low front suspension

[mybad_z71]

hey guys back already with another issue. i dont know how much more stuff im going to find on this truck. the previous owner lowered this truck (yes a Z71!!) i replaced the rear lower shackels with stock shackles and springs from a 3/4ton. i inspected the front suspension since it is sitting 3" lower than normal. NONE of the control arms or spindle are aftermarket, i did notice the torsion bar bolts are turned all the up, yes up so the truck should be high, QUESTION is it possible that the torsion bars were rotated to take some tension off? and lower the truck?

[jdmccright]

Ayup, it's possible. I recall the torsion bar ends are hexagonal and the previous owner may have turned the frame end one flat then cranked the keys to max to get a cheap lowering effect.

I'm guessing the front springs are not stock height and the shocks have a higher damper rate as well. Those would need to be swapped for OEM style parts to revert back to the original height.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by mybad_z71

hey guys back already with another issue. i dont know how much more stuff im going to find on this truck. the previous owner lowered this truck (yes a Z71!!) i replaced the rear lower shackels with stock shackles and springs from a 3/4ton. i inspected the front suspension since it is sitting 3" lower than normal. NONE of the control arms or spindle are aftermarket, i did notice the torsion bar bolts are turned all the up, yes up so the truck should be high, QUESTION is it possible that the torsion bars were rotated to take some tension off? and lower the truck?

if this is a 1/2 ton Z71 and you put 3/4 ton rear leaf springs I believe it does look tooooo looow .....use the proper size ...

check the front cv joints they must be straight then the front height is correct ...how did you check for the correct height did you use the torsion bar adjustment proceedure ?

when the height is correct front / rear ,,,,the cv/U joint angle will be zero....any angle the height is off .The more its angled the joints will fast fail ...

[mybad_z71]

the height in the front is lower than stock, i jacked up front end and placed on jack stands, i loosened the torsion bar adjuster screw (which was maxed out) only one full turn and then i could turn it by hand, there was absolutley NO tension on the t bars. i disconnected the lower bar joint, removed the t bar keys and rotated them one turn(yes they are hexagonal) with all the weight off the lower arm i used was able to get the tbar key installed with the aduster bolt in place(only doing one side at a time) now the lower control arm is almost vertical and i CANNOT get it back up to the spindle, i tried jacking it up and it moved 3" and it was beginning to raise the truck. i got a part number off the key it is -194/99. and the part number off the passenger side tbar is 15528958. Does anyone happen to know the right part number for the 97 z71? guess ill call the dealer 2maro, seeing how i just ran out of sunlight. thanks guys.

[mybad_z71]

hey guys, my truck is sitting pretty, 1st got the abs changed on it, brakes work good, also got a pair of stock tbar keys, turns out the old owner DID put on lowering tbar keys, now after new leaf springs and mounts and tbar keys its sitting a good 4" and level than when i bought it!! as always thanks for the help!