Torsion bar and upper control arm questions

[cbepro]

Hey my first post!

So i'm kinda new to IFS and just installed Ford keys and they got me the clearance i needed to run 315/70/17 with trimming and very minor rubbing on the E-brake cable on the drivers side at full lock. **I also rotated the torsion bars when they were loose before final install of the Ford keys.** Upon final install of the keys, i just let the key rest on the adjuster block, then put the adjuster bolt through till it got a lil tight and i was satisfied with the new lift.

Yesterday i finished install on Cognito upper control arms. They are resting on the upper stop that limits down travel when the car is sitting on it's own weight. Obviously this means i will hit metal-to-metal when i go over a speedbump and have zero downtravel. I thought about cutting the upper down travel limiter and doing limit straps (which Cognito recommends the limit straps, not the cutting).

But my question is i completely removed the passenger torsion key adjuster bolt, so the torsion key is resting on the block the bolt goes through. Shouldn't my passenger ride height be lowered? Did rotating the torsion bars cause this result?

Im trying to lower the front a lil bit just to get the upper control arm off the bumpstop.

Pics are of the torsion key with bolt removed and how the passenger front sits without the bolt installed.

 

[Chevy305]

Those poor CV joints...

Sent from my Galaxy "LS3"

 

[Goodinblack]

How much of a lift is this?

 

[cbepro]

From the top of the wheel well to the center of the hub (roughly), pass: 26", Driver: 25". Not sure of exact lift but it definitely looks like i have more lift than advertised.

After google search, i found other vehicles that have grooves in their torsion bars actually do loosen them and rotate them to restore ride height or add a lil bit of lift to sagging torsion bars, re-indexing. I'm gonna have to loosen the torsion bars and rotate again until i find a nice stance i guess. i'll have the results later tonight hopefully.

So a top tip could be instead of buying lift keys just rotate your torsion bars for some added lift!....unless you want zero down travel and horrible angles like me get ford keys and rotate your torsion bars! haha

 

[Goodinblack]

Rotation causes more preload?

 

[cbepro]

Tried to re arrange the bars and keys today with no luck. Nothing changed. Upper control arms still close to perch. Just gonna cut the perches tomorrow and look into limit straps.

Those Ebay Ford keys sure gave me more lift than i wanted. But nothing rubs compared to when i had 315's and stock keys.

Also tried to R2 the torsion bar crossmember bushings. Another fail there, could not get the old bushings out.

 

[Goodinblack]

Why not get application specific keys instead of hacking stuff up?

 

[cbepro]

i got the keys off Ebay. They are the popular Ford keys with the part number sanded off.

The purchase of the keys was temp until i can afford a real lift. I bought the tires then got the keys because of excessive rubbing no matter how much i trimmed. I had spacers and Z71 springs in the back before everything as well. I like the way the vehicle looks now though.

The vehicle is a 04 Escalade too. I don't mind hacking it up within reason. I also read on other forums that some lifts like Rough Country require you to cut the perch as well.

 

[justinlw]

Something doesn't look right. I have a set of readylift 2.5" keys and a set of 1-3 keys off of ebay. They're both indexed the same, and both when installed are close to stock with the bolts removed. I definitely wouldn't cut the droop stops off of the frame, you're in danger of seriously over-extending the suspension and steering (the things that keep you between the lines and keep your shiny parts off of the concrete). I'd pull those out and try a different key.

Maybe they sent the 2500 keys on accident?

 

[cbepro]

To be honest all my previous talk was speculation without even driving the vehicle. I test drove it Tuesday and it drove like a f'n champ! Everything felt tighter then what it was before, steering responsive like it should be. I also replaced the tie rods.

Then i took it on the freeway and i'm still getting some excessive bouncing when driving over the impurities of the road. I have a strong feeling it is the torsion bar cross member bushings cuz i was doing some stupid stuff to get one out but failed and just stretched the rubber too far i guess and loosened the bushing more. I had no choice but to put it all back together that night though, once i get the torsion key tool i will use heat possibly to get those old bushings out.

I looked under the front and did not see or feel any rubbing where the upper control arm meets the perch. So i'm not going to cut anything yet.

Now my driver side is lower than the passenger but has more adjustment bolt cranked down. And i am also rubbing on the driver side when backing out of the driveway just like when the front was not lifted. When reinstalling the driver side i did put a jack under the control arm to make everything level before i reinstalled the bar and key. No big deal i have plenty bolt left to crank and make it even.

My theory is i must have set the driver side torsion bar back to where it was stock so its saggy-er? i dunno...

here is a link to where a guy lowered his droop stop. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/76-speciality-forums/80-suspension-steering-2001-2010/283445-k3500-leveling-kit-upper-arm-bump-stops-4.html