I've noticed a somewhat recent trend in the 4x4 truck industry of people offering torsion bar keys that are adjustable. Like these...

Torsion Bar keys

I'm wondering 3 things:

1. does anyone offer these for 2wd trucks, so you can lower your truck, but maintain stock spring rate, and thus ride quality?

2. if not, could I use 4x4 keys, but adjust them so my truck is lower, maintaining spring rate and ride quality?

3. if not, can I pull my stock bars out of the stock keys, turn them a few splines, and reinstall as usual, only with a lower ride hieight, but with stock-ish spring rate and ride quality?


If any of these options are possible, this might be a great bang for the buck lowering solution.


Thoughts?

 

make that times two

 

i think most people pull the torsions and re index the key. there is a master spline on em but you can grind it off to re-index the bar to the key/

i donno if the 4x4 key will work, i dont mess with lifting very often

 

The spring rate of a torsion bar doesn't change by adjusting the bolt..

The angle of the control arms to the ground is what gives it a crappy ride. Re-indexing the bar just helps with keeping the adjusting bolt from dragging on the ground.. lol

 

The reason I was thinking this is because, as we all know, torsion bars are springs that twist instead of compress. I was thinking that by loosening/tightening the bolts to lower/llift, you were subtracting or adding a certain amount (although not much) of pre-load on the bars. In essence, changing how much torsional rigidity they had to play with before they were subjected to the variable load of driving on the road with weight on them.

Although, now that I think about it, moving the shock's piston out of their designed valving area inside the cartridge BECAUSE it's lifted or lowered can make the ride vary.....


So what's this re-indexing do for you? Lower with a good ride? Better spring rates? I'm not sure I fully understand, but I WANT too. I'm kind of a mechanical education whore.

 

turning the torsion down definitly adjusts the spring rate on the bar...when you crank up the torsions to lift a truck it rides super stiff, when you turn em down to lower a truck it rides all bouncy...

 

thanks david! lol

 

You know, now that begin to think about it, I can see that it wouldn't affect spring rate. Loosening the key turns the bar, which lets the LCA rotate as well. All while keeping the same spring rate. Spring rate would be determined by the properties of the bar itself (diameter, what kind of alloy, how it's been tempered etc) correct?

 

trim those bumpstops!

 

HAHA! I trimmed the ones in my LUV truck with a torch! Then I learned that scoliosis and kidney failure were two good reasons to keep at least SOME rubber on them!

(disclaimer: I am not a medical professional and cannot be held responsible for diagnosing either of the aforementioned medical conditions. I am a minitrucker, who likes to take things to the nth degree, that is all.)

 

Ok, so am I to understand that trimming the bumpstops is a bad thing? I recently lowered my truck, the cheap way, with all the usual suspects (ball joints, torsions, blocks, and middle leaf) and now have the E.S.S. going. I was told by a couple of people to cut the bumpstops to eliminate some of the bounciness. I can't afford the spindles or air just yet, so a static drop was the best I could do for right now. Any help you guys can give is more than appreciated, so thank you all in advance.

 

or if you can find them....

there was a company apparently making "soft-ride" bump stops that were supposed to be really sweet, and help eliminate some of the harshness the stock hard rubber bump stops were known to inflict.

I wanna say AIM, DJM, or Chassis Tech......I remember seeing them in minitruckin' and wanting some for the LUV truck.