This is from a thread that Westtn started on another forum and this was my reply to it with a couple revisions Here's my experience and feel free to add your input on this subject... I had stock cranked keys maxed out for a while and said screw it and got the keys just to try out for $40 bucks... They're not worth the money unless Pros: If you have extra weight on the front ie: plow, brush guard, winch bumper, etc... anything that forces the front end down so much that the stock keys cant get the front end up to a safely cranked or factory position... Cons: I blew one CV boot and had to replace both lower ball joints (bout $110 and an hour and a half of my time) No biggie... But who's to say that they weren't already on they're way out? Well I'll say that the CV boot had obvious wear from contacting itself on the inner drivers boot till it got so thin (like paper) it ripped... it also rode like a brick and slams the droop stops over bumps THEY ARE NOT WORTH A DIME + they suck to unload... factory keys lose thier pre-load when you loosen the bolt all the way... aftermarket ones you need to put a puller on just to get the adj bolt and block out which slips off the xmember and tries to hit you in the face should you ever need to unload em I did research on a couple sites askin about measurements and compiled measurements at which people had damage or not and how many miles after the "crank"... the safest max height would be to butt a tape to the bottom of the fender flare and measure down to the dead center of your wheel (this factors out tire sizes)... I personally wouldn't go more than 24-24 1/4" (add for body lifts/susp lifts) which you can achieve with stock keys if you don't have extra weight on the front... any more and you're gonna be replacing front end components prematurely and riding stiff IMO, there is also a droopstop under the rear of the UCA (big steel tumor of a block attached to the frame) and if you crank lift keys to about 24 5/8" + you'll be slamming that on the other side of a speed bump or into a pot hole Haha Not a good sound and definitely not good for the UCAs... Lift keys WILL NOT maintain factory ride like they say nor will they maintain front end components any different from stock keys, that's not my opinion its physics... the keys do not change spring rate, stiffness or anything... they turn the bar just the way stock keys do just more room for more "crank" The reason the ride stiffens is because your LCAs are pointing more downward and initial shock is forced straight up into the frame intead on the pivot (hard to explain without using my hands haha) Like if you do a split across two chairs and someone on each side lifts the chairs ubruptly, your bound to rip your ball joints less resistance than if you were standin in a karate stance "stiffer" (cranked keys) Haha No I didn't try it So 24 1/4" max I'd say... People on here have run 10k like that with no problems... I did about 7k at 24 1/2" + and blew a boot and possibly lower ball joints
I got Aftermarket keys, and the truth is, you do get more clearance, but you pay the price, parts wear faster unless you barley have them cranked , but if you have a plow of heavy steel brushguard , then I'd recommend them
I sold mine right away along with 4 skyjacker hydro shocks with like 2k on em, brand new never used 4" blocks n U-bolts as a kit for $200... when I met the kid he was saying he was putting a plow on so that made me feel better Haha Mark, yeah I figured you get another 3/8" over stock keys but then you're resting on the droop stop Haha
