I have gone on too long about Flippac torsion bars issues and instigated unnecessary commotion on this subject. I need to say the torsion bar issue is dead. Sway-A-Way has a replacement bar that works. I have just done the install and it is a great solution. Thanks to Brian Skipper for making this happen.
Thanks for all the work on replacement torsion bars. My Flip pack is from 2001 (Actually installed on 9/11 by coincidence). My bar is holding up great, but it is something I worry about failing some day. However, my current problem is that my passenger side window glass has broken.
Any info on where a replacement window can be obtained or what the specific measurements are for a long bed model? I see some generic windows available but I am not certain what the angle of the window slant is or where exactly they measure the length. I expect the size of the window cutout is most important, but I don't want to remove the frame until I have a replacement plan if I don't have to do so.
Thanks for any info anyone can provide.
Any info on where a replacement window can be obtained or what the specific measurements are for a long bed model? I see some generic windows available but I am not certain what the angle of the window slant is or where exactly they measure the length. I expect the size of the window cutout is most important, but I don't want to remove the frame until I have a replacement plan if I don't have to do so.
Thanks for any info anyone can provide.
Yup
jonburtt
Adventurist
IM LOLing over here! Gotta figure out the sets
VikingVince
Adventurist
Who has installed the torsion bar from Sway-A-Way? How did it go? Any problems/suggestions?
Is it fairly straightforward or a bit complicated? I'd hate to start taking things apart and get stuck in the middle of it...wouldn't be able to drive my truck if the "lid" was loose.
Anybody in southern California willing to give me a helping hand? I'd give you some bucks. Thanks.
Is it fairly straightforward or a bit complicated? I'd hate to start taking things apart and get stuck in the middle of it...wouldn't be able to drive my truck if the "lid" was loose.
Anybody in southern California willing to give me a helping hand? I'd give you some bucks. Thanks.
VINCE!!! How the hell are you amigo? Welcome to American Adventurist!
I would be all over this but I'm moving to Illinois in a few days (job). I'm sure someone here wants to jump in on this project, lots of FlipPac owners here.
If anyone is available to help Vince that would be awesome - his build is what inspired my Tacoma build and led to the Goose Gear project and all sorts of stuff. Vince is pretty much a FlipPac OG on the web
If I were anywhere near you, I'd be happy to find the time. You provided the vision for many of us.
his build is what inspired my Tacoma build and led to the Goose Gear project and all sorts of stuff. Vince is pretty much a FlipPac OG on the web
Ditto, his and your Tacoma inspired my own.
@VikingVince I asked this of someone who has a spare torsion bar in his rig waiting for the existing one to break, Jon Burtt, he explained that the torsion bar has to be unloaded when installed, which means the lid needs to be VERTICAL and supported in that position from above, so plan on starting out there.
The new bar from Sway-a-Way comes powder coated (wonder how that will last when the bar is torsioned at 90°).
The new bar from Sway-a-Way comes powder coated (wonder how that will last when the bar is torsioned at 90°).
This would be a great project to document and a feather in the cap down at Goose Gear... in Westminster. Very few have done this...
HUGE opportunity really.
From past research, not experience, the torsion bar was designed to be removed and replaced with the lid at 90 degrees. That's where the magic happens to get the right amount of torque on it to be able to lift it when closed and have it hold but not break at full open. The process was explained to me by FRP as fairly easy if you've got the ceiling height to fit and support to hold the lid in the interim, open rafters work well enough. Easy for me to say, of course, having never done one. But something entirely different for a shop to take this on and provide any warranty for work done with two products that they don't produce which have a history of failure.
VikingVince
Adventurist
DAVE...thanks for the "hello"...good to hear from you! Thanks for your input here and yeah, I've been out of off-roading for a couple years but looking to get back in somewhat...these days I'm more into just getting to a cool location and crashing for a few days. Best to you in Illinois...you'll have to drive a few more miles to find some good camping spots.
Mitch...thanks for the heads-up on starting with the lid vertical. I think I recall seeing that somewhere quite a while ago but I would have forgotten. My torsion bar is broken but I rigged up an alternative way of opening with ball joint quick release thingies and a long electrical conduit pole...still REALLY heavy to open...concerned the whole bar might break apart when open...so gotta replace torsion bar.
Mitch (or anyone else)...is the torsion bar still under tension even if it's broken? And "unloading" or getting the right torque at vertical when installing a new one? Sounds like that would require a special tool...torque wrench? (thanks for the input RoamingRobertson) Sounding fairly challenging already unless Sway-A-Way could give advice.
Mitch...looked at your Goose Gear website...very impressive! Do you think you could help me install this torsion bar? (for bucks of course)
Anybody else put one in? Hmmm....maybe Brian at Sway-A-Way would tell me who he's sold them to and I could contact one of them.
Thanks gents!
Mitch...thanks for the heads-up on starting with the lid vertical. I think I recall seeing that somewhere quite a while ago but I would have forgotten. My torsion bar is broken but I rigged up an alternative way of opening with ball joint quick release thingies and a long electrical conduit pole...still REALLY heavy to open...concerned the whole bar might break apart when open...so gotta replace torsion bar.
Mitch (or anyone else)...is the torsion bar still under tension even if it's broken? And "unloading" or getting the right torque at vertical when installing a new one? Sounds like that would require a special tool...torque wrench? (thanks for the input RoamingRobertson) Sounding fairly challenging already unless Sway-A-Way could give advice.
Mitch...looked at your Goose Gear website...very impressive! Do you think you could help me install this torsion bar? (for bucks of course)
Anybody else put one in? Hmmm....maybe Brian at Sway-A-Way would tell me who he's sold them to and I could contact one of them.
Thanks gents!
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If your bar is broken, it's not under load, so removing it could happen at any angle. HOWEVER, I would leave it installed, open the lid to vertical, secure it in place using rafters or something else, and then remove the broken bar and replace with the new one.
I don't see any other way of putting the lid in the proper location. If you remove the only hinge it has, and then try to open the lid to vertical, it's probably not going to go very well.
It's actually not up to me if our shop does the work. You can probably bet we wouldn't warranty any portion of it, nor be held responsible for any damage that occurs as a result of trying.
I don't see any other way of putting the lid in the proper location. If you remove the only hinge it has, and then try to open the lid to vertical, it's probably not going to go very well.
It's actually not up to me if our shop does the work. You can probably bet we wouldn't warranty any portion of it, nor be held responsible for any damage that occurs as a result of trying.