Why did GM use Torsen bars?

[pauly383]

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Hummer H1 was the only truck, sonce 1972 to come with rear leaf suspension. the H2 is just built on a K2500 chassis, so nothing special there.


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The H2 has the Tahoe coil spring layout with links in the rear. The 2500 has leaf springs , like other pickups, even when ordered with quadrasteer ( which is dana 60 ). They're tested every year by all the mags /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif

 

[diesel4me]

They used them on 60-62 suburbans---I dont have firsthand knowledge,but I heard they liked to snap a lot.I prefer good old coil and leaf springs,although I must say I put my old VW beetles through hell on and offroad and I even moved them up a spline or two for a poor mans dune buggy lift kit(not an easy job by the way!)and I never broke one--but beetles dont weigh much either!.I did have one break on a 68 dodge corenet 440 wagon--it broke while the car was parked--we heard a bang and saw the car leaning to the drivers side,I thought a tire blew out,but the torsion bar had broken!. /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif

 

[kennyw]

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Dunno, my k2500 rides a lot rougher than my friends yukon XL does.

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Put half your rated payload in your truck and I bet it rides just as nice as that Yukon /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif Trucks with extra capacity for a big load are going to ride rough when empty no matter what suspension you have /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif

 

[kennyw]

All 1960-62 Chevy and GMC trucks including the suburban were torsion bar front suspension (2wd only). I have seen and driven alot of 1960-66 GM trucks as well as hang out on all the 60-66 Chevy GMC boards and email lists and never seen or heard of a wide spread problem with broken torsion bars, even when heavily abused with a 900# V6 motor sitting on them. Now heavy abuse and extreme rust from the midwest or NE might make a difference.

The 60-62 trucks have always had a better ride than the 63-66 models with coil springs (when comparing similar trucks) but parts are harder to find and more expensive for the torsion bar front suspension (like $150 ball joints /forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif).

 

[diesel4me]

I'd say your right about the rust being the demise of the torsion bars up here--or perhaps the mounting points on the frame rotted out--.Not to mention our potholes!
A friend of mine had 2 nice suburbans,a 1966 with a tailgate and liftback,292 with 3 on the tree,2wd,and a 2wd 1962 panel with barn doors,a 261 straight six,with a clark 5 speed--factory!It had the torsion bar suspension,and I'm fairly sure it was a 20 series,3/4 ton.It did ride much better than his 66 did.I bet both of those trucks are long gone thanks to our climate and salt now. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[90K5]

i have a 2001 1/2 ton 2wd and its got coils...also has two bars that go from the front crossmember to the framerails, but they dont have anything to do with the suspension

 

[joez]

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There are others, those are just the examples I can think of. I believe the newer toyota trucks use coils up front with IFS. I don't much care for IFS so I don't research it very much at all....but I know there are plenty of rigs on the market with a arms and coils.

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Toyota uses coilovers up front on their trucks, for the same reason chevy uses the torsion bars. The 2wd is just a 4wd suspension without the 4wd hardware.

I believe the new F-150's are coilover as well.