I am looking at getting a level kit for my Chevy.  I am in the begining stages of learning about this and have alot of question.
1)I found a product from Rough Country that comes with front keys, four Nitro 900 shocks and 2" rear block and U-bolt kit for $189.00.  I also found a Ready Lift Level Kit that comes with the front key only for $229.  So, what gives?  Are Rough Country products poorly made? Is this an amazing deal?
2) What would be the recommended lift for the front to even the truck out? 2"?  
3)  If the rear stands 2" higher than the front and the front key kits give me a max 2 1/2" lift, why would I want to lift the rear another 2"?
4) Do I need to replace my OEM shocks with a 2" lift?
5) I don't do allot of four wheeling for four wheeling's sake in this truck but I do use it most weekends for back country access.  How good are the Nitro 900's?  It seems to me at that price they are pretty low quality.

Thanks in advance for any advice and help you can give,
Dean  

Key lifts should be avoided because they throw geometry out of whack up front and place front suspension at or near top of extension limit which can result in a pitchy/rough ride. Overall I find these leveling kits (to make truck level empty) kinda silly because they are supposed to sit a bit high in rear so when loaded or towing they are level. Nothing sillier looking than a 4x4 with a load or towing with its butt dragging lower than front.  

if you are dead set on a "leveling kit" then go with a 3" suspansion lift with an add a leaf rear. you can fit bigger meats underneath and the ride is way better. and payload is incresed by 500 lbs or so.  my i suggest superlift 3.5 incher or skyjacker 3' kits. and by the way rough country does make quality kits and shocks. not the best, but damn good!  

SnoMan, not all aftermarket torsion leveling keys will disturb the ride or throw the geometry out of whack. Our Forged torsion keys are designed to provide the intended lift without compromising ride quality. The suspension will line up to factory specs. Our kit includes a specific new bolt that prohibits the installer from over-rotating the torsion key and limiting the amount of droop-travel.
While some as yourself may not prefer a leveled stance, many others seek to establish a leveled stance with their trucks and in the case of this model pickup, our 66-3000 torsion key provides exactly what that consumer wants without deteriorating the ride or the ability to set the alignment to factory specifications. It is possible you may have ridden in a vehicle where the owner simply "cranked" up his factory torsion keys which forms your opinion. That is precisely why ReadyLift went to great lengths to design a torsion leveling key that is 25% stronger than the OEM key and establishes the right amount of torsional rotation without compromising important ride qualities. There are many "cheap" versions of aftermarket keys out there for cheap prices. We see them come through our retailers often where the failure to do the right amount of homework results in a less than favorable result that floods over into a general opinion that all leveling keys are bad. This is not true and especially not true of our leveling keys. No other manufacturer produces a leveling key that is strong and accurate as the Readylift leveling keys. There are so companys who after getting returns from companies are now trying to copy our keys because they work and we never the customer send keys back because they don't work or don't provide exactly what we say it will provide to them.
Rear blocks are available for leveled trucks for those owners who want a slightly lifted look and stance and still be able to put a "slight" rake back in their truck for towing. Unlike some other companies, our blocks are OEM equivalent solid cast iron blocks, not hollow castings or aluminum extrusions. If a person tows they want a little bit of a rake, not necessarily the massive rake that comes from the factory. The option is available for those who do their homework and want a heavy-duty block and hardware that will support what they intend to do with the truck. And unlike most other companies, our products are guaranteed to do what we say they will do and include a limited lifetime warranty. It is some of these suggested features that a customer purchases....the purchase of peace of mind they are getting what they want and are pleased with the results.
Dean, you particular truck does not need new shocks or shock extensions when using our 2.5" leveling keys, and most certainly would not when using a key that gives a lesser lift.  

Readylift I disagree with your view here. When you change the ride height of front end through a "key" change or Tbar reindexing you change the geometry of the front end you effect ride quality. I do not care how you forge and shape it. In order to raise front end this way you are placing front end at or near the top of its suspension travel and how it interact with Tbar due to fulcrum changes relative to load because of changes in distance/leverage (when measure on a level surface between them) between load center in lower ball joint and Tbar changes with control arm position. This causes several problems. First t can effect ride quality because it can feel stiffer and with front end at or near limit of extension if tire enters a hole or depression the front end can top out and may it feel pitchy or unsteady in that there is no smooth extension possible because it tops out quickly. Then there is the geometry, The front end consists of unequal length control arms. The reason for this is to attempt to keep track width fairly constant as suspension articulates and keep caster and camber angle within a certain range. When GM sets ride height from factory the alignment specs are based the geometry in play at that height. Re-keying throws it off and even if you realigned it for new height it is still not going to be quite right because of where you now are in the relative geometric position of the front suspension now vs design spec. No forging of key is going to change this. Then there is the half shafts. They are there strongest when run fairly flat. Keying sets up a scenario that greatly increases strain on the CV's which I find unacceptable too. This is because as you key it up you force CV's to run at higher average angles which reduces the peak torque capacity before failure and throw in bigger tires that these "keys" are used to accommodate and you are potentially shortening life of CV's and increasing the chance of failure because bigger tires place more stress on CV because of higher average torque requirements and your keys place CV's in a weaker part of their operational torque capacity envelope so you are weakening the front drive axle as well as far as amount of ground force/tractive effort can be applied from axle before CV's fail due to increased stress for bigger tire and "keys" running CV's in a state that they have less peak capacity. What this all means is that the only reason I can see or justify using a key is if you have Tbars that have gone soft and cannot be restored to proper OEM height without rekeying otherwise I see no value in them. the only PROPER way to lift a GM IFS is with a kit that properly relocates front diff and uses different knuckles and/or control arm location modifications so that half shaft are run flat for peak load capacity and longer life under the increased stress of big tire and suspension travel range up and down is maintained. Key's do none of this and nobody likes to talk or hear about the negative aspects of them. There is no free lunch here and and it is a poor mans lift at best that compromises your 4x4 in ways that are not good because geometry issues aside, you do not want to make front drive axle weaker because of CV angles when you are putting bigger tires on it too.