Front End Issue

[GoToGuy]

My question is the bar in the correct position now, for lift install, upside down or right side up now?
As the A arms move up and down the end should be same distance until reaching extreme travel.

 

[JPVortex]

My question is the bar in the correct position now, for lift install, upside down or right side up now?
As the A arms move up and down the end should be same distance until reaching extreme travel.

Oh yeah its in the right position for the lift, upside down.

 

[Schurkey]

I didn't install the lift kit, it was installed when I traded my previous SUV for this truck.

If it fit THEN, why doesn't it fit NOW?

 

[alpinecrick]

Frankly taking the lift kit off would be a massive pain. All the work to undo everything and then the welding that'd be required would suck.

Plus I like having the truck lifted, so I'd rather figure out the problems.

I lifted my first truck 40 years ago, and have lifted several other straight axle trucks since then. Four things; 1) the higher the lift the bigger the issues, and 2) the issues never really go away, 3) the bigger the lift the faster it wears out suspension, steering, and drive trains, and 4), take one look at IFS trucks--expecially torsion bar versions--and it's easy to tell lifting them ain't a great idea.....

Now, that's not to say if one wants to spend $20k fabricating a new suspension, front axle, and extensively modifying the frame, that it's impossible. It just can't be a done for a couple thousand dollars.

 

[alpinecrick]

Lifted vehicle , higher center of mass, equals more lean to outside of turns, inner tires less tread contact, more weight to outside turn, exaggerated tire wheel lean. Less overall stability.
Result : keep the sway bar GM engineers were smarter.

The older I get, the smarter those GM engineers are........

 

[alpinecrick]

Oh yeah its in the right position for the lift, upside down.

What?

Are you saying the instructions call for the sway bar to be installed upside down?

 

[JPVortex]

If it fit THEN, why doesn't it fit NOW?

Good question, everything should be installed correctly. The center link is on with the heim joint and everything else fits.

I wonder if it was rubbing before too. One of the old tie rod adjusters were so loose I can freely spin the tie rods and adjust the toe, it was bad. I wonder if it was hitting and loosened them up.

Found longer sway bar links at the auto part store. This may give me just enough clearance to make it work.

Picture is shorter stock vs longer ones I bought.

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[JPVortex]

What?

Are you saying the instructions call for the sway bar to be installed upside down?

Yes they do,

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[alpinecrick]

Yes they do,

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I see it.....sheesh.
I wonder if flipping the bar back to stock with longer linkages (if available) would work?

 

[JPVortex]

I see it.....sheesh.
I wonder if flipping the bar back to stock with longer linkages (if available) would work?

I will try that, got the longer linkages tonight. I wonder if that would do it as well. Thank you!