Torsion Bars

There is a dust boot at each end of each torsion bar. This one is cracked and will get replaced (they all will). It needs to be slid back so you can mark the torsion bar's relationship to the crossmember, and so you can get at and remove the snap ring that secures it to the torsion bar adjuster.

Driver's side torsion bar adjuster bolt measured (from the top of the washer to the top of the bolt).

Passenger's side torsion bar adjuster bolt measured (from the top of the washer to the top of the bolt). This is a bad pic, and I was lazy. They SHOULD be the same measurement, according to mine, the passenger's side was off maybe 2mm, i'll make sure they are the same when I readjust them.

Driver's side torsion bar marked at the rear crossmember (marked on both sides of the crossmember).

...and the passenger's side...

Driver's side torsion bar marked at the torque arm mount.

Passenger's side torsion bar marked at the torque arm mount. You get the idea.

Driver's side bar after loosening the adjuster bolt (thought I had a pic of the adjuster loosened), and you can see that pesky lock ring that gave me fits...at first...

Hope these work. (SPOILER ALERT--they didn't, too small!)

I shoulda measured the opening of the lock ring BEFORE I bought those pliers...better yet, I shoulda stuck with trying the two-screwdriver method (as suggested by others) to pry the ring off, which is what WORKED...that, and applying PB Blaster (also good shared knowledge) to the lock ring to loosen it up helped...The lock ring was in that rear-most groove.

One nut off. I almost REALLY messed something up by trying to fanagle a wrench in there to get that other one off. It's very close to the driveshaft flange, so fitting a socket SQUARELY on there was difficult, and not advised. Better to gain more clearance by...

...using a jack to raise the suspension so it would pivot the lower control arm up so I could have better access to the torsion bar torque arm mounting bolts. Those are a pain and a bad design!

See what I mean? Very little room to work...and if the heads of those bolts ever round off from poor mechanicking, or corrosion (which they are starting to), they will hafta be cut off, and then you'd prolly wanna/hafta run the bolt from the opposite side...It was as this point I started thinking about SAS...

Aight, enough complaining! The important thing is, we got it out! Repeat for the right side and yer awesome!

It's cool to see how the torque arms are splined, isn't it?

Back to the crossmember, we need to disconnect this transfer case vent hose first. So do it.

Loosen and remove your mounting bolts on both sides...

...and after much prying and wedging and possibly hammering (not looking forward to the reinstall), you're looking at your crossmember on your brick pavers! You rock!

Torsion bar dust boots arrived...