914runner

I will most likely be getting the downey 1.5in HD rear springs and am wondering if it would be a good idea to get the 25mm sway-a-way torsion bars?
Thanks

91Runner

I had the Sway-A-Way 25mm Torsion Bars installed when I had my Downey HD Rear Coils installed. You don't REALLY need them from what I've heard, but I got them mainly because I read that the stock torsion bars can only be cranked to give so much lift, and that since the SAWs are heavier duty that they can be cranked more without killing your ride. I'm really happy with them, and from what Corey has said, you definitely need them if you plan on adding an ARB Bumper and/or Winch to your truck. I personally probably won't be adding a winch (but maybe if I win the lottery or something ) but I'm hoping to get an ARB Bumper sometime in the future. I had also read that since the SAWs are heavier duty they also help prevent the truck from bottoming out. Before I had the SAWs installed, I would go out to the desert and my front end would be bottoming out when I would be coming down from little drops, or going through some deeper whoops (my friends and I call them whoops, it's the wavy type road/wash that's fairly common in the desert). I've only been out to the desert once since I had the SAW installed, and I didn't do any hard offroading (my girlfriend and I were going camping, so I took it easy for her ) but I did want to check out how they worked, and sure enough I went overa few of the bumps that would bottom me out before, and I didn't bottom out once.

Sorry about the rambling, but hopefully I made sense To sum it up, I think that the SAWs are a good investment (and a fairly cheap one at that, I got mine for $100 at a local offroad shop) and even though they did stiffen my ride a bit (my truck rides just a little rougher than it did with the stock t-bars) they were well worth it.

-Braden

Paul S

I see you have wildcountry's. I had a 91 with the Les Schwab Eibach springs in the rear with 32x1150x15 sxt muds. I did not have to adjust or replace the torsion bars. I can try to send you a picture if I can find it. The Eibach springs get rid of the rear end sag and have a lifetime warranty on sagging. Just my two cents.

Paul S

jx94148

I'd vote against the 25mms unless you already have the V6 and plan on adding a bunch of weight up front. They make the ride stiffer due the dramaticly higher spring rate. When I added my winch and relativly light bumper my ride softened up and improved for my taste. They will keep you from bottoming out as easily but only because of the firmer spring rate.

If you crank the bars you will find yourself topping out instead of bottoming out. For a high speed desert setup cranking is ok but it will make the front wheels lift off of the ground and lose traction much easier on the low speed trails and rock crawling like I like to run.

91Runner

Matt- I don't do any high speed desert runs or anything along those lines (35mph through a nice straight wash is the fastest i've ever gone while offroading ) I mainly do the low speed trails, and very minor rock crawling (my rock crawling consists of slowly going over a small-medium boulder that's in the middle, or off to the side of a trail). And I haven't had any problems losing traction or anything with my slightly cranked 25mm T-Bars, and the only thing that is on the front end of my truck is my engine. I'm not saying you're wrong or anything, I'm still new to the technical aspects of working on trucks, and offroading. I'm just going by my somewhat limited experience with the SAW Torsion bars and offroading.

-Braden

doink

paul, can you send me a picture as well?,..i would like to see..

jx94148

When cranking T bars the upper A arm and upper bumpstop get a lot closer toghther while the lower ones get farther apart. This gives you more stuff but less droop in your suspension travel. Less droop = lifting that wheel sooner. For my taste its as good as it gets low profile bumpstops and the T bars exactly the way they came from the factory 16 years ago. When sitting still there is the same ammount of space between the upper and lower bumpstops so I have equal ammounts of stuff and droop. I'm lifting a front wheel every 100 yards on trails like this.




I almost want to cut off the upper bump stops and have them welded back on about 1 inch lower. I want to take a BFH to my lower bumpstop mounts to move them up a little all in the name of more front suspension travel. 7 inches is not enough for me anymore but a straight axle is too much for now.

914runner

where can i get the torsion bars around Tigard, Oregon?
Thanks

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Are you looking at the SAW like I an Braden run?
One of the cheapest places to actually get them is from Performance Products.
Other stuff they carry is often higher than other shops.

Look in our Vender section for the link to their site, and you can call & order them.

They are South of you in CA.
Should be able to order them today, and have them by Friday.

The reason they can sell them for $99 (may have gone up to $108 now) is because they deal with a lot of Porshe stuff made by SAW, and Perf is not Toyota only.
They buy the stuff in mass quantity from SAW, so they get breaks and pass it along to us.
At least that was the line a salesman told me.
Makes sence.

Beowulf

Sorry, this may be a dumb question ...

But has anybody ever converted from torsion bars to coilovers? Can this even be done and would there be any benefit to it at all?

Thanks, this is just something I have always been wondering about.

91Runner

I've been wondering the same thing Beowulf. I would much rather have coil overs than torsion bars Anyone know?
It would probably cost a pretty penny to have it converted, but I think it would be worth it

-Braden

Beowulf

Yea, it just seems like you would have a lot more choices for suspension and lift components if it could be done.

rockyrunner

downey is supposedly workin on a new suspension lift to go on the 86 to 95 torsion bar rigs that will completely revamp them with coilovers! check their website.
sounds bad arse to me!

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Here is the setup from Downey.
I bet it will cost a lot.

Yes, it eliminates the T bars altogether.

http://www.downeyoff-road.com/Images/9/Image14.jpg

Welcome to the forum Rocky.

doink

does anyone know when this new set up downey is making that corey and rockeyrunner reffered to will be available and how much it might cost?

Beowulf

Yea, now that's what I'm talking about Corey. So when you gonna buy it?

It looks like some serious engineering went into it, it also looks as if it might increase wheel travel as well ...

91Runner

Damn.... I WANT, I WANT, I WANT!!!
I gotta start playing the lottery more so I can try and win some money to buy all the things I want

That looks like a cool setup, I'm hoping that it won't be too outrageously expensive, I'm hoping for close to $500 but I'm guessing that it will probably be about $750-$1000 :pat:

-Braden