I have a 2001 durango sport and I am wanting to lift it and get some bigger tires. I was told to crank the tortion bars up front but not to use shackles because the back will sway back and forth. I was told to use blocks instead. Also I was told to use spacers in front springs instead of tortion crank. All I want to do is get some 33" tires under there on my factory rims for now. I'm new to the durango as before I was a wrangler man. What is the best way to go and the cheapest to get me up in the air again?

 

if you have a 4x4 you dont have coil springs in the front cranking the t-bars is the best option (the alternative is a body lift), and everyone on this forum who has lifted their trucks has gone with shackles, they are usually sold as drop shackles for a cheby, but they lift a dodge (it has to do with how the leaf springs are bolted to the frame).

if you want the best information you want to talk to member by the name duranged408 for information on lifts.

 

Blocks lower the vehicle.

 

Actually it all depends how you install the blocks. If you install them below the leaf spring it will raise the truck. Install them on top of leaf spring lowers it.

 

And if you drive around backwards you will always see where you have been.

TRADITIONALLY on the Durango, since this is a Durango forum section, blocks are used on our vehicles to lower the truck.

 

I wouldn't recomend just jacking up your torsion bars. if you just jack them up the ride will be alot rougher, unless you do it right and get torsion keys. If you do it right i would get 3 inch torsion keys and 3 inch blocks for the rear. This is most likely the cheapest way to lift your vehicle. Also, if you just jack up your torsion bars alot of times it will throw off your whole front end.

 

You can only install a set of blocks between the leaf springs and the axle housing. So since the leaf springs are mounted under the axle housing, installing blocks will only lower the vehicle.

Your leaf springs would have to be mounted on top of your axle if you want to use blocks to raise it up. Though mounting the springs on top already gives you 5 1/2" of lift in the rear.

You can see the springs mounted on top HERE on my D for my lift.

Use the shackles as they are heavy duty and will not sway as you have been told.

The torsion keys have always been a controversial issue. Jacking up your torsion bars by turning them works just as well and the ride will not be that much rougher. 4x4's ride rough anyway and this is always due to the lifts and the tires we put on there.

Also to get 3" higher, you can always install a body lift. A body lift never affects the ride of the vehicle as it only lifts the body off the frame and has nothing to do with the suspension.

I ran a 3" body lift and cranked on my torsion bars only enough to get the front end to sit about an 1" higher as I like that look. I ran 33" tires for a few years with no issues.

Then I finally did a 5 1/2" suspension lift and now run 35" tires with no issues. So overall I have 8 1/2" of lift.

 

THe highlighted area, IS not the way to do it. Getting aftermarket indexed keys is like a TB spacer. USELESS FOR THE SAME EFFECT STOCK DOES
AND YOU DONT ADD A BLOCK TO THE REAR AXLE AS DURANGO'S RUN SPRING UNDER AXLE NOT SOA SO YOU WILL ESSENTIALLY LOWER THE VEHICLE.
If you move the axle under the leafs you will lift higher than the front torsion can adjust.

 

x2
new keys are just expensive paper weights

dont we have a thread topic that explains all this multiple times?

 

yup we do search, but just for the sake of agreeing

+3 torsion keys are a waste of money just crank the t-bars, they both make the ride rougher but most people who will lift dont gaf