TRUXXX leveling kits?

[BULLBLASTER]

thinking about getting a truxx leveling/lift for my 2008 silverado, anybody have experience with them?

thanks
 

[Antlershed]

thinking about getting a truxx leveling/lift for my 2008 silverado, anybody have experience with them?

thanks
 

What comes in it. Are the 08's coil sprung or are they still torsion bar?

[BULLBLASTER]

COIL FRONT END. SPACERS FOR THE TOP OF THE STRUTS IN THE FRONT AND BLOCKS AND U BOLTS FOR THE BACK.

[Antlershed]

How much/often do you tow with the truck, and do you drive it off-road (to and from hunting spots)?

[BULLBLASTER]

i tow sometimes, nothing real heavy some quads or jet skis. not too much off road either, i dont go out just to off road but sometimes to get to a hunting spot or bow shoot or somthin. usually 2wd. the kit lfts the front 2.5 and the back 1.
thanks

[Antlershed]

I don't know much about the truxx kits specifically, but they all pretty much seem to be the same...

That kit will stiffen the ride quite a bit in the front and the back end. It may not seem like that big of a deal on the highway, but once you hit those gravel roads (potholes) you will difinitely notice. Blocks can break (they aren't THAT strong), but for occasionally towing I can't imagine you would risk breaking them. However, they do cause axle wrap, which basically means when you accelerate, your axle will rotate. They also decrease the life of your leaf springs. The front end is stiffened up because it is compressing the front coil to allow that spacer in there.

I ran a leveling kit on my old Tacoma and it rode like crap once I hit a gravel road. They are a nice inexpensive way to lift it if you can handle the rough ride afterwards.

And that completes my long   

[swanny]

Antlershed, are you referring to those issues with all types of level kits? I'm planning to put torsion keys on my 2002 Silverado along with 33" tires so I can pull into my driveway without the under carriage scraping. Cheaper than a real lift, which I don't feel the need to do.

I will also be putting new shocks in as mine are getting to the end of their life.

[Antlershed]

Realize that the "torsion keys" are not going to lift your truck, they are going to allow you to crank your torsion bars farther than with the stock keys...and yes, cranking your torsion bars will also make the ride rougher (i think thats a word).

With that said, I have new keys sitting in my '04 Silverado...I just haven't decided if I'm going to put them in or not...

[swanny]

Knowing that it wont essentially lift the truck but will provide clearance for a larger tire, that alone should give me the small amount of clearnace needed. Am I wrong thinking this?

The keys I have seen say it raises the front 2" and gives clearance for 33" tires.

Any idea if there is a smaller suspension lift than 4" out there for the Silverado? I really don't want a full on lift mainly due to price, but also don't really have need for it. Just trying to figure out if there are other possible options as well. Not going to be doing anything until late summer, so I have lots of time.

Do you know if the Rancho Quick Lift system is available for the 2002? That looks like the best level kit from what I can see.

[Antlershed]

Hmm...I just did some more reading, and it says with the new keys it is simply re-indexing the torsion bars so you are not actually "cranking" them. I don't like however, that the Truxx kit advertises that you can instal the new keys with "common hand tools". Ever seen how much pressure a torsion bar is under?  You need a puller of some sort.

Superlift makes a 2" kit, but it is still a full on drop bracket lift kit.

[swanny]

I talked to the guys at Cascade Offroad about the install at the Sportsman Show and he suggested they install it. He said it can be done at home, but tools are needed and it only takes them about an hour. $300 for the install, kit, and alignment is about the price it would be.

I asked him about towing and he said it shouldn't have any effect either. If I recall, he said something about it not having an effect on the torsion bars anymore as you mentioned.

[Antlershed]

I talked to the guys at Cascade Offroad about the install at the Sportsman Show and he suggested they install it. He said it can be done at home, but tools are needed and it only takes them about an hour. $300 for the install, kit, and alignment is about the price it would be.

I would definitely let them instal it for you.

I asked him about towing and he said it shouldn't have any effect either. If I recall, he said something about it not having an effect on the torsion bars anymore as you mentioned.

I'm just not a big fan of blocks on the rear axle if you are going to tow heavy loads. Ever seen pictures of what happens when one of those blocks break? Not pretty. And I was wrong in my original post. I thought with the new keys, the bars were still being "cranked", but apparently they aren't.

[jeepasaurusrex]

Just changes the index of the torsion bars.

