Doug93063

I had a local shop lift the front end of my truck to be level with the rear and add the adjustable Rancho Shocks all around. They said they installed new torsion keys in the front. It feels like there is no preload on the front end at all. If I hit a little bump the front end just starts bouncing from the bottom of the suspension travel to the top. It almost feels liek the front wheels are coming off the ground at speed sometimes.

I took a look at the torsion bolts and the driver side is out about an inch and a half while the passenger side is only out about an inch. The truck is level front to back and side to side though.

Is this abnormal? I was thinking of trying to add some preload by tightening down the bolts evenly but before I started I want to make sure these guys didn't jerry rig something that can break.

Has anyone had experience with something like this? Will tightening the torsion adjustment add some preload?

callie

You just need to play around with the settings. I've done several and not had that issue but I have read about it on other forums. Wait to get the front end alignment after you find the sweet spot. You might need to drop the front end a half inch or so. I found my trucks rode best with about a half inch less in front. As far as a difference in bolt length on each side that is normal.

cbrich

I got my rancho 9000 adjusted to the firmest setting, I too also had a bad bouncing on the softest setting.

8MC

iTrader: (3)

I had the exact same problem that you're describing. Bought the keys from a questionable source and paid for it. It made me so mad that I parked the truck & drove my other truck for over 2 weeks until I decided to install Fabtech 3" lift spindles & ditch the keys. Now it rides like stock. One important factor is, do you have the correct length shock? Offroad Unlimited sells their keys with Bilsteins meant for that application and it makes all the difference in the world. Also, how high did you crank the torsions? Too high and will ride bad regardless of the keys. Do as Callie says and play with them a little to find your happy place.

Doug93063

I got under there today. The passenger torsion is all the way out resting on the stop, the bolt was barely finger tight. The driverside was about half way in. Weird thing is the truck is level. I chacked the torsiob bar part numbers to see if they were different. The passenger torsion last digit was different, 6, then the driver side, 5.

GM wouldn't have put two different torsion bars in it would they?

Anyway I adjusted the passenger side that was all the way out a couple turns whcih raised the side about 1/2 inch. I did the same to the driver side and the truck just made huge clunking sounds over bumps. I don't know what hese guys did.

callie

The clunking sound your talking about sounds like the shocks are maxing out. I'm not sure which suspension the 1500hd has on the front the regular 1500 or the suspension that is on the 2500hd. I have had both light duty and heavy duty trucks, on the light duty I installed ford keys but on my 2500hd I had plenty of adjustment with the stock keys to level it.I shimmed the factory shocks with some homemade shims after I got the "clunk" which was the suspension on rebound trying to jerk the shocks off the lower A arm. How are the shocks mounted to the lower A arm do you have two bolts that go into the arm or is there a mount where the shock sits in with a long bolt going through the shock itself? I'm asking because I can give you some shim ideas if that is the problem.If you have the light duty front you can use ford keys and can get their part number by calling them and comparing it to the numbers that is on yours. If I remember correctly I believe it would be for a 2001-2002 f150. (somebody might want to chime in on this though)

cbrich

He is definitely onto something if your shocks are too short. When I leveled my truck, the a-arms where sitting on the bump stops, actually I have part of the bump stops worn off. I had to compress my shocks about 3 inches to install them when the front end was on jack stands. Now the truck sits about 1.5 inches off the bump stops.

The torsion bars are different you have a left and right side, on a Nissan truck I had, I did not notice which bars went on which side as a result the drive side bar which was the passenger side bar broke.

redneck01z71

yes, it is normal to have about 1 1/2 of bolt left on one TB to 1 inch left on the other. Over time, the TB's will wear out but not the same. Don't worry about it.

And it sounds like your shocks may be bottoming out. Find out if the correct Rancho's were put on.

FYI, b/c you cranked the TB's to lift up the front end, your truck will ride rougher and this may be a cause too.

Jeff