Maybe I should clearify my question, seeing as how most 6" kits claim to only clear 33s and I am wanting to run 35s would I be able to clear them with a 6" lift and turning the factory keys for clearance or would swapping to a different key to reindex the bars be necessary? I don't really want to run any body lift and if I did it wouldn't be anymore than an inch or so. I have been running the truck for 3 years now with 32s and the bars turned up a little. They aren't maxed out because I didn't want to max the shocks out, but when Charly gets these wheels and tires I am going to rebuild the front suspension, add a lift, replace the shocks, regear the front, swap in a 6 lug 14 bolt (if I can find one) and regear it
Unless your stock torsion bars are shot, with practically zero lift from already cranking them, and you cannot turn them any more, YOU DO NOT NEED TO SWAP KEYS!
Swapping keys with the sole intention of turning the torsion bars further than they were originally designed for WILL ONLY DESTROY YOUR FRONT END!!!
Think about it... please.... if cranking the bars to the original factory max puts all the front end geometry past the factory alignment specs and acceptable driveshaft angles, and causes exponentially increased front end wear...
wouldn't putting keys in that would allow you to crank the bars WAY past the factory max be even worse????
Go ahead... ask me how I know. Nevermind, I'll tell you. Had my '96 4-door for 6 years now, with a 88' S-10 Blazer before that, and an '84 S-10 Blazer before that.
The '84, I cranked the keys a little, with a 3" body lift, I could clear 245/75/16's (yes, the same size that comes stock on our full-size Tahoes) on Corvette wheels. Had it for 3 years, replaced the entire front end once, before it got trashed.
The 88', I had a 3 1/2" body lift, and turned the bars more so I could clear some 265/75/16's on the same Vette wheels, along with some fender trimming. Had it for 5 years, replaced the front end twice. Turned it into a 2wd after the second time, as I had destroyed the front CV joints (again) and couldn't afford them, so I took the axles out.
And my '96 Tahoe.... bought with 104K on it, stock with 245/75/16's, drove it with those for about a year... bought some 285/75/16's (true 33"), on some aftermarket wheels, 30mm less backspacing, so they stuck out a bit. They rubbed at full lock, so I turned the bars, just about an inch. Rubbed hard when turning and going over a bump, so I turned them more, to about 2 1/2", still had a good 1/2" or more to turn if I needed to... Replaced the front end at about 130K 6 months later, all the original factory parts were still on it when I did. Drove about 16-18 months, needed new ball joints, and my pitman and idler arms had play, at about 160K, replaced them, along with new front axles. At that time, I dropped the bars down about 3/4", and cut the fenders and bumper to eliminate the rub. The driveline angles were lesser, figured everything would last a lot longer this time... and it did, until about 200K, when I had to do EVERYTHING all over again.
So... let's summarize:
On my '96 Tahoe -
Stock angles were good for almost 130K miles
2 1/2" lift when turning bars got me about 30K miles
1 3/4" lift when turning bars got me about 40K miles.
AND YOU WANT TO LIFT IT BY PUTTING IN KEYS DESIGNED TO TURN YOUR BARS PAST THE FACTORY MAX LIFT OF ABOUT 3"????? I hope you work at an Auto Parts store and work on commission, as you'll be replacing ball joints at least every 15K, you'll be your own best customer....
Please let me know where you will be driving, so I can stay away. When one of your ball joints snaps in half because you have heavy 35" tires on overstressed ball joints, I don't want to be anywhere in your vicinity when one of your tires literally falls off when you're doing 65 on a highway. (Watched it happen myself, guy is lucky to be alive, as the front end slammed into the ground as his rear tires bounced over the loose wheel, and he flipped and rolled the truck twice....)
Me? Currently running 275/55/20's (32") on some SportMuscle 20x8.5's, have 1 1/2" spacers on the front with 2 1/2" spacers on the rear. Have turned the bars down to a modest 1 1/2". Plan on running some 275/65/20's (34") in the near future, but I won't be cranking any more... I'll add a body lift to gain some room.
