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Originally Posted by ianshoots
I ask, what are ball joint spacers? How do they work?
Ian
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here's how Bj spacers work.
but you have to know how the torsion bar system works first.
think of a TB as a coil spring that's been extended. but the way TB works is by rotational forces, instead of compressing, like a regular spring.
by twisting a TB, it wants to twist back to it's original state. kinda like when someone twists your arm, you want them to let go.
now, there is a certain PRELOAD placed on the TB once it's is installed. otherwise, the suspension will be REALLY SOFT. it will collapse onto itself.
now, on a TB suspension system, the more you put load on it, the hard it gets to twist.
but guess what. in order to raise a TB suspension, you have to PUT MORE LOAD into it. cause as you know, when you "crank" the TB, that forces the upper and lower a-arms to point downwards. but now the TB is harder to twist to compress for normal suspension travel.
now it works the other way too. to make a normal TB suspension "softer" or more plush, you UNCRANK the TBs. but then you lower the ride height.
now, back the spacers.
with a spacer placed on the top a-arm (btw, i heard that toyota and only toyota uses the upper a-arm design ON A TRUCK, to mount the TB. ford, chevy, nissan, etc, all mount their TB to the LOWER a-arm where they are more easily damaged by rocks and stuff), you get the best of both worlds: you can UNCRANK the TBs but still maintain the HEIGHT. and that is the magic that you can get for $120...