1994 Pickup: Torsion bar compromised?

[BMarino]

Hi everyone. Here's my 1994 22RE XtraCab pickup (besides Popocatepetl volcano in Mexico):





Very clean truck, been working on it since early this year when I got hold of it.


So here's the deal:

Previous owner apparently hit a curb or something with the front driver's side tire, possibly even got hit by that side, don't precisely know. Truck would lean to the left pretty harshly when driving. Caster was seriously out of specs, camber not so much. After some adjustment by an alignment shop, the truck stopped leaning and drove perfectly straight, but camber got worse. They said trying to adjust camber would throw caster out of specs. (?)

So anyway, truck was driving ok so, considering everything else is in very clean shape (body and frame are in perfect shape, no rust), I decided to keep it. Took it to a Toyota dealer which upon inspection found out that the left lower control arm rear mount is BENT UPWARD. It's difficult to see in photo, but here it is:





So thinking on it, I reflected that considering how overengineered these trucks are known to be, this shouldn't be so big of an issue. I mean with regards to risking breaking the mount or the frame area where it is welded to. Everything seems to be pretty solid and strong, no cracks are visible on the frame or around the mount. Also, I never really considered streightening the LCA mount or frame, better bent but still strong, than unbent but weakened.

So I again decided to keep the truck (in addition to engine work, I went on to change upper and lower ball joints, tie rods, steering relay rod (recall), as well as Old Man Emu steering stabilizer and front and rear shocks).

BUT THE THING THAT'S BUGGING ME NOW, is the left torsion bar, which I hadn't given much attention until now. Cause sometimes, when turning slowly left, creaking-squeaking sounds can be heard, I assume from the left torsion bar, and it has gotten a bit more frequent and louder over time. At first I thought "such sounds are normal in trucks this old", but then got thinking that maybe the left torsion bar was somehow also compromised by the hit the left front wheel took. So inspecting it, IT SEEMS TO BE SOMEHOW PUSHED UPWARDS where it exits the wheel well and goes beneath the cabin. There is actually not an inch of space between the torsion bar and the cabin, it seems to be actually in contact with the cabin metal floor. I managed to take some photos, sorry for the bad lighting. Here's how it looks like from underneath the truck.





I sincerely don't know if this is normal or not. However, the right torsion bar DOES HAVE AT LEAST 1.2 in of free space between it and the cabin, and doesn't touch anything at all anywhere along its full length. I would suppose torsion bars need to have some space around them in order to twist when working, but maybe I'm wrong. I'm just worried the torsion bar may break eventually, wouldn't want that to happen while driving. :/

I would sincerely appreciate if anyone who owns a Toyota Pickup/Hilux could check if the left torsion bar on their truck looks the same as mine from underneath. Or if anyone could please give me some feedback on this issue.



Thanks for reading!

 

[DaveInDenver]

That frame is compromised. While the 86-95 (or 1996 in Hilux) frames were stout that rear lower control arm mount wasn't ideal. It is heavily gusseted but it's just hanging out there unsupported creating a huge moment just waiting to bend. Many people reinforce that section with a brace or bar just for this reason. I did one very early and I beat the snot out of my truck. Most people just have issues keeping them in alignment but in your case the frame is pretty distorted.



The torsion rod does sit up close to the body, it's a tight fit. It's possible the bar is bent from whatever abuse it sustained but I would not trust that the frame itself is straight anymore so hard to say if you could even replace it successfully.

 

[bkg]

Time to cut off the IFS and do a solid axle swap. ?

You’ll need a frame shop to fix that. May be able to make adjustments with a jack to spread the lower mounts, but you’ll have to be careful.

Does the creaking happen when turning sharply? Probably just the steering stops. Put a dab of grease on them - or go to the dealer and buy the steering stop covers (plastic cap for the steering stop adjustment bolt)

 

[DaveInDenver]

The frame is probably bent since that mount is ridiculously strong. I bet even doing an SAS would be challenging since the front frame rails aren't true and parallel anymore. Trying to straighten the frame I've told is crazy difficult for shops. Curious if all the body panels still line up around the fenders and cab?

I'm seeing a tube frame truggy candidate if there ever was one!

 

[bkg]

The frame is probably bent since that mount is ridiculously strong. I bet even doing an SAS would be challenging since the front frame rails aren't true and parallel anymore. Trying to straighten the frame I've told is crazy difficult for shops. Curious if all the body panels still line up around the fenders and cab?

I'm seeing a tube frame truggy candidate if there ever was one!

