Looking for Used 3" Lifts for my 2001 Tahoe

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.

Ansin529

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2019
Posts
30
Reaction score
47
Good Evening Guys.. I'm Chris and I'm new to the forum. I have purchased a 2001 Chevy Tahoe LT with 210000 miles on it. I paid 2500 for it and it came with 15 pages of carfax history with significant maintenance history! Seems to run great! Pictures to come!

I'd like to get my hands on a cheap 3 inch lift, which generally consists of Front Keys and Shock Extenders along with Rear Coil Spacers and Shock Extenders. Some kits apparently came with the Tie Rod Extenders.

I am not going out 4-wheeling but I'd like to put a set of 33s on it to assist with boat ramp entry and exits and for the look. This is not my daily driver so ride quality is not as important if it were.

If anyone has one of these sets laying around and would like to sell, please link up with me!

My first concern with vehicle was to locate a parasitic drawl and correct it! After some probing, it was determined that my oem radio was the culprit behind a parasitic draw that killed batteries in 3 day increments!

My second hurdle was dropping the fuel tank as the aftermarket fuel pump they installed went bad just over a year after being replaced.

While replacing the fuel pump, I replaced the rear main seal (the only oil leak I had) and the oil pressure sending unit at the same time. Dry as a bone now!

I look forward to getting to know my new conquest and many of you!

20191128_091929.jpg
 

HiHoeSilver

Away!
Joined
Feb 28, 2017
Posts
10,919
Reaction score
14,571
Location
Chicago
Good Evening Guys.. I'm Chris and I'm new to the forum. I have purchased a 2001 Chevy Tahoe LT with 210000 miles on it. I paid 2500 for it and it came with 15 pages of carfax history with significant maintenance history! Seems to run great! Pictures to come!

I'd like to get my hands on a cheap 3 inch lift, which generally consists of Front Keys and Shock Extenders along with Rear Coil Spacers and Shock Extenders. Some kits apparently came with the Tie Rod Extenders.

I am not going out 4-wheeling but I'd like to put a set of 33s on it to assist with boat ramp entry and exits and for the look. This is not my daily driver so ride quality is not as important if it were.

If anyone has one of these sets laying around and would like to sell, please link up with me!

My first concern with vehicle was to locate a parasitic drawl and correct it! After some probing, it was determined that my oem radio was the culprit behind a parasitic draw that killed batteries in 3 day increments!

My second hurdle was dropping the fuel tank as the aftermarket fuel pump they installed went bad just over a year after being replaced.

While replacing the fuel pump, I replaced the rear main seal (the only oil leak I had) and the oil pressure sending unit at the same time. Dry as a bone now!

I look forward to getting to know my new conquest and many of you!

View attachment 235630

Welcome, Chris!

Good job finding your parasite! Which pump did you use this time?

Guys lift these trucks different ways for different reasons. You DO NOT need any magic to run 33s. Some z71 rear springs and a couple turns on the stock keys are it. Here's mine with 33s (275/70r18).

20191114_161119.jpg

Forget shock extenders, just buy some adjustable Bilstein 5100s. Much better bang for the buck.

Wanna go little bigger? Maybe 35s? Some 3" lift keys and rear spacers will do ya with a little trimming.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Ansin529

Ansin529

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2019
Posts
30
Reaction score
47
Welcome, Chris!

Good job finding your parasite! Which pump did you use this time?

Guys lift these trucks different ways for different reasons. You DO NOT need any magic to run 33s. Some z71 rear springs and a couple turns on the stock keys are it. Here's mine with 33s (275/70r18).

View attachment 235631

Forget shock extenders, just buy some adjustable Bilstein 5100s. Much better bang for the buck.

Wanna go little bigger? Maybe 35s? Some 3" lift keys and rear spacers will do ya.


Thank you for your response. I truly appreciate you taking the time to respond.

I think the 33s will suffice (even though the thought of 35s is tempting). I'm going to try the simple route when it comes to the lift, if one is completed. I live on a budget (as kids and early college suck me dry lol).

I ended up going with the AC Delco Fuel Pump Assembly. It replaced some name brand/I've never heard of!

I'm in the process of replacing every speaker in the Tahoe as each and every one of them were blown. The cones were destroyed. I replaced the stock sub with a 600 Watt Boss 4 Ohm, dual voice coil sub. I run it in parallel so it would meet the stock 2 Ohm level. It performs well considering it is run by the stock amp! The rear and front speakers are next!

The Tahoe has had a stock entertainment center installed in it at some point. You can tell the wiring was aftermarket but the components are stock. It has the VCR, Power Inverter, small TV Screen, Center console, etc installed... I'm working on a no volume condition for this set up as we speak.

Screenshot_20190506-213708_Facebook.jpg Screenshot_20190506-213622_Facebook.jpg Screenshot_20190506-213702_Facebook.jpg
 

HiHoeSilver

Away!
Joined
Feb 28, 2017
Posts
10,919
Reaction score
14,571
Location
Chicago
Thank you for your response. I truly appreciate you taking the time to respond.

I think the 33s will suffice (even though the thought of 35s is tempting). I'm going to try the simple route when it comes to the lift, if one is completed. I live on a budget (as kids and early college suck me dry lol).

I ended up going with the AC Delco Fuel Pump Assembly. It replaced some name brand/I've never heard of!

