Does a leveling kit replace the torsion bars now and raise me 2.5 inches for good or can i use a leveling kit and crank torsion bars for about 4 inches total instead. Also do you think a 5.5 inch block in the rear is to much or what do you recomend. Its a 2000 f150 flareside 4x4 off road pack with 3 inch body now with 35's but i want more height on my minimal budget.

 

leveling kits are for the 04+ f150s with coilovers up front.
97-03 (04 heritage) have torsions bars
you can crank your torsion bars for some lift (usually level). most get about inch, inch an a half but make sure to get an alignment immediately after if you do crank them
and DO NOT USE AFTERMARKET TORSION KEYS!!!!
they allow you to put WAY too much preload on your torsion bars an creates severe angles on your cv shafts an tierod ends which could lead to cv or tierod failure.

 

I agree. Stay away from the aftermarket torsion bar adjustment keys (aka leveling kits).

 

ok so they dont really make a leveling kit for it really just torsion bar keys. Thats good to no thank you.

 

If used correctly, reindexed torsion keys should give you the same amount of lift as cranking the torsion bars without stiffening the ride like cranked torsion bars would. Why is this a bad thing? I understand what everyone is saying about trying to squeeze 4 inches of lift out of them. But if someone wanted to raise the front end an inch and a half without effecting the ride, torsion keys seem like the way to go? Granted, i haven't touched my torsion bars so i have no idea how much it changes anything, but I would think the limiting factor with cranking the torsion bars or adding reindexed keys would be the shocks being too short or the upper control arms "topping out" on their stops if you use longer shocks. Add balljoint and CV angles to that and it seems like a real lift kit would be a much better option if you want your suspension to work at all.

 

Correct me if im wrong, but doesn't adding coil spacer on the front of an 04+ f150 put sevier angles on their drive shafts too. So whatz really the diff...

 

Sounds like RayD is quoting an add for the reindexed torsion bar adjustment keys. Increasing torsion bar preload is increasing torsion bar preload. It doesn't matter if you use the oem keys or aftermarket keys. I hate to say it, but the claims that the reindexed keys don't affect the ride like cranking up the torsion bars with the oem keys is a lie. When you increase the torsion bar preload, it is gonna make the initial portion of the suspension's travel slightly stiffer. The aftermarket keys just allow you to go way, way too far with the preload on the torsion bars.
And yes liftITupHIGH, it's basically the same thing as adding a leveling kit on the front of an 04-08. However, would you buy a leveling kit if you could do the same thing for free?

 

i see you are really against leveling kit for it but if i did buy it what parts would take wear to bad. Can i buy brackets for adjustment to make less wear. I only got another inch out of my torsion bars now and i really dont have 1500 to spend on a susp lift

 

Mainly the CV joints and ball joints. There is nothing you can do but replace them when they wear out.

 

Will there wear to fast for it to be worth it. How long you think

 

Yes they are going to wear alot faster than just cranking your stock torsion keys... However this is only true if you crank them to get the "ADVERTISED 2.5" if you crank them just enough to level then your truck then your ball joints and tie rod ends will last just as long as if you cranked you stock keys.

Now If you are gonna spend the money to get aftermarket keys that you only are gonna crank the same amount as the stockers why buy them? I hope you see what im gettin at.

Why buy something that your truck can do for free?

This might sound crazy but id rather stack 2 3" bodylifts then to use those aftermarket keys... i would do either but you see what im saying!

 

yea i follow i appreciate the help very much

 

Like I said, I've never used these torsion keys and really have no interest in them. It took me awhile to think through how they actually work, but I've got it now. I'm on board the Wandell bandwagon...say no to keys!!