Rough Country 3.5” Lift???

[Ranger2014]

So I am new to the forum and have already learned a ton. I just bought a new 2019 Chevy 2500HD Duramax Crew Cab Z71 LTZ. I would like to raise the front end to level it out but I am afraid of the ride that a leveling kit will leave me with. I also want to run stock wheels (20”) and tires. So my question is, what do you think about the RC lift, and will my truck look stupid raised that much (3.5”) with stock wheels and tires? Any advice will be appreciated!!!

[Waaazooo]

So I am new to the forum and have already learned a ton. I just bought a new 2019 Chevy 2500HD Duramax Crew Cab Z71 LTZ. I would like to raise the front end to level it out but I am afraid of the ride that a leveling kit will leave me with. I also want to run stock wheels (20”) and tires. So my question is, what do you think about the RC lift, and will my truck look stupid raised that much (3.5”) with stock wheels and tires? Any advice will be appreciated!!!

On stock wheels and tires? I think they will look undersized. Maybe 33’s on stock wheels? I had 34’s and it looked great.


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[Ranger2014]

13 hours ago, Waaazooo said:

On stock wheels and tires? I think they will look undersized. Maybe 33’s on stock wheels? I had 34’s and it looked great.


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See that’s my hold up. They don’t look undersized on the back end and all I’m really doing is gaining that same height on the front end. I just dont know what to do. 

[Waaazooo]

See that’s my hold up. They don’t look undersized on the back end and all I’m really doing is gaining that same height on the front end. I just dont know what to do. 

That be the case. I would just lift the front a few turn with your torsion bars.. you can just lower it if you don’t like it.


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[gearheadesw]

37 minutes ago, Waaazooo said:

That be the case. I would just lift the front a few turn with your torsion bars.. you can just lower it if you don’t like it.


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This.

[Big Whiskey]

14 hours ago, Waaazooo said:

That be the case. I would just lift the front a few turn with your torsion bars.. you can just lower it if you don’t like it.

I agree with this as well. If you're going to keep the stock size tires, then I would just crank the bars a little. Then, add some shock extensions and get the front end aligned...and be done. That's what I did, and I'm very pleased. 

[Ranger2014]

9 hours ago, Big Whiskey said:

I agree with this as well. If you're going to keep the stock size tires, then I would just crank the bars a little. Then, add some shock extensions and get the front end aligned...and be done. That's what I did, and I'm very pleased. 

I have heard nothing but terrible things about doing this. Ride quality and wearing out front end parts. My dad did this with his 2012 Duramax and he says it rides terrible. My stock tires are 31.5’s so when it comes time to replace tires I could always go with 33’s or 35’s. Was just hoping someone could chime in on if they have done this approach too. 

[Big Whiskey]

3 hours ago, Ranger2014 said:

I have heard nothing but terrible things about doing this. Ride quality and wearing out front end parts. My dad did this with his 2012 Duramax and he says it rides terrible. My stock tires are 31.5’s so when it comes time to replace tires I could always go with 33’s or 35’s. Was just hoping someone could chime in on if they have done this approach too. 

If you crank too much, then yes, it will ride terrible. When the shocks are maxed out, and the UCA's are too close to the bump stops, things go to crap in a hurry. However, if done in moderation (2" or less), it isn't bad at all. In addition, that 3.5" kit is basically a glorified leveling kit anyway. I wouldn't recommend going much over 2.5" with it if you want to maintain a decent ride. 

[Waaazooo]

I was happier with the hand spun level kit than with my 3.5”.

The. I wanted 35” tires.. then I did the 3.5” level. It drives well, the ride quality is good. The shocks are noisy


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[MotionMan]

Best bet is new keys, turn the torsion bars, add shock extenders.  I have not lost any ride quality and no parts are wearing out.  Just cranking the TBs is only going part way and the ride will suffer, the new keys keep the TB bolts in the same spot.  I went 2.5 and it sits just right, 285.65.20s fit perfectly. This is rear then front, I did nothing to the rear. Notice the trimmed front valence.

[Big Whiskey]

Oh man, I hope this doesn't turn into another leveling keys vs cranking factory keys thread......but leveling keys are a waste of time & money, unless you can't get enough lift out of the stock keys. Twisting the torsion bars to increase the ride height is still twisting the torsion bars, regardless of how much bolt/threads you have showing.  

[s2500mag]

I’m planning on doing tje Zone 3” lift. Comes with new keys and new UCAs. Spacers for your diff and I think 2” blocks for the rear vs 1.25” that RC offers, helping to keep some of that factory rake. 

[gearheadesw]

On 3/20/2019 at 10:24 PM, Big Whiskey said:

Oh man, I hope this doesn't turn into another leveling keys vs cranking factory keys thread......but leveling keys are a waste of time & money, unless you can't get enough lift out of the stock keys. Twisting the torsion bars to increase the ride height is still twisting the torsion bars, regardless of how much bolt/threads you have showing.  

This is so true.

Imagine if you will, a leaf spring laying on the garage floor. It's unloaded, just sitting there, now the torsion bar just sitting there, both unloaded.Install both, set the truck down on them, now they are loaded, the torsion bars by design, have to be " loaded " to install, by installing the torsion bar keys. It doesn't matter where you start twisting the torsion bar to gain height, you are making it stiffer to gain height, period. So if you have cranked your bars to raise the front, you have stiffed the ride up front, no matter what you feel in the seat of the pants. It's stiffer riding.

[Big Whiskey]

5 hours ago, gearheadesw said:

This is so true.

Imagine if you will, a leaf spring laying on the garage floor. It's unloaded, just sitting there, now the torsion bar just sitting there, both unloaded.Install both, set the truck down on them, now they are loaded, the torsion bars by design, have to be " loaded " to install, by installing the torsion bar keys. It doesn't matter where you start twisting the torsion bar to gain height, you are making it stiffer to gain height, period. So if you have cranked your bars to raise the front, you have stiffed the ride up front, no matter what you feel in the seat of the pants. It's stiffer riding.

Yep, exactly. You can keep a decent ride on a leveled truck, but it will always be more firm than stock. I think my truck rides pretty good, but when I drive my dad's completely stock truck, I'm reminded that mine isn't quite as comfortable as I thought. I think mine looks better though, haha.   

[rocnrol]

This is so true.
Imagine if you will, a leaf spring laying on the garage floor. It's unloaded, just sitting there, now the torsion bar just sitting there, both unloaded.Install both, set the truck down on them, now they are loaded, the torsion bars by design, have to be " loaded " to install, by installing the torsion bar keys. It doesn't matter where you start twisting the torsion bar to gain height, you are making it stiffer to gain height, period. So if you have cranked your bars to raise the front, you have stiffed the ride up front, no matter what you feel in the seat of the pants. It's stiffer riding.

You are not making the torsion bars "stiffer" to gain the height.

Turning the keys is exactly the same as adding a lift block to leaf springs, which don't get stiffer after the block install.

No additional preload is added by turning the keys.

I'll never understand why this concept is so hard for people to understand

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