Too rough, stiff, solid ride
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Littleton, New Hampshire
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Comox Valley, Canada
I was hoping it would be the cure too....... I have to do some more checking....... maybe shock problem, maybe spring problem, maybe something the POs done is a little off, maybe I am just too old and the truck is ridng as smooth as it gets but I just fell it should be smoother.... heck the 89 F250 feels better...........
but I just fell it should be smoother.... heck the 89 F250 feels better...........
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Comox Valley, Canada
That is actually on my to do list, I have heard it both that it makes a change in the ride and that it doesn't change anything except front end height...I can't see it hurting anything to try it...and it is free to try plus if I dont like it it is easy to return to the original setting....... Thanks for the suggestion.
As soon as I clear a spot in the shop I am going to play with settings and such..........
plus if I dont like it it is easy to return to the original setting....... Thanks for the suggestion. As soon as I clear a spot in the shop I am going to play with settings and such..........
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Comox Valley, Canada
Well I got a chance to work on the truck sooner than I expected, guy didn't show up for his brake job, anyway I cranked the torsion bars down...about a 1 inch drop in the front.... 4 turns of the adjusting bolt..figured what the heck it is fairly quick to do... then went into town to grab some parts for the next job....... I must say it appeared to ride significantly better...... the rear still seems a little stiff.... but I guess the real test is to take my wife for a ride and see if she enjoys the ride better
Thanks for all the help. Oh yeah apparently the torsion bars do have an effect on ride stiffness as well as lower the front.......but I will leave the final diagnosis to the one who complained about the rough ride the most
Thanks for all the help. Oh yeah apparently the torsion bars do have an effect on ride stiffness as well as lower the front.......but I will leave the final diagnosis to the one who complained about the rough ride the most
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 831
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From: sacramento
Finally took a couple of pics of mine, Using the fat guy test on the front bumper I can make the front end hit the bump stops, or just right there, I couldn't feel it bottom but could see the bump stop would start touching.
I would still remove a rear leaf if its stiff back there.
I would still remove a rear leaf if its stiff back there.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Comox Valley, Canada
I actually think I can crank the torsion bars down some more if I want.......but the truck is going downhill all the time as it is meaning pretty wicked rake to its stance....... I want to lower the rear some but first I think I have to go from the 10" rims to 8" cant see the tires not rubbing on the fender as the sidewalls stick out a little now.........almost like the rims are too wide for the tires.........
Maybe this winter I will move the gas tank to the rear as well to get some weight back there......probably only a couple hundred pounds on the rears as it is........
meaning pretty wicked rake to its stance....... I want to lower the rear some but first I think I have to go from the 10" rims to 8" cant see the tires not rubbing on the fender as the sidewalls stick out a little now.........almost like the rims are too wide for the tires.........Maybe this winter I will move the gas tank to the rear as well to get some weight back there......probably only a couple hundred pounds on the rears as it is........
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: NM
Someone stated a couple pages ago that adjusting the bars won't change their rate; that is exactly right. I think any improvement is an illusion. The only way to change the rate of a torsion bar is to replace it with one of a different spring rate, or in some cases by moving the rear anchor point fore and aft (changing the effective bar length).
But you just mentioned you are running 10" wide wheels; it is possible you need a stiffer bar and heavier shocks because of higher unsprung weight (compared to a stock Volare). Reducing backspacing might also help, it brings the weight in closer to the bar.
But you just mentioned you are running 10" wide wheels; it is possible you need a stiffer bar and heavier shocks because of higher unsprung weight (compared to a stock Volare). Reducing backspacing might also help, it brings the weight in closer to the bar.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Moore (or less), OK.
torsion bars
The way I understand it, torsion bars, at a certain length, under weight of front end will only twist so far before equalizing and giving you ride height.
The amount of twist at any given weight is determined by the alloy of the steel in the bar, the length of the bar and the diameter of the bar. Not by how much you turn the adjusters.
If you turn the adjusters up or down all you do is reset the height that the twist equalizes at giving you the ride height.
To change the spring rate, you need to change the bar itself. i.e.: Alloy, length or diameter.
The amount of twist at any given weight is determined by the alloy of the steel in the bar, the length of the bar and the diameter of the bar. Not by how much you turn the adjusters.
If you turn the adjusters up or down all you do is reset the height that the twist equalizes at giving you the ride height.
To change the spring rate, you need to change the bar itself. i.e.: Alloy, length or diameter.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,297
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From: NM
The way I understand it, torsion bars, at a certain length, under weight of front end will only twist so far before equalizing and giving you ride height.
The amount of twist at any given weight is determined by the alloy of the steel in the bar, the length of the bar and the diameter of the bar. Not by how much you turn the adjusters.
If you turn the adjusters up or down all you do is reset the height that the twist equalizes at giving you the ride height.
To change the spring rate, you need to change the bar itself. i.e.: Alloy, length or diameter.
The amount of twist at any given weight is determined by the alloy of the steel in the bar, the length of the bar and the diameter of the bar. Not by how much you turn the adjusters.
If you turn the adjusters up or down all you do is reset the height that the twist equalizes at giving you the ride height.
To change the spring rate, you need to change the bar itself. i.e.: Alloy, length or diameter.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Michigan
The main advantages of torsion bar suspension are durability, easy adjustability of ride height, and small profile along the width of the vehicle. It provides a longer travel than leaf spring systems, and takes up less of the vehicle's interior volume compared to coil springs. A major disadvantage is that torsion bars, unlike coil springs, usually cannot provide a progressive spring rate, forcing designers to compromise between ride quality and handling ability.
There is more to this but I guess I must be violating one of there new rules. Long story short I stand corrected.
Chuck
P.S. This was copied from a google search but they won't allow the whole story for some reason.
There is more to this but I guess I must be violating one of there new rules. Long story short I stand corrected.
Chuck
P.S. This was copied from a google search but they won't allow the whole story for some reason.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Comox Valley, Canada
Well we had a debate in the shop last week, over some wobbly pops, about torsion bars.......it was pretty much agreed that turning the adjusters would not have any effect on ride quality only ride height......... but then I adjusted them for the hell of it anyway, cause it was easy and cheap, and it appeared it rode better...... maybe it is an illusion but wife is happy.......
Any how more thoughts....... would the weight distribution change by lowering the front? Possibly improving the ride? The steering also feels a lot more responsive.. could this be a result of the adjustment as well? I think I need to go back to school and actually pay attention during the suspension lessons
The 10" rims are on the rear, so I could see it affecting the rear ride but not the front.... as I said rear is still stiffer and higher than I would like...... hope to cure that in the "off season" by relocating fuel tank, fixing the funky shock angle, either moving the spring mounts or flipping the axle, etc.
Thanks again for the insights, info, etc......
Any how more thoughts....... would the weight distribution change by lowering the front? Possibly improving the ride? The steering also feels a lot more responsive.. could this be a result of the adjustment as well? I think I need to go back to school and actually pay attention during the suspension lessons
The 10" rims are on the rear, so I could see it affecting the rear ride but not the front.... as I said rear is still stiffer and higher than I would like...... hope to cure that in the "off season" by relocating fuel tank, fixing the funky shock angle, either moving the spring mounts or flipping the axle, etc.
Thanks again for the insights, info, etc......