2500 or 3500 vs 1500

[454cid]

ok maybe im thinking of the 3500's then
i mean i want the truck to sit a little higher but a lift isnt up my alley, i dont know why its just not me. and id like to have that extra ability to have more wieght. hopefully someone who knows more about heavier duty trucks can chime in and help me out

My truck is a 1-ton......The problem is that I don't know the light duty stuff very well. Unless you know what to look for, my 1-ton doesn't look much different than a 1/2 ton. Lifts are expensive that's why I haven't suggested one. They won't increase the load handling, either. Grab some heavier rear springs from the salvage yard (maybe from a light duty 3/4), crank the torsion bars a hair, and get some 265/75R16's (or 285's). Gearing may become an issue depending on what you've already got.

 

[TylerZ281500]

i have 3.42's i think in the rear. right now theres 33's on the truck but they are going to be gone. what are benefits on cranking torsion keys and disadvantages. iim new to the whole 4wd stuff and im still learning

 

[454cid]

i have 3.42's i think in the rear. right now theres 33's on the truck but they are going to be gone. what are benefits on cranking torsion keys and disadvantages. iim new to the whole 4wd stuff and im still learning

Well a 33 is about the same size as a 285/75R16, so you've already got the biggest you can go without a lift.

Cranking the torsion bars will give you more height, but it means the cv-shafts will be at a greater angle, so they may wear faster or break. Also if the the t-bars are cranked all the way then the suspension won't have any travel down and you'll have a rough ride. The suspension needs to be able to travel down, not just up, in order to work well. That's why I say only crank it some........ you should also get an alignment after.

Hopefully, someone that's got more experience cranking t-bars will speak up. Mine are approximately stock.

 

[TylerZ281500]

thats all iknew about t-bars too. i like a little cushoin, so im weary of that option, a little is fine, but all the way is bad. i dont even think my truck has adujatable torsion keys. anyways the only reason i suggested 3500 components is because i know there is just a tad more clearance, and i want a small amount of lift but dont want a body or suspension lift because i dont have that much money and i think they sometimes look tacky and arent good for dd usage to me

 

[RHamill]

i have 3.42's i think in the rear. right now theres 33's on the truck but they are going to be gone. what are benefits on cranking torsion keys and disadvantages. iim new to the whole 4wd stuff and im still learning

Open your glove box, check the RPO sheet, GU6 is 3.42's, GT4 is 3.73's. Your truck is a 4x4, so the front and rear gears are the same.

The real benefits of torsion bars and why they are adjustable is for stiffening up the front suspension, people with snow plows especially crank them up because of the weight in the front. You can usually get about 2.5-3" out of them, but it is horrible for your ball Joints, Pitman/idler and CVs. Go about 1.5-2" if you are cranking.

I have had mine cranked 2" for about 8-9 months so far, and I replaced my pitman and idler arm (they needed to be changed anyways) - also I need an upper driver side ball joint. That is it, well next to the stabilizer link I had to replace, but that was from my buddies horrible dirt road.

285/75R16s are 32.8" tires, 305/70R16's are 33.9 or so. I haven't practiced my tire conversion in so long.

 

[RHamill]

thats all iknew about t-bars too. i like a little cushoin, so im weary of that option, a little is fine, but all the way is bad. i dont even think my truck has adujatable torsion keys. anyways the only reason i suggested 3500 components is because i know there is just a tad more clearance, and i want a small amount of lift but dont want a body or suspension lift because i dont have that much money and i think they sometimes look tacky and arent good for dd usage to me

All these trucks have adjustable torsion keys, I just so happened to snap a picture of mine earlier today, what a co-incidence.

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You get an 18mm socket, and crank evenly on each bolt, I did like 5-6 full turns or so and got 2"

I have a 3" Body lift and 2" block lift.

The body lift was $191.95 brand new shipped from zoneoffroad.

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All I need is bigger tires. Doesn't look tacky if you do it right.

 

[454cid]

thats all iknew about t-bars too. i like a little cushoin, so im weary of that option, a little is fine, but all the way is bad. i dont even think my truck has adujatable torsion keys............

They're all adjustable. Each key has an adjustment bolt that moves it.

 

[TylerZ281500]

ill get under there tomorrow and take a gander, ill have to find it first. and all in all i dont want the mud tires i have on it when i bought the truck. i need some good street tires or something smaller for that matter. i just replaced all tierods balljoints, and control arms buchings. had to take it to a shop so there went 800 bucks. im also doing pitman and idler arms on monday and then an alignment at school

 

[RHamill]

ill get under there tomorrow and take a gander, ill have to find it first. and all in all i dont want the mud tires i have on it when i bought the truck. i need some good street tires or something smaller for that matter. i just replaced all tierods balljoints, and control arms buchings. had to take it to a shop so there went 800 bucks. im also doing pitman and idler arms on monday and then an alignment at school

Find the 2 steel rods that run parallel with the frame, each bar has one end is in the lower control arm, and the other in the torsion keys, real easy to find.

 

[TylerZ281500]

okay, ill actually do it monday because im leaving early tomorrow morning for lansing. if that works out, i may just leave it like that and say screw the heavy duty suspension, althought its still nagging my curiosity as to whats different between them