I want to level out my truck and put 33's on it. I have read a lot about lifting the front end and I'm still a little confused on what I should do.

1) I have looked at the Cognito leveling kit. The question I have on this kit is does it just help so you can get your truck aligned after you lift the front. How does this help your ride quality? You’re still turning your torsion bars. $500 seems like a lot of $$$ just to get the truck to align to factory specs. I have also read with these kits you don't need Green Keys and the factory keys work fine. Is this true?

2) ORU lift kit, does it still make it hard to get the alignment into factory specs? Ride quality? What about doing this with the Cognito kit? Overkill?

3) I also thought about just turning my torsion bars about 1.5-2 inches. The guy at the shop I go to doesn't like the idea of turning the t-bars. I have read that it doesn't effect your ride quality if its only a 1.5-2 inches. I just need to clear 33’s, would it need more? (I know each truck it different.) How about suspension parts? Is it better to get one of the kits above and fork up the money?

I'm going to get new Bilstein shocks when I do whatever I decide to do. Are shocks the key to have a nice ride with the three options I'm looking at?

Thanks for your help.

The cognito kit helps correct the upper ball joint issue GM has with the IFS. And when a guy cranks up the Torsion bars it only makes it worse. I personally have had 3 of these trucks and all had 285/75's on them with very minimum cranking. I actually drove the 01 for about a year with 285's prior to cranking the bars never rubbed. just looked a bit funny. My latest setup is 17x9 KMC with 315/70 I have installed green keys and 1" blocks in the rear. I have put the cognito leveling kit on my to do list here in the future or possibly ther 4-6" lift that should be released soon. as far as adding the cognito kit with the ORU leveling kit. Not necessay you can buy the cognito kit add some bilsteins and A spacer under the lower shock mount and call it good. IF I were you I wouldnt mess with green keys with only a 33" tire there just isnt any need. 33's are pretty easy to clear. JMHO.

I agree with 69 on the Cognito comments. I just put this kit on mine with a set of Bilstein's and it rides 10x better than when it was stock. The alignment shop had no problems getting the front end back within OEM specs. Also, with the Cognito kit, you don't need new keys, the stock ones work just fine.

I know that $500 may sound like a lot but well worth the money if you ask me. If you don't spend it now you will shortly when those balljoints wear out.

69cam is right,
Just cranking the torsion bars alone will definately not be a good choice.
I think there are a few lift companies that make lifts as small as 3" or 4" inches though which are not too expensive.

Ill look into it a little bit more for you.

Can you fit 35's with just the Cognito leveling kit or is that to much? It seems like 33's are easy. I would like the biggest tires I can fit without a lift right now.

Can you fit 35's with just the Cognito leveling kit or is that to much? It seems like 33's are easy. I would like the biggest tires I can fit without a lift right now.



Honetly Chris, 35's would probably be too big to run only a leveling kit.
You would definately have a few rubbing issues.

Rancho makes a 4" lift if you are looking for a lift that is not too big. If you want to go any bigger than that, You could always get a torsion key kit and raise it another inch to an 1 1/2 or so.

Ive never run a Rancho lift so Im not too sure about their quality, but they do make on of the smallest lifts availabe for these trucks.


Heres a link for a few other suspension lift kits for your truck:


http://performancelifts.com/cgi-bin/cart/scan/fi=products/st=db/co=yes/sf=category/se=GM%2001-05%20HD%20Lifts/op=eq/tf=sku.html

This will at least give you a few more options on what to choose. Plus, they list the prices too, but you can always shop around for the best price once you choose the right kit for yourself.

Hope that helps!