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sagging front-end

Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 3:42 pm
by rccarver
My 2004 Astro cargo AWD is 2" lower in front than in the rear. The rear has plenty of room for a size bigger tire but the front doesn't , plus I'd like to raise it for oil pan clearance. What's the best way to do that? Thanks.

Re: sagging front-end

Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 3:46 pm
by MountainManJoe
Crank up the torsion bars.

Re: sagging front-end

Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 6:00 pm
by doyoulikeithere
install new torsion bars if your old ones are sagged out.
They are basically springs, and do get worn out.

Re: sagging front-end / just like my ex-wife

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 4:51 pm
by brokenwrench
I favour spacers between the subframe and the body. no alterations in alignment. also cheap, 6 bolts, 6 spacers, maybe 2 hours on the driveway or 30 minutes on a hoist.

check the clearance of the fan to lower rad hose when you are done.

my ex-wife had a saggy front end.

Re: sagging front-end

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 4:54 pm
by brokenwrench
the torsion bar fix will cost about 25 to 50 times more than spacers.
the harder you crank the torsion bars, the more fragile they become and the shorter their life expectancy. when one breaks, the vehicle goes to ground, this is so common that there is a name for it, forget what it is,

Re: sagging front-end

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 6:02 pm
by doyoulikeithere
Yup, My torsion bar popped 150 feet from the spring shop that I was on the way too for some U-bolts.
I parked the van there for some time while I waited for new torsion bars to arrive from OLV.
Took about a month, I love having 2 vans, Lol. Anyways, while the van sat for a month , the other torsion bar broke too.
Putting in new torsion bars made me feel a lot safer, and the van rode a heckuva lot better. They have sagged some over the last 5 or so years.

Putting in body pucks will lift the body 2" but weren't you hoping to get oil pan clearance, as well as tire room?
Plus when you said it is sagging, it reminded me of that POP sound, and how glad I was not to be on a highway when it let loose.
Maybe you can just tighten them up a bit more, thats absolutely free to do. :)

Re: sagging front-end / oil pan clearance

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 6:56 pm
by brokenwrench
how much oil pan clearance do you want?

Re: sagging front-end

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 6:27 pm
by rccarver
I cranked the t-bars and it's almost level. It seems like the newer models are naturally higher so I just needed enough in front to go up a size in tires, and now I think I have it. Mainly wanted axle clearance.