2003 z71 tahoe

[ncalvo]

Are you doing any suspension work?

I've done a bunch to the suspension, next on the list is sway bars. I have my eye on some DJM sway bars they seem to be a great bang for buck only around $350 for the pair


had a great set up at the beach this past weekend, my canopy doesn't catch any wind at all, two tents and umbrellas almost wrecked us from the wind that day including even the lifeguards umbrella, mine didnt move.

 

[OR VietVet]

You would be way happier with Hellwig Sway bars

 

[Rocket Man]

I've done a bunch to the suspension, next on the list is sway bars. I have my eye on some DJM sway bars they seem to be a great bang for buck only around $350 for the pair


had a great set up at the beach this past weekend, my canopy doesn't catch any wind at all, two tents and umbrellas almost wrecked us from the wind that day including even the lifeguards umbrella, mine didnt move.
View attachment 458274
View attachment 458273Nothing wrong with DJM. I have their rear swaybar on my 02. Very happy.

 

[ncalvo]

so i got stuck on the beach over the weekend, i didnt bury myself too far it was at the entrance getting on, but still far enough that i had to be dragged off. once i noticed that my front wheels werent spinning i stopped before my axle or frame was on the ground.
luckily a guy with a winch was able to drag me out but damn it was like pulling a brick, if he wasn't there with a winch i wouldn't have gotten out.

my 4wd light engaged i heard and felt a clunk but my front wheels werent locked in, so my guess is the actuator/fork.
going to put it up on jacks tomorrow and see what's engaging, and i got a new actuator.
it looks like there's buildup on my passenger side from where the extension tube meets the cv axle i can see its greasy, my level is good its right at the top of the fill plug, a little sparkly too.

i called a shop that did my rear end and will most likely drop it off to them in 2 weeks if i still need to. i'd be willing to have it gone thru.

while under my truck i think i see my power steering pump weeping, so today i was looking at what all to do while i'm in there.
thinking of doing the pump, reservoir, pulley. i am even considering the steering gearbox as its the last bit of the front end that isn't new and maybe itll tighten up the last bit of play.

still gotta do my oil pan gasket and also while in there the pickup o-ring, and the pickup tube support bracket i just came across.


after all that i have my eye on some sway bars. the DJM ones are discontinued so i'll probably go with hellwig although that'll take longer since i'm doing all this other shit. and i plan on doing the rear brake shields the 2 piece ones that i dont need to take the axle off to put on

 

[Tonyrodz]

so i got stuck on the beach over the weekend, i didnt bury myself too far it was at the entrance getting on, but still far enough that i had to be dragged off. once i noticed that my front wheels werent spinning i stopped before my axle or frame was on the ground.
luckily a guy with a winch was able to drag me out but damn it was like pulling a brick, if he wasn't there with a winch i wouldn't have gotten out.

my 4wd light engaged i heard and felt a clunk but my front wheels werent locked in, so my guess is the actuator/fork.
going to put it up on jacks tomorrow and see what's engaging, and i got a new actuator.
it looks like there's buildup on my passenger side from where the extension tube meets the cv axle i can see its greasy, my level is good its right at the top of the fill plug, a little sparkly too.

i called a shop that did my rear end and will most likely drop it off to them in 2 weeks if i still need to. i'd be willing to have it gone thru.

while under my truck i think i see my power steering pump weeping, so today i was looking at what all to do while i'm in there.
thinking of doing the pump, reservoir, pulley. i am even considering the steering gearbox as its the last bit of the front end that isn't new and maybe itll tighten up the last bit of play.

still gotta do my oil pan gasket and also while in there the pickup o-ring, and the pickup tube support bracket i just came across.


after all that i have my eye on some sway bars. the DJM ones are discontinued so i'll probably go with hellwig although that'll take longer since i'm doing all this other shit. and i plan on doing the rear brake shields the 2 piece ones that i dont need to take the axle off to put on


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View attachment 486458

How hard was it to adjust the slop out of your steering box? I tried doing it many years ago but the bolt wouldn't budge. I'm not sure if i did it correctly. Do you know if there's a video how to floating around?

 

[ncalvo]

How hard was it to adjust the slop out of your steering box? I tried doing it many years ago but the bolt wouldn't budge. I'm not sure if i did it correctly. Do you know if there's a video how to floating around?

ive tightened it a few times over the last like 5 years

it's not hard but definitely make sure you do it right

use an open end or box wrench on the nut, but use an allen on the inside bolt and hold that in place, you need to loosen the nut without trying to turn the bolt much if at all, once the nut is loose you can turn the allen key and thats what tightens it up. this isn't a fix but it will give you some results and buys more time, if you do too much and it will bind i don't think ive done more than half or one turn at a time of the bolt.

im only considering replacing the gear box because i still have a little dead zone of play and ive done i think all the rest of the components within the last 5 years already

 

[Tonyrodz]

ive tightened it a few times over the last like 5 years

it's not hard but definitely make sure you do it right

use an open end or box wrench on the nut, but use an allen on the inside bolt and hold that in place, you need to loosen the nut without trying to turn the bolt much if at all, once the nut is loose you can turn the allen key and thats what tightens it up. this isn't a fix but it will give you some results and buys more time, if you do too much and it will bind i don't think ive done more than half or one turn at a time of the bolt.

im only considering replacing the gear box because i still have a little dead zone of play and ive done i think all the rest of the components within the last 5 years already

I have 305k on the original box. I don't drive it often anymore but when I do the slop in the steering is really noticeable. So loosen the nut while holding the bolt steady with an Allen key. Thanks.