I’ve had to spread the lower mount on a truck or two to get a brace in - they can be manipulated. Shoot, though, that was in 96 to install a Downey brace with a Rancho kit.

I’ve seen a couple of frames collapsed right behind that mount. Kind of dimpled, I guess. I can imagine that being a PITA to fix. I can’t tell from the OP’s pic if that’s the case here or not.

 

[BMarino]

That frame is compromised. While the 86-95 (or 1996 in Hilux) frames were stout that rear lower control arm mount wasn't ideal. It is heavily gusseted but it's just hanging out there unsupported creating a huge moment just waiting to bend. Many people reinforce that section with a brace or bar just for this reason. I did one very early and I beat the snot out of my truck. Most people just have issues keeping them in alignment but in your case the frame is pretty distorted.

The torsion rod does sit up close to the body, it's a tight fit. It's possible the bar is bent from whatever abuse it sustained but I would not trust that the frame itself is straight anymore so hard to say if you could even replace it successfully.

Actually, this part (don't know its name, seems some type of supporting part) is bent also:

 

[bkg]

That’s the drivers side diff mount. Get a picture of the frame from the wheel well - I’m betting, based on the pic of that mount, that your frame is bent.

 

[BMarino]

Time to cut off the IFS and do a solid axle swap. ?

You’ll need a frame shop to fix that. May be able to make adjustments with a jack to spread the lower mounts, but you’ll have to be careful.

Does the creaking happen when turning sharply? Probably just the steering stops. Put a dab of grease on them - or go to the dealer and buy the steering stop covers (plastic cap for the steering stop adjustment bolt)

It happens when, for instance, having the left wheel turned halfway left, and at the same time the suspension on that side compressing-decompressing, as when entering a ramp. Other times, the sound comes simply from, wheel straight, the front end compressing and decompressing while driving over a - say - wide speed bump.

 

[DaveInDenver]

If the creaking is present with the wheels straight then it's not the steering stops like @bkg mentions. That only happens with the steering wheel hard locked right or left. Doesn't mean it's not something else fairly benign, dry poly bushings or something like that. With as much damage as you seem to have I wouldn't hold out hope that it's not binding something, though.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I’ve had to spread the lower mount on a truck or two to get a brace in - they can be manipulated.

I'm taken to understand that trying to straighten them is tough, in that, sure you can manipulate it to get that brace in but that's only loading the frame like a spring. It's not taking a permanent set like a frame shop would be trying to do. They want to spring back to the distorted position to the point that they'll snap tooling before they can bend the steel in the frame enough for it to relax back to the properly aligned position.

 

[BMarino]

Here are some photos of the frame:








And then there's this:

RIGHT (Ok side) Upper Control Arm and Torsion Bar Mount - see alignment in green circle:




Compared to the LEFT (Bent side) UCA-Torsion Bar Mount:

 

[BMarino]

Well crap. So probably the frame is also bent .


But the question ultimately is: HOW SAFE do you think it is to keep and drive this truck, as is?


As I said, alignment can be configured for it to drive perfectly straight, only (apparent) downside being the front left tire will probably get eaten prematurely.


Is the torsion bar subjected to stresses which will eventually cause it to break? Torsion bar breaking while driving at highway speed would SUCK BIG TIME .

 

[DaveInDenver]

Not sure anyone has tell you if it's safe. Probably not ideal to put bending stress on the torsion rod but otherwise I'd think it's mostly alignment, tire wear, etc. A little bit of bend in the frame isn't changing significantly the wear on tie rod ends or ball joints. Steering box and Pitman arm might not be happy. The control arm pivots are going wear really fast. I dunno. If it was my truck I'd want to find a donor truck with a straight frame or would be doing an SAS.

 

[Arktikos]

That frame is compromised. While the 86-95 (or 1996 in Hilux) frames were stout that rear lower control arm mount wasn't ideal. It is heavily gusseted but it's just hanging out there unsupported creating a huge moment just waiting to bend. Many people reinforce that section with a brace or bar just for this reason. I did one very early and I beat the snot out of my truck. Most people just have issues keeping them in alignment but in your case the frame is pretty distorted.

View attachment 483246

The torsion rod does sit up close to the body, it's a tight fit. It's possible the bar is bent from whatever abuse it sustained but I would not trust that the frame itself is straight anymore so hard to say if you could even replace it successfully.

Home made brace or does someone sell this?

 

[DaveInDenver]

Home made brace or does someone sell this?

That one was made by Sonoran Steel.