TORSION BAR ADJUSTMENT?

Subject: TORSION BAR ADJUSTMENT? Thu Apr 24, 2008 9:39 am

JUST WANDERING IF ANYONE HAS LOWERED/RAISED THE FRONT END BY ADJUSTING THE TORSION BARS? NEED TO DROP MINE TO GET INTO CARPARKS, I CAN GET CUSTOM SPRINGS FOR THE BACK BUT THE GUY WANTS TO CHARGE ME AN ARM AND A LEG TO ADJUST THE FRONT, SEEING AS THERE ARE NO PARTS REQUIRED I WANT TO HAVE A GO MYSELF BEFORE HANDING OVER THE CASH. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREAT.

Subject: Re: TORSION BAR ADJUSTMENT? Thu Apr 24, 2008 4:15 pm

The torsion bar adjusters are about half way down the van, if you lay down near the sliding door you will see the locking nut and adjuster. Take an equal number of flats on the adjuster on both sides to keep the vehicle level.
Ideal to know if you have to replace the front top wishbones!

Subject: Re: TORSION BAR ADJUSTMENT? Fri May 09, 2008 8:08 am

Thanks for that, I'll give it a go.

Subject: Re: TORSION BAR ADJUSTMENT? Sun May 18, 2008 11:54 am

Hi all, Just letting you know that if you adjust the height of your front suspension you should really get a wheel alignment done, as it will change the camber seting. Also it is best to park on a dead flat surface and measure with a tape from the ground up to the top of the wheel arch (same spot on both sides) and adjust both sides so the measurements are the same, (so the vehicle is lever side to side).

Subject: Re: TORSION BAR ADJUSTMENT? Sun Jun 08, 2008 1:39 am

It will also alter Caster setting. Wheel align is a must do afterwards. I'd not recommend lowering it via the torsion bars as it also softens the suspension and you have a floaty boat.

Subject: Re: TORSION BAR ADJUSTMENT? Sun Jun 08, 2008 2:06 am

Hi all, You are right, it will alter the caster as well but they should both be adjusted at the same time when the wheel alignmient is done. I have to disagree about lowering it causing it to be soft suspension, people often think that de-adjusting the torsion bars actually takes tension off the torsion bars thus causing soft suspension, but in reality all you are doing is changing the position of the torsion bars, the bars still have the same amount of weight on them and are still twisted the same amount , just in a slightly different position. The only way to change the spring rate of the torsion bars is to replace them with a different rate bar (usually thinner or thicker dia bar).
Cheers Dill.

Subject: Re: TORSION BAR ADJUSTMENT? Mon Aug 18, 2008 6:50 am

After noticing uneven tire wear (inside of the passenger tire) I noticed that my drivers side sits almost 1cm lower than the other when measured off the front wheel hub to the bottom of the wheel well.

I looked and looked to figure out how to adjust the torsion bars but to be honest I guess I don;t know what I am looking for. Anybody have a picture or a part image so I can see what it is I need to adjust? Are they on the sides? Under the skid pans? Towards the center? Behind the tires, if so how far? Arrrg.

JohnHRef999: what year is your HiAce? Mine is 1991. Does that matter? Are they all the same underneath?

Any guidance would be helpfull. I'm usually better at figuring this sort of stuff out...

Cheers.

Subject: Re: TORSION BAR ADJUSTMENT? Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:39 am

Found them!

From the front wheel there are thick black rods that goes back to just in front of the rear wheel. These are the torsion bars. Tightening involves not shortening the rod, as I was thinking, but rather turning the lever up with a nut. There is a lock nut as well, both are 22mm and required a 4-foot pipe on a wrench to loosen them.

Van is sitting level now. Sweet.