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| tjpreul | GMC torsion bars | ||
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Elite Guru
 
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On the '96 GMC Jimmy I bought last year there is a "sway" in it. This only happens when a dip or lift is hit in the road. All front end components are new, with new shocks on all four. When I had it at the dealer they noticed this too, and confirmed all parts were good.
My only thought is one of the sway bars is sprung, or was replaced with the wrong one. Is there a stamp or code in them that this could be confirmed? |
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Posted on: 2012/2/22 4:16
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| BillH | Re: GMC torsion bars | ||
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The Stig Moderator
 
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Describe the sway, Tyler. Is it as you come out od a dip? Happen at all speeds?
Assuming it is in the front end, is it side to side, up and down? Or is when only one front wheel hits a dip? I ask cause depending on what's happening, some of that isn't controlled by a sway bar. I've never seen a bar sprung unless it was in a pretty good wreck. |
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Posted on: 2012/2/22 14:11
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| tjpreul | Re: GMC torsion bars | ||
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Elite Guru
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The speed is usually 30mph+. It happens when you come out of a dip. It feels like one side rebounds faster which then makes the back feel like it has a roll to it. The only suspension parts I have not replaced are the sway bars and the torsion brackets (under the center of vehicle). The title is clean and there are not any marks on the body or frame indicating a wreck. I have ordered a steering stabilizer, but it did not have one from the factory. The mount on the frame is there, but not in the steering link arm. |
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Posted on: 2012/2/22 16:10
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Vegas wasn't built on winners. '92 auto, MSD, Banski, Taylor wires, SS lines, C5 rims, 3.07 gears, white gauges, seats from a '96. Motor: Forged rotating assy, Probe pistons, CC valvetrain, AFR heads, Procharger P1SC |
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| BillH | Re: GMC torsion bars | ||
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The Stig Moderator
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All i can think of to try is to disconnect at least one end of the swaybar, if it moves way out of position, something may be wrong. But I've never seen a bad sway bar.
If things are correct, the swaybar should bolt up (at each end) with very little movement of the ends to get them into the brackets (when the front wheels are at ride height). Swaybars are "neutral" until you load them in a corner (body roll). They do absolutely nothing in a straight line (they put zero load on the suspension when going straight). I wonder if the problem is in the read and is showing up from load transfer when coming out of the dip. |
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Posted on: 2012/2/22 16:29
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| tjpreul | Re: GMC torsion bars | ||
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Elite Guru
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I have new sway bar bushings and end links. There were no issues bolting it back together.
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Posted on: 2012/2/22 19:30
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Vegas wasn't built on winners. '92 auto, MSD, Banski, Taylor wires, SS lines, C5 rims, 3.07 gears, white gauges, seats from a '96. Motor: Forged rotating assy, Probe pistons, CC valvetrain, AFR heads, Procharger P1SC |
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| BillH | Re: GMC torsion bars | ||
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The Stig Moderator
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Quote:
Then there can't be anything wrong with the bar. And again if both front wheels are in the dip, the bar has no effect. That would change if only one wheel was in the dip. Wish I could ride in it. I'd start checking things in the rear. |
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Posted on: 2012/2/22 21:58
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Every man dies but not every man lives. |
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| tjpreul | Re: GMC torsion bars | ||
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Elite Guru
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Bill, it would help if I were to proof read my post. I meant the torsion bars.
One is adjusted about a turn or two tighter than the other, but the ride height is the same on both sides. I didn't know if there was a way to see if they were the same. |
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Posted on: 2012/2/23 2:38
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Vegas wasn't built on winners. '92 auto, MSD, Banski, Taylor wires, SS lines, C5 rims, 3.07 gears, white gauges, seats from a '96. Motor: Forged rotating assy, Probe pistons, CC valvetrain, AFR heads, Procharger P1SC |
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| BillH | Re: GMC torsion bars | ||
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The Stig Moderator
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Ah, well.........chit happens. Humm, that's tougher. Maybe measure the top of the tire to the wheel well edge then, sit on the fender and measure it again (both sides), very unscientific but I can;t think of much else. Load each side equally and check the deflection, but, I would think that plus/minus a half inch wouldn't mean much. |
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Posted on: 2012/2/23 2:50
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| tjpreul | Re: GMC torsion bars | ||
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Elite Guru
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I don't have a way to load them. The driver side is about 2 turns tighter, and the measurement was 3/4" lower. It was in the flattest spot I could find in my drive, but I want to do more measuring.
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Posted on: 2012/2/23 14:25
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Vegas wasn't built on winners. '92 auto, MSD, Banski, Taylor wires, SS lines, C5 rims, 3.07 gears, white gauges, seats from a '96. Motor: Forged rotating assy, Probe pistons, CC valvetrain, AFR heads, Procharger P1SC |
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| BillH | Re: GMC torsion bars | ||
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The Stig Moderator
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Have your buddy sit on the fender, that will push down on the suspension. |
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Posted on: 2012/2/23 14:48
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Every man dies but not every man lives. |
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| tjpreul | Re: GMC torsion bars | ||
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Elite Guru
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The drivers side actually sits 3/4" lower. This is the side that the bolt is in further making more spring pressure. I tried to raise it up, but the closest is 1/2" so far. I have turned the bolt in another 2 1/2 turns. This has raised the drivers side 1/2", but lifting on the drivers side has raised the passenger 1/4"
This has helped a lot. There has to be an issue with the torsion bar, because the bolt is almost at bottom. The passenger side has 5-6 threads showing. Just like my truck does. |
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Posted on: 2012/2/26 3:12
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Vegas wasn't built on winners. '92 auto, MSD, Banski, Taylor wires, SS lines, C5 rims, 3.07 gears, white gauges, seats from a '96. Motor: Forged rotating assy, Probe pistons, CC valvetrain, AFR heads, Procharger P1SC |
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| BillH | Re: GMC torsion bars | ||
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The Stig Moderator
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Interesting.
Things do wear out. It does make sense that it's the driver's side. |
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Posted on: 2012/2/26 14:57
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Every man dies but not every man lives. |
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| tjpreul | Re: GMC torsion bars | ||
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Elite Guru
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Quote:
I have some more information. There is a rubber bump stop (some call them "overload") that are missing from the front. When installed there is maybe a 1/4" gap from the a-arm. I installed a new set and it took a lot of the issue away. However the bad ride quality is still there. We believe that since they were missing this is what allowed the torsion bars to be over worked. I purchased a used set that have 77k on them for $130/pr. New ones were $230/ea. I am installing them tomorrow night, so hopefully this solves the issue. |
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Posted on: 2012/5/2 3:20
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| bogus | Re: GMC torsion bars | ||
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Grand Imperial Pooh-Bah
 
