Keys or Torsion bar crank?

City_Slicker · January 17, 2003

I went to local off road shop to purchase keys and they said that I was better off just cranking the bars up. Said if I added keys I would have a much rougher ride. Does anyone have any instruction for cranking the bars? Does he know what he is talking about. I have a little nose down and want to crank it as far as I can without affecting ride too much.

kshuart · January 17, 2003

If you crank them up, you will affect the ride. That's just the nature of it. As long as you still have threads available on the adjusting bolts, the keys won't really do you any good. To make the truck sit at a certain level, the torsion bars have to have so much twist to them. Tighten them up more, you get more lift. Even if you put the keys in, the bars still would require that same amount of twist. The keys just change the angle at which it puts the twist on them.

Try the bolts first. If you still don't like it, look into the keys some more. The bolt thing is free, keys are not.

Crawl under the truck somewhere about center of the door. You should see the bars coming back. There are 2 bolts in the middle of a crossmember (mine were 18mm). Tighten them up the same (or so the truck is even on both sides). I think I had to tighten the right side more than the left to make them even, but only by a turn or two.

elboberino · January 17, 2003

Either way you do it, you're alignment will be off a little bit, more so for the keys than the torsion adjustment. If you do the keys, it is highly recommended that you get an alignment asap as to not mess up your tires.

And KSHUART is right, no matter what you do, your ride will change. Adding the keys will make it stiffer and tightening the bolts will also make it stiffer. Stiffer equals rougher, but hey, that's why own trucks and not cars!

Bob