I played around with a few different cranking amounts. I tried 4, 6, and 8 turns up. I decided to leave it at 6 on each side. It raised the truck about 1.75 inches up front. I measured from the wheel flare to the ground. It was about 38.75 inches from the ground to the wheel flare right above the center of the tire in the front. 4 turns lifted the front to 39.75, 6 turns lifted it to 40.5 and 8 turns lifted it to just about 41 inches. I wanted it to not quite sit perfectly flat, so I stayed with 6 turns. It was 41.5 from the ground to the same place in the rear so the rear is about 1 inch higher still. I wanted to make sure that the rear would be higher even with a slight load in the bed, because it looks really dumb when the truck's higher in the front than the rear. I parked the truck on level ground and set a level on top of the bedrails to see how much she was leanin'. Using the level, I made sure it had a slight foreward lean to it. It seemed like the more I cranked up, the less of an effect it was having on the height of the front.

btw...I took it in to have the alignment checked as soon as I got done, because playing with the torsion bars will alter the alignment. After getting the BFG Mud Terrains installed a little while ago, I have been getting a slight pull to the right. The got both problems corrected easily so I kinda got two things fixed at once. The alignment guy and I made some more measurments to check the side to side leveling and it was dead on. He said a lot of the trucks ride crooked after people crank the torsion bars because they don't count the turns and end up cranking a different amount on each side.

I was probably a little bit too meticulous in doing this job, but I wanted to make sure it was exactly how I wanted it. Sometimes I drive myself nuts doing the smallest task to my car or truck.

Jordan

 

well, you're not crazy. Getting them to sit right can be a task, especially after a drop.

Some people like the rake, some people don't. I personally like the level appearance. Others like the agressive *** in the air look. Nice if you got mean tires in the back.

 

Sounds like you did everything correct.....make sure to rotate your tires. Since they are a bigger size on a skinny wheel.........you dont want to have a funny wear pattern.

 

Yah, I plan on rotating them at each oil change.

I think a 3 or 4 inch lift would look cool on my truck with the current 285/75 16 tires. Any suggestions on where to look?

 

Uh oh...and now it begins...soon you will want 35" tires...then 37". You'll start with a 4" suspension. Add a 3" body, then go to 6" suspension.

 

It's like a sickness isn't it?

only 1 thing stops me from going even larger is the rules of my neighborhood. All cars that are being kept at the residence must be parked in the garage. A 3 inch lift with these tires would probably fit, but nothing more.

 

I'm getting 285/75/16 BFG All Terrain TA KO's put on my 03 next week! I can't wait! Those puny 245 Goodyears have got to go!! I still haven't decided whether I will crank the t-bars or not...I'll probably wait to see how it looks after I get the tires put on!

 

You'll love the look of the larger tires. You might get a very slight rub when turning sharp without cranking the bars

 

no pics?

 

I guess it depends because I've hard stories of people having rubbing issues and some that have had no issues at all w/ or w/o cranking the t-bars. Most of the responses I have read have been by those who have the 1500's with the 16x7 rims so we'll see...I ordered them today and am having them installed next Thurs. a.m.