I just replaced my front drive shafts and ball joints this past weekend. However before I started, I poked around under the truck while it was on a body lift. One T-bar bolt was almost all the way in, and the other showed about two inches of threads. What would cause one t-bar to carry all the weight? Is there a way to level it out, by using Kyle's post on how to measure? What do you guys think?

 

I would definitely level them out, they need to be level.

Did you notice if the bolt on the one cranked all the way in is stripped? The only other thing I can think of causing the difference in height would be the previous owner on your truck changed them around for some reason.

 

It doesn't matter where the adjustment bolts are. What matters is what the ride height is. One torsion bar could be weaker than the other. Check ride height and adjust if/as necessary, then align the front end.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the bolts are the same size and in different places, would the ride height not be disproportioned?

Also Hook, clever sig.

 

Not necessarily... The torsion bars develop lift by twisting the bar. The forward end is stationary in the lower control arm, the rearward end is in a socket. By tightening the adjuster bolt, it rotates the socket, and the bar. The more the socket is rotated, the greater the tension on the bar, and the more lift the bar creates. If ride height is adjusted too high, the added tension can shatter the bar, (one hell of a bang!) Hold the ends of a pencil, one end in each hand. Twist in oposite directions simultaneously, eventually the pencil will shatter, same principal. One of the reasons the bars are adjustable is to compensate for the different spring rates of torsion bars. The heat treating process during manufacture is not absolutely identical from bar to bar. Weight distribution in each vehicle varies also. If you are looking for perfection when adjusting chassis ride height, and wheel alignment, have the driver sitting in the driver seat, and half a tank of fuel when you check/adjust it. All suspension components and certain steering components have a range of motion that they were designed to operate within. They are all based off chassis ride height being within specs. If ride height is incorrect, other parts will wear faster than designed.

 

I did 4 turns on mine and gained about an inch.

 

Correct me if I am wrong, but arent the torsion bar keys needed for this? Or, are people only selling them in the "level kit" package to make things easier? I almost ordered one the other day for $80 and it came with the torsion bar keys and 2" shackles for the back, the kit also said that a torsion bar pulling tool was needed.... is this BS or what?

 

its bs, you can get the shackles for 40, and you dont need keys

 

lol, that is BS, because I almost bought it all. The tool was pretty expensive too, like $80.00. I would have already lifted mine a little if I would have known this. Oh well, my BL should be here on the 10th of Feb. so when I put it on I might as well throw some shackles and crank the t-bars a little while Im at it. Although Im going to look a little funny riding around with a 235/75 on there.

On a second note, not sure who started this site, but thanks. I have learned a ton of stuff about blazers and 4x4 in general. I probably would not be as motivated to do anything at all to it, if this site was not around, so thanks.

 

So what about the shackles in the back, has anyone used the cheap universal shackle kit from auto zone? I seen it up there for about 25 bucks but wasnt sure if they were any good or not. Ive tried searching on the internet for some good ones but the only place I have seen any half way decent ones were from ebay, and I am not an ebay fan. I always feel like something bad is going to happen. Any thoughts on the cheaper ones from autozone?