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Ok, like I said...I wasn't trying to flame you. But this is often one of the most misunderstood topics.......and I was trying to keep more misinformation from being spread. You got the right concept......just totally backwards!! And again, I'm not trying to give you a hard time about it. I can tell you've obviously thought about it.......but you've probably thought about it too much!! You need to think about it in simpler terms.
Ok, it's late and I don't have time to go into much detail....but here's the basics:
First: A torsion bar is a straight coil spring. And, just like a coil spring, there is no way to make it stiffer.
Second: The "pressure" on the bar is caused by the weight of the truck. And the weight of the truck is always the same....no matter the height.
So, here's what we've got to work with:
The weight of the truck is what twists the bars.
The "spring rate" of the torsion bar determines how much the bar will twist before it supports the truck's weight.
Soooooo.....since the weight of the truck can't change.....and the spring rate can't change......there is no way that the "pressure" on the torsion bar can change.
Are you still with me? So, I guess now you're wondering........ since the "pressure" on the torsion bars is always the same........what determines ride height??
Well, it's the same principal as putting a block underneath your leaf spring. No matter if it's a 2 inch block or a 6 inch block, the "pressure" on that block is always the same. But, on the front.....this "block" is threaded and has a bolt head on it.
When you turn that adjustment screw, all you are doing is putting a taller "block" between torsion key and the cross-member.
Well, it's after 4am and I gotta get some sleep. You brought up a lot of good points....such as the ride being worse and the suspension not moving much when you put a jack underneath it. You are correct about that, but the reason isn't exactly the torsion bars. I'll explain later.....but first I want you to think about this:
You said....... "Basicly the torsion bars are trying to un-twist their "spring pressure" at the front a-arm downward thus creating the lift."
......this is an example of having the correct principal - just totally backwards. The torsion bars are not pushing the a-arm down. The twisting force is not created at the torsion key. Basically, the way you're thinking assumes the torsion bars have energy....that they are creating lift. But they are just a piece of steel. The energy is from gravity. So you have to start with gravity. Gravity wants to push the truck down, which means the control arm wants to go up. The torsion key will not move. The torsion bar is caught in the middle. The torsion bar's ability to RESIST twisting.....not it's ability to "un-twist" is what supports the weight of the truck.
With this in mind....I want you to think about what you said about the jack, and lack of up-travel......and see if you can come up with an answer. I'll be back later.
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