Torsion stock setting question

[h368]

I have a stock 03 FX4 that has a huge difference in the torsion bar adjustment bolts. Drivers side is well inside the guard and the other is 3/4" beyond the guard, waiting to get bent... Is this a normal factory setting? Yes, it sits level.

 

[gw33gp]

That is pretty normal for the torsion bar adjustment bolts. The position of the adjustment bolt is not an indicator of correct adjustment. There is a procedure for measuring the suspension and specification of those measurements to get the adjustment right.

 

[h368]

Is the adjustment info available outside of a factory service manual? I bought longer shocks with the intention of doing a torsion bar lift/ level. The bolts seemed so different that I wasn't confident that it was a good starting point to count turns from. I;ll verify the stock setting if I can locate the info on the process.

 

[Craig0320]

You didn't by any chance buy the rancho extended shocks did you?

 

[h368]

yes, RS5374

 

[Craig0320]

yes, RS5374

My set of extended rancho's( same part number) were junk. I just replaced them with kyb gas-a-just last weekend. The rancho's had 18,000 miles on them and they both were completely blew out. I could here metal rattling around in them. I am trying to get a warranty claim on them now. I am pissed about it. They rarely saw any gravel roads. Just beware they might last and might not last. You have a 50/50 shot. I added some spacers to the kyb to get some of my travel back.

 

[pjtoledo]

one of the bars may not be indexed properly. that will throw the bolts way off.
the way to measure factory ride height is actually the angle of the lower control arms.
draw a horizontal line thru the centers of the lower control arm bolts, then another line between the lower ball joints. the distance between those 2 lines is the factory ride height.
I think it's 4.5" I'll try to find the exact info, maybe someone else knows for certain.

do it with the stabilizer bar disconnected. then adjust the length of the end links to keep it all even.

 

[h368]

I appreciate the info. thanks. Even without an factory setting, I can check for consistency and have a good starting point. As for the Ranchos... I can still return them.... is anyone aware of another extended length shock to use? I did a fair amount of cross checking and wasnt able to find one. Id rather take a chance with the Rancho than use the extendo mount.

 

[Craig0320]

I looked around to find a replacement before I bought the kyb. I could not find any other extended shocks. I added some spacers to get around 3/4 of a inch drop out of kyb's. Worked out pretty well.

 

[Canuck4x4]

I have a stock 03 FX4 that has a huge difference in the torsion bar adjustment bolts. Drivers side is well inside the guard and the other is 3/4" beyond the guard, waiting to get bent... Is this a normal factory setting? Yes, it sits level.

...stock setting- Drivers side showing 8 threads...passenger side 14 threads. My torsion bars were both adjusted wrong. After searching the web...I was able to find the info needed. Set it to what another ranger owner posted. Worked perfect. Truck is sitting perfectly level on both sides.

 

[Canuck4x4]

My set of extended rancho's( same part number) were junk. I just replaced them with kyb gas-a-just last weekend. The rancho's had 18,000 miles on them and they both were completely blew out. I could here metal rattling around in them. I am trying to get a warranty claim on them now. I am pissed about it. They rarely saw any gravel roads. Just beware they might last and might not last. You have a 50/50 shot. I added some spacers to the kyb to get some of my travel back.

I bought some Rancho rs5000x shocks front and rear for my stock ride height Ranger. To be perfectly honest...I am not really impressed with them. Imo...they dont match the advertising hype.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Wulf suspension makes or sells extended travel shocks. Not sure they make them probably more like source them out. I have no experience with them though.

I just bought KYB mono max in stock length and plan to make a spacer when the time comes to put them on. I was a KYB dealer for years and of all the shocks I sold... I only had one returned.

 

[gw33gp]

I run Bilstein shocks that that are the same length as the original Bilsteins on my 02 FX4. I didn't want extended shocks because that lets the angle of the drive axles get out of spec. I want durability and set up things for that.
I set the front suspension to the max of the ford specification for new suspension components. That ended up being about 1.5 inches higher in the front than it came from the factory. I have almost 240K miles on it now and still have all the original suspension and front drive parts on it with the exception of the top ball joints and swing arms. The boots were deteriorating but the ball joints were not that bad. That was done at about 200K miles.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I set the front suspension to the max of the ford specification for new suspension components. That ended up being about 1.5 inches higher in the front than it came from the factory.

That's the number I was shooting for too... 1.5 inches. I wasn't sure if I would need spacers or not... seems now that I may not.