Rear torsion bar adjustment - inner & outer spline questions

[T2-Nate]

Hi guys,

This has been asked before but I can't find an answer to my question.

Every manual or step by step writeup says that you shouldn't remove the torsion bar from the inner spline location.
Now, I did offcourse do that and now I'm in trouble.
Thankfully every part has been cleaned, new bolts and rubbers so the task will be easier.

Now I'm improved technically :roll: but still I don't really understand this;

"There are 44 splines on the inner end and moving one spline changes the plate angle 8.18 degrees.
There are 40 splines on the outer end and moving one spline changes the plate angle 9.00 degrees.

Neither of these is the "fine tuning". The two used _together_ is the way that you adjust the angle. If you turn one end one spline and the other end one spline in the opposite direction you will get an angle change of 0.82 degrees, which is the tolerance allowed for the spring plate angle. Thus, there is always one setting that will get the torsion arm into the correct angular range. You measure the current angle of the spring plate, find the difference between that angle and the desired angle, divide the difference by 0.83, round to the nearest integer, turn the torsion bar in the inner spline by that number of notches _opposite_ the desired direction, and move the spring plate on the outer spline by that number of notches _in_ the desired direction. Check the measurement and you're done!
If you try to adjust the angle by just turning the outer spline, you will end up with the rear end way too high, like against the upper stop. The bus will handle very strangely, will have horrible rear tire wear, will ride very roughly as the suspension tops out, and will damage the CVs and boots."

So again I need to know how to be sure you inserted the torsion bar correctly so you can measure the outer splines for the spring plate?
Don't know of any garage that could do the work for me so have to take care of it myself.

Thanks,
Nate

 

[cyberdyne systems]

Hi, its because the inner and outer splines are different that you can make smaller changes. By turning the torsion bar (the inner splines) a certain amount and then by mounting the spring plate (the outer splines) that you get a new height or angle if you prefer.

If you have lost the factory setting then your instructed to use a protractor to set a certain angle to restore this. If you still have one side attached and have lowered the spring plate off the step then you could use that as a reference to setting the other side back up and copy the angle of where the spring plate sits (off the step) by turning the torsion bar and mounting the spring plate until its the same. Of course you could set it roughly if you've lost the angle both sides by having the spring plate about 3 - 5 mil below the step, do this both sides and put it all back together and see how it sits with its wheels on. Its sounds a pain to do it by trial and error but its not that big a deal to undo it all once or twice to get it sitting right.

 

[T2-Nate]

Hi, its because the inner and outer splines are different that you can make smaller changes. By turning the torsion bar (the inner splines) a certain amount and then by mounting the spring plate (the outer splines) that you get a new height or angle if you prefer.

If you have lost the factory setting then your instructed to use a protractor to set a certain angle to restore this. If you still have one side attached and have lowered the spring plate off the step then you could use that as a reference to setting the other side back up and copy the angle of where the spring plate sits (off the step) by turning the torsion bar and mounting the spring plate until its the same. Of course you could set it roughly if you've lost the angle both sides by having the spring plate about 3 - 5 mil below the step, do this both sides and put it all back together and see how it sits with its wheels on. Its sounds a pain to do it by trial and error but its not that big a deal to undo it all once or twice to get it sitting right.

What do you mean by "the step" ?
Thanks by the way it's almost clear now :lol:

 

[cyberdyne systems]

Hi, its because the inner and outer splines are different that you can make smaller changes. By turning the torsion bar (the inner splines) a certain amount and then by mounting the spring plate (the outer splines) that you get a new height or angle if you prefer.

If you have lost the factory setting then your instructed to use a protractor to set a certain angle to restore this. If you still have one side attached and have lowered the spring plate off the step then you could use that as a reference to setting the other side back up and copy the angle of where the spring plate sits (off the step) by turning the torsion bar and mounting the spring plate until its the same. Of course you could set it roughly if you've lost the angle both sides by having the spring plate about 3 - 5 mil below the step, do this both sides and put it all back together and see how it sits with its wheels on. Its sounds a pain to do it by trial and error but its not that big a deal to undo it all once or twice to get it sitting right.

What do you mean by "the step" ?
Thanks by the way it's almost clear now :lol:

Hey no worries it will all become clear! You know where the spring plate cover is and behind that you have the spring plate and rubber donuts sitting on the torsion bar? Well the housing that you bolt the cover to you'll notice that the spring plate sits on the lower edge of this when you have jacked the back up and have the wheel off, because its sitting here its still under some tension so you have to carefully pry the spring plate off this 'step' or ledge to get the angle of the spring plate when its not under any load anymore. To refit a stock height spring plate do the cover up and then use a jack to lift the plate until you have fully tightened the cover bolts and it will again be sitting on the 'step' or ledge - easy eh :lol: