Torsion bar adjustment prob ?????

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swerks

swerks

Joined
Feb 16, 2007
Threads
9
Messages
42
Location
Wauwatosa, Wi.
I just installed some ball joint spacers and need to crank down my T-bars. I have one side exactly where I want it but the other side is loosened to the point that I have no threads left for the lock nut on top and I still need to crank it down more to get it to equal the other side. any one else have this prob???? I have bounced the truck and driven some rougher roads trying to get the bars to
chairfall.gif
settle
 
Many things it might be:
(a) Fatigued bar on one side
(b) Fatigued or bent mounting brkts on one side.
(c) Cracked front T.B. Socket on upper control arm.
(d) T.B. not indexed in sockets properly.
Ball Joint Spacers crack upper control arms. The guy who sold them to you must want to deal with your widow and her attorney!!!!
 
inkpot said:
Howdy! Might get a better response if you post up in the 95+ truck board. Just a thought. John
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Probably not, those trucks don't use torsion bars.

Downey said:
Ball Joint Spacers crack upper control arms. The guy who sold them to you must want to deal with your widow and her attorney!!!!
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I'm gonna take a guess that "the guy" that sold them is Roger Brown. If so, he's already forgotten more than you'll ever know about these trucks. I think it's really sad that since you can't sell something in this thread, you have to bash another vender.

To respond to the original question, the bars have index grooves in the splines that mate to the sockets at the arm and adjuster, I don't think they can be installed wrong. Are they original or aftermarket? Have they been cranked up for awhile? Is the adjuster at the bottom of it's travel?
 
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jeezus, st8 for the juggler.....the man must not know s***:rolleyes:....he has a whole catalog on it :confused:




I'm gonna take a guess that "Roger Brown" is a machinist that this stuff is closer to a hobby to him. Instead of being liable for a whole slew of stuff b/c your market is broader. R&D pft! WTF is that?
 
Well, first let me say that I'm in a really grouchy mood today. So, ya I guess I could be a little more diplomatic. Been fighting with ill-behaving computers all day, plus I'm totally stressed now that I have a contract in hand to sell my house, I really need to find a new place to live fast but can't find just what I'm looking for... basically a garage with a house attached. :)

Now, to Mr. Downey's post: points a, b, and c make no sense. These would make the truck sag, not sit too high, which is the problem. Point d can't happen (see my earlier post).

Here is Roger Brown's website: 4Crawler.com main page If you click on the picture of his 4Runner, you'll get a HUGE library of technical articles that he has written. Clear your schedule for a few hours, pack a lunch, and start reading, you'll learn a lot. I have personally met him, he is one smart dude. If you were a member of TLCA, you would know that he writes the "Truck Tech" column for the Toyota Trails magazine. He's not a hack machinist, and his products are not a hobby. My son just ordered a set of those ball joint spacers from him, they are REALLY nicely done.

Geez... I need to go home, get a cold one, and stop taking this stuff so seriously. I apologize for the dark cloud I have brought to this thread. :beer:
 
The bars are aftermarket OME, they were cranked up for about a year and yes the adjuster is at the end of its travel
 
Any one ever use a different nut on that adjusting bolt?? I have the old style with the 1 1/2 in thick brass nut with a lock nut on top of that. If I use a shorter nut I can make things work.
 
Downey said:
...
Ball Joint Spacers crack upper control arms. The guy who sold them to you must want to deal with your widow and her attorney!!!!
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This is a new one for me? I ran them for years on my ’90 Runner with Downey rear springs, great setup, zero issues with plenty of off-road miles. A bunch of locals still run them, have broken just about everything else, but no arm/spacer failures.

They have been/are sold by several sources, including at least one Toyota dealer, if the “widow drama” were true/common I doubt that a dealer would sell them. Roger Brown sells them, but they were designed, brought to market by Frank (elripster is his forum handle) from at the time San Diego Off Road Solutions, now San Diego Off Road Innovation. The design thread is probably still out there on one of the “old school forums”, IIRC off-road.com or 4x4wire.

IMHO a great mod for the ifs rigs, the only inexpensive one that gains travel, 1.5”. The added travel reduces the severity, frequency of bump stop hits/bottoming out, so if anything reduces stress on the arms. Link to info on them from SDORI;

Theory of Operation
 
I am absolutely thrilled that so many have ran ball joint spacers with no problems whatsoever. And your right, they are alot of bang for the buck. I'm just timid about the subject because prior to the 86-95 models we had three incidences with ball joint spacers which caused us to take them off the market. My guess is Toyota is building the 86-95 upper control arms much tuffer than previous years.
 
Downey said:
... I'm just timid about the subject because prior to the 86-95 models we had three incidences with ball joint spacers which caused us to take them off the market. ...
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I agree on the 2wd truck arms being weak, they don't take off-road beating well, on those trucks the best option is replacement arms. They only came on the 5 lug wheel trucks, IIRC 4runners only came with the heavier 6 lug setup, even on the 2wd models.
 
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