2004 Yukon Denali Awd Leveling Kit Issues

[Nicholas Boyd]

Hi, I'm new to these forums. I recently purchased a 2004 Yukon Denali AWD. Wanted to give it a leveling kit to install larger tires. Got the leveling kit installed today but haven't had a chance for an aligment. Under acceleration the truck is all over the road, almost putting me into ditches. This is my first awd. I've heard of people leveling them and I've heard people saying it cant be done. It has been converted to the autobahn suspension so it no long had the auto ride air shocks. Saw a few others posts with similar issue but no direct answers. Appreciate any help! Thanks guys.

 

[Xanzgod]

I have heard of getting a double cardan joint. RC sells one for about 500 with the driveshaft included. I messaged them before directly and they said yes it would fit. So I would go that route. I'm still saving money for all my parts.

 

[OR VietVet]

Welcome to the forum from Oregon. Your steering and suspension geometry has changed. Get the alignment done. You know, the basics.

 

[Mechanic421]

You may want to check front end well before alignment for any worn parts. My torsion bars are turned up pretty good and 285/70/17 and drives awesome ride is not bad but not stock Denali ether. With the trailer it rides pretty good.some pics I took today.

 

[OR VietVet]

You may want to check front end well before alignment for any worn parts. My torsion bars are turned up pretty good and 285/70/17 and drives awesome ride is not bad but not stock Denali ether. With the trailer it rides pretty good.some pics I took today.

View attachment 239683 View attachment 239684

Yep, but a good alignment tech should always check that complete suspension and steering before alignment. I know my guys did in the shops I ran.

 

[adventurenali92]

@Nicholas Boyd
I just had a level kit done on the front of my 2006 XL denali. I’m riding on 20 inch wheels and the owner of my shop just pulled off brand new Michelin LTX all terrains from his new super duty truck. They were the exact tire I wanted to replace my out of life nittos with. But they were too tall for stock ride height. So we did a level kit. But while he had it up figuring out the kit I had him check front end steering components. I had to replace pitman arms at 75,000 miles, as that is a really common problem with these rigs. The repalcmenrt Pittman’s I did were bad again this time around. So we did the level kit, pitman arms, and alignment and everything is good to go. So check your pitman arms. When they were bad the first time around, my truck did exactly what you described. Tons of wondering and play in the front steering and it was super sloppy. Because they were bad, my alignment was so far off that it through the tread of brand new Bridgestone tires in three months! Check pitman arms, replace if needed and then get the alignment done!

 

[Nicholas Boyd]

@Nicholas Boyd
I just had a level kit done on the front of my 2006 XL denali. I’m riding on 20 inch wheels and the owner of my shop just pulled off brand new Michelin LTX all terrains from his new super duty truck. They were the exact tire I wanted to replace my out of life nittos with. But they were too tall for stock ride height. So we did a level kit. But while he had it up figuring out the kit I had him check front end steering components. I had to replace pitman arms at 75,000 miles, as that is a really common problem with these rigs. The repalcmenrt Pittman’s I did were bad again this time around. So we did the level kit, pitman arms, and alignment and everything is good to go. So check your pitman arms. When they were bad the first time around, my truck did exactly what you described. Tons of wondering and play in the front steering and it was super sloppy. Because they were bad, my alignment was so far off that it through the tread of brand new Bridgestone tires in three months! Check pitman arms, replace if needed and then get the alignment done!

@Nicholas Boyd
I just had a level kit done on the front of my 2006 XL denali. I’m riding on 20 inch wheels and the owner of my shop just pulled off brand new Michelin LTX all terrains from his new super duty truck. They were the exact tire I wanted to replace my out of life nittos with. But they were too tall for stock ride height. So we did a level kit. But while he had it up figuring out the kit I had him check front end steering components. I had to replace pitman arms at 75,000 miles, as that is a really common problem with these rigs. The repalcmenrt Pittman’s I did were bad again this time around. So we did the level kit, pitman arms, and alignment and everything is good to go. So check your pitman arms. When they were bad the first time around, my truck did exactly what you described. Tons of wondering and play in the front steering and it was super sloppy. Because they were bad, my alignment was so far off that it through the tread of brand new Bridgestone tires in three months! Check pitman arms, replace if needed and then get the alignment done!

Literally had everything on my truck lined up and fixed. Truck was running great over the past year. Got bigger tires and had to raise my truck an extra inch. That extra inch put my cv axles in a bind. Did you get longer cv axles or do any kind of diff drop?

 

[Nicholas Boyd]

Sorry it's taken so long to reply guys. I'm in the military so I'm gone pretty often.

 

[adventurenali92]

Literally had everything on my truck lined up and fixed. Truck was running great over the past year. Got bigger tires and had to raise my truck an extra inch. That extra inch put my cv axles in a bind. Did you get longer cv axles or do any kind of diff drop?

Nope. Only thing changed was the keys. Level keys instead cranking the factory torsion keys. There was no need for any other parts or a diff drop. Do you have the correct length shocks? When I replaced my auto ride shocks the first time around the seller sent me shocks that were too short. It gave me some play in the wheel though nothing like what you’re describing. The correct length shocks will make a big difference. But what my shop told me is that even if the front steering components have been replaced, cheap generic brand parts can go bad relatively quickly. But t y can also wear out faster with bigger heavier, wheels, or bigger heavier tires. That can speed up the wearing out especially if the replacement parts are off brand or generic parts, instead of quality brands like AC Delco.