Harvan Manufacturing is a family owned and operated company that has served industry with high-quality components for over 25 years. We offer a broad range of manufacturing services, including custom precision machining, welding and fabrication, and laser and waterjet cutting, to customers in the agriculture, forestry, military and defense, off-road vehicle and heavy trucking, and valve and control industries. Our expert team—including certified machinists and welders, experienced engineers and technologists, and administrators—leverage their combined knowledge and skills to meet all of the product and production needs of our customers, including for custom machined torsion bars.

What Are Torsion Bars?

A torsion bar is a type of torsion spring—i.e., a flexible spring designed to resist the torque generated when it is twisted. They are generally employed for load-bearing applications that require a flexible component rather than a rigid component that could potentially fail and cause damage, such as in the suspension of vehicles, production machinery, and other precision mechanisms.

When employing a torsion bar in their mechanical system, industry professionals fix one end of the component to another stationary component (e.g., a frame). This configuration prevents the torsion bar from moving completely, allowing it to build up torque as it is twisted along its axis. Once the force is halted and removed, the torsion bar quickly returns to its starting position.

Torsion Bars vs. Coil Springs vs. Leaf Springs

In the automotive industry, industry professionals employ a variety of different springs. In addition to torsion bars (torsion springs), some of the most commonly used include coil springs and leaf springs. Torsion bars different from coil springs and leaf springs in that they do not flatten out (leaf spring) or compress (coil spring). Instead, they twist along their length—causing tension—when force is applied. Once the force is removed, they untwist and return to their original shape.

Compared to coil springs and leaf springs, torsion bars offer unique advantages. For example:

  • They are highly adjustable, enabling the ride height of a vehicle to be changed. This capacity allows the spring to be adjusted as it wears to maintain the proper ride height and the owner of the car or truck to fit the vehicle to their preferred ride height.
  • They have a small footprint, making them ideal for applications where space is limited.

Applications

One of the most well-known applications of torsion bars is in vehicle suspensions where they absorb shock to provide a smooth, comfortable ride. Many vehicles use them as the primary weight-bearing spring, connecting the body of the vehicle with the wheel axle.

We specialize in heavy-duty torsion bars and stabilizer bars for the defense industry. These items have to go through rigorous testing and be capable or supporting the great weight of armored vehicles.

Custom Machined Torsion Bars From Harvan Manufacturing

Industry professionals typically make torsion bars from forged and heat-treated specialty alloys. They employ a variety of manufacturing techniques to produce components that offer the proper flexibility when torque is applied.

At Harvan Manufacturing, we employ state-of-the-art computer numerical control (CNC) equipment and precision machining processes to produce high-quality torsion bars for our customers. We also have contacts in the industry who specialize in forging, heat treating, peening and testing torsion bars. Our machining capabilities include:

  • 2-, 4-, 5-, and 9-axis turning
  • Centerless, cylindrical, and surface grinding
  • Hobbing
  • Multi-axis horizontal and vertical milling
  • Secondary services, such as broaching, burnishing, and lapping

With these capabilities, we accommodate a broad selection of materials—including common and exotic metals, precious metals, and food-grade plastics—to meet the needs of our customers.

For additional information about our manufacturing capabilities, contact us today. For custom-machined torsion bars or other components, request a quote from our experts.

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