Torsion Bar Settings

[dudecw]

I just bought a 1960 GMC Suburban. The truck has been lowered by the previous owner. I like the result just not the method. He heated the back springs with a torch and just loosened the torsion bars on the front. I am going to fix the front by installing 2.5" drop spindles and putting the torsion bars back to stalk.

My question is, how do I know how much to tighten the bars? Is there a factory setting that I can put them back to?

Thanks for the help!

[dudecw]

Anyone...

[chopper john]

have you thought of getting rid of the torsion bars completely? updating ,then you can just do a set of lowering springs all the way around , and you dont have those bolts hanging out the bottom. are you gonna stay drums?

[LVPhotos]

I couldn't find a measurement but looks like the porkchops are parallel to crossmember.

[MusicMan70]

Welcome Dudecw
Do you still have the V6? More photos are always welcome.
I would get a factory manual for specific items. Here is a link to the New 6066 GMC site.

http://6066gmcclub.com/forum/index.php?

Here is some info I got from one of the members there awhile back about torsion adjustment.

Henry, this is Lewis Matkin. As regarding the height of your torsion
suspension, I have possessed and driven Chrysler products most of my adult
life and know something of ride height on torsion suspensions. If you have
done your adjustments per what the GMC manual says, more than likely one bar
is a little weaker than the other. The only option I am aware of is the h/d
option that was available for about $5. from the factory. I remember my dad
telling me that they ordered all their trucks with the h/d option and leaf
rear springs. That was a regular production option which was available
during the 1960-1962 year models. To bring the heigth of the vehicle equal
on the front, instead of measuring the control arms like the manual says,
you will have to measure frame heigth. Take your measurements in two
places: at the frame just behind the bumper, and at the bottom side of the
frame at the front cab mount. Make them equal. That should equal out the
height of the truck. There is no stiffer/softer torsion bars side against
side that I know anything about Henry. I hope that I have shed some light
on your problem.

[Monte's62]

Hey dude. Do you have any pictures of your truck. I would say if you like the stance of the front and the ride is ok, then your good. I would definitely replace the heated springs with lowering springs to keep your stance. I have a 62 project that will begin this summer and I want to keep the rods, but I have a specific height in mind and I don't know if I can get there, at least with a comfortable and safe ride.
My question is do you already have a disc conversion on the front to put the drop spindles on. As chopper john mentioned you can always convert it to springs fairly cheap.

[dudecw]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I was planning on converting to power disc brakes anyways so I purchased the discs and went with drop spindles while I was at it. They are here in my garage ready to go as soon as I get the old spindles off. The ride quality was just terrible before. Maybe some new shocks would have helped but since I was buying new spindles anyway I figured I might as well do it right. I will try them out parallel to the cross bar to start and see if I like it. I am going air ride in the back so I can level it out with however the front ends up.

I also bought all new ball joints, tie rod ends etc. Should ride like a new old truck when I am done.

I will try and post some pics tonight when I get home.

[slepysal]

I have my torsion bars cranked down right now. I will be installing the drop spindles/disc soon.
If you like the stance measure it, then crank up the bars up. Tighten them up the same amount of turns per side. In stall the spindles , and then "losen" the bars untill you get the hight ( or drop) you want.

[Brad54]

Originally Posted by chopper john

have you thought of getting rid of the torsion bars completely? updating ,then you can just do a set of lowering springs all the way around , and you dont have those bolts hanging out the bottom. are you gonna stay drums?

If he's gonna put spindles on, he'll have to go with discs.
I've driven mine 80,000 miles with the torsion bars cranked down, and i've never had a problem with the bolts "hanging out the bottom."


-Brad

[TommyDuncan]

Originally Posted by Brad54

If he's gonna put spindles on, he'll have to go with discs.
I've driven mine 80,000 miles with the torsion bars cranked down, and i've never had a problem with the bolts "hanging out the bottom."


-Brad

Interesting... my 62 is cranked down so that it is just touching the bump stops and the bolts hang down far lower than anything else. Twice now someone has asked what it was hanging down and I do occasionally drag them.

[markeb01]

I can provide the factory setting tomorrow. I'm switching computers and the scanner isn't setup yet. The measurement of 4.25" is meaningless without the tech photo that goes with it.

[Monte's62]

Brad and Tommy - my question for you guys is do both of you have drop spindles or not and what size wheel and tire are you running?
This the confusion that I have and Dude is probably having, because you hear one guy saying cranked down they scrub, but others don't. Some say the ride is bad, others say it drives great. Also sometimes you see pictures of trucks with bars cranked and the heights may be a little different, so I think you need to understand what else is going on with spindles, wheels, tires, etc.

Brad and tommy, do you guys have pics to go with your info. I am like dude and don't really know which way to go on my 62 but I really want to keep the bars if possible.

[MusicMan70]

dudecw, another thing to consider is do you still have the GMC V6?

It weighs about 850+ lbs. and with the front bars turned down too low, it will definitely affect your ride.

[Brad54]

Originally Posted by TommyDuncan

Interesting... my 62 is cranked down so that it is just touching the bump stops and the bolts hang down far lower than anything else. Twice now someone has asked what it was hanging down and I do occasionally drag them.

I've left some space between the bumpstops.
You must not have any kind of suspension travel!
Mine is shown at ride-height in my avatar.
I've driven it to Michigan, Texas, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Florida like that, without a problem.

-Brad

[Brad54]

Originally Posted by Monte's62

Brad and Tommy - my question for you guys is do both of you have drop spindles or not and what size wheel and tire are you running?
This the confusion that I have and Dude is probably having, because you hear one guy saying cranked down they scrub, but others don't. Some say the ride is bad, others say it drives great. Also sometimes you see pictures of trucks with bars cranked and the heights may be a little different, so I think you need to understand what else is going on with spindles, wheels, tires, etc.

Brad and tommy, do you guys have pics to go with your info. I am like dude and don't really know which way to go on my 62 but I really want to keep the bars if possible.

Excellent points!
My tires are 235/75/15, which is the closest I could find to the original size.
It fills the wheel opening, and give plenty of side wall for a smoother ride.
The front sway bar I have really took the body roll out of it, so it handles pretty well now.
I've got stock spindles and drums, but I'm going to rebuild the front end when I put it in the body shop for the damage from the deer accident, and when I rebuild it I'll put drop spindles and discs on it, and keep the t-bars.

-Brad

[markeb01]

I finally got my scanner semi-functioning. Here’s the photo showing how to set original curb height on a 1960 torsion bar front end:



The full text starting on the previous page states: On Series 10-40 curb height adjustment may be made by adjusting the torsion bar anchor bolt (see Torsion Bar Installation" in this section.