How many of you remembered to actually zero the preload on your bushings. On the big main attachment points of the torsion bar there are bushings inside those where the bolt goes. At the factory it is tightened so at normal height under no load the bushing is straight. When you move the car up or down such as when driving it twists that bushing up or down. Now I see a lot of people giving out these flat rate ways to lower your car in the rear with "just take out the shock bolt and pull out the spring" but I've never seen anyone mention zeroing the preload. If you lower the car without doing this the bushing is always going to be twisted downward and in not long your bushing is going to rip or crack apart because of the constant stress on it. So just giving you guys who are DIYers to make sure you do this or you'll be needing new bushings really soon.

 

So what do the people with bags do in this case?

 

I would position the bushing to be in the center of the air bags travel range as that way its not that bad. But cars weren't meant to come with air bags so you have to deal with what you get.

 

The whosiwahtsit?

Just the rears then? will you take a pic and chop it with an arrow,please?

 

http://fourthgenhatch.com/scion/tis/xarearsprings.pdf

#7 and #19

 

Didn't do this. Crap. How would I preload the torsion bar?

 

Download that pdf I posted up to show you what bolts you need to loosen. All you do is loosen those. Drop the car on the ground (not on jackstands or anything) and tighten that bolt. You should be able to get a socket wrench in there fine and hand tighten is good enough.