Torsion Bar Problem?

[JODA]

Hi,

My 2004 2.7 SWB Van is sitting down on the drivers side.

Between the anti roll bar and the wishbone, on the passenger side you can get your fingers between, but on the drivers you cannot.

Talking with a mate, he thinks it could be the torsion bar that is causing the problem?

Anyone any ideas how to solve this?

Thanks

 

[AlexD333]

Quite likely it will need adjusting, its actually fairly straight forward to adjust.

Be on a dead flat surface
Have a tape measure from bottom of wheel to top of arch both sides.
loosen off top adjuster nut
spanner on nut undeneath that to hold in place
adjust from 2nd bottom nut (lowest nut)
make a note of height before you start so you know which way you are winding.
Tighten up locking nut, go for drive and then re-measure as it will need time to "settle"

:thumb2:thumb2:thumb2

 

[JODA]

Quite likely it will need adjusting, its actually fairly straight forward to adjust.

Be on a dead flat surface
Have a tape measure from bottom of wheel to top of arch both sides.
loosen off top adjuster nut
spanner on nut undeneath that to hold in place
adjust from 2nd bottom nut (lowest nut)
make a note of height before you start so you know which way you are winding.
Tighten up locking nut, go for drive and then re-measure as it will need time to "settle"

:thumb2:thumb2:thumb2

Just looked in the technical section on reindexing the torsion bar.

From what you say, is the adjuster bolt under tendion as i wind it ? Am i trying to tighten the bolt in to raise the height, or slacken the bolt off?

I have no experience of torsion bar's hence all the questions!!

 

[rustic]

You can do it all from underneath, without raising the vehicle.
Measure from the ground to the top of the wheel arch...
Slacken the top lock nut then hold the lower nut of those two, with a spanner, and use a socket to tighten the lower bolt from underneath in the normal way. This will raise that side of the vehicle. After a few turns, bounce the car, and see where it sits.
Don't forget to tighten the lock nut afterwards.
Some WD40 on the threads helps.
10-15 minute job, which includes a cup of tea, so put the kettle on now.:thumb2

 

[makeitfit]

It's the BOLT you tighten to heighten as it's easier to get to. Just undo the top lock nut, then slacken the 2nd one so everything can move. Top tip, use loads of loooooobe and take some weigh off the truck with a jack under it. makes things much easier :thumbs
The nissan workshop method is most accurate but for most of us a good shake of the truck and a wing measure is fine
Front should sit about 15mm lower than the back of an unladen truck .

 

[JODA]

Thanks guys, will have a look this evening after work, seems simple enough

 

[Banshee]

It's the BOLT you tighten to heighten as it's easier to get to. Just undo the top lock nut, then slacken the 2nd one so everything can move. Top tip, use loads of loooooobe and take some weigh off the truck with a jack under it. makes things much easier :thumbs
The nissan workshop method is most accurate but for most of us a good shake of the truck and a wing measure is fine
Front should sit about 15mm lower than the back of an unladen truck .

My front looks like it's about to take off, I reckon I should buy some cheeky 3" springs :augie :sly

 

[JODA]

Got under the van tonight, slackened off the locking nuts & turned in the adjusting bolt, and up came the terrano back to level.

Should i adjust the other side in anyway to compensate or is it just the one side i need to do?

 

[makeitfit]

Measure it and see

 

[Paff]

What measurements are you looking for from ground to wheel arch?

 

[AlexD333]

Straight line ground to wheel arch through center of wheel :thumb2

 

[Paff]

Straight line ground to wheel arch through center of wheel :thumb2

Yes, but what should it be in inches?

 

[JODA]

Yes, but what should it be in inches?

I was:

Passenger 860mm [ 33.85" ]

Driver 830mm [ 32.67" ]

After adjustment im around 850mm Both sides [ 33.46" ]

 

[Banshee]

You don't want to know what mine is now after my lift :sly :naughty

Saying that Pete's would really do you off :bow

 

[AlexD333]

Yeah don't worry about others measurements, it depends on your tyres ect ect, just bear In mind it needs to be lower than the rear.

Mine was on 102cm at the front, now on 98cm front :thumb2

Just measure your rear then make sure front is lower, sure someone said 15 or 25mm lower than rear :nenau

 

[Mav96]

Hi,

My 2004 2.7 SWB Van is sitting down on the drivers side.

Between the anti roll bar and the wishbone, on the passenger side you can get your fingers between, but on the drivers you cannot.

Talking with a mate, he thinks it could be the torsion bar that is causing the problem?

Anyone any ideas how to solve this?

Thanks

i dont mind asking what may be a dumb question, but first can someone explain why you should have to adjust the torsion bar if its all locked in place & hasnt been tampered with, & second if one side had dropped I would be checking that the shock hasn't gone first ?. (as what happened to me) :nenau

 

[solarman216]

i dont mind asking what may be a dumb question, but first can someone explain why you should have to adjust the torsion bar if its all locked in place & hasnt been tampered with, & second if one side had dropped I would be checking that the shock hasn't gone first ?. (as what happened to me) :nenau

standard shocks do not alter ride height, they just control and smooth up/down movement, if one side is down and not been tampered with then torsion bar could be on the way out, or something else is worn/damaged, Rick

 

[Mav96]

standard shocks do not alter ride height, they just control and smooth up/down movement, if one side is down and not been tampered with then torsion bar could be on the way out, or something else is worn/damaged, Rick

Thanks Rick although when my o/s front shock went completely, it dropped that side by 10mm, so maybe mine is out a bit? how do you know ? what to look for ? cheers

 

[rustic]

The torsion bars are under a constant torque, which is increased when driving over bumps.
Over time the torsion bars get a permanent set, ie a sort of barley sugar twist.
A similar set occurs on coil springs over time.Hence reduction in ride height.

What you must never do is swap sides, or buy a second hand torsion bar from the other side, as you will try to undo this "set" and the reverse torque can cause metal fatigue, and can shear the bar. This has been reported on this forum once before.

Using the adjusters to reset the ride height is normal on this forum, however some have re-indexed them, ie moved the adjusting arm to another spline to gain much more height.

 

[Mav96]

The torsion bars are under a constant torque, which is increased when driving over bumps.
Over time the torsion bars get a permanent set, ie a sort of barley sugar twist.
A similar set occurs on coil springs over time.Hence reduction in ride height.

What you must never do is swap sides, or buy a second hand torsion bar from the other side, as you will try to undo this "set" and the reverse torque can cause metal fatigue, and can shear the bar. This has been reported on this forum once before.

Using the adjusters to reset the ride height is normal on this forum, however some have re-indexed them, ie moved the adjusting arm to another spline to gain much more height.

:thumb2 thanks for the info Rustic