Bleach Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 i pulled them and re indexed them, only problem is they don't line up! it seems like there is a spline difference between the 2....i effed with it for a good 30 minutes and gave up......it's still up on jack stands, and I'll finish in the morning after some help from you all!!! what do i need to do? and when i re-index them, i need them as far up as i can put them, or just even with the cross member? and do I do the adjustment bolts tight, or do i put them mid way adn let them tighten up as i lower the truck? you only move the bracket one spline. That would be even with the crossmember (maybe even hanging below a little still) You don't measure it by the crossmember, you just tap the bracket off gently, rotate it slowly until you feel the next spot that it can go foward, then push it back on the torsion bar. The adjusting bolt should just be long enough to start threading at that point. Then tighten them half way down and let the truck down onto its own weight. From there you adjust the bolts for exact height. (lifting the truck off the front wheels for each time you adjust the bolts) Quote Link to comment
yello620 Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 So you're saying one of those two makes Koni, Tein, Apex'i, and Bilstein? I don't think so... Or is the key word "major"? Key word was MAJOR. they supply most of the budget aftermarket stuff. Not too many datsun owners handing out cash for the really good shocks. Yes, i know that those guys make incredible stuff, it is just priced a little higher than the average Ratsun budget. The Rancho products are a division of Tenneco automotive. Memory makes me think that Tenneco also is a partner or something with Gabriel. Yet i have nothing to back that up right now. As he has mention that he would sell this truck if he could find a king cab, i find it silly to suggest for him to spend money on the really pricey stuff. However, if this is a truck that you will own for many years to come, Pay up. Get the good stuff and appreciate it for a long time. Jason Quote Link to comment
Llittle_Llama Posted March 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Key word was MAJOR. they supply most of the budget aftermarket stuff. Not too many datsun owners handing out cash for the really good shocks. Yes, i know that those guys make incredible stuff, it is just priced a little higher than the average Ratsun budget. The Rancho products are a division of Tenneco automotive. Memory makes me think that Tenneco also is a partner or something with Gabriel. Yet i have nothing to back that up right now. As he has mention that he would sell this truck if he could find a king cab, i find it silly to suggest for him to spend money on the really pricey stuff. However, if this is a truck that you will own for many years to come, Pay up. Get the good stuff and appreciate it for a long time. Jason turns out you know your shit, lol Quote Link to comment
Llittle_Llama Posted March 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 bleach: you only move the bracket one spline. me:i took them all the way off adn cleaned them, is that ok? bleach:You don't measure it by the crossmember, you just tap the bracket off gently, rotate it slowly until you feel the next spot that it can go foward, then push it back on the torsion bar. me: so they dont have to be perfect right? just as close as possible to the same height right? bleach: The adjusting bolt should just be long enough to start threading at that point. me: mine have tons of extra thread on top after re-indexing....am i doing something wrong? bleach: Then tighten them half way down and let the truck down onto its own weight. me: so basically i just let them hang loose with only one of the nuts on the bolt and let it down then i adjust from there right? once i let it down it will take up the slack right? bleach:lifting the truck off the front wheels for each time you adjust the bolts me: so adjust then lift, or lift adjust then lower and measure.....all i need to do is get them to touch the bump stops and then put the top nut on and tighten there and then lift it and unbolt the bump stops right? Quote Link to comment
yello620 Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 the blot will be sloppy in the bracket after the reindexing, until you put the tires back on the ground. You do not want to adjust the nuts withthe weight of the truck on them, that creates too much stress on the threads and WILL strip the threads out. Not a bolt you canget at the auto parts store either. So, no weight on bolt , or at least very minimal weight to keep it in place. Jason Quote Link to comment
Llittle_Llama Posted March 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 so adjust then lower, adjust then lower....over and over till i get it where i want it right? and donut worry about the t/bars being a little off? Quote Link to comment
yello620 Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 so adjust then lower, adjust then lower....over and over till i get it where i want it right? and donut worry about the t/bars being a little off? Think you got it, i am going to word it differently. Adjust it then left the truck off the jack stands and roll it around to let it settle, it will come down more as soon as it rolls. Repeat until you are happy with the height. The adjuster arms and bolt lenghts may not be even, make the truck height appear even not the bolts. Do not forget to get a wheel alignment ASAP Jason Quote Link to comment
