I know I'm way late, I got distracted changing the bars and other parts and totally forgot all about this untill I got searching through old posts, my bad, I'll just update incase anybody comes across this. Yes in the middle is where I took those measurements, I have never measured 1500 bars so I'm not sure what they measure at. My old GL (they were GL) bars and these new XG's measure the same in the middle, but let me tell you they are a h#ll of alot stiffer! I changed my LCA's at the same time as it was easier then pounding the bars out and I needed bushings anyway, so I went from the stamped LCA's to the forged.
I couldn't in anyway get the new bars in and cranked enough to get my keys in... Well I did with double torsion bar loading tools as I broke the tool using just one... And cranked as low as they would go I was sitting on the downstops and lifting the plow wouldn't even budge the suspension... I tried taking it around the block and there was no give at all... Thought I broke something the first pot hole I hit. So I took it home and thought about getting drop keys, to hopefully get less tension. I weighed all my options untill the last minute when I needed it for plowing, as I crawled under to put the keys back in just to get through the storm I realised if I flip the factory keys and put them in upside down they are basically "drop" keys, it was enough to actually get me about 1/2" off the downstops with no adjusting bolts in. So I put the bolt in and snugged it against the keys so the block the keys rest on couldn't fall out, it only drops 1/2"- 1" when I raise the plow (no more clapped out fender eating tire rub!) But now it rides very stiff, it is bearable because I'm use to rough rides, but if this was strictly a tow rig/ cruiser I would say it's too stiff.