I'm in the process of replacing every speaker in the Tahoe as each and every one of them were blown. The cones were destroyed. I replaced the stock sub with a 600 Watt Boss 4 Ohm, dual voice coil sub. I run it in parallel so it would meet the stock 2 Ohm level. It performs well considering it is run by the stock amp! The rear and front speakers are next!

The Tahoe has had a stock entertainment center installed in it at some point. You can tell the wiring was aftermarket but the components are stock. It has the VCR, Power Inverter, small TV Screen, Center console, etc installed... I'm working on a no volume condition for this set up as we speak.

View attachment 235763 View attachment 235764 View attachment 235765

I don't think that's a stock center console. Can we get some more pictures of it? Never seen anything like those top cupholders.

Any chance it's a conversion like a Regency or Ducks Ultd or something like that?
 

89Suburban

Bull in the china shop
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2013
Posts
12,829
Reaction score
35,148
Location
SE PA
Welcome. Don't forget pics of the boat too. :)
 

rgosart

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2019
Posts
205
Reaction score
375
Good Evening Guys.. I'm Chris and I'm new to the forum. I have purchased a 2001 Chevy Tahoe LT with 210000 miles on it. I paid 2500 for it and it came with 15 pages of carfax history with significant maintenance history! Seems to run great! Pictures to come!

I'd like to get my hands on a cheap 3 inch lift, which generally consists of Front Keys and Shock Extenders along with Rear Coil Spacers and Shock Extenders. Some kits apparently came with the Tie Rod Extenders.

I am not going out 4-wheeling but I'd like to put a set of 33s on it to assist with boat ramp entry and exits and for the look. This is not my daily driver so ride quality is not as important if it were.

If anyone has one of these sets laying around and would like to sell, please link up with me!

My first concern with vehicle was to locate a parasitic drawl and correct it! After some probing, it was determined that my oem radio was the culprit behind a parasitic draw that killed batteries in 3 day increments!

My second hurdle was dropping the fuel tank as the aftermarket fuel pump they installed went bad just over a year after being replaced.

While replacing the fuel pump, I replaced the rear main seal (the only oil leak I had) and the oil pressure sending unit at the same time. Dry as a bone now!

I look forward to getting to know my new conquest and many of you!

View attachment 235630

I did something very similar to @HiHoeSilver. Motofab keys from amazon (0-3" lift), z71 springs, and 275/70r18s. With wheels and tires it was ~$1500 and the wheels and tires were a majority of that amount. I installed it all myself including mounting and balancing the tires and the alignment (perks of having a friend who is a tech at a Chevy dealer), so the labor total was $10 to buy my friend lunch. I'd recommend just buying the parts new. The most expensive part of it is shocks and including that you could have all of your parts for ~$300.

Springs: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00498ZR7A/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Keys: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N4LOPMF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You can add rear spacers for even more lift, but that requires cranking the keys even more and you'll run into issues with down travel in the front end. Basically when you crank the keys to raise the front end, the resting position of the front end is higher. There is only so much up travel in the control arms before they will be sitting on the upper stops and you will not have any travel left.

20191007_100628.jpg 20191103_231032.jpg IMG_20191015_080935_775 (2).jpg
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Ansin529

Ansin529

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2019
Posts
30
Reaction score
47
I don't think that's a stock center console. Can we get some more pictures of it? Never seen anything like those top cupholders.

Any chance it's a conversion like a Regency or Ducks Ultd or something like that?

I'll take some more this evening and show everyone. I didn't think it was original equipment!
 
OP
OP
Ansin529

Ansin529

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2019
Posts
30
Reaction score
47
I did something very similar to @HiHoeSilver. Motofab keys from amazon (0-3" lift), z71 springs, and 275/70r18s. With wheels and tires it was ~$1500 and the wheels and tires were a majority of that amount. I installed it all myself including mounting and balancing the tires and the alignment (perks of having a friend who is a tech at a Chevy dealer), so the labor total was $10 to buy my friend lunch. I'd recommend just buying the parts new. The most expensive part of it is shocks and including that you could have all of your parts for ~$300.

Springs: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00498ZR7A/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Keys: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N4LOPMF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You can add rear spacers for even more lift, but that requires cranking the keys even more and you'll run into issues with down travel in the front end. Basically when you crank the keys to raise the front end, the resting position of the front end is higher. There is only so much up travel in the control arms before they will be sitting on the upper stops and you will not have any travel left.

View attachment 235768 View attachment 235769 View attachment 235770
 
OP
OP
Ansin529

Ansin529

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2019
Posts
30
Reaction score
47
Sharp looking Tahoe brother! Man oh man!

Seems like the general consensus is to use the Z71 springs on the rear and keys on the front! Buy the lift shocks and enjoy the lift for what it is! May be what I end up doing.

Your opinions and shared expertise is truly appreciated!

By the way... My precious career demanded much of my time and sold my two previous boats. I now own a small river boat! After some work, it is a solid mode of transportation!

20180717_181028.jpg 20180717_181005.jpg
 
OP
OP
Ansin529

Ansin529

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2019
Posts
30
Reaction score
47
I don't think that's a stock center console. Can we get some more pictures of it? Never seen anything like those top cupholders.

Any chance it's a conversion like a Regency or Ducks Ultd or something like that?

Screenshot_20190506-213600_Facebook.jpg
 

Forum statistics

Threads
128,783
Posts
1,805,338
Members
91,761
Latest member
AlbertoTahoe2011
Top