Aftermarket bumper and what else?

[MapMan]

Ok I have asked on that "other" board and I haven't found or gotten much of a straight answer. So far I have read or been told to replace just torsion bars to just shocks, to both, now I am just confused....

If I get an aftermarket bumper (Shrockworks) and new shocks (Bilsteins) do I need to get new beefier torsion bars right away or ever? My second question would be, would getting new shocks and cranking the stock torsion bars up some be good enough or should I just plan on getting better torsion bars sometime in the future? I do NOT plan on putting a winch in, and probably won't be doing a lot of off roading, maybe 2-3 times a year, this is mostly because of my geographic location, Chicago. As for future mods that'll add weight, I'll probably add a front skid plate when it comes out and possibly sliders if I start off roading more if this information helps!

Thanks in advance!

[evergreen]

i ran the stock tbars with my arb and skid row plates for close to a year. you can crank the stock tbars to get a some of the lift back but not much, just make sure you get an alignment after adjusting them. you can run the stock tbars with the bumper but over time you will start to see the sag in the front end. you will bottom out more on the front end due to the extra weight so slowing down when offroad is a good idea.

torsion bars are pretty cheap and not extremely difficult to install. there is a big difference in handling both on and offroad.

[warmonger]

MapMan,

Unless you plan on adding a winch, save your money on the torsion bars, they won't be necessary. A stiffer set of shocks and torsion bar adjustment (may require reindexing) will serve just fine. Add a winch though and you are tacking on an additional 100 pounds and THAT will require additional weight bearing capabilities.

[ChuckH]

I have to recommend the torsion bars no matter what you do up front. They will reduce brake dive, bottoming out, body roll, and smooth out the ride. I ran on my stock bars with just a bumper and they were fine as far as supporting the truck, but anytime the front end bounced that extra weight would have it's way with the bars, even with the Bilstein shocks. All the wallowing around in the front went away and I got a nice solid and level ride. Certainly, the shocks should be first IMO though.

[MapMan]

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to for sure get the shocks and keep an eye out for sag. If it seems to sag at all once I get the bumper I'll get the stock torsion bars cranked up and if that doesn't help I'll get the beefier torsion bars in the future when I've got some more cash!

[MapMan]

So I ordered a set of Bilsteins from SLR, now I am getting the run around. So far I have been lied to twice, the first when I ordered them on the 16th, "Oh yea they will ship tomorrow" and the second on this past Monday when I called "They are just waiting for UPS to pick them". As of the last phone call yesterday "they are being shipped straight from Bilstien"? Gotta wonder what the hell kind of game those guys are playing, if he just tells me they are on backorder and won't be shipped for two weeks I'd be happy, but he keeps feeding me lines of crap instead.

[Schludwiller]

Originally Posted by MapMan

if he just tells me they are on backorder and won't be shipped for two weeks I'd be happy, but he keeps feeding me lines of crap instead.

Why not try telling him that? If you don't get a satisfactory answer then part numbers are available on this board to go to somewhere else unless you want a specific valve stiffness. I could see a delay in custom parts from SLR, but shocks are shocks.

BTW, ChuckH's experience with t-bars fits mine exactly. It's not just a "sag" issue, but getting increased handling and performance. In the case of an ARB you've diminished that, so t-bars bring you back to stock and above. With a heavy SUV, reduction in body roll and brake dive is also a safety issue.

[ScottG]

I have been running the stock torsion bars with an aftermarket bumper for a couple of years and haven't noticed any sag or any difference in the way it drives. However, I plan to upgrade the torsion bars when I get a winch. Also, I have the aluminum TJM so it probably isn't as heavy as an ARB, and I have the stiffer Bilstiens.

With respect to SLR, my experience was good. I got the shocks a few days after I ordered them. Like Schlud said, you can order them other places. My local Autozone even said they could get them since I had the part numbers. I think they were even a little cheaper.

[MapMan]

I tried to tell him that, but he just kept getting defensive. I will spell it out as clearly as I possibly can next time, if he says anything different from what he told me during my last call, I'll just cancel the order. If I knew that it would be such a hassle to deal with SLR, I would have just paid the extra $$ and had them ordered through AutoZone.

edited to add:
I finally heard from SLR, they shipped my fronts, but the fires in SD is causing delays and the rears should ship soon! Granted he told me yesterday they were shipping from North Carolina....