Stock height of Z71 vs LT/LTZ?

[dheadv8q]

How much of a difference is there? I'm considering a Pedders Touring which is supposed to be a 2.5/3 drop. But I assume that's based on a standard suspension height, and I'm not sure if the Z71 is significantly higher or just stiffer. Eyeballing mine, I am not sure I want to go lower than a 2.5/3 from the Z71 height. especially with the 18s (which I'm quite happy with).

 

[ICON]

I went with the Belltech 2/3 kit, I am actually really happy with it. Its definitely lower than I imagined. I've also done the 2/3 kit on a Denali and my Z71 sits lower. Im a fan of the 18s too, but when lowered with the fender flares the wheels look tiny! Its crazy. I would definitely recommend upgrading wheels as well.

 

[dheadv8q]

Love to see a pic. How is the ride compared to the Z71?

I went with the Belltech 2/3 kit, I am actually really happy with it. Its definitely lower than I imagined. I've also done the 2/3 kit on a Denali and my Z71 sits lower. Im a fan of the 18s too, but when lowered with the fender flares the wheels look tiny! Its crazy. I would definitely recommend upgrading wheels as well.

 

[Fast55]

Why in the world would you want to lower a Z71? My '09 LTZ 4X4 appears to be almost exactly the same height as a stock Z71, maybe the slightest bit lower, but I have 285/45 22's on factory 22's instead of the usual 20's.

 

[ICON]

Ill snap some pics tomorrow afternoon and post em. Of course I feel the bumps in the road a little more because its lower to the ground, but it actually doesn't ride all that bad. I was told that replacing the z71 shocks with a sport shock would smooth the ride out. I've had it lowered for about a week now and am happy with the ride. Maybe when I throw the 24's on ill think about swapping shocks, but who knows.

 

[Modded]

There is nothing wrong with lowering a Z71 with a simple 2/3 drop.
The offroad capibilities that a stock height Z71 are capable of can easily be done with a 2/3 dropped Z71! I can understand if it was dropped 3/5 or more and people were like "dude what were you thinking?"
But with a 2/3, there is nothing wrong with that to me.

I want to see pics too

 

[dheadv8q]

Why in the world would you want to lower a Z71?

a. I have a wife who has a broken back and needs the best ride quality I can provide. Plus she has difficulty hauling herself up into it. Even though this is 'my' truck, and most of the time she will ride in the Deville, that doesn't give me a pass on doing what I can.
b. I'm not trying to create a low rider - however 98% of the time this truck will be on pavement. The 2% it will not won't be going up the Rubicon. I've had what many consider for its time to be the best 4x4 created - a 2" lifted '79 CJ7 Golden Eagle - built 304 with quadratrack. I can tell you it had more guts than I did!
c. If the Pedders kit will increase ride quality and handling to me its a win-win. Plus, lowering the profile slightly will improve mileage.

 

[Zed 71]

From all the lowered SUVs I have riden in, the ride quality always suffered when compared to stock. That's if you are wanting to retain the stock softness and rebound. With that said I do prefer the stiffness of properly dropped or lifted trucks.

If you are doing this for your wife's back I would not recommend this. Yes she will have an easier time getting in but the time spend riding will not be pleasant for her. At least ride in a truck that has the same drop kit you are thinking of.

 

[Fast55]

There is nothing wrong with lowering a Z71 with a simple 2/3 drop.
The offroad capibilities that a stock height Z71 are capable of can easily be done with a 2/3 dropped Z71! I can understand if it was dropped 3/5 or more and people were like "dude what were you thinking?"
But with a 2/3, there is nothing wrong with that to me.

I want to see pics too

If you don't mind bashing rocker panels, front fascia, rear quater panels, then yes, it will do about the same. otherwise, umm, no.

 

[ICON]

Sorry for the picture quality. Thats the Belltech 2/3 kit.

 

[Modded]

If you don't mind bashing rocker panels, front fascia, rear quater panels, then yes, it will do about the same. otherwise, umm, no.

Ok, may I ask you how one would have an actual noticeable chance in doing any of those with a 2/3 dropped Z71, as compared to a stock height one.
Bashing quarter panles and rocker panels is not easily done on these Tahoe w/o some involved driving, and if it would happen with a 2/3 drop, it will for sure do the same thing with a stock height one.
Front fascia bashing will not happen unless the person just does not watch where they drive.
Me, from experience, can tell you that a Pedders 2/3 drop on a Z71 will be almost invisible to the eye of atleast 80% of the Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade drivers out there, barely noticeable, I have had the kit so I know.

