it sagging, then it might be time for new springs.........otherwise, it should be good. IMO it's not worth worrying about unless it gives you reason (enough things in this world to worry about, don't go looking for more) :wnk: :yes: :wave2: Tim

If it works, don't fix it lol!!! winter is coming so i will stop van repairs (or improvement) here :yes:

Jerome

[fastcanoe]

Hey all -

So i've been reading the threads and gathering info on the torsion bar, front end assembly, etc. and am feeling confident enough to try to swap out my upper arm(s). The left side is fine, but the right side - I can't handle the squawking anymore. I've been spraying it with tons of sh!t and it's just getting worse. I have replacement arms, with bushings already pressed.

How big of a job am I looking at?
Should I do both left and right.
Should I do lower arms too?? (if it's not broke dont fix it?)
Any specific challenges/tips to be aware of?

Thanks in advance!

-terry