Raising the front of a truck

jkucla · January 30, 2002

I have heard that there are ways to raise the front of a GMC sierra z71 so that the front is even with the back since the front slants down.anyone know anything about this? please respond.

chevy4x4trucks · January 30, 2002

You can raise the front end easily by giving the torsion bar bolts a few turns. You can gain about 1 to 1-1/2" by doing this. Your ride will become a bit stiffer, but most everyone has done it to there trucks.

Kansas Kid · January 30, 2002

Yep, it can be done. Put some weight in the bed of that truck and that will even things out. Works real slick, and doesn't require crawling under the truck or going to get an alignment afterwards. Heck, it doesn't even make the truck ride rougher, smooths things out actual.

(I'm sorry, but raising the front of a truck just to make it look level is something I have never understood, and never will. I like my trucks to sit level when I load them up, not have their butt dragging the ground)

Stepside Z · January 30, 2002

You can do this buy turning the the adjustment bolts on the torsion bars. They are located on the cross member about halfway back on the truck. I did the same thing to mine. To do this find a level surface to park your truck on. Measure from the ground to the bottom of the frame on both sides. If you have a floor jack then lift the front just a bit to take some of the pressure off the front suspension. If you don't have one you can still make the adjustment. The bolts will just turn a bit harder. Take an even number of turns to start out with then adjust each side to level the truck. It is really easy to do. I turned one side 5 turns and the other 5 and a half. You will need to get the allignment checked after you do this. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

LarryE · January 30, 2002

you could just lower the rear to make it lever.. would be a #### of alot easier, and ride better

Victory Red · January 30, 2002

you could just lower the rear to make it lever.. would be a #### of alot easier, and ride better

Please explain how to lower the rear of the truck and why it's easier than raising the front.

LarryE · January 30, 2002

shackles they just bolt right on.. you don't have to mess with cranking the torsions which will create the "horse n buggy" effect

TxDoc · January 30, 2002

You can make the front sit level (when unloaded) with a http://www.hill4wheeldrive.com/ 2.5" lift that looks like this:

before-- http://hill4wheeldrive.com/parts/Hill_4WD/side_before.jpg

after--

http://hill4wheeldrive.com/parts/Hill_4WD/side_after.jpg

What do I get with this kit and how does it work?

The leveling kit contains a new pair of torsion bar adjusting cams and installation instructions. The new cams are cast with the receiving socket at a different index than the factory cams, allowing a taller front end adjustment with the factory adjusting bolt setting.

What do I need for installation, and how long does it take?

Installation requires a floor jack, vehicle stands, a medium sized two-jaw gear puller, and a basic metric 1/2" drive socket set. Installation takes approximately 1-2 hours.

Does this kit require wheel alignment after installation?

Yes, front end alignment should ALWAYS be checked after installing ANY vehicle suspension lift. This kit typically requires a slight toe-in adjustment.

Why can't I just crank up my torsion bars and achieve the same thing?

Cranking in the torsion bar adjusting bolt with the factory indexing cams will cause the top of the cam lever to "bottom out" against the inside of the crossmember channel and grind against it at approximately 1" increase in lift. Although this might get you 1" of lift, it will not allow for any clearance, fine tuning or side to side ride height adjustment. If the adjusting bolt is forced beyond the factory cam's range, it will wipe the threads from the bolt or crack the thread block and cause the torsion bar to release violently.

Will this make make the truck ride differently?

This kit will level the vehicle without a substantial difference in ride quality. Most customers adjust the front to 2" higher than stock, and are satisfied with the ride quality. Common sense might tell you that you are not going to lift the front end of a new 4x4 Chevy 3" or higher for $150 and one hour's worth of work without some sacrifice in ride quality. If you want to go 3" or taller, and you want the truck to ride exactly the same as stock, then this kit is clearly not the answer. If you want to bring up the front 2"-2.5" and don't mind a slightly stiffer ride, (ride quality is inversly proportional to height ABOVE a 2" adjustment), then this is easily the most cost effective way to do it.

Please keep in mind that any suspension lift will slightly amend ride quality (they always have), and if you are completely unwilling to compromise, then maybe you should consider not modifying your truck at all.

Will this kit add 2 or 3 inches to the suspension lift I already have?

No, different lift manufacturers relocate the factory suspension droop stops and change the relative geometry between the front differential and the upper and lower control arm assemblies. Because of the variety in lift design and the changes they present, different kits will display different results when fitted with the leveling kit. ON AVERAGE the leveling kit will add 1" to 1.5" to an existing suspension lift.

Will this kit cause front end problems or prematurely wear out suspension and steering components?

No, this kit actually places less of a load on steering components than conventional 4" or 6" lift kits which use ladder style replacement steering drag links. Full bracket drop kits integrate the steering drop with an offset drag link, (with or without a 3rd idler link); this places a 4"-6" cantilever against the idler arm, pitman arm, and the steering box lower bearing. The leveling kit does not change the drag link or subject the steering components to any of these conditions, commonly associated with premature idler arm failure in IFS lift systems.

The leveling kit works within the range of the FACTORY droop, or downward suspension cycle. It does NOT bind the CV axles or ball joints, just as none of these conditions occur with the truck supported on a hoist and the front wheels hanging freely in the air. A word about IFS lifts: Contrary to popular belief, it is typically the aftermarket wheel and tire combination, and NOT the suspension lift that causes premature failure in IFS components. Wide oversized tires on 10" or 12" wide rims commonly seen with 6" to 8" lifts will cantilever the ball joints and wheel bearings into premature failure --- blaming a properly installed suspension lift for these problems is a common misconception. With that in mind, the leveling kit does not allow clearance for 10" or 12" wide aftermarket rims or drastically oversized tires and this is not a concern.

If you load the truck down and want it to level out in the rear, after loading, you can use some http://www.ride-rite.com/Ride-Rite.htm air bags. Several companies make them. You can have the valve for adding air on the bumper, hidden under the gas cap cover, or have an on-board air compressor and do it from the cab. I believe they go from 1000-2500 pound ratings.

Just a thought if you want to sit level at all times.