Lastly, the Pedders rear 3" kit rides like no other drop kit, when I say just like stock, I mean JUST LIKE stock, you will not even know it was dropped. The front 2" kit, is a different story

 

[dheadv8q]

Sorry for the picture quality. Thats the Belltech 2/3 kit.

That looks just about the way I envisioned it - there's over 3" of clearance (or appears to be) for that rear wheel well.
Those 18s don't look 'lost' to me. I'm certain if I went to 20" my ride quality would suffer even more than my pocketbook!

 

[GreatWhite]

I had a similar issue as the O.P., so I'll weigh in with my thoughts. I have an '09 Yukon with the XFE package, which is supposed to be a 1" drop from stock all round. I've parked next to presumably stock models and the 1" looks about right. I wanted to lower it a bit more so I looked at the options. The chief issue was figuring out where I would end up. At the back there is no question that the 1" drop was done with springs (no air ride), but upfront there are options. I doubt that GM would have used different spindles, but they might have positioned the lower spring perch differently on the strut or just used springs. At the back, if bought a lowering kit the final drop would be relative to stock, not my starting point. At the front, if I used a spindle kit, the drop would relative to my starting point, so the rake would increase. So, I went with an all-springs package, specifically the Pedders Sport kit. What I wound up with looks just like the pictures on the Pedders website and looks perfectly proportioned to my eye, not unnaturally high or low. I'd post a picture, but there's nothing special about it. I'll post a writeup on the install shortly, although there was nothing specially difficult about it. Everyone is asking what the ride is like, and while I haven't driven it under a full range of conditions yet, I like it better than stock. The handling has improved just due to the lower CG and reducede body roll. It's still a Yukon, but now it feels like the tires are the limiting factor. The ride is not at all harsh. Bumps are slightly more abrupt but feel well damped. A lot of jiggliness has been taken out of the ride and that makes it feel better to me. Call me a satisfied customer.

 

[THE YETI]

LOL, Funny you should ask this... This pic is about a year old, but it's my wife's LTZ Burban (on right), My buddies Z71 Burban (on left), and my other buds LT Burban(in middle). All are 2008 models and stock height in the pics.

 

[Modded]

I had a similar issue as the O.P., so I'll weigh in with my thoughts. I have an '09 Yukon with the XFE package, which is supposed to be a 1" drop from stock all round. I've parked next to presumably stock models and the 1" looks about right. I wanted to lower it a bit more so I looked at the options. The chief issue was figuring out where I would end up. At the back there is no question that the 1" drop was done with springs (no air ride), but upfront there are options. I doubt that GM would have used different spindles, but they might have positioned the lower spring perch differently on the strut or just used springs. At the back, if bought a lowering kit the final drop would be relative to stock, not my starting point. At the front, if I used a spindle kit, the drop would relative to my starting point, so the rake would increase. So, I went with an all-springs package, specifically the Pedders Sport kit. What I wound up with looks just like the pictures on the Pedders website and looks perfectly proportioned to my eye, not unnaturally high or low. I'd post a picture, but there's nothing special about it. I'll post a writeup on the install shortly, although there was nothing specially difficult about it. Everyone is asking what the ride is like, and while I haven't driven it under a full range of conditions yet, I like it better than stock. The handling has improved just due to the lower CG and reducede body roll. It's still a Yukon, but now it feels like the tires are the limiting factor. The ride is not at all harsh. Bumps are slightly more abrupt but feel well damped. A lot of jiggliness has been taken out of the ride and that makes it feel better to me. Call me a satisfied customer.

If you were to add some shock extenders to the kit, that minor complaint would disappear.

 

[ec07z71]

LOL, Funny you should ask this... This pic is about a year old, but it's my wife's LTZ Burban (on right), My buddies Z71 Burban (on left), and my other buds LT Burban(in middle). All are 2008 models and stock height in the pics.

so were they all exactly the same height (sorry can't tell from the pic)

 

[emann_01]

looks like the decrease in height from left to right but then again it is a parking garage where the ground could be sloped

 

[THE YETI]

parking garage where the pic was taken was level. The garage slopes in the middle of the garage, that's where the traffic flows to different levels.

There is a decrease from left to right. The LTZ on the right, LT in the middle, and Z71 on the left.

LTZ and LT are on OEM 20s, the Z71 is on the OEM 18s