ok so i bought a 1999 toyota hiace yesterday, and got some lowering blocks for the back today. lowered the back 2.5", and now im upto the part of loosening the torsion bars to bring the front down level with the back, but its impossible?

ive been swinging off a spanner with all my strength to undo the lock nut and it wont budge. i was even flexing the bolt because i was trying that hard.

i covered the bolt and nuts in penetrene and left them for about 30 mins and still no luck. thing is, the nuts and bolts arent even dirty, and I dunno what the deal is.

anyone got some good methods for loosening them or lowering the front end a different way?

i lowered my old 1993 mitsubishi express, and sure, the torsion bolts were really really tight, but they still came undone, and that was a 1993 model car, not a 99 model car.

so yeah.. any help would be appreciated thanks :)

Not really sure why you'd want to lower your Hiace, but in any case, most bolts on Toyotas are tightened with around 50 zillion foot lb of torque at the factory. Why they do them so tight I don't know.
Sometimes you need to use a bar on the end of a 3/4" drive socket, and a piece of water pipe over the bar for extra leverage.
Heat can work wonders too - if you have an oxy set or even just a propane burner - it can be enough to break the lock.

Penetrating oil won't do much - they won't be seized or rusted - just ultra tight. Make sure that the bolt you are trying to undo is in fact the correct one and will indeed come undone. Have seen people almost wreck things trying to undo bolts that aren't supposed to move.

I've also read elsewhere that you should reduce the load on the torsion bar by raising the van so the wheel is off the groung before trying to get the torsion bolts to move.

PBS

What size u bolts did you use?

How did you get on with this? the weight in the back of my camper makes the back end really low and I need to lower the front to level it out.... hoping to adjust the torsion bars to get the job done..... if that doesn't work I'll have to look at lifting the back.....