Llittle_Llama Posted March 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 ok, so i go and get a wheel alignment, then next day i install shocks, will the alignment be alright? also, will it be ok to drive for a day or 2 like 5-6 miles? i have to go and get the exhaust redone as i had to cut it off to get to the driver side t/bar, lol Quote Link to comment
yello620 Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Was always told to keep it under 500 miles. I would also install the shocks before the alignment, should not change anything, but just to be safe so you dont end up paying to align it twice if something goes wrong with the shock install. Bumpstops must also be done before the alignment. If the ride height changes at all, the alignment is affected. Jason Quote Link to comment
Llittle_Llama Posted March 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 ok, well i work from home, and the part store is about 3 blocks from my house, so if i have to order the pinto shocks, i will just not drive till wed. afternoon. i will go to the alignment shop, then the exhaust shop.....more pics up wed. or Thursday!!! Quote Link to comment
Bleach Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 me:i took them all the way off adn cleaned them, is that ok? Its ok if you made note of what angle they started at... or just look at the picture below me: so they dont have to be perfect right? just as close as possible to the same height right? yes, the splines are large so you have a certain amount of movement between each point that you can slide the brackets on. Keep them as close as possible to each other. me: mine have tons of extra thread on top after re-indexing....am i doing something wrong?umm... yes :blink: Move the bracket back one notch. The left bracket is stock. The right bracket is adjusted 2 notches. So adjusting ONE notch will be somewhere between those two points of rotation. I would bet yours (with tons of extra threads) look like the bracket on the right. bleach: Then tighten them half way down and let the truck down onto its own weight. me: so basically i just let them hang loose with only one of the nuts on the bolt and let it down then i adjust from there right? once i let it down it will take up the slack right? no... I said TIGHTEN them down. If they hang loose they will not take up slack. Your suspension will bottom out, even if your bump stops are gone. The torsion bar brackets don't move that much when the truck rests on the ground. bleach:lifting the truck off the front wheels for each time you adjust the bolts me: so adjust then lift, or lift adjust then lower and measure.....all i need to do is get them to touch the bump stops and then put the top nut on and tighten there and then lift it and unbolt the bump stops right? again, no. You never adjust, or basically... never turn the torsion bar bolts while weight is on the front wheels! Do not use the bump stops to measure. If they hit, how will you know how far PAST them the truck will go once you remove them? Just take them out. Tighten the bolts half way down and see where you're at. Quote Link to comment
Llittle_Llama Posted March 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 awesome, i got it now.....ok, imma do it tomorrow then. wish i had a garage so i could do it now. and yes, mine look like the one to the right in the pic. would this be the same if i was trying to lift it? i would take them out, then re-insert them one spline the other way then put the truck back down? Quote Link to comment
Bleach Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 you can't realy reindex them to lift it. You have to 'index' them at the stock location and then tighten the bolts just a little more. You're only going to get another inch of lift out of them before the factory suspension reaches its heigh limit. You will also get nice negative camber doing this. Quote Link to comment
Llittle_Llama Posted March 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 i would never do it, i just wanted to learn a little, i had a 95 pathfinder for awhile and no one would help me re-index the t/bars on it. i off roaded it a lot, and they had come loose and the truck sat all funny..... Quote Link to comment
yello620 Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 OK, how is this truck coming? Got some updated pics for us? How about a project thread, before and after pics. Then we we keep most of the future ramblings in one post. and let the old ones die so someone can bring them back up when they are six months old. Jason Quote Link to comment
Llittle_Llama Posted March 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 OK, how is this truck coming? Got some updated pics for us? How about a project thread, before and after pics. Then we we keep most of the future ramblings in one post. and let the old ones die so someone can bring them back up when they are six months old. Jason thats what i've been trying to do, this is the only one i post on now. it rained all day today, so all i could do was this.... Quote Link to comment
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