What to Substitute for a Torsion Bar Adjuster Tool
Front and rear suspension springs on vehicles age with time and use, losing their tensile strength. Sagging springs lower the stock curb hei...
Front and rear suspension springs on vehicles age with time and use, losing their tensile strength. Sagging springs lower the stock curb height of the vehicle chassis, sometimes allowing crucial suspension parts to bottom out and wear. Torsion bars can be adjusted to reestablish ride height, and a specialized factory torsion bar adjusting tool does not have to be used. A vehicle owner can effectively adjust their torsion bars with some alternative tools and techniques.
Preparation
The vehicle must be lifted high enough off the ground to afford working clearance to manipulate the adjustment bolts. This means using a floor jack to lift the front cross member and placing two jack stands under the cross member, wide enough apart to stabilize the front end. Two jack stands should be placed under the rear frame of the vehicle. The torsion bar bolts should be sprayed with penetrating oil and allowed to soak for 30 minutes or so.
Socket and Ratchet Wrench -- Single Nut
Locate the torsion bar where it attaches to the lower control arm at one end and the chassis frame at the other end. For a single nut adjusting torsion bar, place a deep-well, six point socket over the top of the adjusting bolt, and connect the socket to a 1/2 inch drive ratchet wrench. To raise the chassis height, turn the wrench clockwise to tighten the torsion bar.
Open End Wrench -- Single Nut
To adjust the single nut torsion bar, place an open end wrench of the appropriate size over the adjusting nut. Use an off-angle open end wrench, if possible, to allow the gripping force to drop down from the floorboard, which will add arm and torque clearance. Turn the wrench clockwise to tighten the torsion bar and raise the chassis.
Box End Wrench -- Single Nut
Slip a box end wrench over the top of the adjusting bolt and let it mesh with the adjusting nut. The best box end wrench will be a six-point (six-sided) wrench, and have a long handle. Place the wrench so the angle of the wrench shaft points down. Turn the wrench clockwise to tighten the torsion bar and raise the chassis height.
Double End Wrench -- Double Nut
If your torsion bar has a lower adjusting nut and an upper lock nut, use two end wrenches simultaneously. Place one end wrench on the lower adjusting nut, and another end wrench on the upper lock nut. Torque the end wrenches against each other, pulling them in opposite directions, to free up the lock nut. Adjust the lower nut with a single end wrench, turning it clockwise. Tighten the upper lock nut with an end wrench down against the adjusting nut. Hold the adjusting nut with an end wrench while doing so.
Leverage Tools
Sometimes it becomes necessary to extend the torque length of a wrench to gain more leverage on the torsion bar nut. If using a socket and ratchet wrench, place a small pipe over the end of the ratchet wrench handle as this will provide more leverage. Substitute a long breaker bar for the ratchet wrench, if desired. Attach the breaker bar to the six-point socket and turn it clockwise. For the double nut design which requires two end wrenches, place two large diameter pipes over each wrench shaft, to gain the extra leverage and breaking power.
