How to remove torsion bars without the unloader.

[ippielb]

So, i'm doing my lift myself, and first thing to do in the front is to remove the torsion bars, i have the rear lift done, except for the add a leaf because all the spring stores are closed, and i want to get new leaf springs before i put it all back together. so i just put the blocks in, and put the u bolts on. and put it on railroad ties, and now i'm onto the front, i got my front tires off, jacked up on 20 tonne stands, and have blocks under everything to support it. And i swore i had a c clamp that would have worked, i checked it out when i tightened the torsion bars a couple turns, but now it's gone... So now i need to find a way to release the pressure without using the tools. Anyone got suggestions, other then go out and buy one?

YouTube - Chevy Truck Lift Kit Installation : Chevy Truck: Removing Torsion Bars

They did it without even using the unloader... How?

[2COR517]

That truck was a Colorado. They must have more travel in the adjusting screw.

I think you can pull your lower ball joint and you won't need the unloader

[5speedsilverado]

pop the pad off of a c-clamp, and use the ball, and put it up their and clamp it down, remove bolt, and then slowly un-clamp it

[2COR517]

pop the pad off of a c-clamp, and use the ball, and put it up their and clamp it down, remove bolt, and then slowly un-clamp it

I know guys have done this, and gotten away with it, but it's dangerous. And most of the c-clamps you buy today are very cheap chinese cast metal.

This thread has a link to a slightly less dangerous way.

http://www.gmtruckclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28024

[5speedsilverado]

I know guys have done this, and gotten away with it, but it's dangerous. And most of the c-clamps you buy today are very cheap chinese cast metal.

This thread has a link to a slightly less dangerous way.

http://www.gmtruckclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28024
if you do have a good quality one, it will work just fine, this is what the tool looks like, just a c-clamp with the pad removed, and a nut so you can use a wrench


http://store.fatbobsgarage.com/shared/StoreFront/default.asp?CS=fatbobs&StoreType=BtoC&Count1=426098048&Count2=343238472&ProductID=1866&Target=products.asp&utm_medium=cse&utm_source=googlebase

[tattooed4life]

I think you can do the loan-a-tool deal at autozone and get the torsion tool.

[ippielb]

Well, hahaha, i'm such a redneck, me and a friend used a pipe wrench and a floor jack! It works too!

I'm now stuck on the lower ball joints on the lower A arm. Beat the crap out of my stock knuckles and its not budging....

[grimreapersshadow]

i would get a pickel fork after it so your not damaging the knuckle any more they make em in manual or ones that fit onto an air hammer so take your pick and have fun

[Jimmiee]

Well, hahaha, i'm such a redneck, me and a friend used a pipe wrench and a floor jack! It works too!

I'm now stuck on the lower ball joints on the lower A arm. Beat the crap out of my stock knuckles and its not budging....
Man you sure are a glutton for punishment. You can unload the bars with a puller and an impact gun in 15 seconds. The way you are doing it will surely rip the grease boots on your ball joints.

[X-Hibition]

An impact gun on a puller would speed things up, and possibly cause a puller failure. I went slow and easy, the old fashioned way. With a 3/4 drive ratchet and the gear puller. Still alive, all fingers, all arms, all eyes. But that's how I did it.

[sc99z71]

Will the puller work to put after market leveling lift keys back in? I started putting my new keys from Rough Country in last night using a large c clamp and got the stock keys out fine but it just doesn't have the strength to put the new keys in(starts to bend the screw of the clamp).

[X-Hibition]

I did install aftermarket keys using the gear puller method. Mine were Suspension Maxx.

If you are bending the C-clamp then I would try the gear puller like I did. I applied lube to the threads on the puller, the pocket on the key where it sits, and the threads on the adjusting bolt that engages the key.

Go slow and easy and keep all your body parts...

[X-Hibition]

Also, good luck.

And let's be careful out there.

[sc99z71]

Where did you put the jaws of the puller, the top of the crossmember seems too rounded to put the jaws up there. I thought about using a thick piece of flat steelk to put on top of the crossmember and then hook the jaws to it, seems like it would spread the force over a larger part of the member.

[X-Hibition]

Hold the phone, stop the presses, no more wrenching until you read this:

http://www.fullsizechevy.com/forums/general-discussion/offroad/65871-ford-keys-torsion-bar-cranking-replacing-tech.html

The guy is a nut for working under his rig with no jack stands (cheap floor jack with wood on it) but the puller works. You are not going to the top of the crossmember, you will hook the puller on the outside of the bottom of the crossmember. Mine bent just slightly, but the old girl is heavier than yours. The end of the gear puller will engage the notch in the key.

