How to Adjust Torsion Bars on Vehicles

The Vehicles Series Vehicles are made by Vehicles and are four wheel drive Vehicles with a torsion bar front suspension. These Vehicles are designed to take abuse on and off road. The torsion bar sets the ride height of the Vehicles and it's adjustable as well. This allows you to tune the front suspension to your specifications by either lifting up the front end or dropping it down to meet your needs.

Under The Hood:

• How to Adjust Torsion Bars on a VW Beetle
• How to Adjust the Torsion Bars on a Ford Explorer
• How to Adjust the Torsion Bars on a Z71

 How to Adjust Torsion Bars on a VW Beetle

Raise the vehicle and support it on jack stands. Remove the tires. Remove the bottom-out pad over the torsion bar.

Remove the fender. Remove all four bolts from the spring plate.

Mark the spring plate and torsion bar with "clock hand" style marks--one long and one short on the torsion bar, and two corresponding dots on the spring plate.

Slide the spring plate from the end of the torsion bar. Rotate it to adjust the suspension. To raise the chassis, rotate the spring plate down. To lower it, rotate the spring plate up. Replace the bushing in the spring plate.

Slide the spring plate back over the torsion bar and bolt it to the lower control arm. You may have to jack up the spring plate to get it back in place.

Reinstall the wheel and tire, and lower the vehicle from the jack stands.

 How to Adjust the Torsion Bars on a Ford Explorer

Measure the distance from the ground to the top of each front fender well using the tape measure; record these numbers.

Lift up the front of the vehicle using the jack and secure it on jack stands. Make sure the vehicle is completely secure on the jack stands.

Crawl underneath the vehicle and locate the torsion bar crossmember. The torsion bars are long bars that run the length of the vehicle and connect to the lower control arm as well as a crossmember in the middle of the vehicle. On this crossmember are a pair of adjustment bolts that hold the end of the torsion bar in place. By tightening these bolts, you can lift the front suspension, and by loosening them, you can lower the front suspension.

Place the 1/2-inch ratchet and socket onto the torsion bar adjusting bolt. If you need to raise the suspension, tighten the bolt. If you need to lower it, loosen the bolt. Only turn the bolt a few turns at a time, you don't want to completely remove the bolt.

Lift the vehicle off of the jack stands and measure the distance between the ground and front fender wells using the tape measure and compare these numbers to your previous numbers recorded on the paper. If you need to adjust the height further, repeat Steps 2 to 4 and adjust accordingly.

 How to Adjust the Torsion Bars on a Z71

Park the Z71 on a level surface. Set the parking brake and chock the rear wheels. Measure from the bottom of the front bumper on the truck to the ground with the tape measure.

Lift the front of the truck with the jack. Put jack stands under the frame, and make sure they're set high enough that the front wheels are off of the ground. Lower the vehicle onto the jack stands.

Slide underneath the truck and locate the torsion bar connection leading into the lower control arm. Follow the torsion bar back to the torsion bar crossmember, and find the torsion bar adjusting bolt, which is just inside the crossmember. Loosen the torsion bar adjusting bolt with the 1/2-inch ratchet and socket to lower the truck, and tighten the torsion bar to raise the front end. Count how many times the ratchet turns on one adjusting bolt, and do the same thing on the other adjusting bolts so that the front end is lifted or lowered evenly.

Lower the truck off the jack stands using a jack. Measure the distance between the bumper and the ground with the tape measure again. Compare the two measurements to determine whether you need to continue adjusting the suspension. If you do need to continue, repeat the above steps until you are satisfied.