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hope that fixes it!
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Posted on: 2012/5/2 4:17
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| tjpreul | Re: GMC torsion bars | ||
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Elite Guru
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The new bars are in. I didn't get to drive it as much as I would of liked, but could tell a huge difference in the ride. The old ones were very weak. It didn't take much pressure to release them. Putting the new ones in did a number on the puller (should of used a bigger one). It felt like it followed the road a lot better vs swaying and lumbering around. The brakes felt better too, since it was not dipping as much in the front.
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Posted on: 2012/5/3 3:19
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Vegas wasn't built on winners. '92 auto, MSD, Banski, Taylor wires, SS lines, C5 rims, 3.07 gears, white gauges, seats from a '96. Motor: Forged rotating assy, Probe pistons, CC valvetrain, AFR heads, Procharger P1SC |
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| Matatk | Re: GMC torsion bars | ||
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Webmaster
 
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Good fix! How did you find out the bump stops were missing? Was there any indication of where they mount?
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Posted on: 2012/5/3 11:38
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2002 EBM convertible, Magnusson supercharger, cam, headers, etc. 1989 Corvette...RIP |
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| tjpreul | Re: GMC torsion bars | ||
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Elite Guru
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Quote:
The cups they were mounted in were still in place. A friend that helps me on my car works at the dealership. He is always giving me hell about my cars because they are older. He doesn't have to work on cars like this at the dealer. Anyway when he was aligning it, and telling me to buy newer. I told him if he could find anything wrong that I would have it fixed. That was the only thing. He had also told me about the ride quality. Which I had been chasing for a while. |
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Posted on: 2012/5/3 15:44
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