torsion bar lift

[Drewp07]

I have a 97 nissan frontier 4x4 and I want to raise the front even with the back. I have heard alot of people cranking there torsion bars so can I do it on my truck if so how??? Thanks

[Desert Rat]

'97 trucks were hardbodies (D21), not Frontiers. '98 was the first year of the frontier.

Either way, get under your truck in front of the front suspension and locate your upper control arm. Make note of where it is in relation to the bumpstop below it. You don't want to crank it up so far that you're sitting on that bumpstop. With stock control arms, don't expect to get much more than an inch of lift and still have some down travel in the suspension.

Next, take measurments using the hub as the centerline to the top of your fenderwell. This will be your reference point.

Now, get under the truck and locate the torsion bar. It's a long rod that starts behind your lower control arm and goes back to a crossmember under the cab of the truck. At the back end is your adjustor bolts which are on a lever type anchor at the end of the torsion bar....this is what you can adjust.

That big bolt goes all the way through the crossmember and has 2 nuts on the end...one is a jamb nut. Use a 19mm wrench to loosen that jamb nut first.

Then, put the wrench on the second nut, and use a breaker bar with a 19mm socket on the bolt itself (on the bottom side). Rotating the blot clockwise is cranking up the torsion bar. To get an inch, it could take anywhere from 3 to 6 full turns. It'll turn hard, hence the need for the breaker bar. Make sure the nut on top isn't just spinning.

Repeat the procedure on the other side.

Now that you've made adjustements, get in the truck and drive it a few feet (back up and pull back forward). Now take your measurments at the fender well again and check where you are in relation to that bumpstop.

Make further adjustments as necessary and repeat the procedure.

Be sure to tighten down that jamb nut when you're done.

Finally, you'll want to visit the alignment shop afterward because you've altered the toe in setting and probably the camber setting as well. You can reset toe with a buddy and a tape measure if you have to (let me know if you want to do this - it's pretty easy) but that camber setting is best done at a shop with the right equipment.

If you run out of adjustment before you get to your desired ride height (in other words, you run out of thread on the adjuster bolt), you'll need to reindex the Tbar.

Post up if that ends up being the case and I'll give you the scoop on how to do that.

If you live in the rust belt, lots of penetrating oil on the threads of that adjustor bolt is your friend. Also make sure it's clean under there. Having dirt clods drop on your face while working under the truck sucks.

[89_hardbody_Z24]

great directions im planin on doin this this week and this helps alot.

[waynegarcia13]

I did the torsion bar lift to my truck as well. It does make the ride a lot stiffer and you have to find the best balance there do not crank them up to much because then it will be like riding in a go kart. Also you will have to adjust your alignment if you don't you will notice it and wear your tires very unevenly. 1 1\2 inches is the best you can get maybe 2.

[89_hardbody_Z24]

what year is ur truck?

[RT22]

look in the left side of his post has his info there.

[waynegarcia13]

to(89-Hardbody- z24) my Hardbody is a '97. I also lifted the rear by cutting and air hammering the rear leaf spring saddles off, next i welded them to the top of the axle housing"making sure they are level". I relocated the shock mounts to about the middle of the axle housing"so the have enough play, i learned that the hard way". I also had to unbolt the parking brake cable from the frame on both sides, but it sits there just right. Needless to say the rear leaf springs sit on top of the axle now giving me about 3" to 3 1\2" of lift in the rear. Now if i could just find a real front spindle lift or any real product to lift the front more than the torsion bars. However i am now capable of putting blocks on the rear and lifting it as much as i want to.

[waynegarcia13]

Also the biggest tires i have been able to fit is 31x11.50 and i had to trim the front fenders a little bit. I wish i could just paste a picture in here? But believe it or not it looks good in my opinion. It's %100 better looking than those 14" pizza cutters it came with.

http://allstarmobileauto.com/ tell you what i will paste some pics of my truck on my web site so you guys can see it.

[Joevol72]

I'm gonna do the torsion bar lift on my 97 Nissan 4x4. I've heard about spacers for the rear leaf springs. Any suggestions for that? I'm just starting to play with it a little and will probably do a bigger lift but I thought I'd start with this.

[Rev_D21]

How high do you want to go? I suggest using longer spring shackles before using blocks.

[Joevol72]

Just a couple inches is all. I'm just starting to learn this stuff.

[DWBXterra]

You can get a 2 inch kit from Rancho (R38RS6592) that will cost about 600 for the front if you want make sure the geometry stays right. Also, ARB has replacement leafs for the rear will also give you 2 inches. The biggest problem with a torsion lift is the geometry. If you don't get an alignment done quickly, you will be running on the edge of the tire, which will affect both your handling and safety on the road. Also check the shock extension because you will be near the end of travel. You may want to consider installation of a shock with a longer travel. Not saying don't do it, but am saying be aware that most cost effective method of clocking the torsion bars can have some decidedly negative impacts if you don't account for them.

[nissan 929]

Could you do the same thing to 91 nissan hardbody?

[bigFchris]

reindex the Tbar for 1993 nissan d21

[Hamilton5]

I have a 1986 Hardbody 4x4 , how do I do the torsion bar lift on it ?

[jp2code]

Sounds simple enough.

I added a leaf in the rear this past weekend, so I'm looking to lift the front an inch or so to even it out some.