Torsion bar lift basics...

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Idaho45guy

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On my 2005 Yukon SLE with 81k miles, I decided to do a simple torsion bar lift.

I did one with my `97 Suburban and the results were favorable.

Today, I discovered it's a bit different on the newer vehicles.

On the Suburban, I cranked and cranked and got 2.5" of lift, a much stiffer ride, and needed an alignment afterwards. The shop said I barely had enough adjustment to get the suspension into spec. I added 1.5" blocks to the rear leaf springs and it turned out awesome and no rubbing using 33" tires. Drove it for a couple of years with no issues at all...

100_0142.JPG

Today, I crawled under the Yukon and started cranking. Used an 18mm 1/2" socket and pre-soaked the bolt with Liquid Wrench.

It turned fairly easily I figured it was around one full rotation of the bolt for every 1/4" of lift.

Before I started, I measured front and rear wheel wells and the back was about an inch and a quarter taller.

I kept cranking a few turns, then stop and measured. Had about a quarter inch to go when it stopped. I looked and I had ran out of bolt. They wouldn't crank any higher.

I measured and the front was now a quarter inch lower than the back, so I got about an inch out of cranking the stock key. Took it out and drove to the car wash and back and measured again.

It grew...

Now the front is 1/4" higher than the back... Final measurement is 37 1/4" for the front and 37" for the back.

Really not visually all that different, though I suspect when the new tires and rims go on, then it will look a whole lot beefier, and be a whole lot more capable in the dirt, as well. The ride is a little stiffer, but that's a good thing since the ride before was incredibly mushy. I suspect the LT tires will make it feel even better.

Before cranking:

IMG_20180426_124802046.jpg

After cranking:

IMG_20180426_131343525.jpg

After cranking and test drive:

IMG_20180426_132720297.jpg
 

HiHoeSilver

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On my 2005 Yukon SLE with 81k miles, I decided to do a simple torsion bar lift.

I did one with my `97 Suburban and the results were favorable.

Today, I discovered it's a bit different on the newer vehicles.

On the Suburban, I cranked and cranked and got 2.5" of lift, a much stiffer ride, and needed an alignment afterwards. The shop said I barely had enough adjustment to get the suspension into spec. I added 1.5" blocks to the rear leaf springs and it turned out awesome and no rubbing using 33" tires. Drove it for a couple of years with no issues at all...

View attachment 197840

Today, I crawled under the Yukon and started cranking. Used an 18mm 1/2" socket and pre-soaked the bolt with Liquid Wrench.

It turned fairly easily I figured it was around one full rotation of the bolt for every 1/4" of lift.

Before I started, I measured front and rear wheel wells and the back was about an inch and a quarter taller.

I kept cranking a few turns, then stop and measured. Had about a quarter inch to go when it stopped. I looked and I had ran out of bolt. They wouldn't crank any higher.

I measured and the front was now a quarter inch lower than the back, so I got about an inch out of cranking the stock key. Took it out and drove to the car wash and back and measured again.

It grew...

Now the front is 1/4" higher than the back... Final measurement is 37 1/4" for the front and 37" for the back.

Really not visually all that different, though I suspect when the new tires and rims go on, then it will look a whole lot beefier, and be a whole lot more capable in the dirt, as well. The ride is a little stiffer, but that's a good thing since the ride before was incredibly mushy. I suspect the LT tires will make it feel even better.

Before cranking:

View attachment 197841

After cranking:

View attachment 197842

After cranking and test drive:

View attachment 197843

Did you crank them with weight on it?
 

CamReynolds

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May 15, 2017
Posts
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On my 2005 Yukon SLE with 81k miles, I decided to do a simple torsion bar lift.

I did one with my `97 Suburban and the results were favorable.

Today, I discovered it's a bit different on the newer vehicles.

On the Suburban, I cranked and cranked and got 2.5" of lift, a much stiffer ride, and needed an alignment afterwards. The shop said I barely had enough adjustment to get the suspension into spec. I added 1.5" blocks to the rear leaf springs and it turned out awesome and no rubbing using 33" tires. Drove it for a couple of years with no issues at all...

View attachment 197840

Today, I crawled under the Yukon and started cranking. Used an 18mm 1/2" socket and pre-soaked the bolt with Liquid Wrench.

It turned fairly easily I figured it was around one full rotation of the bolt for every 1/4" of lift.

Before I started, I measured front and rear wheel wells and the back was about an inch and a quarter taller.

I kept cranking a few turns, then stop and measured. Had about a quarter inch to go when it stopped. I looked and I had ran out of bolt. They wouldn't crank any higher.

I measured and the front was now a quarter inch lower than the back, so I got about an inch out of cranking the stock key. Took it out and drove to the car wash and back and measured again.

It grew...

Now the front is 1/4" higher than the back... Final measurement is 37 1/4" for the front and 37" for the back.

Really not visually all that different, though I suspect when the new tires and rims go on, then it will look a whole lot beefier, and be a whole lot more capable in the dirt, as well. The ride is a little stiffer, but that's a good thing since the ride before was incredibly mushy. I suspect the LT tires will make it feel even better.

Before cranking:

View attachment 197841

After cranking:

View attachment 197842

After cranking and test drive:

View attachment 197843
that burban is sickkkk
 
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