Suspension Secrets - Leveling Kits - 4Wheel & Off-Road Magazine

Suspension Secrets - Leveling Kits Fred Williams Brand Manager, Petersen’s 4Wheel & Off Road

Do you have a '99-to-current GM 1/2-ton that seems to sit a little low in the front?

If so, the new ORU Leveling Kit is your ticket to a more even attitude, as well as a few inches for larger tires. The kit includes a set of torsion-bar cogs as well as four Bilstein 5100 series shocks. We covered the install at ORU's Burbank facility and they had it done in under an hour. With the right tools, you should easily have this done in your driveway in an afternoon.

PhotosView Slideshow The new torsion-bar cogs rotate the torsion bars slightly to raise the position of the truck up to 2 inches without greatly preloading the bars. The new castings and shock kit come complete for just over $400. You'll need to support the truck by the frame, remove the wheels and shocks, and then remove the bolt that locks in the cog key. Do yourself a favor and get a ball-joint press tool in order to remove the stock cogs as they are under a lot of pressure. Once you have them clamped, just knock out the torsion bars. Install the new cog and replace the torsion bar and cog key. Bolt on the shocks, and you are ready for an alignment. By tightening the torsion adjustment bolts, you can get up to 2 inches of lift and clear 33-inch tires.