Suspension/Handling upgrades after leveling

[BeenChevy]

Hey guys,

With a change of ride quality after leveling what have you guys found to effectively compensate and improve handling?

Other than removing the leveling kit i'm trying to improve handling on my 05 Tahoe and 01 Yukon both leveled 2.5-3" up front and 1.5-2.5" in the rear. The handling is not horrible but i'd like to soften the blow over pot holes and improve corning.

Just ordered bilstein 5100's all the way around to start and curious what others have done to improve handling.

Thank in advance,
Ben

 

[TheAutumnWind]

running more sidewall will soften the blow of potholes. Edit: because doofus

Sway bars and poly bushings will improve handling.

Bilsteins ought to help a noticeable amount.

 

[BeenChevy]

Thanks for the response.

Other than lift spindles alone isn't there additional hardware required?

I strayed from a full on lift kit so I could still garage my vehicle with 33" wheels. The cost savings between keys+spacers was cool too. Read time and time again that keys would not make a huge impact on ride quality and I mean it's not HUGE but i'm looking to improve.

Could you give more details about the sway bars and bushings - Alternative sway bars? or maybe extended links?

Which bushings am I after to improve handling? All/Any ones in particular?

 

[SRTH8R]

Lift spindles are for 2wd only.

 

[TheAutumnWind]

Lift spindles are for 2wd only.

Oh hah! Totally neglected that. Ill edit my post to limit confusion.

The problem with keys is that you are trading jounce for rebound, or losing droop (due to raised static height), and simultaneously increasing "spring" rate.

Proper shocks can go a long way to improve ride quality.

Eibach sway bars have a good rep here AFAIK. I would consider longer end links. That post is on a dropped NBS so they used shortened end links

http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8236

 

[BeenChevy]

Chris

Your advice for sways and bushings puts me on target for better ride. Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you.

Placed an order for the Eibach F&R sways and found the Energy Suspension control arm bushings and bearings set. Nearly all of these rubber bushing appear shot. Bet my mechanic is going to have fun trying to change them all out

 

[ezdaar]

can get control arms with poly bushings and ball joints already pressed in

 

[BeenChevy]

Doug,

Can you point me in the right direction? This an eBay-type item?

Thanks,
Ben

 

[ezdaar]

looking, found them awhile back, forgot where.

 

[ezdaar]

ugh! cant find them

 

[TheAutumnWind]

can get control arms with poly bushings and ball joints already pressed in

Moog product maybe?

Maybe not. They don't seem to mention poly bushings on their RK "premium" series (problem solver). They do have

The CK and K control arms include ball joints that are powder coated metal with gusher bearings giving them a long life. These ball joints are serviceable and have grease fittings.

 

[BeenChevy]

Tried to PM you back..unfortunately this site wants me to have sent at least 10 posts before I can do that.

It's a 2005 Tahoe 4WD Z71.

Think the cost of replacing upper and lower control arms with poly bushings may be comparable to the labor $ of replacing the old bushings? They look like a ***** to get off from what I've read. Mine are all shot

 

[ezdaar]

Yes replacing with new arms and bushing pressed in is So worth it, the labor is a pain in the arse!
I have done a few sets and hated it.

The arms I found was oem, with poly bushings and ball joint installed. If I am remembering correctly they cost like 100$ or close to it.

Will keep digging until I find them.

 

[enginehead]

Hey guys,

With a change of ride quality after leveling what have you guys found to effectively compensate and improve handling?

Other than removing the leveling kit i'm trying to improve handling on my 05 Tahoe and 01 Yukon both leveled 2.5-3" up front and 1.5-2.5" in the rear. The handling is not horrible but i'd like to soften the blow over pot holes and improve corning.

Just ordered bilstein 5100's all the way around to start and curious what others have done to improve handling.

Thank in advance,
Ben

to improve handling, the first thing you need to do is not lift your vehicle, you need to lower it. having a vehicle higher up causes the vehicle to have a higher center of gravity, if you lower the vehicle it lowers the center of gravity.

I have a 2010 Tahoe that is lowered 1-2" and it handles great without putting in bushings or sway bars.

 

[BeenChevy]

Dang. This 8y/o post bright back memories. Thanks for the laugh on the lowering. You're absolutely right, lowering would have improved my handling back then. Since then though I've found loads of options and that truck handles great even lifted. Welcome to the forum enginehead

 

[Carolina Brown]

I had a torsion kit on mine and added new upper control arms from Cognito plus limit straps and was finally able to get it to align but by then I was like I might as well get a Rough Country 6"...so that's what I did. You can always spend $$$ to improve your torsion lift ride but it will never be the same as a suspension lift. Either accept that and save your money on improvements or spend a few more dollars and get the suspension lift if you can do the installation yourself of course.