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Torsion keys/leveling

SethRoush97_6_5

SethRoush97_6_5

New Member
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Location
Chesterville, Ohio
Hey all, quick question here.


I have twisted my torsion keys/bars to level my truck so that it rubs less. When I did that it obviously knocked everything out of alignment. Went to go get an alignment and they couldnt adjust the camber until something with cam bolts and slotting this or that is done to allow for more movement.

So in short I'm asking: Should I go ahead and get the work done and use stock torsion keys to level it. OR if I buy a leveling kit will it knock everything out of alignment the same way it already is? And if it does can you adjust the camber without doing the work I previously stated. Needless to say I'm looking for the cheapest and easiest solution to this. Hopefully this is clear enough so you all understand what I'm asking. Also if it helps its a 97 k2500
 
You need to get Cam Bolts with more adjustment in them, or get offset Bushings for the Control Arms to allow more adjustment to get it back into Spec.
 
The GMT-400 did not come from factory with any camber adjustment I don't think. My understanding is you have to get a kit some call it a "knock-out" kit or something like that.

If you need more adjustment than that then I don't know. Might have to look over some lift kit websites.

I believe any leveling kit is going to crank the torsion bars raising the front end and thus will probably need the above kit I mentioned.
 
I thought the knockout were simply that. No kit needed. Just need to break the knockouts out to get more adjustment.
 
I think it comes with a new bolt and a "cam washer" maybe. I took my truck to a Midas or Meinike once and they did not have the kit in stock. I guess some do some don't depends on the demographics of area and what they usually align.

I looked it up on rock auto and it shows a cam bolt/washer in the kit (could be generic picture though).

I don't know???? I guess you could pry it into alignment but think the bolt / washer does it easier and helps hold adjustment.

A few places have told me if it is not bad out of spec. then its better to keep the knock out in place because the kit does not hold it as firm or in spec as long. They just do align steering wheel and do toe adjustment.
 
I would suggest a different shop. If what your working on is a 1997 Chevy k series then there is no kit or bolts needed. The only thing the shop needs to do to adjust caster or camber is knock out the factory plastic inserts in the upper control arm bolts. They normally just pop out with a flat tip screw driver. I know after doing many of these for many years that they are never easy to get right and may take a bit more fiddling than your small Toyota prius but every Chevy I have ever aligned weather it had a 6 inch lift or stock hight or dropped was able to be brought in with the factory bolts and cam washers. Sounds to me like your shop doesn't want to put in the time to do it properly.

I will put it this way, when I worked in the shop I did they charged 70$ for an alignment. Most cars will only require a toe adjustment which takes anywhere from 15-20 minutes. That is very good money. I could easily do 2 an hour all day, but when an old Chevy or those horrible ford's with the twisting ball joints came in the service manager would always try to get me to just set the toe and leave the rest all jacked up so they could keep making 140$ bucks and hour. We got in quite a few arguments over it. I am glad now that I wouldn't bend on doing things right but a lot of shops don't have the mechanics that will stand up and say they will do things right no matter the cost. Your Chevy should be easy to make perfect no matter how much you torsion bars are cranked up, the shop just needs to take the time which may cost them a bit extra but if they want a life long customer they should go the extra mile to make things right. You payed for a front end alignment (4 wheel alignments are not possible on trucks!) Not just a toe set. If they can't do what you paid them for I would look for another shop.
 
devildogadam said:
I would suggest a different shop. If what your working on is a 1997 Chevy k series then there is no kit or bolts needed. The only thing the shop needs to do to adjust caster or camber is knock out the factory plastic inserts in the upper control arm bolts. They normally just pop out with a flat tip screw driver. I know after doing many of these for many years that they are never easy to get right and may take a bit more fiddling than your small Toyota prius but every Chevy I have ever aligned weather it had a 6 inch lift or stock hight or dropped was able to be brought in with the factory bolts and cam washers. Sounds to me like your shop doesn't want to put in the time to do it properly.

I will put it this way, when I worked in the shop I did they charged 70$ for an alignment. Most cars will only require a toe adjustment which takes anywhere from 15-20 minutes. That is very good money. I could easily do 2 an hour all day, but when an old Chevy or those horrible ford's with the twisting ball joints came in the service manager would always try to get me to just set the toe and leave the rest all jacked up so they could keep making 140$ bucks and hour. We got in quite a few arguments over it. I am glad now that I wouldn't bend on doing things right but a lot of shops don't have the mechanics that will stand up and say they will do things right no matter the cost. Your Chevy should be easy to make perfect no matter how much you torsion bars are cranked up, the shop just needs to take the time which may cost them a bit extra but if they want a life long customer they should go the extra mile to make things right. You payed for a front end alignment (4 wheel alignments are not possible on trucks!) Not just a toe set. If they can't do what you paid them for I would look for another shop.
Click to expand...

