Ok, I've been looking at several different leveling kits (torsion key type) and have just one question. No, I'm not going to ask which is better.

One thing I cant get is the difference between installing the keys and just cranking the bars. The bottom line is you are putting more twist into a metal bar to creat more tension.

How is do you get a stiffer ride with cranking the bars and not a stiffer ride by installing the torsion keys?

What am I missing here? thanks

 

Ok, I'm no expert on this, so don't quote me as one.

As I see it, if you change the key, you're leaving the torsion bar alone.

Now follow me closely - If you drew a horizontal line through your stock key and torsion bar, and then measured the distance from the line to the top of the key you come up with 1.5". I don't know what the actual measurement is, but this is just for reference anyway.

Now, let's say you have new leveling keys. Draw the same line through the key & torsion bar, measure from the line to the tip of the key, and this time you should have a measurement of 1.5" plus the amount of lift that you ordered. For example if your leveling keys are supposed to raise your truck 2", you should get a measurement of 3.5".

In my example above, the torsion amount on the bar hasn't changed one bit - the difference in height is obtained from the key itself.

Now, onto your other question about ride stiffness.
The ride stiffness comes from cranking up the tension on your torsion bars - If you tighten the bolt down all the way down on stock keys trying to level your truck, what you have done is loaded the torsion bar to full tension, therefore reducing it's capacity to twist under normal driving conditions, lessening your ride comfort.

It would be like putting too long of a shock on a vehicle - you would have to depress it so much to make it fit that you eliminated most of it's travel. When you hit a bump, what normally would have been a small bump now becomes a major obstacle because the shock is already compressed so much, there's not enough travel left to cushion the impact of whatever you ran over.

Coincidentally, your truck is a twin to mine - exact same paint scheme.

 

im still missing something it seems like cranking the tbars and keys are the same ... would be nice if some of the pro's would chime in

 

It's not the same - cranking the torsion bar raises the truck but also decreases ride quality.

If bigger/taller keys are installed on a stock torsion bar setting, the front of the truck will sit higher, but ride quality is still the same.

 

Well actually, I have to agree with MARVOHIO, if you think about it, no matter what the bar has to be level with the control arm for it to twist. However the bar will always stay in the same position on the control arm. Now no matter what you do, the bar HAS to e twisted more to raise the truck. The keys in my opinion just put more load on the torsion bars than the stocks do. If the key slots are off set, they are still twisting the bars more. I seriously think its mind over matter when telling the difference in ride quality. It HAS to be the same becuase the only way to raise the truck with torsion bars is to put more tension on them. But that just my opinion.

 

When it comes to torsion keys, most of them "re-index" the torsion bar, meaning the torsion is simply rotated down from stock to achieve the lift but because the key is casted to sit on the adjuster bolts the same way the ride quality does not suffer. Imagine the key sitting exactly like the stock one would, and now imagine the hex shape being turned down 15-20 degrees.
In my opinion the 02-05 rams ride way too soft anyway.

 

All I know is that I levled mine with keys and put some 2" taller shocks and its riding baby smooth but still tight to the road

 

I'm just not getting it. Bottom line is..to raise the front end, you have to put tension on that metal rod some way. And that IMO makes the ride stiffer. Whatever hex point you want to index the keys, they have to turn the torsion bar to make the truck lift. Correct?

 

I put torsion keys on an 04 Z71 and it made it ruff when I went through dips or speed bumps but as far as driving down the road there was no difference. My 08 dodge with the coil spacer works great. You just have to figure out what your more concerned about, a little rougher ride (not a huge difference) or sittin a little taller. I say go for it you won't be dissapointed especially if you really want those 2 extra inches.

 

Correct, thats the way i see it too, but it isn't a extremely terrible ride quality either.