'13 4x4 burban LTZ lift/level thread

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Andrewgodley

TYF Newbie
Joined
May 12, 2017
Posts
16
Reaction score
22
Location
Lafayette, Louisiana
Hey folks, first post. Be gentle. Thanks in advance for any info you can help me with. I've searched and cannot find much info about lifting an LTZ 4x4 Suburban. Mine is a 2013. Super nice vehicle, but needs more... stance. SuspensionMaxx makes the coil spring spacers for the rear and also the nice adjustable height kit for the front struts to do just about any height from 1" to 2.5" and they also include a little bracket to lengthen the Autoride rod for both the front a rear. Going to install some 2015 GMC all terrain stock wheels with 275/60r20 KO2.

I want to lift it just high enough to clear the 275/60s and provide a little more height and stance without making it ride poorly on the highway. Also want to keep the front lower than the rear, level wise.

So here is where I would like to specific help: how much should I lift? There is a lot of info out there and on this site about the kits for the tahoe/yukon and even for the suburban, but mostly the Z71 and not the autoride LTZ and most people are not forthcoming about whether their rides are 4x4 or 2wd. I have the 4x4 and I think the suspension is already a little higher than the stock 2wd I see around town.

My front fenders sit at 36 1/4" and the rear at 37 3/4" already. Thats a 1.5" difference and the truck looks nice and I don't want to raise the front too much more than the rear. The step along the bottom of the vehicle is actually almost level, with the end near the rear tire being only 1/2" higher than the end near the front tire. Its as if the truck has a natural rake look to it, even when the bottom of the body is more level.

I am leaning toward 1.5" lift front and 1.5" lift rear, bringing the ending fender heights to 37 3/4" front and 39 1/4" rear before taller tires. Does anyone have any idea if I will have issues with rubbing with the 275/60r20 tires if at almost 38" front fender height? Or will I need to get the from up another 1/4 or 1/2" or more?

Also, what about the rear shock? I have a shock extender that I purchased from ReadyLift that will extend the shock bracket about 2". Do you think this would be an issue with the 1.5" rear lift? The autoride shock would be slightly more compressed that stock, probably. I have no idea how theses autoride shocks work compared to regular shocks. I don't know if they air up to a fixed extended point or if they reference the position of the autoride rod/sensor. Any ideas? The SuspensionMaxx rear spacer has the bracket to extend the rod a little bit, but I don't know how precise the position or length needs to be, if that will affect the height. I do notice that the rear height of the vehical is 1/2" lower when it sits for more than 24 hours, but when you turn on the ignition I can hear the compressor run and the rear will raise that 1/2" again.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. And I will post pics! Here she is currently... long and low and already pretty close to level, just a tad higher in the back. Also these are 265/60r20 Goodyear Wrangler SR-As. Actual height it about 31 1/8 inch tall on the truck.

Cheers,
Andrew


IMG_9216.JPG IMG_9208.JPG
 
OP
OP
Andrewgodley

Andrewgodley

TYF Newbie
Joined
May 12, 2017
Posts
16
Reaction score
22
Location
Lafayette, Louisiana
Heh. I agree she is clean and beautiful, but needs a little more edge with some decent rubber and I just do not like the chrome wheels!
 

DenaliEd

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2017
Posts
153
Reaction score
58
Location
MN/IA
I think with that much lift you're going to want more tire than 275/60. I have 275/50 on my Denali, and they look small on my stock height truck...
 
OP
OP
Andrewgodley

Andrewgodley

TYF Newbie
Joined
May 12, 2017
Posts
16
Reaction score
22
Location
Lafayette, Louisiana
Do you mean 275/55? The 275/60 is at least an inch larger in diameter than the 55 ratio tires. But I agree, the tires are not very big, but that's ok. Our GM SUVs have such small wheel openings it doesn't look like much will fit. i think the 275/60r20 I will put on on Friday will probably rub on the liner inside the wheel well, but we will see once it is lifted a touch. Currently considering only 1" spacer block front and back, seeing how that works after driving for a while and then either keeping or going higher. I am a little concerned about the air ride shocks and how the rear will work when extended an inch more than normal at all times, after the lift. Going to a 1.5" spacer in the back will extend it even that much more. These things aren't off road long travel shocks so I am apprehensive about stretching them too much. And I like the factory ride. Not interested in going up too high. With the bigger tires and the 1" lift it will gain almost 2" height overall. Other option is to go 1.5" now instead of 1". I think anything bigger is too much on this truck, which already seems to sit at a decent height, maybe because of the 4x4 and different springs for that package. I'm not expert on that though.
 
OP
OP
Andrewgodley

Andrewgodley

TYF Newbie
Joined
May 12, 2017
Posts
16
Reaction score
22
Location
Lafayette, Louisiana
Also, why in the world did GM make the axle track on the rear more than an inch narrower than the front!?! Looks so weird to me and I will be installing the rear hub centric spacer from ready lift (0.5")
 

camaroz1985

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2015
Posts
240
Reaction score
121
Its a tradeoff, narrower rear track makes it more agile for turning, probably makes soccer moms feel better about driving something so big. Wider rear track is more stable for towing (and of course looks better). I know on the older body style it is not uncommon to use up to 2" spacers to even things out, at least on the 2500 models.
 
OP
OP
Andrewgodley

Andrewgodley

TYF Newbie
Joined
May 12, 2017
Posts
16
Reaction score
22
Location
Lafayette, Louisiana
I'm going to give the 1/2" hub centric spacers a try on friday when I get the wheels, tires, and lift installed. I am hoping it will look good and not affect the way it drives very much. I could see it affecting the turning radius, like you mentioned.

My big internal debate is about whether to go 1" or 1.5" on the lift. I would like to go 1" for the sake of not stretching the limits of the stock design (shocks, sway bars, CV joints, control arm joints, etc). Or maybe 1.5" front and back will not be an issue. Currently leaning 1" rear spacer with nothing done to extend the rear shock, and the autoride sensor rod extended appropriately plus 1.5" lift using under strut spacer in the front with approriate autoride sensor rod extension. Can always change it after its on to dial in the rake or fender heights. I don't want it too unstable or sway too much from raising center of gravity. Keeping it driving with some level of nimbleness is kinda desired.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
129,187
Posts
1,811,849
Members
92,291
Latest member
Mistehkins
Top