I replaced both front control arms and ball joints, steering inners and outers, bearings, all 4 brakes, all 4 shocks (Monroe OE Spectrum) dual chamber nitrogen filled....

...but the damn thing is still bouncy as hell, especially at speeds over 50 MPH.

Can anyone explain this, or have a solution?

 

Did you tighten the controls arms and shocks to spec with the suspension loaded? Sometimes if you don't it can cause the bushings in the arm or shocks to bind which might cause a bouncy feeling.

What's the part numbers on the Monroe shocks? Have you tried pressing down on each corner of the car to see if it bounces?

 

The vehicle was on the ground, and the torques were correct.

It has been suggested that I turn the torsion bar adjustment two turns to the right.

Would this matter?

What other possibilities?

 

Have you ever messed with the torsion bar? Might be cranked too high.

 

I have not adjusted the torsion bars yet. My mechanic suggested tightening two full turns to the right.

I just replaced the shocks because it was too stiff. I found that it had super heavy duty shocks, and thought the Monroe OE Spectrums would smooth it out. It's possible that the torsion bars were adjusted to match the older stiffer shocks.

Is there a chart on how to adjust them, or it it just trial and error.

My mechanic thinks I should tighten....you think I should loosen...

I'll flip a coin.

It has also been suggested that this is just the way this car rides.....any truth to that?

 

Shocks to not provide any stiffness or softness to the ride. That is the job of springs or torsion bars (depending on the suspension design). The shocks job is to stop oscillation of the suspension. When you say your truck is "bouncy as hell" does it mean suspension is very stiff and you feel every bump in the road or is it bouncing up and down all the time (like a bungee cord)? If it's stiff - loosen up the tension on the torsion bars. Some people like to torque them up in order to raise the vehicle an inch or two. I wonder if that's what was done to your truck by previous owner.

 

It's both stiff, and bouncy. But the bounciness is the problem I need to address.

...and I would swear that it is bouncy side to side more than up and down....and this is at 20-30 mph on medium rough dirt roads with some washpan...

I also just had the opportunity to drive it on a brand new, super smooth freeway, at speeds up to 100 mph....it was bouncing all over the place....again, up/down, and left/right.

Something is definitely wrong....

How do I adjust the torsion bar to "normal"?

I may have multiple issues, I need to eliminate them one at a time...

 

It will probably be best to take it to the shop you've been working with and have them check the torsion bars and dial down the tension on them. Since the truck is both stiff and bouncy as you described, one other possibility is the tire pressure. Check what you are running at. It may be too high and that will make it jumpy and very bouncy.
Looking at the shocks you've installed. Do you have an ability to adjust the rebound on them? If they are adjustable, then you need to play with the settings until you find right settings.

 

What kinda of tires and how old? Possible they are out of round or have a bubble?

 

The shocks are new. Monroe oeSpectrum. The tires are new. Michelin LTX m+s. Both control arms, steering linkage, bearings, brakes, were all replaced at the same time the tires, and shocks were replaced. All within the last month.

To be clear, the bouncing is translated to a back and forth, or side to side oscillation.

I have now had it to three suspension guys. All say it is perfect...but all notice the bounce.

The drive shaft, and transmission are fine too. It's a RWD only.

If I get over 80 mph, I feel like a super ball bouncing down the road....and there is a lot of sideways (left/right) motion in the bouncing....

Weird...