Adjusting torsion bar suspension question

[daol]

hi, first Im sorry if its a dumb question, but the 2001 tahoe is my first car with torsion suspension, so I have no experience with it. when I bought the car, the previous owner before him had put a 2" lift on the car, according to him, if its true or not, I dont now, tahoe is a rare care here in sweden, so I cant really compare.
this weekend I noticed that my car looked lower on the front driver side, so I started measuring, and it was 5cm (2inch) lower on the driver side, then on the passenger side.
took it to my local garge, they took a look at it, they dont know what a lift kit on torsion suspension looks like, they can only see the normal suspension, their answer to the question why is it 2" lower on one side was, its just an adjustment.
like I said, I have no experience with torsion suspensions, but 2" seems alot for an adjustment, plus in my mind, it should not just happen like that, something must have caused it.
so, can you really "adjust" torsion suspension that much? and what can cause it to suddenly be that much lower on one side?

 

[Chris2144]

As to why it is that far off I don't know but the torsion bar goes from the lower a arm to the cross member you can get underneath and see it. For each bar at the cross member there are keys inside the cross member. There is a bolt on each side 18mm iirc and that will adjust the preload on it. You need to lift the front end off the ground to adjust these

 

[daol]

aha, ok, but can it really be adjusted as much as 2"? sounds alot to me, if not, something else have to be wrong

 

[iamdub]

hi, first Im sorry if its a dumb question, but the 2001 tahoe is my first car with torsion suspension, so I have no experience with it. when I bought the car, the previous owner before him had put a 2" lift on the car, according to him, if its true or not, I dont now, tahoe is a rare care here in sweden, so I cant really compare.
this weekend I noticed that my car looked lower on the front driver side, so I started measuring, and it was 5cm (2inch) lower on the driver side, then on the passenger side.
took it to my local garge, they took a look at it, they dont know what a lift kit on torsion suspension looks like, they can only see the normal suspension, their answer to the question why is it 2" lower on one side was, its just an adjustment.
like I said, I have no experience with torsion suspensions, but 2" seems alot for an adjustment, plus in my mind, it should not just happen like that, something must have caused it.
so, can you really "adjust" torsion suspension that much? and what can cause it to suddenly be that much lower on one side?

I think you can have more than 2" of adjustment with the torsion bar keys. Depending on where the keys are at originally and how worn the torsion bars are will determine how much you can crank them for lift before they max out. "Lift keys" just re-index the torsion bar so that you start from a cranked up position and can go further from there.

For a 2" difference on one side, my guesses at this point is either the key broke or the adjuster bolt and/or nut stripped or that torsion bar has failed.

Can you post any pics comparing the two adjuster bolts and keys?

This is the area we should be looking at:

 

[daol]

thanks for the pic, now I know what Im looking for Il take a look tomorrow, its dak outside, and raining atm, Im guessing something is broken, since it was fine a week ago, but I havent heard any strange sounds or anything, and I drive on really bad roads on my way to work
thanks again for the reply

 

[iamdub]

thanks for the pic, now I know what Im looking for Il take a look tomorrow, its dak outside, and raining atm, Im guessing something is broken, since it was fine a week ago, but I havent heard any strange sounds or anything, and I drive on really bad roads on my way to work
thanks again for the reply

Laptop fritzed out. I meant to edit my post to say that that isn't a Tahoe so it won't look exactly like that under there, but it's similar.

Here's more like what you should see:

 

[daol]

aha, ok, well its more or less the same place, so atleast I know where to look for anyting obviously wrong, if I cant see anything Il take a few pics

 

[rockola1971]

For a 2" difference on one side, my guesses at this point is either the key broke or the adjuster bolt and/or nut stripped or that torsion bar has failed.

If any of what you listed as could have failed then the wheel well for that side would be sitting on the tire. especially if the torsion bar "failed" which would mean it broke in half.

OP there is well over 2" of adjustment for either side. You can adjust a factory setup to level the front to the rear (this is how I ride) or the factory set it up new with the front lower than the rear or you can go anywhere in between or raise front higher than the rear.

 

[iamdub]

If any of what you listed as could have failed then the wheel well for that side would be sitting on the tire. especially if the torsion bar "failed" which would mean it broke in half.

OP there is well over 2" of adjustment for either side. You can adjust a factory setup to level the front to the rear (this is how I ride) or the factory set it up new with the front lower than the rear or you can go anywhere in between or raise front higher than the rear.

By failed, I didn't mean broke. I meant it like an old coil or leaf spring collapse from fatigue. I've seen the tip of the key where it rests on the adjuster bolt broken off and the rest turned and wedged in the cross member, resulting in the same as de-cranking the T-bars to lower. If the bolt and/or nut stripped, then the key would be resting on the nut- same as de-cranking to lower. I doubt it would be sitting on the tire, but it would be much lower and 2" is significantly lower.

 

[rockola1971]

By failed, I didn't mean broke. I meant it like an old coil or leaf spring collapse from fatigue. I've seen the tip of the key where it rests on the adjuster bolt broken off and the rest turned and wedged in the cross member, resulting in the same as de-cranking the T-bars to lower. If the bolt and/or nut stripped, then the key would be resting on the nut- same as de-cranking to lower. I doubt it would be sitting on the tire, but it would be much lower and 2" is significantly lower.

If you remove the adjuster bolt completely and lower the vehicle to the ground, the wheel wells will be sitting on the tops of the tires. Ive seen it and done it.