What to do about torsion bars on 94 K1500?

[Fireball5657]

Hey all, tomorrow I'm dropping my entire suspension on my 94 K1500 to put new parts on, and while I've got almost everything planned out, I know nothing about torsion bars.

Is there any way to replace the lower control arm bushings without touching the torsion bars?
if not, then,
Are the bars/torsion keys/whatever side specific? Like drivers bar and passenger bar?
There isn't any obvious damage to the torsion bars, but are there any bushings or anything that I should replace that involves the torsion bars? Everything else is getting replaced on the front suspension except the lower control arm itself (bushings and ball joints will be replaced) and the steering knuckle.

Thanks for any help!

 

[Hipster]

I usually mark the bars left and right side, the front of each, and mark index marks on the bar and hex they go into with a paint marker or something similar. Yes, there is a right and left bar.

Marks cause stress risers on t bars so no clamping on vice grips and hammering and chewing them up.

 

[Schurkey]

I installed Polyurethane control arm bushings on my lower control arms, with the arms unbolted from the frame, and hanging from the torsion bars. I couldn't get either bar to slide out of the control arm.

Wasn't really that hard. Inconvenient, but not difficult. Used a long, red-handled prybar to gain enough clearance to pop the rubber bushings out of the steel shells.

You must be registered for see images attach

Heat the shell with a propane torch, the rubber bushing practically poops itself out.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

The upper bushings are tougher, as nobody sells Polyurethane bushing inserts that include the steel sleeve. I had to make my own. And of course, you have to remove the steel end-caps, clean them, and reinstall on the Poly bushings.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[RichLo]

Yes to everything Shurkey said above.

When I did mine, I got the rubber replacement bushings for the upper control arms because of that sleeve Shurkey made himself. I couldn't press them out myself so after all of the work getting the ball joint off and paying a shop to press out and replace the bushings I would have been better off just buying replacement upper control arms instead of doing all of that extra work just to save the control arm.

 

[Fireball5657]

I installed Polyurethane control arm bushings on my lower control arms, with the arms unbolted from the frame, and hanging from the torsion bars. I couldn't get either bar to slide out of the control arm.

Wasn't really that hard. Inconvenient, but not difficult. Used a long, red-handled prybar to gain enough clearance to pop the rubber bushings out of the steel shells.

You must be registered for see images attach

Heat the shell with a propane torch, the rubber bushing practically poops itself out.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

The upper bushings are tougher, as nobody sells Polyurethane bushing inserts that include the steel sleeve. I had to make my own. And of course, you have to remove the steel end-caps, clean them, and reinstall on the Poly bushings.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

Good stuff man, I didn't take the torsion bars or lower control arms off today, but everything else is sitting on the workbench. I bought new upper arms so that I didn't have to press the bushings out and/or take the ball joints out, but I have to do it for the lower ones I suppose. Not looking forward to that...

 

[Erik the Awful]

From my build thread:

For those of you needing upper sleeves, I used 1/2" schedule 80 pipe and used my press to sleeve it with some random conduit I had in my scrap pile. I then lubed the sleeve and used the press to get the sleeve into the bushing. I have no idea what the specs were on the conduit, but I'd assume it was .040" wall and probably 7/8" inner diameter. The pipe had a .832" outer diameter and cost me about $17 for 10'.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Schurkey]

I bought 15/16 OD steel tubing, then dropped the diameter to size by chucking it in a drill press and sliding an angle-grinder over it until I'd made enough sparks to start a small forest fire.

Fookin' crazy, but I don't have a lathe.

I'm concerned by you having to "press" your new sleeve into the bushing insert. If it's that tight, there'll be no room for the grease, and the bushing will squeak when installed on the vehicle. The sleeve should slide into the bushing with little more than finger pressure.

I've been known to carve grooves in the ID of the bushing insert, to act as lube channels. Some bushing inserts are molded that way...some aren't.

 

[Anubis]

A few years ago I went through the entire front end on my truck and added a 2” rough country lift. Part of that install included changing the torsion keys. Not a fun job on a 31 year old truck that was driven in the salt. I tried everything to no avail and ended up drilling through each key in (2) places to get them off. It was a PITA.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Erik the Awful]

I'm concerned by you having to "press" your new sleeve into the bushing insert.

They were pretty snug, and I probably could have tapped then into the bushing by smacking them on the ground, but I had the press handy. If they start giving problems, you'll see it on my build thread.

 

[eran tomer]

I hammered the t bars from behind through the holes on the cross-member then went on with a scissors jack.