One torsion bar seems to be worn?

[aquacure]

03 z71 with 188,000 miles

Here is the passenger side with 3 inch keys, front leveled on both sides to 39 3/4 inches



Here is the drivers side, like I said same fender height but i now have the bolt maxed out.

I've read that a torsion bar on the drivers side can tend to wear out first due to driver weight and the gas tank.

What are my options here? New torsion bars from GM seem crazy overpriced. I've seen some for sale on ebay that are reasonable but it seems to be a gamble.

I had also read somewhere about just switching them around, but it seems that they have different part numbers so people think they are right/left specific.

 

[Matahoe]

Were the bars installed without the unloading tool?

 

[01ssreda4]

Torsen bars dont wear out. What you are seeing is NORMAL.

 

[Rocket Man]

What he said^^^^^

 

[M1Gunner]

Would definitely make sure that the driver side torsion bar is loaded. And it especially would not lose its load baring capabilities from the driver and gas tank!

My guess is that who ever installed the keys didn't properly preload the driver side. Or that the driver side of the vehicle has had some kind of suspension work done (control arm, ball joint, etc) and the torsion bar was not properly preloaded when everything was said and done.

 

[Rocket Man]

I've seen tons of pictures with this exact kind of discrepancy between adjusting bolts. It's normal for these trucks to have one almost all the way in and one halfway out.

 

[aquacure]

Would definitely make sure that the driver side torsion bar is loaded. And it especially would not lose its load baring capabilities from the driver and gas tank!

My guess is that who ever installed the keys didn't properly preload the driver side. Or that the driver side of the vehicle has had some kind of suspension work done (control arm, ball joint, etc) and the torsion bar was not properly preloaded when everything was said and done.

I installed the keys, Can you explain what "preload the drivers side" means? It only seemed like the key could go on one way. I had to use a C clamp to push the key far enough up to get the keeper in, and then installed and tightened the bolt. The only difference was to get both fenders even the drivers side had to go all the way in while the passenger was only half way like in the pics.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[M1Gunner]

I installed the keys, Can you explain what "preload the drivers side" means? It only seemed like the key could go on one way. I had to use a C clamp to push the key far enough up to get the keeper in, and then installed and tightened the bolt. The only difference was to get both fenders even the drivers side had to go all the way in while the passenger was only half way like in the pics.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Did you use a GM torsion bar loading tool (it's like a c-clamp but on steroids designed specifically for this) or just an ordinary C-clamp?

Google/YouTube GM torsion bar loading/unloading that'll get ya on track brother.

 

[NathanJax]

Torsen bars dont wear out. What you are seeing is NORMAL.

I've seen tons of pictures with this exact kind of discrepancy between adjusting bolts. It's normal for these trucks to have one almost all the way in and one halfway out.

yup

 

[aquacure]

Did you use a GM torsion bar loading tool (it's like a c-clamp but on steroids designed specifically for this) or just an ordinary C-clamp?

Google/YouTube GM torsion bar loading/unloading that'll get ya on track brother.

If you take a C clamp and remove the flat disk, it leaves a ball that fits in the key perfectly. I used this to remove the factory key and install the aftermarket key. Both sides went the same as far as I can tell. Like I said I just don't see a way to install them incorrectly.

So based on the comments above this is a normal GM thing where the keys do not adjust to the same height/bolt position.