 

[ncalvo]

I have 305k on the original box. I don't drive it often anymore but when I do the slop in the steering is really noticeable. So loosen the nut while holding the bolt steady with an Allen key. Thanks.

there's also one other place to tighten up, it is on the steering column right behind the wheel, the joint that allows for tilt on the steering column

 

[Fless]

You can remove (unscrew) the front diff actuator and let it hang. Then with the ignition on, push the 4wd button to see if the actuator extends. If it doesn't, check for voltage and ground at the connector.

The ground for that actuator is behind the left front wheel on the body mount, and the three or four ground connections there are subject to road debris and rust.

 

[Tonyrodz]

there's also one other place to tighten up, it is on the steering column right behind the wheel, the joint that allows for tilt on the steering column

I never heard about that one. Do you have a pic? I've never dug into the column before.

 

[ncalvo]

I never heard about that one. Do you have a pic? I've never dug into the column before.

GMT800 Loose Steering Fix No One Has Mentioned here or Net - Ten Minutes, NO $$$

Backstory: After two years of loose steering nearly driving me INSANE with my 2003 Tahoe 5.3. I had changed all tie rods,idler arm, shook everything else until I went MAD, even got under dash to change upper int. shaft plastic bearing cup but found that to be tight already, tightened steering...

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[OR VietVet]

I have 305k on the original box. I don't drive it often anymore but when I do the slop in the steering is really noticeable. So loosen the nut while holding the bolt steady with an Allen key. Thanks.

When you are trying to use the allen tool, to hold the bolt when loosening the nut, use a 1/4" drive or 3/8" drive allen socket and breaker bar to hold. Even get a second set of hands if can, to hold it when break the locking nut loose. When you then adjust that allen head bolt, DO NOT adjust more than 1/4 turn at a time. Road test after locking down the nut, each time.

 

[ncalvo]

new 4wd actuator did not fix my front diff
put it up on stands and went to engage 4wd front wheels didnt spin and it made a bad ratcheting sound, safe to say it will be getting dropped off for a rebuild, needs new seals and bearings anyway.

 

[ncalvo]

ordered a front diff complete assembly from powertrain products online, rather than dropping my truck off at a shop to go thru it, im just going to swap it myself

when i go to do that im dropping the oil pan to do the gasket, oil pickup o-ring, cooler block off plate, adding a pickup tube support bracket, oil level sensor and tcase fluid

i ordered all the parts to do the rest of the steering
lower steering shaft, power steering pump, eddleman gearbox, pulley, and the line from the pump to the gearbox
this im going to have a shop do, and replace my fuel lines and trans fluid while it's there too

also got longer sway bar links up front that fit for having my truck leveled, someday going to upgrade the swaybars

super aggressive to make this truck last forever

 

[OR VietVet]

ordered a front diff complete assembly from powertrain products online, rather than dropping my truck off at a shop to go thru it, im just going to swap it myself

when i go to do that im dropping the oil pan to do the gasket, oil pickup o-ring, cooler block off plate, adding a pickup tube support bracket, oil level sensor and tcase fluid

i ordered all the parts to do the rest of the steering
lower steering shaft, power steering pump, eddleman gearbox, pulley, and the line from the pump to the gearbox
this im going to have a shop do, and replace my fuel lines and trans fluid while it's there too

also got longer sway bar links up front that fit for having my truck leveled, someday going to upgrade the swaybars

super aggressive to make this truck last forever

I likely missed the ingo in an earlier post. What is the mileage on this?

 

[ncalvo]

I likely missed the ingo in an earlier post. What is the mileage on this?

im at 240k now

 

[OR VietVet]

im at 240k now

If you are gonna go that far and drop the pan, do the oil pump and timing chain and water pump.

 

[ncalvo]

If you are gonna go that far and drop the pan, do the oil pump and timing chain and water pump.

did the water pump recently, not gonna crack into the front of the motor right now but someday will have to

 

[West 1]

Sold my 03 Yukon last year and kept our 08 Denali, in many ways I think the 03 is my preferred ride. It was simple and I loved the seats all folding down for hauling or camping. Mine only had 135K on it and was in great shape but the wife preferred the soft ride in the Denali……. Nice truck to keep, like that you are staying on top of it.