Yeah I went in for an alignment the first time, and they failed to tell me that to adjust the camber to where it needs to be at more work would have to be done. So after replacing what I needed to, and going back they relized they failed to tell me this and aligned it for free and said to come back when I have everything the way it needs to be for the camber. Are there any videos or pictures I could refer to, to do what you just told me? I really don't wanna have to put another 200 bucks in labor to make the camber correct if I ddon't have to.
 
I replaced upper control arms, tie rod ends and steering damper. Then I went back to have an alignment and thats when they told me there needed to be more work done to adjust the camber because I have my torsion keys cranked to prevent rubbing
 
Your knock-outs aren't plastic - they're steel because they're part of the upper control arm mount. Most reputable places will charge a few extra bucks if yours aren't already knocked out simply because it takes a little time to do it. You can do it yourself, though, with some time, a chisel or drift punch and a nice size hammer. If you've replaced the upper control arms, then you've already seen the knock-outs and just didn't realize it.

You having the alignment done some place in Mount Vernon?

How many turns on the bolt head did you go?
 
SnowDrift said:
Your knock-outs aren't plastic - they're steel because they're part of the upper control arm mount. Most reputable places will charge a few extra bucks if yours aren't already knocked out simply because it takes a little time to do it. You can do it yourself, though, with some time, a chisel or drift punch and a nice size hammer. If you've replaced the upper control arms, then you've already seen the knock-outs and just didn't realize it.

You having the alignment done some place in Mount Vernon?

How many turns on the bolt head did you go?
Click to expand...


I originally had it all started in Wooster, where I go college, but I live 25 minutes from mount Vernon. And turns I'm not sure, we were just measuring bumper height to get the front level with the back
 
SnowDrift said:
Your knock-outs aren't plastic - they're steel because they're part of the upper control arm mount. Most reputable places will charge a few extra bucks if yours aren't already knocked out simply because it takes a little time to do it. You can do it yourself, though, with some time, a chisel or drift punch and a nice size hammer. If you've replaced the upper control arms, then you've already seen the knock-outs and just didn't realize it.

You having the alignment done some place in Mount Vernon?

How many turns on the bolt head did you go?
Click to expand...

Is there a place in mount Vernon you would suggest SnowDrift?
 
SethRoush97_6_5 said:
I originally had it all started in Wooster, where I go college, but I live 25 minutes from mount Vernon. And turns I'm not sure, we were just measuring bumper height to get the front level with the back
Click to expand...

How much did you end up raising it? Typically, it's right at 1/4" per full bolt turn. I'd not go more than 1" if it was me because you loose so much downward travel. This really shows up in the ride if you hit a hole, divet in the road, RR tracks, etc. I had one I raised about 2" and it was horrible - swore I'd never do it again.

I don't know many places in Mt. Vernon, but if you wanted to drive to Marion, there is a place I recommend - It's a little ways from you, though. Only guy I ever knew that had a +400,000 mile 6.5 that never had a head off of the engine. He's got a shop and I trust his work.

We've got some real good friends close to you, just south of Chesterville off of 314. He's a 6.5 guy, too. Used to be one just north of there, too - "ShawnR" - last time I was by his place, I didn't see his 6.5, though. He may have sold it.

What is your tire/wheel combo? By the photos, it looks like you're the guy I've been hoping to get information from.
 
SnowDrift said:
How much did you end up raising it? Typically, it's right at 1/4" per full bolt turn. I'd not go more than 1" if it was me because you loose so much downward travel. This really shows up in the ride if you hit a hole, divet in the road, RR tracks, etc. I had one I raised about 2" and it was horrible - swore I'd never do it again.

I don't know many places in Mt. Vernon, but if you wanted to drive to Marion, there is a place I recommend - It's a little ways from you, though. Only guy I ever knew that had a +400,000 mile 6.5 that never had a head off of the engine. He's got a shop and I trust his work.

We've got some real good friends close to you, just south of Chesterville off of 314. He's a 6.5 guy, too. Used to be one just north of there, too - "ShawnR" - last time I was by his place, I didn't see his 6.5, though. He may have sold it.

What is your tire/wheel combo? By the photos, it looks like you're the guy I've been hoping to get information from.toUOTE]

I'm actually halfway between fredricktown and Marion so I could go to either and I am very open to suggestions about anything. My current wheel and tire set up is 16x10 American racing rims and 305/70 Goodyear duratracs. Had one of my rims bevel out bolt hole wise so I'm currently looking for good places to get rims very cheap until I have the money for new ones as I'm running one of my rims as a stock 16x6 on the back end and I don't want to have to run that small of a rim any longer than I need to. What kind of information are you looking to get?
Click to expand...
 
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