How to replace Torsion bar mounts.
 

This is not much of a How to but ive had a few people message me on where they are located,and how to replace them.

Tools you will need :
3/4" wrench (to remove top nut)
15mm socket and socket wrench (to remove 2 bolts)
floor jack
1 beer and radio (optional)

Total time used replacing 1 was 20 minutes.

1.Remove these 2 bolts :
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/3...to03101636.jpg
2. Location of mount

http://img861.imageshack.us/img861/2...to03101619.jpg




3. Look on top of the mount. You will see a big nut. I used a 3/4 wrench to remove it. You can fit a socket in there but the brake cable is in the way and is more frustrating then anything. Passenger side can be accessed with a socket easy.

4.study where you want to place your floor jack. You want to place it underneath the torsion frame that moves up and down with the broken mount. Jack up the frame on as near as you can to the mount until its high enough to slide the old one out and new one in. Line up the holes and lower the floor jack. There is a little stub on top of the mount that needs to stick through a hole in the frame. just make sure you slide the new mount in the right way.

5. Replace nut,and both bolts. tighten.

6. sit back and stare at the broken mount,drink beer and enjoy no more clunking.

Pictures of broken mount and new mount :

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/1356/bar1w.jpg




Tip on passenger side mount :
You must use the new designed torsion bar mounts that come with 3 bolts. You cant get the frame high enough to slide the old one out due to the exhaust. The new design has 3 bolts instead of the stud and 2 bolts. The driver side you can use whatever you want. The new design is more expensive (about $30 for a moog) the old design can be had for about $13.


If i missed anything chime in. il correct it.









Why would you replace them :
They support the torsion bar frame the torsion bars run through. They break into 2 pieces and they cause suspension clunks and is one of the reasons you have a clunk under you're feet when turning or going over hard bumps if you have 4x4. 2wd s10s and blazers do not have torsion bars.

How do you tell if they are broken:
Crawl underneath and wedge a crowbar between the frame and torsionmember. Give it some good backbone and pry up and down. if the crossmember moves up and down from the frame at all then the torsion bar mount is bad. Good idea to replace both while there.

Pretty straight forward Nice write up Chris

Ill be tackling this project soon

thanks buddy. I need to do the other one,ive got it wrapped up and secured with chain. it works somewhat. Ive been having trouble trying to find a 3 bolt replacement. ive checked around the local car parts stores and even though they show a 3 bolt design,the manufacturers are sending the old stub design.

rock auto has both designs cheap also

thats the thing. the part number is the same as the one with the 3 bolts...at least locally thats what ive been getting...

Very nice write up.
I imagine it's the same on second generation blazer? I will check mine tomorrow,hopefully that's the clunk I keep hearing and can't find from where is coming.

99.999999999% sure it is. I honestly have yet to check on a 2nd gen. but im sure they are the same.

I just checked rockauto.com and the part # says it's for 1995-2005, so maybe the part is slightly different but same process , they don't have a pic so I can't tell yet.

I just looked and is a different part # (k700356) for 95-up I did look at 94 and there are 2 part # for the one with the 3 bolts (k6485) and the standard design (K6443)

Yea i think there the same im not sure tho

I was looking at mine today, (2000 4x4) and that bar that holds the tbar keys and such has quite a bit of slop in it on the drivers side. Could this be a bad mount? I do not have the bolts you have in your pics to replace it; so hopefully after some more reasearch I'll think about replacing both mounts and probably both tbars. (Driver side bolt is bottomed out)

Opinions?