Is it just me or did any of you notice that this person registered just before they started this thread, not to mention the other people that have had a torsion bar break posting in this thread registered just before posting.

I think we have had a TROLL pull everyones chain and got a rise out of it. Why else would they be threatening your families lives and telling you to F CK OFF?

I sure did laugh though....especially about the driver seat breaking clean off on the chevy.

D

 

lisicag -

I've been reading this thread, and a few things come to mind:

1. You were originally upset about the fact that Ford did not replace the torsion bar for free. So, if they had replaced it, it would be OK ? The engineering would be acceptable as long as you get your truck repaired for free ?

2. You repeatedly infer that torsion bars are "inferior engineering" or something like that. Got a little info for you: Most of the Japanese trucks have been using torsion bar suspensions since the 1960's. Don't recall any news flashes regarding the thousands of failures there...

3. Along those same lines, did you know that there are many military vehicles (including TANKS !!!) that still utilize torsion bar suspensions today ?

4. As someone said earlier, a torsion bar is a spring. Nothing else. Man made, so it can fail or have a defect. Like it or not, millions of them are in service today and will not fail during the lifetime of the vehicle. If you are in the minority and experience a failure, it sucks. That does not mean all of them (or the design) is flawed.

5. The wishing of personal harm on anyone who disagrees with you is a blatant indicator of your IQ. You dare to call someone else a "dumb hillbilly"; yet you hope our families are killed because you are facing a $500 repair bill ? (Why don't you list what part of the country you are from ?? HMMM... Maybe YOU are the "dumb hillbilly" !!!)

6. I think you should join a Dodge Ram web forum (if it exists) and spend a few minutes researching the problems people there might report on. I'm sure it will very much resemble the forum here, except I'd be willing to bet there are a lot more unhappy owners there...

Have fun in your Dodge... You certainly deserve it !!!!

BTW - Torsion bars rock !!!!

PS. BTW means "By The Way"...

 

BUMP!

 

As an old guy this is a fun thread to read! I can almost see blood dripping from my screen. At least you all are passionate about your trucks. I tried the Dodge thing and it was the worst piece of s&%t I ever got into. No vehicle is perfect and this is America where if you don't like it you don't have to buy it. I am going to go find a Dodge forum now to see how much fun they are having.

2001 Supercrew 4x4
5.4 Magnaflow
Airforce one
10000# Ramsey winch

 

This has been a great read. Wow.

The basics are this. Torsion bars ar the only spring that relies on the strength of the material in shear, therefore is the most suseptable to failure due to material impurities and porosity. Coil springs also rely on the shear force of the steel, but to a lesser degree. And finally leaf springs do not rely on shear forces at all (well a negligble amout really). So hairline cracks, microscopic porosity, slighty impurities occur in all steel, especially when quality control is governed by realistic economics. No matter how well a torsion bar is designed, it will always fail before leaf springs or coil springs. But this is the price we pay for a comfortable ride in a 4x4.

As far as safety, if a torsion bar breaks, full control of steering and braking are there. It is less of a safety hazard than a blown front tire.

lisicag - please do not wish others on this forum an ill fate.

 

I gotta agree with lisicag. My drivers side broke 2 years ago and I felt the same rage. I was pissed at the world.
I was surfing the net today and ran acrossed this site. I was really suprised to find that other T-bars had broken too. Everyone that I've talked to from the tow driver to Consumer Affairs at Ford had never heard of this.
At the time, my truck had 55K on it. No modifications have been done to the truck, period. I still run the same size tires.
My truck was sitting in a parking lot. I got in it a started it after having lunch. I had a really bad headache that day so after I started it, I put my elbows on the steering wheel and my head in my hands. Probably 30 secs later, WHAM! It felt like someone rearended me.
I read someones post saying that he finds it hard to believe that this can happen with the truck just sitting there. It can and it did. It sucks but it happened. I paid 280 to get it fixed and still drive the truck today. After a year of trying to get my money back(I too believe it is a manufacturer defect), I just gave up. I got tired of fighting the system. Would I buy another one? Sure I would.
I think this problem is isolated but still needs to be addressed. I find it to be a safety issue also. I'll probably get slammed for saying I agree with lisicag but, that's the price I'll pay.
I know how my truck was driven, maintained, and not modified. I think he was slammed for the way he presented his case, not what his case was about.

 

How come everyone on this thread who's torsion bars have broke, are new to this site??????????????

 

Hey I dont even have a 4x4 and I have issues with my suspension!!! Who ISNT angry at ford???

 

I was surfing the other day and happen to find it. Not every F-150 owner knows about this website.

 

It is obvious that this Richard Cranium (see legend) has problems that this forum can't help, and I don't mean with his truck. Making statements like the above is uncalled for. We all get flamed at one time or another when we don't hear what we want, but wishing such a horrible thing to happen........????

In a way we're stupid to respond to such inept postings for so long. I know some of us had fun with it, but let the thread die and focus our efforts on members who appreciate the forum and the people on it. Don't you see, he's just having fun with us.

Speeking of loosers, lisicag must be one too, he keeps coming back.



BTW, my torsion bar broke on my 98 2wd last night on the driveway.


Legend:

Richard Rich-ard = D__k
Cranium Cra-ni-um = H__d

 

I don't have a 4x4, AND I'm not angry at Ford...

Any of the issues I have, I can honestly say I have brought upon myself:

More power...

Better sound...

Better driveability...



Ford Trucks Rule !!! Buy another brand... you'll be back !!!

 

I don't have a wife and kids, what's going to happen to me???

- Nealio

 

basically i know this subject has been beat to death but i thought it was interesting. so i looked it up at the NHTSA. has anyone looked at action number PE98009. its an investigation number they used for investigating this exact problem. it was closed in 98 so ford knew about it back then............???????
makes ya think, all this might be worth something

 

Your correct, it may be worth something, but not with the hostility that has been displayed here. The comment that idiot made was just over the line.

We're here to ask questions and hopefuly find solutions, not wish catastrophic events on board members and families.

I also want to say thanks for getting some real info on this, if NHTSA has it on file, there must be something more to it, probably too late to anything about it though.

 

My right torsion bar broke today on my 98 XLT 4x4. It was the right side and the second time for me, about 85k miles. Out of warranty, so it is going to cost me. I hate paying to replace something, when the truck isn't paid off.

I like Dodge trucks, but ya, the quality sucks on them worse.

Hmmm... seems not too many people have mentioned GM, let alone some foreign peice o' junk with little or no quality like a Toyota or a Honda. :o

Definately won't buy a Ford next time, but hey at least I can say I owned one.

Oh, I forgot to mention the first one breaking on the left side. When it broke, probably around 30k and within 1-2 years of buying it, I had it replaced under warrenty. Drove it to the dealership, like I will probablly do with this one, unless I find out it is easy to replace myself, which I doubt it will be as easy as a coil spring like some other trucks out there.

I liked what the one person posted about metals. Best post I have seen here yet. When my first one broke, I asked a guy, who I knew that worked at the R&D section of Ford in Dearborn. He said that he heard about this and that there was a bad batch of steel that went through Mexico and that since they didn't know when or which trucks had them, they just put them out there. If this were true, then it is all about Quality standards! Doesn't make sense, since they track every part by number on every vehicle, but at the time I took him for his word.

Oh well, have a nice day. The failure is pretty scary, but fairly safe.