Torsion bars for better handling; your experience?
World of difference between rural roads in snow country and California roads, if you drive some roads rural North East some are not much better than a goat path. Have had what
I feel is a decent compromise with .89 bars and KYB, front and rear torque boxes frame
connectors, boxed LCA, shock tower to cowl braces, dearched SS springs, F and R sway bars, 225 60 15 tires provide a little cushion and best mod
for me was a strut brace 3/8 treaded rod tapped into the nose of the PS
box and welded to the front frame rail. All these mods can be fabricated from scrap and take almost all rattles squeeks and other noises away when driving on **** roads
Really Jim? I guess California doesn't have rural roads in snow country? Give me a break. Probably close to half my miles every year are on rural roads that get snow every winter. California is not all beach and freeway, we have more mountains than most of the north east combined. Of the 200 highest summits in the US, California has 22. You know how many of those top 200 are in the North East?
Zero.
List of the highest major summits of the United States - Wikipedia
And yes, if you look at any of the "worst roads in the US rankings" you will find California in the top 10
always, and usually in the top 5.
So no, there is not a "big difference" for many drivers in California, myself included. Every time I drive to visit my family I drive 5 miles of user maintained gravel road, because they live out in in BFE. And yes, that's with my Duster. Washboards, potholes, runoff ditches, snow sometimes in the winter if it's not deep enough to need a 4x4 yet. 1.12" torsion bars and all.
KYB shocks are miserable, and I'd never run anything less than 1" diameter torsion bars. Did it, too soft. But I wasn't using them with garbage KYB shocks.
Ride quality is a subjective thing, so if you want to say you like a nice soft ride, just say that. The north east doesn't have the market on crappy roads, so don't dismiss my opinion based on false information. Yes, your roads suck. So do ours. Maybe for different reasons, but pothole is a pothole.