want to level out my 2500HD

[1badrock]

I have an 01 2500HD and i want to raise the front to make the truck sit more level. I know you can tighten the torsion bars but i dont want to make the ride to much stiffer. I heard you can buy long shocks. Is that the best way or is there other ways too.

Thanks in advance

 

Dick

[2001rotax800]

I have an 01 2500HD and i want to raise the front to make the truck sit more level.  I know you can tighten the torsion bars but i dont want to make the ride to much stiffer.  I heard you can buy long shocks.  Is that the best way or is there other ways too.

Thanks in advance

 

Dick

 

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Do a serch on green keys, these will level it out with out any ill effects on the ride quality

[soccermom]

I have an 01 2500HD and i want to raise the front to make the truck sit more level.  I know you can tighten the torsion bars but i dont want to make the ride to much stiffer.  I heard you can buy long shocks.  Is that the best way or is there other ways too.

Thanks in advance

 

Dick

 

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My truck has the stock keys, cranked bars and Bilstein shocks (f/r) from the OffRoad Unlimited leveling kit ($300/set of 4). Ride is better than stock (height/shocks) and the truck sits nearly level. No alignment was done and the 265/75 Revos with 30k miles are evenly worn.

 

IMO the ride quality issues related to cranking t-bars is shock related. OEM shocks seem to be position sensitive and cranking the bars moves them out of their sweet spot, making them ride even worse than normal.

[GetMore]

Cranking the torsion bars does not effect the torsion bars. Same as changing the keys. It is kind of like turning a clock. The hands (a-arms) are pointing in a different direction, but it is still the same time, and the spring rate has not changed.

Soccermom has probably got it right, it's probably an issue with the shock damping.

Using longer shocks probably won't do anything for you, and they will not raise the front on their own, unless they are so tall that they are bottomed. ;)

[timh975]

I have an 01 2500HD and i want to raise the front to make the truck sit more level.  I know you can tighten the torsion bars but i dont want to make the ride to much stiffer.  I heard you can buy long shocks.  Is that the best way or is there other ways too.

Thanks in advance

 

Dick

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Check this website:

www.cognitomotorsports.com

[brooks78]

I have an 01 2500HD and i want to raise the front to make the truck sit more level. I know you can tighten the torsion bars but i dont want to make the ride to much stiffer. I heard you can buy long shocks. Is that the best way or is there other ways too.

Thanks in advance

 

Dick

yeap, you can put on a set of shock extension to improve your ride comfort. You can buy them for about 35 dollars at Cognito. They are part # LSMBK8. I don't know how much you want to lift your truck. But if you are going to crank them you need to make sure you do plenty of research first. That way you can find out if the pros out weight the cons for you. Leveling with the torsion bars will affect your ride to a certain point. But 1500 HD and 2500HD both have heavy stiff torsion bars and they don't exactly ride like a cadillac new that's just the nature of a heavy duty trucks. Also, If you want your truck to set level you need to get the Green Keys from a GM dealer they are Part # 15592573 They will cost you on average around 50 to 60 dollars unless you got a buddy in the parts room. Then you can get them much cheaper. You could also check GMdirect I thick they will be a little cheaper for you than a dealer. Hope this helps I just went through the same thing resently trying to decide if I wanted to raise my 2006 1500HD in the front or not. The 1500HD and the 2500HD use the same GM key for leveling(GREEN). I decided to go ahead and do it and I'm glad I did so far it looks great and my angles are good.

Make sure you don't get your CV in a bind. No less than two inches clearance from the lower A arm stop and you should be good.

[mrlacy2]

I went with the upper control arms and shock ext. from Cognito Motorsport,and turned up my factory t-bar keys. I love it, It's not the cheapest way to level your truck but IMO it's the best! The ride is better than stock and looks great.

[Storm Grey]

I wanted to ask you a few questions about leveling out my 04 2500hd CC 4X4 Duramax. I plan on geting the Green Keys and leveling it that way in hopes to keep my ride as smooth as possible. I have read that you need to replace your shocks when you do this. If I buy the shock extension can I just use the same shocks, do these keep the stock shocks from topping out? The truck just turned 30,000mi so the shocks are still in good shape. Also I looked on Cognito's website and could not find a place to order just the shock extensions, how or where do I get those?

The gm tool to remove the keys or clamp the torsion bar just looks like a C-clamp from what I have seen in pictures, can you just use a C-Clamp? What all tools are required when replacing the keys?

GM Fan referanced to possibly buy the green keys from gm direct. Is there website www.gmpartsdirect.com, or is that another website?

Thanks in advance.

[diehrd]

People you do not HAVE to replace the keys...The stock key will in almost every case have the room to crank the truck to level..When people switch to the other keys there usually looking for more then level , there adding blocks or rear spacers and pushing the tbar crank as far as they can go...

 

There is a point of bad return on a crank and that occurs when you crank far enough to force the UCA onto the upper travel stop ,, at that point nothing can help ride . ..

[HDdave]

I got 2" of lift by cranking them on my 01. They do ride stiffer than hell now, but im 17, so I can handle it. I plan on fixing it this summer with a set of bilstein +2" shocks for the front and stock legnth for the rear.

[Paulie G]

I got 2" of lift by cranking them on my 01. They do ride stiffer than hell now, but im 17, so I can handle it. I plan on fixing it this summer with a set of bilstein +2" shocks for the front and stock legnth for the rear.

 

 

That is the route I'm going to take as well. I cranked my stock keys all the way and got 2" which put me level (no need for green keys). I turned them back down because I'm due for new tires so I'll do it all at once and have it aligned one time. Time for new shocks as well (60k). Not sure if I will put the +2" shock on or go with the shock bracket relocate. (The next person to own the truck wouldn't know that it is not a stock length shock.)

 

My only concern is if there will be enough wheel adjustment left for a proper alignment. If someone has more knowledge on this I would appreciate it

[hilltophunter]

I leveled my 04 HD with just cranking the TB and it seemed to smooth out my ride a little bit. I wish I knew why.

[damoperator]

I cranked my bars up two rounds and lowered the air pressure to sixty and it still rides like a truck but not wagon.