Torsion Bar / Lift Key answer thread

[MikeNJ]

need some advice. the torsion keys are frozen on to my torsion bars from rust. truck is an 88 k1500. I sprayed it with some PB every day for about a week, unbolted the cross member, then torched it and the pasanger side came out after I beat it with a hammer, but no matter how much I try the driver side key is still stuck in. any advice? thanks

 

[TylerZ281500]

heat or keep doing what your doing

 

[93M6Formula]

Lord maybe if I show both my uncles this thread they will finally believe me that the way they lifted their trucks is wrong. Wouldn't listen to me the first 100 times... Can't fix stupid though.

Both of them cut out the droop stops and made a 4" lift out of keys.... And yes they ride like absolute dog and the CV axles are crying.

 

[brycebba]

I'm a bit confused, besides not wanting to fork out money for a lift, why do people crank at all knowing that it will make the ride bad and wear front end parts dramatically faster? My truck came with a lift and the guy cranked it too, I had it uncranked to level the CVs and it still rides hard. I can't imagine what a high cranked truck is like

 

[93M6Formula]

I'm a bit confused, besides not wanting to fork out money for a lift, why do people crank at all knowing that it will make the ride bad and wear front end parts dramatically faster? My truck came with a lift and the guy cranked it too, I had it uncranked to level the CVs and it still rides hard. I can't imagine what a high cranked truck is like

Simple, people are stupid. There's nothing wrong with cranking as long as it's with STOCK keys and within the STOCK limits. This means not cutting out the droop stops, adding lift keys, and cranking them to the sky. Also, when people crank, they sometimes forget that you also need shocks that travel farther, that's what creates a harsh ride as well as the upper a-arms resting on the droop stops. This is in addition to people being cheap and just being ignorant when it comes to this stuff.

My uncle for instance literally has a 4" lift using keys..... I have tried time and time again to tell him what he did is wrong but that doesn't help. I can explain and show him the facts about it but he always has some retarded answer to it. His CV shaft boots have EVERY rib touching and are at every bit of a 45 degree angle. His tie rods and ball joints are crying as well but do you think he listens? He's already had to replace one CV but had every excuse in the book why it broke, and it wasn't the lift....

Sorry for the rant, I just can't handle the stupidity.

 

[TylerZ281500]

i had one of those stupid moments for about 2 months, couldnt talk my buddy out of keys so 6" lift out of keys it was. it had no travel.

 

[cody.drury]

OK y'all so glad I found this I've been looking this info up all day and this trend has the best info by far but I do still have a few questions I'm going to the yard Tuesday and I'm wanting to get some bars for my truck mine are shot I put some 33s on it and they rubbed a lil on the valence and if u hit a pothole they were too close for comfort to the bumper itself so I went to turn them up just enough to clear everything safely and my keys maxed out before it even gained a inch and it still has plenty of bounce in the front so I know their shot but before I get butchered I'm not looking for a lift just leveling OK my questions I've seen the 2500 bars fit is that a direct fit? Next I think someone else asked but I never saw a answer my trucks a scswb will I have to get bars out of the same or will any of them fit? And lastly dose anyone happen to know all the sizes of everything since I'm getting them from a yard I want to make shut I take everything I need in with me o do already have the modified c clamp for the keys also if anyone has any helpful tips or tricks to getting them out easier on the yard that would be great I'll probably just get the keys and all thanks for any input

Sent from my XT830C using Tapatalk

 

[TylerZ281500]

suv bars are somewhat shorter, trucks bars are same size length but they have different torsoin ratings, meaning stiffer rides and such. any tips well if your in the rust belt a big hammer

 

[GMC Burbalade]

Also, when people crank, they sometimes forget that you also need shocks that travel farther, that's what creates a harsh ride

Harsh ride is created by the lack of downtravel in the suspension. You have a lack of downtravel because crank raises the ride, lowering the wheel in relation to the truck, but the suspension's lower limit remains unchanged. If you don't cut the stops out, swap to aftermarket arms, or flip the ball joints then your lower limit is the same as stock so stock length shocks will work fine.

 

[cool_as_crap]

Question about torsion bars:
I have a 1992 Light Duty k2500 (6 lug) 4x4.

Does my truck have half ton or 3/4 ton torsion bars?
Is there something to check or measure to determine?