CoedNaked

I get the hint from some on this board that for the IFS that the Torsion bars found on the 89-95 are superior to those of coils (which are found on Tacoma's right?). Could someoen please clarify this and perhaps point out the benefits/pitfalls to each? Also, do Torsion bars wear out or are they pretty durable? ARe their better aftermarket ones or are the OEM ones pretty damn good?

When you crank up your torsion bars to raise the front end of your truck, does this have any negative affect on the torsion bars in terms of durability? Will their be a difference in handling of the truck because of this?

Also, in terms of ride quality, what would be the best option for replacing the rear leaf springs on an 89-95 P/U? I'm thinking more along the lines of leaf springs that would compliment/work well with a set of Bilstein HD's the best. Is there any possiblities to finding Leafs that will firm up the suspension (IE back end) for heavier loads (I know you're going to all mention AAL, but my understanding is these kill ride quality), yet still offer superior handling IE not sending the bed into the air with every speed bump and subsequently putting your back out? I'm more on the side of being concerned of the handling/ride so if there isn't something then no prob.

jimbo74

i dont really know which one is better... but there are companies that have aftermarket torsion bars... sway a way has oversized ones for mini trucks .... i wheel my truck pretty hard and have enver had a problem except with the anchor arms, but that was due to a rough landing on pavement at speed after catching air.... they do settle after awhile as would any suspension... but i have never heard of anyone actually snapping a torsion bar... you might look into a custom leaf pack, they can be made softer... however i dont think there are progressive leaf packs like a coil can be made, meaning that if you want added towing capacity, its sequentially going to be stiffer due to more or thicker leaves

Flamedx4

IFs with torsions have their good points, and so do coil spring setups. Neither is inherently better than the other. I think the IFS is easier to lift effectively, or at least cheaper to lift, but that's debateable. I think you have way more options (if pocketbook allows) for various ways to setup the Taco front suspension though.

The factory torsion bars are pretty darn hard to beat. The aftermarkets are stiffer, and many people recommend against them after they've had them. You also hear a lot about them sagging prematurely.

Cranking up the torsions to lift the truck will make the ride harsher if you crank very far, and if really cranked sure it will shorten the life of the bars. But then again, they last a long long time anyway. Mine have 214k on them and had been cranked way too hard for 100k of that. I let them back down a bit (about 1", to about 1/2" over stock height) and the ride is much much much much better.

There certainly are progressive rate leaf spring packs available. There are not to my knowledge any progressive torsions available. (Seems to me there were some many years ago - Downey maybe? I bet they didn't work and thats why they disappeared...)

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drkgypsy

I cranked the T bars on my '91 to be even w/the bed and w/ my KYB's, the front end bounces alot. If I'm trying to slow down/stop over moderatly bumps on the street, the tires chirp a lil at times do to the wheel hop. I'm hoping that when I dump these KYB's for either Bilstein's or Tieko(sp?)'s that will eliminate the hop.

Oh, the T bars are only cranked a hair over 1 1/2 inches

Robinhood150

Where'd you get that from?

Ditto what flamed said.

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rockota

I have a personal opinion that the Gen-1 IFS is better than the Gen-2 Ifs for a few reasons.
1. Steering.
2. Available with manual hubs/easy to convert
3. Steering.
4. Easier to lift.
5. Steering.
6. Frame/IFS design makes it easier to SAS


That being said - my Taco rids much better on the street, with better feedback to the driver, than any Gen-1 IFS I've owned...

Then again, I'm a very opinionated person.

BLKNBLU

Yeah, like Flamed said. There are many that think OE torsion bars are just getting appropriately soft when they are old. My plan is to put Ball Joint Spacers on the front then crank the T bars DOWN even more for softer ride and hopefully better articulation. There are many on here that have done just that and someone will chime in hopefully. I just got Downey rear leafs (3in lift) wth the hope of realizing a 1 1/2 to 2 in lift for rear end sag on mine. I probably won't get them in before the holidays are over though so if you can wait, I'll report back. I plan on running them with Rancho Shocks cuz they were cheap and I could easily find info on them regarding compressed/extended measurements. I understand Downey reccomends Doetsch Tech but many don't like them cuz they find them too soft. But that might work for you. I thought about it but I guess I'll play with the Ranchos first. Also consider springs from AOR. They claim super flexiness/articulation but are $$$.

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