If you have a coil suspension, and put a spacer above the coil, you are not changing the spring rate. Same goes for blocks on a rear axle. The ride will remain the same. When you start going to stiffer spring rates, that is when your ride will get rougher. I like to avoid lift blocks at all costs. 

[Bird_Bagger]

My buddy has an 03' Chevy and Les schwab (Burlington) said it was $155.00 to install and align it if he had the kit already. those torsion key kits are a ba$tard to install without the right tools.

[BULLBLASTER]

i ended up ordering the daystar 2" leveling kit for only the front. got a really good deal when i ordered my canopy and bedrug liner at the same time. cant wait to get it all on my pick up!!!

[Antlershed]

The ride will remain the same.

I would argue that after riding in the Taco before and after the spacer lift...

[cohoho]

The front end lift for 06 and down, is a great leveling kit only, doesn't affect the ride at all and is actually a stronger system that what the factory puts in.  It doesn't required cranking the torsion bars to achieve lift just raises the location.  At two inches it almost completely leveled a the front end of a duramax, enabling 285's with slight plastic trimming.... with absolutely no rubs on uneven terrain, now mind you, I ain't four wheeling a one ton...  That's why they invented Jeeps...

[jackelope]

messing with the torsion bars on a silverado without the right tools is asking for trouble. they have tools to hold the load. they will hurt you bad if you don't know what you're doing or don't have the right tools.
fullsizechevy.com is a great forum for info re: this type of stuff too.

[jeepasaurusrex]

The ride will remain the same.

I would argue that after riding in the Taco before and after the spacer lift...

Did you install bigger tires after the lift? They play a big factor as well as shocks. Running bigger tires at a high PSI is also a formula for a rough ride. I run about 20psi in my 35s on the Jeep while on the highway. About 4psi on the trails. 

[swanny]

Bullblaster, let me know how the Daystar kit works out for you. I think they make the coil spacer for the 02 as well.

Jackelope, I'll check out the site and hopefully get all the information I need for when the time comes. Since I will need new tires before next winter it will be about September when all this is done.

[Antlershed]

The ride will remain the same.

I would argue that after riding in the Taco before and after the spacer lift...

Did you install bigger tires after the lift? They play a big factor as well as shocks. Running bigger tires at a high PSI is also a formula for a rough ride. I run about 20psi in my 35s on the Jeep while on the highway. About 4psi on the trails. 

Nope, when I first did the spacer lift, I stayed with the monster 31's that were already on it.

[firecrotch]

a buddy of mine decided to crank the torsion bars and put a 2" block in the rear. about a month after he did that he went over a speed bump and the bolt that locks in the torsion bars to the a-arm broke and the bolt put a nice 1" hole through the cab floor. you can get away with it with a lighter weight truck but i think your askin for trouble messin with them...

[jeepasaurusrex]

When we put the winch on the front of my Dad's Nissan truck, we cranked the torsion bars a couple of turns to compensate for the added weight, but nothing extreme. Has been working well over 10 years. 

[lamar_hunter]

i wouldnt reccomend a torsion key or index ring what ever u call it for chevys. my dad had that on his last truck and it just wears out everything faster. go the whole 9 yards and get a lift dont cheap out.

[jeepasaurusrex]

Better yet, ditch the IFS and do a SAS. 

[lamar_hunter]

haha yea only if ur rich

[jeepasaurusrex]

A SAS can be done for less than the cost of a IFS lift.

[Bofire]

whats an IFS?SAS?

[swanny]

 

[jackelope]

IFS-independent front suspension...most all chevy silverado's except the new body styles since 1988.
SAS-solid axle suspension...pre 88 chevy 4x4 trucks. jeeps, etc.
a solid front differential/axle housing all the way across.

[jackelope]

they might be referring to a solid axle swap too i guess...

 

[Antlershed]

Pretty sure Jeep meant solid axle swap. The cost of my SAS on my Tacoma was going to be in the $5k-$6k range...just a tad over what it cost for my IFS lift ($2k) 

[lewy]

I have an 05 chevy 1/2 ton that i put the leveling kit on (aftermarket keyways) to clear 33's. I am going to pay someone to take it off! It rides worst than a tank, after a day in the woods im damn near piss'n blood(not really) but its bad. I wouldnt recommend it......

[lamar_hunter]

I have an 05 chevy 1/2 ton that i put the leveling kit on (aftermarket keyways) to clear 33's. I am going to pay someone to take it off! It rides worst than a tank, after a day in the woods im damn near piss'n blood(not really) but its bad. I wouldnt recommend it......

its because you need longer shocks