To replace torsion bars, or no?

[gordinho80]

My 1995 1500 has just over 200k miles. It was stock height all its life until last year when I added blocks to rear and cranked the bars. Last year I was running 32" tires with the crank with a plow. No issues with that setup at all! I've since upgraded to 35" tires. I've been running these for months without any clearance issues. However, now that winter is upon us, the plow will be making its way back onto the truck soon. I mounted it up and took a short test drive to see if the added weight caused any clearance issues for the 35's. There appears to be no issue, at least with my short trip.

My question here is this. Few months back, I found someone parting out a light duty 2500. I managed to pick up a few of his parts, including the torsion bars and keys. I don't know if there is any real difference between the 1500 bars and the 2500's, especially since it was a light duty 2500. I know it was light duty because it had the same # of leafs as my truck, otherwise I would have picked up his leafs too and ditched the blocks. So is it worth taking out the 1500 bars and installing the 2500's bars? Are they stiffer than the 1500s?

 

[98_k1500]

To my knowledge, the keys are the same, A set of aftermarket lift keys may help your situation if you are still experiencing a lot of squat. Most folks that put keys on these trucks are wasting their time, because the keys will crank to the droop stops stock, but in your situation if you are at full crank and need more height, a lift key may be the simplest answer. Im not sure if the bars are any different or not.

 

[SkyHighColorado]

The bars have different ratings so yes the 2500 bars will help. They will swap right over, I saw a thread earlier asking if the slight slop/play where the bar mounts up on either end is normal? The answer is yes.

 

[gordinho80]

The keys are not at full crank and the truck didn't drop much when I lifted the plow. I just want to stiffen the front a little more. I guess I need to get the PB blaster going and get the front end pulled into my garage to swap out the bars.

 

[98_k1500]

May want to look more into upgraded shocks too. They can really change how one rides.

 

[gordinho80]

Shocks are on the list too. The yellow monroes on there now aren't the best... thats for sure.

 

[Kyle97GMC]

I put 2500 torsion bars in mine. They don't help with lift but they did help the front end hold the weight of my front bumper and made the truck ride a million times better because it isn't nearly as bouncy

 

[454cid]

You need to figure out which bars you have ont he 1500, and which bars came from the 2500, and then look up the ratings. There is a list floating around.

 

[gordinho80]

How does one find out which bars they are?

 

[454cid]

How does one find out which bars they are?

RPO codes, or possibly the bars may still have stickers on them.