How to Adjust the Torsion Bars on a Chevy Truck
Chevrolet trucks use torsion bar springs for the front of most four-wheel-drive models. The compact nature of torsion bars allows room for the front differential and CV axles. One advantage of torsion bars is the adjustable rear mount, which lets you set the spring rate with a simple twist of a socket wrench. The average backyard mechanic can adjust a torsion bar on a Chevy truck in about 15 minutes.
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Instructions
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Lift your truck by placing the floor jack underneath a frame rail and pumping the jack lever until the wheel is in the air. This will relieve the weight from the torsion bar. Place a jack stand under the same frame rail for added support.
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Crawl underneath the truck and locate the torsion bar adjustment bolt, which is nestled into the torsion frame mount vertically. The mount has the appearance of two plates, and between these plates is an 18 mm hex-head bolt.
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Turn the bolt clockwise to lift the truck's suspension (by adding to the spring rate), and turn the bolt counterclockwise to lower the truck. The spring rate also alters handling and ride-dampening, not just ride height. Raising the rate will make the truck's suspension feel harder, and it will turn corners sharply. Lowering the rate will make the ride soft, and the truck will not corner well. The trade-off is that more spring rate will wear the bars out quickly. Every full turn of the head of the adjustment bolt will raise or lower the truck by 1/4 inch.
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Lower the truck from the jack stand with the floor jack. Repeat the entire procedure on the opposite side's torsion bar adjustment bolt. The torsion bars must be balanced with each other to operate effectively.
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Tips & Warnings
Use a grease pen to mark the bolt head before making adjustments, so that you know where the starting point was.
It is possible, but much harder, to turn the bolt without raising the truck.
Use extreme caution when working underneath a lifted vehicle.