Write back after you view the post if you have any questions and post back when you are done so I know you are alive.

[sc99z71]

Ok.......I gotcha! I didn't know if the outside edges were strong enough for this will probably get to this when I pick up the puller from Sears sometime this week. Will post results after finished. Thanks for the help!!!!!!

[X-Hibition]

Remember, by lifting the front end and supporting it with the wheels hanging down you have taken a lot of pressure off the keys. Not all, but a lot. Take it safe, easy, and slow...

[ippielb]

What i did to take my torsion bars off was took an air hammer, and WD-40'd the sucker for 20 minutes, one came out so quick, the other, not so quick.

[CarpenterGuy]

wow this is all good stuff to know. i'm about to look into getting some keys and AAL's

[X-Hibition]

Hey Ippi,

What exactly did you use your air hammer on when you removed your bars?

[ippielb]

All i did, was lift the front of the truck take the tires off, and support it safely, then go under it, and there's the torsion bars, then the keys, and on the support on the frame going across to hold the torsion bars, there's two holes in the end of the supports that you usually smack the hell out of the torsion bars to make them come out of the keys, all i did was take the air hammer and put my feet against the rear axle, and push with my legs and just let the air hammer rip. If they're rusted in, which they will be if you have never taken them out before, spray with wd-40 and let it soak. it'll loosen up the rust.

[X-Hibition]

So, as I understand your explanation you drove the torsion bars forward through the keys with an air hammer? So the bars were driven out through the front of the lower control arms?

Wasn't there still some pressure on the bar causing parts to fly as the bar left the key? Just curious.

[ippielb]

Nope, you just need to losen the top mount on the shock, then loosen the lower control arm, it'll relieve almost all the pressure then i took a pipe wrench and turned the torsion bar by hand, and then hit out the block, then slowly relieved the pressure, then i whacked the crap out of the torsion bar.

[sc99z71]

SUCCESSSS!!!!!!!! The lift is on! The 7 ton puller fron Sears worked like it was made for that job. Had the new keys on within an hour! It just took about 2 hours to put the lift blocks on the rear, man I wish I had a bigger compressor to run air tools. The truck looks awesome! The full leveling kit from Rough Country is great, easily a DIY project even with hand tools.

[Jimmiee]

SUCCESSSS!!!!!!!! The lift is on! The 7 ton puller fron Sears worked like it was made for that job. Had the new keys on within an hour! It just took about 2 hours to put the lift blocks on the rear, man I wish I had a bigger compressor to run air tools. The truck looks awesome! The full leveling kit from Rough Country is great, easily a DIY project even with hand tools.

Good deal. Take some pictures and don't forget to get it aligned.

[sc99z71]

Going to get it aligned this afternoon. Will try to get some pics up tonight or tomorrow. I want to say thanks to all those that post on here and you're wealth of knowlege. If it wasn't for this site I would paying someone else to do things that I am capable of and just need some guidance or direction of how to do it. Plus am learning from experience which is great!

[X-Hibition]

I'm glad it worked out for you. It's nice that you had air tools, mine was all manual.

With the correct directions this is a very simple driveway DIY project that anyone can do. If you have torsion bars...

[sc99z71]

No I said I WISH I had a bigger compressor to run air tools, mine was all manual also. My compressor is only big enought to run an air rachet, even then it almost stays on constantly.

[ajfdirtrider]

SUCCESSSS!!!!!!!! The lift is on! The 7 ton puller fron Sears worked like it was made for that job. Had the new keys on within an hour! It just took about 2 hours to put the lift blocks on the rear, man I wish I had a bigger compressor to run air tools. The truck looks awesome! The full leveling kit from Rough Country is great, easily a DIY project even with hand tools.

Cool man. Lets see some pics. I just got leveling keys, 2" rear blocks, pro-comp es 3000 shocks, greg weld 18x10 Impact Wheels with 4.75 b.s -16 offset, and im buying 285/65/18 nitto trail grappler m/t's really soon. I CANT WAIT! I got the torsion key tool off ebay and i plan to re-sell the tool so if anyone needs it when i get done i will resell it for $75 (bought for $110). Message me if interested.