http://www.hahnauto.com/retail_locations_nuway.asp
GM IFS Torsion Bar adjustment - Alignment?

Author Topic: GM IFS Torsion Bar adjustment - Alignment?  (Read 5621 times)

Scottm

  • Guest
GM IFS Torsion Bar adjustment - Alignment?
« on: April 22, 2008, 10:43:57 PM »
I have a 1994 S-10 Blazer, not my 1st choice for offroading, but it\'s what I have to work with right now, and I\'ve never really been one to take the easy way, so I\'m going to run it till I can order my new Hummer (which may be quite some time based on my used S10 budget) -- but I digress,
currently I am attempting to increase the offroadworthiness of my miniature Blazer and to that end, I just cranked in the torsion bar adjusters to the stops and picked up 2\" for the turn of a wrench. I welded up some shackles from 3/8 X 2 bar stock to level it back out and everything seems good.
 It handles as well as it did (suprisingly - I\'d have thought the 2\" height increase would be at least noticable), but I\'m concerned about possible tire wear.
 The sellers of those lift keys for GM products usually state that a front end alignment is required. I see no differences in toe in or camber visually. I would only expect to see an camber change if the suspension is a strut type or has severely unequal length control arms which the little S10 does not. The toe-in should theoretically increase, but I suspect it is minimal.
If anyone knows about this situation or is running a cranked in setting or is running indexed keys on any vehicle please tell me about how they work long term and any adjustments you have had to make.  
Thanks, Scott

Offline MrMindless

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3453
Re: GM IFS Torsion Bar adjustment - Alignment?
« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2008, 10:52:38 PM »
I\'d throw a tape measure on it to check toe at least, I\'m no IFS expert though.  With the relatively equal length a-arms it\'s the toe I\'d worry about as well.

I recently heard a nice trick for accurate toe measurement at the tire tread, I think it was from Crusarius here but it may have been someone else....  Raise the tires off the ground (with weight on the suspension of course) and measure from two points on the fronts of the tires - chalk or tape lines for example - and then rotate those marks to the rear and remeasure.  No more guessing on tread block alignment.

Anything less than a visual change is camber is probably ignorable, especially if you rotate your tires, or ever really abuse them by running at low pressure on the street (as I have a bad habit of doing. like returning from Massachusetts at 10psi)
Michael Maskalans
#571 Last Minute Motorsports
High Miler: 07.5 Ram 6.7 6sp 4x2, ARB, 19.5s
2003 R'Audi Allroad 6sp
Road Block: 98 Dakota 203/205 triple stick, 42" SXs
Dumpbus: 97 Ram 24v P-pumped, RoadRanger 13sp
'87 AMC Eagle Wagon

 

test block /modules/smf/index.php?topic=486.0