torsion bar drop

[fleetsidelarry]

anybody out there lower the front of their '60-'62 by backing off the adjuster nuts? not talking about a lot, maybe an inch of drop. Don't need much since I'm thinking of using 2.5" drop spindles which will allow for the easy upgrade to discs.

[slepysal]

Yea real easy . make sure your on level ground jack up the front use jack stand, and lots of PB blaster/ WD40 on the bolts.
What I did was back one side of a few turns, then do the other, untill you get the desired drop.

[60chvstepside]

yup i got 5'' of drop roughly on my 60 gmc by turning the torsion bars down.....still could of went more but......air bags on the rear no c notch......

[62 Longbed]

I took my down also and got a 4.5 - 5.0 drop on mine also ...I now have problems here and there with driveways ... I was gonna do the drop spindles but insted this was more cost effective and I don't have any driveability problems ..

[Revin68]

I have about a 4-5" drop by backing off the bolts but there is a downside. The arms now hang down low and drag on everything. I tried driving it on a flatbed trailer once and had the arms hit the back edge of the trailer with an abrupt stop. =( Also unless you put some type of spacer on the bolt between the arm and frame, under hard acceleration the arms rise and fall with a hell of a noise.

[fleetsidelarry]

Originally Posted by Revin68

I have about a 4-5" drop by backing off the bolts but there is a downside. The arms now hang down low and drag on everything. I tried driving it on a flatbed trailer once and had the arms hit the back edge of the trailer with an abrupt stop. =( Also unless you put some type of spacer on the bolt between the arm and frame, under hard acceleration the arms rise and fall with a hell of a noise.

Robert, your experience is the sort of thing I was worried about and why I asked for comments from those of you who have done this, although the others did not complain of the problems you describe. The drop spindles will cost more but will allow the use of the new style bearings, disc brakes AND allow me to dial-in another inch or two of drop hopefully without the problems you've encountered.

Anybody else have the experience Revin68 describes?

[budden]

Iyou do turn your adjustment bolts to lower your truck place a jack or a stand under your fulcrum before you turn your bolt if it breaks -----------so might your wrist ------first hand experiance

[slepysal]

i have had NO problems with my drop, I do have drop spindles , but they are not installed yet. I will have to raise the torsion bars when I do the install

[fleetsidelarry]

Originally Posted by budden

Iyou do turn your adjustment bolts to lower your truck place a jack or a stand under your fulcrum before you turn your bolt if it breaks -----------so might your wrist ------first hand experiance

Great info, Budden, thanks! I wouldn't of thought of doing that

Originally Posted by slepysal

i have had NO problems with my drop, I do have drop spindles , but they are not installed yet. I will have to raise the torsion bars when I do the install

Now that's interesting, thanks, Slepysal. I was also wondering if t-bars work like progressive springs (more they're loaded the higher the rate, less they're loaded the softer). When you backed off the pre-load did the ride soften up?

[slepysal]

[QUOTE



Now that's interesting, thanks, Slepysal. I was also wondering if t-bars work like progressive springs (more they're loaded the higher the rate, less they're loaded the softer). When you backed off the pre-load did the ride soften up?[/QUOTE]

you know ,the ride is not bad at all. It is a bit ruff , but it dosnt feal like a "boat" One thing to keep in mind that unlike cuttin coils, if you dont like the ride, you can re adjust them with a few turns of your wrench . here is how mine sits

[slepysal]

oh and this is what it looked like before

[fleetsidelarry]

So, why do people want to get rid of the t-bars. I remember them (yeah, I'm that old) they rode great. Could it be the $200 ball joints?