Torsion Bar Adjustment / VX Leveled

[VX KAT]

Regarding the TBs - - (thought this fit OK in your thread GPA)

When I swapped back to my OEM 18s with the 285/60 Terra Grapplers, I left the TBs "turned" as they were to fit the Borbets (18x8, -2) with 265/60s.

Front is 33 3/8" floor to top of wheel well, rear is 34 1/4". it's just too high for me, so I want to lower the front back to "stock" (and get an alignment of course).

• Is it possible to know where the "stock" TB position is if the mechanic didn't keep track of the turns?
  
• If not, anybody know the exact distance from FLOOR to top of wheel well with 18" rims and any tire size, as long as the TBs have NOT been turned. Figure we could determine stock position from this.
  
• Is it possible to unwind them too far, (i.e. past where stock was?)

[jmayer40]

I read somewhere, here or in manual, 18 turns is factory setup.

[GPA]

Regarding the TBs - - (thought this fit OK in your thread GPA)

When I swapped back to my OEM 18s with the 285/60 Terra Grapplers, I left the TBs "turned" as they were to fit the Borbets (18x8, -2) with 265/60s.

Front is 33 3/8" floor to top of wheel well, rear is 34 1/4". it's just too high for me, so I want to lower the front back to "stock" (and get an alignment of course).

• Is it possible to know where the "stock" TB position is if the mechanic didn't keep track of the turns?
  
• If not, anybody know the exact distance from FLOOR to top of wheel well with 18" rims and any tire size, as long as the TBs have NOT been turned. Figure we could determine stock position from this.
  
• Is it possible to unwind them too far, (i.e. past where stock was?)

Hi Sue.
Sorry for the delayed response:
Well......Stock for the REAR on 18's with 255's (which is what I have now) is 33 1/2 Inches.
For the FRONT, I turned the bolts exactly 6 revolutions to reach 33 1/2.
I raised front less than 2 inches to get her level with the rear; therefore, stock front height must have been around 31.5 - 32 inches (with my 255 18 tires).
Hope that makes sense.
Maybe someone who still has the oem 245 tires and 18 inch wheels will go measure and tell us for sure.
As for "unwinding" them too far:
Yes....you can go past the factory setting, which would lower the vehicle.
At least, I am assuming this can be done on the VX.
(I have lowered trucks in the past by turning the torsion bar bolt counterclockwise.)
GPA

[VX KAT]

thanks!
GPA, what's your section height on the 255s?
55 =29" tall
60 =30" tall

Stock on 2000 and 2001 18s is 245/60 - total height 29.6"

I can get the total heigth of your tires, and compare it to the stock as well as my current ones to arrive at a good estimate of the stock height.

[GPA]

Sue:
I just went and measured the height at 28".
They do seem to be a low profile tire, which would explain the shorter height.
I searched the internet for the tire: Goodyear Fortera Triple Tread 255/55R18, and looks like they must be discontinued; therefore, I could not find specs.
GPA

[GPA]

Regarding the TBs - - (thought this fit OK in your thread GPA)

When I swapped back to my OEM 18s with the 285/60 Terra Grapplers, I left the TBs "turned" as they were to fit the Borbets (18x8, -2) with 265/60s.

Sue....I thought in your past posts you stated you had no Torsion Bar Crank.....but it looks like you do according to this post?
Is that right?
GPA

[VX KAT]

Sue:
I just went and measured the height at 28".
They do seem to be a low profile tire, which would explain the shorter height.
I searched the internet for the tire: Goodyear Fortera Triple Tread 255/55R18, and looks like they must be discontinued; therefore, I could not find specs.
GPA

Sue....I thought in your past posts you stated you had no Torsion Bar Crank.....but it looks like you do according to this post?
Is that right?
GPA

I didn't have any TB turns when I first installed the 285/60s on the OEMs.

Then in February '13, I installed aftermarket rims (Borbet 18x8, -2 offset with 265/60s) and that required TB turns and lots and lots of trimming and BFH work. So you're probably reading a post prior to 2/13.

I just plug the size into the Rims-N-Tires calculator for the specs. I'd guess the 29" is with a higher psi or something, but close enough for my purposes.

My truck had 255/55s on when I bought it, yes, shorter than OEM 245/60s.

So follow my logic and see if you think I'm in the right ball park on how i'm doing this - - -

GPA:
255/55 - 28" tall tire ---> 6 TB turns = 33.5" floor to top w/w.


KAT:
285/60 - 31.5" tire ---> ? TB turns = 33.5" (I rounded up to make it easier) floor to top w/w.
My tire is 3.5" taller than GPA's.

6 TB turns accomplishes about 3.5" of lift.

So 3.5" / 6 = roughly .6" per turn

So if I subtract 6 turns (3.5"), floor to top w/w. stock should be 30" (33.5" - 3.5")

But since my tires are 1.9" taller than stock (31.5" vs. 29.6") my "stock" height with the 285/60s should be 1/2" less (1.9"/2), so floor to top w/w = 33"


um, - - - that doesn't sound right --

or maybe I just have to have mechanic crank them back as far as they go and then count 18 turns like jmayer mentioned.

[GPA]

So follow my logic and see if you think I'm in the right ball park on how i'm doing this - - -

GPA:
255/55 - 28" tall tire ---> 6 TB turns = 33.5" floor to top w/w.


KAT:
285/60 - 31.5" tire ---> ? TB turns = 33.5" (I rounded up to make it easier) floor to top w/w.
My tire is 3.5" taller than GPA's.

6 TB turns accomplishes about 3.5" of lift.

So 3.5" / 6 = roughly .6" per turn

So if I subtract 6 turns (3.5"), floor to top w/w. stock should be 30" (33.5" - 3.5")

But since my tires are 1.9" taller than stock (31.5" vs. 29.6") my "stock" height with the 285/60s should be 1/2" less (1.9"/2), so floor to top w/w = 33"


um, - - - that doesn't sound right --

or maybe I just have to have mechanic crank them back as far as they go and then count 18 turns like jmayer mentioned.

Ummmmm....kinda lost me.....
My mind is too small to follow that one!
But, one thing I DO know is that 6 TB Bolt turns does NOT accomplish 3.5" Lift.
I did 6 turns, which raised my front 1.75 - 2".
Honestly....stock height is not really that important in my eyes.
You should simply adjust it until you get the "look" you want, keep it there, and get it aligned.....done deal!
If you are happy with the look and height, then who cares if it is "exactly" at stock height, right?
GPA

[VX KAT]

Yes, I'm really going for ballpark, but I thought I could narrow it down and get close.

I made an error in last line of calculation.

So if I subtract 6 turns (3.5"), floor to top w/w. stock should be 30" (33.5" - 3.5")

But since my tires are 1.9" taller than stock (31.5" vs. 29.6") my "stock" height with the 285/60s should be 1/2" less (1.9"/2), so floor to top w/w = 33"

should read - should be 1/2 the total - so 1" instead of 2" (not 1/2" less)

So, 30" + 1" = 31" floor to top w/w.

BUT

Now you confirm 6 turns did NOT equal 3.5" lift -->I now realize I should have divided the 3.5" by half -- 1.75" PERFECT- that's what your real world calc came to.

I want it to come down about 1", so I think about 2 turns should bring it down to "about" stock. DONE!

What have I learned ----> don't try to do TB and tire size calculations after enjoying a few brewskis!

Thanks for your help!

[GPA]

Glad we (you) finally got it figured out!

[JHarris1385]

The factory rake to the VX was on purpose.

Which makes me think...when I lifted I should have kept the same ratio.

But, I like leveled look much more.