Torsion Bar Key Question

[MaxFarmer]

I was running "green" keys before I put my lift on. I just left them in with the lift and didnt think too much about it. When I took them out (to pull the front diff I dropped the whole front crossmember) I got about 18 turns on the bolts. BUT, I was loose from the keys about 10 turns into it. I could pull the key keepers out by hand once the bolts were out.
Should I put my stocker keys back in with the lift I'm running? I remember before that I had to make a contraption to stick my puller into to keep it on the crossmember and compress the key to get the keeper out. How the hell did I lose all my spring? I wonder if my stockers will still let me slide the keeper in by hand? I'll try that tomorrow.
What do you guys think?

 

[bullfrogjohnson]

Factory torsion bars will unload after time. I would try to put your stock keys back in because the green keys put alot of unneeded stress on the front end and can cause front end issues when doing a 4wd launch. I had them in my truck and removed them.

Jason these keys is probably why you busted you cv joint a while back. Those keys will never let your front end sit at a negative angle like you need when doing 4wd launches to keep the front end together

 

[MaxFarmer]

Travis,
Thanks for the insight. That re-affirms what I have been thinking. I just know that before I had a helluva lot more preload than I do now. I'm puttin on new beefy tie-rods so my alignment is gonn have to be done again anyway.
Thanks,

 

[MaxFarmer]

I really like the stockers better. Seems to ride a LOT smoother again. Of course, I have nothing to compare to except my 1-ton 6.5 which is rough as hell. It sure took a lot more to get them keys back in than it did to get the greenies out. I wonder if something was not in right before, like they were 1/6th of a turn from being indexed into the keys like it was supposed to be.