Whats the real deal with "leveling keys"????

[LOH CHO]

So will "leveling keys" really do something to my truck? Or will they just make it ride like a bag of poo? I have a set of leveling keys, cause I was going to go to a spring shop and put an extra leaf in the rear to level it out. But im now unsure about this whole idea. Im sorry if there is already a thread for this probably 1000x asked question! Ive read alot but Ive also seen many many different answers, Superlift and Skyjacker have a kit with just upper control arms and a couple of drop brackets. Is this a better route for my couple extra inches?

Cheers from the North.

 

[Horns]

The Stock Keys on a GMT400 are more then good enough to kill every part in your front suspension if they're cranked all the way. Leveling keys are a waste of money for our trucks.

 

[chevyman0191]

Leveling keys arent worth a rats hind end to be honest, not on these trucks as ive had them before my lift. It rode like crap and had steep angles and never could get the aliment right. If you going to crank anything crank your stock keys to level is the best thing to do, dont waste money on leveling keys. I learned the hard way.

 

[Sparg93]

The Stock Keys on a GMT400 are more then good enough to kill every part in your front suspension if they're cranked all the way. Leveling keys are a waste of money for our trucks.

Bingo! If you're cranking your keys PAST where they max out, you're either going to destroy a bunch of expensive parts in your front end, and/or your torsion bars are worn out.

There's a good chance we can offer you solid advice on this one...what are you looking to accomplish with your truck? How high do you want to go? Tire/Wheel Size? What are the primary duties of this rig? Which truck is it?

 

[LOH CHO]

ya well im going to be running 285s so a level would be nice (a real level) but i think i may just have to go with a 4inch lift

 

[Sparg93]

Here is what a truck looks like with 4.5" of lift on 285's

I have a RCX 6" lift, which I believe gave me about 5.5" of lift...i then decranked my tbars to lower the truck...so I'm about 4.5" up over stock

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[DonYukon]

Here is what a truck looks like with 4.5" of lift on 285's

I have a RCX 6" lift, which I believe gave me about 5.5" of lift...i then decranked my tbars to lower the truck...so I'm about 4.5" up over stock

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i get a boner everytime i see your truck sparg but as stated above "keys" i think makes a person feel better about cranking keys waste of money
i also have a 6.5 inch kit mine is superlift im completly decranked sitting at 5 inches even IMO spend the money on a real lift you WONT regret it

 

[Swims350]

if all you want is 285's crank the front up and level it out, put in an add a leaf or something if you want and be done.

I run the same setup. I have air shocks out back, cranked my front end up with stock keys and run 285's. No rubbing and I'm not on the droop stops.

If you crank it's going to make the ride stiffer, some like it, some don't. Stock keys or aftermarket it doesn't matter.

As others said stock will crank you to your droop stops, if not then the bars are bad and keys won't help worn bars. If you do go that far front end is gonna wear fast and be rough.

keys may let you go further but you are already on the droop stops and can't really go further up at this point, unless you cut the stops off (bad idea IMO) of get one of those kits.

IIRC skyjacker and rough country are the ones with the 2-3 inch kits you mentioned. Thoese are the exact same, just keys, diff. drop to help the cv's last longer, and control arms to make the upper ball joints last longer, but NOTHING for tie rods and lower ball joints, so they are going to wear as fast and maxing out the stock keys to the droop stops. Those ppers are made different so they allow you to crank the keys further where the stock arms would hit the droop stop.

IMO crank it up as is, run the 285's or get a body lift, they have 2 and 3 inch kits, and if not then get yourself the 4-6 kit and decrank for 4 and later you could crank up to 6 and run some 35's

 

[LOH CHO]

well thats good 285s wont rub as is i think thats the way ill go is just turn them up a few cranks and put a leaf in the rear. Then later down the road go with a 4inch from roughcountry. Thanks for all the help guys much appriciated! Now i need to try and sell these keys i wasted money on lol

 

[94Sierra4x4]

I'm running 285/75/16 Nokian Vatiiva A/T's. No crank, no BL, no nothhin. I have a slight rake to the front. (I also have airbags in the rear sitting at a constant 20lbs psi) if deflated completely, I sit fairly level. (Not true level, could use a slight crank, but I'm not up for cranking even the slightest)

TBH If you are looking for just a bit of height, and to run 285s or 33s, I'd go with a full 6" RCX, decrank as much as possible, put the rear to same height, and call 'er good.
You could probably still run 35s decranked with a 6" lift. Someone should have better info than I do on this. But this is what I would do, personally.