mymaur

Today I was jacking the front of my 4x4 and put the jack under the Lower suspension arm. When I got the truck up where I wanted it, the jack moved and i thought ****, the jack is leaking. WRONG, the suspension arm folded :'( :'(<br><br>There was many a bad word said. Mostly begining with G or F.<br>So I staightened it with a large hammer and will have to hunt one up. I am sure DC will want a fortune and the junk yards usually aren't real eager to sell just this small piece. I'll check with the local yard. He has four or five ram 4x4's and a couple of diesels. But he is choosey about what he'll take off.<br><br>Anyone got one of these in a wreck that they are willing to sell for a reasonable price. I need the right side.

Dieseldude4x4

This is what I just posted in another thread on here when a guy said he put the jacks under the torsion arms. I have been working on these trucks since the first one came out in 89.<br><br>(FROM THE OTHER POST)<br>Beans I'm from the old school and do not trust jack stands, I use a six ton bottle jack under the lower section of the lower ball joint arm on the front.(I have four jacks) There is an indentation in the arm that the jack head fits into perfectly. I jack the front up using this method and use wooden blocks under the spring mount locations. I turn one stack long ways with the truck and the other stack at a right angle to the truck or in line with the axle. I let the weight down onto the blocks and then just barely tighten up the jacks. <br><br>In the rear, I jack it up under the spring mounts and block the axles. Once I get it jacked up the way I want it and on the blocks, I rock the truck to make sure it is not going anywhere. Take the time and do it right whether you use blocks or stands. Don't go cheap on the stands when working under these trucks either. You can ask a fellow here at work what a 3/4 ton van feels like while it is lying across your chest pinning you to the floor. I'm sure it is not a good feeling. He laid there for five hours till his wife found him and got the van up enough to get him out. <br><br>I saw guy working on one of these trucks with only a floor jack holding up the entire front end. I had to leave, made me nervous. I had the front of my 89 fall off the jack stands two times, fortunately I was not under the truck. If you use stands, make sure they are on solid footing, not sand, or dirt, or gravel.<br><br>I'm not sure I would block under the torsion arms either. They are just flimsy rolled metal and there is not much surface area there. They are designed to counteract the twisting motion of the axle, not support weight in this manner. Remember, the object here is not to see how quickly you can get done, but how safely. Take your time and do it right as if your life depended on it. IT DOES!!!!!! <br><br>

dsl-nut

hey mymaur i had to put new lower arms on my truck also dodge dealer wanted 80 bucks for one it came with bushings too my bolts were rusted in real bad was a real pain an the ars to get them out good luck

mymaur

Well this was a definite case of a &quot;mind fart&quot; on my part . I always put the jack under a frame member or even at the point where the bolt / bushing are attached to the frame on the torsion bar. But I've never put it right under the torsion bar. Well, now I know. <br><br>Hey dieseldude, I enjoyed the thread on the jackstands. I do use jackstands, but mine are solid steel Snap-on's. They are real old, got them about 20 plus years ago at an auction at a truck repair shop. These things weigh a ton, I've got 4. In a million years I wouldn't crawl under any car with those junk stands most places now sell. They aren't steel, they're cast iron and can be brittle. I also, share the load of the vehicle, 1/2 on the stand and 1/2 on the jack. Yes, I know it's probably not half, but it is really more of a safety issue. Should the stand fail the jack is already there &amp; vice-versa. My skinny ars probably will not fare too well with a 7000lb truck on it. <br><br>After driving the truck, I may just leave the torsion bar the way it is. As I said i gave it a few wacks with a big ole hammer and got it back into semi shape. And Damned if the thing doesn't go down the road with zero pull on the wheel. This thing has always had a slight pull to the right. My 2wd does as well. Now it's gone ;D. Go figure.

Nuttymopar

;D Maybe you should post your FIX for the 'slightly to the Right' repair. Most of us could use it. Sometimes just whacking it makes it right if not, at least makes you feel better.

mymaur

I'm definetly going to leave that torsion bar alone. The truck has never gone this straight before. I know they almost all pull a bit to the right. I seldom make a mistake that turns out okay, but seems to be my good fortune on this one. ;D

danlit

If you guys are having a problem with pulling try moving the caster adjuster on that lower radius arm where it meets the axle. theres even degree marks so you can see how far to move it back once you make it worse.<br> Good luck, Danny