98blackbell
Full Access Member
I have had my Tahoe for 6 years. Bought it with 82,000 miles for a work vehicle. Paid $5400. Good price, cold ac/, black, auto, low mileage, nice centerline wheels, pulled my trailer good!
I have 215,000 miles on it now. It came with Centerline 15 aluminum wheels with 33" Michelin tires. I immediately installed a cold air kit and enjoyed the 15 mpg city/hwy use i got out of it. I desperately wanted to put a full 6" drop kit, dual exhaust, upgraded brakes, heads and cam swap. But no money and definitely time constraints. 2 kids in private school getting ready for College, other hobby drag racing etc.........
I drove it that way for 4 years 2 sets of tires and got tired of the balloon tire look. Wanted to move into the 21st century.Sold my wife on the fact that I could get a new set of wheels and tires for a little bit more than the $ spent on the michellins I have been buying them for $850 for the last 4 years. Could only afford a set of 20" Ultra wheel tire combo $1195 shipped to the door, 5 spoke black with chrome lip and tires no names 275/45 set up. With the fender flares and step rails I had on with the old combo it looked funny! So I removed the flares and rails. The wheels because of the offset were to far in, by a lot! So I measure what I thought was the right amount and bought 4 aluminum 1 1/2" spacers to bring the wheels out to the fender line. These were expensive $330 shipped to the door. Looked good and gave the tire outside appearance I wanted. But the wheel top spacing was just a little high for my liking. Just need the drop kit! Cant afford it! Have to live with it!
I finally saved up enough money to install the drop kit I wanted. I bought the DJM 4" drop kit, front 2" springs, Front 2" spindles, Rear flip kit and the 4 calmax shocks $950 approximately to the door. I looked on the forums and looked on the web for all issues and tried to plan it out. So the big day arrives, I have all my parts and tools set up. Everything I read said that it should be a 4-6 hour job for novice mechanics.
Well close, the install probably took about 4 hours of real time, but the thinking it out and the redo's such as clearancing. I had to cut center sections out for the drive axle to clear increased it to about 10 hours, read on to see what I mean. Cross supports above the drive axle had to be cut all the way across (watch out for under carriage spray on, when cutting with a cut off wheel it melts and drips on you OUCH burnt the crap out of me!) , customize the bracke to hold the rear shocks etc.......
I had planned on installing helper bags because of the weight I carry and when I tow a trailer. Well the bags did not have enough clearance between the axle and the "C" section that i installed. The minimum clearance needed to be installed with the vehilce on the ground is 5 1/4 ", I had 3 1/2". So, when you install it you have no clearance for any travel. Man I though I screwed it up and installed the whole kit wrong. It rode like riding in a horse drawn trailer with no springs. OUCH!
I am making a bracket that will move the bag inward, inside the frame to give the extra 3" I need. Well I then contacted DJM to ask about the not level stance I had. Front higher than rear. They said "oh you need the 1 inch level shackle extender" would have been nice to know when you order the kit! That was another $70 shipped to the door.
Well the wheel spacers that I installed when I got the wheels 2 years prior made the tires rub the inner fender lip. I removed front and rear bought new tires same size $580 (the old ones were warn out) and eliminated the rubbing, but I did not like the look. The rear tires and wheels to far in. Especially in the rear. So drove it for 2 weeks till I got the extender and it was ok, gave me time to keep clearancing the slight rubbing I had in different spots. I installed the 1 inch raising shackles and brought the vehicle to a level stance empty. Re installed the spacers in the rear and love the look!
Now I carry about 2000 lbs of samples for my job. So, adding the samples brings the rear down further than I want, hence making the brackets I need for the helper bags.
Oh I forgot, the exhaust had to be cut off at the factory exit of the big can muffler. This was done to get the car on the road but did not like the exit point. Hey I wanted dual exhaust any ways. Begged my wife to let me spend just a little bit more money! You know how it is. Sold her on the fact the shocks were gone needed tires so I would do the whole package for say $1400 or so!
Well went to the local muffler shop and looked at what we could do. Now this is a 2dr with the factory gas tank that holds almost 30 gallons of gas. I have a tow hitch which means there is no room for an exit point behind the rear axle. I hate side exit exhaust in front of the rear tires, which led to only 1 option. Turn downs in front of the rear axle.
The factory set up has the drivers exhaust cross over to the passenger side under the tranny and 2 catalytic converters are side by side that goes into a big can like 2ft in diameter. Truck runs 4 total O2 sensors. I wanted to keep this setup for emissions, even though Florida has no emissions check. Now I had them cut the exhaust on the drivers side after the O2 sensor on the down pipe move the cat to the drivers side with the O2 sensor after as well. Passenger side was simple as just adding the muffer and keeping the factory settings same for O2 emission reason. So I have a true dual exhaust, I know factory exhaust manifolds or the cork but I can't afford them now. Remember I want heads and cam, so that will be the next upgrade. Exhaust cost was $300 not bad!
Worked out well, great sound and definitely has the cool factor as to noise. The drone from 1000 rpm to 1900 rpm is annoying though. Just had to alter my driving style around town.
I don't consider myself an expert by any means but I have a lot of knowledge after this journey!
Hope you like my blog and travels. Will update as things change!
Total Cost
Wheel tire package $1195
Drop kit $950
Spacers $330
Shackle extender $70
Exhaust $300
Total $2845.
P.S. Oh in the midst of all this my Sons 19,21 said I need to black it out. So they helped me on this and we painted the bumpers, grill and all emplems black! Looks good!
---------- Post added at 11:57 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:56 AM ----------
Now I want the BIG BRAKE look!
Any suggestions. Don't have much money left. I will take any ideas!
I have 215,000 miles on it now. It came with Centerline 15 aluminum wheels with 33" Michelin tires. I immediately installed a cold air kit and enjoyed the 15 mpg city/hwy use i got out of it. I desperately wanted to put a full 6" drop kit, dual exhaust, upgraded brakes, heads and cam swap. But no money and definitely time constraints. 2 kids in private school getting ready for College, other hobby drag racing etc.........
I drove it that way for 4 years 2 sets of tires and got tired of the balloon tire look. Wanted to move into the 21st century.Sold my wife on the fact that I could get a new set of wheels and tires for a little bit more than the $ spent on the michellins I have been buying them for $850 for the last 4 years. Could only afford a set of 20" Ultra wheel tire combo $1195 shipped to the door, 5 spoke black with chrome lip and tires no names 275/45 set up. With the fender flares and step rails I had on with the old combo it looked funny! So I removed the flares and rails. The wheels because of the offset were to far in, by a lot! So I measure what I thought was the right amount and bought 4 aluminum 1 1/2" spacers to bring the wheels out to the fender line. These were expensive $330 shipped to the door. Looked good and gave the tire outside appearance I wanted. But the wheel top spacing was just a little high for my liking. Just need the drop kit! Cant afford it! Have to live with it!
I finally saved up enough money to install the drop kit I wanted. I bought the DJM 4" drop kit, front 2" springs, Front 2" spindles, Rear flip kit and the 4 calmax shocks $950 approximately to the door. I looked on the forums and looked on the web for all issues and tried to plan it out. So the big day arrives, I have all my parts and tools set up. Everything I read said that it should be a 4-6 hour job for novice mechanics.
Well close, the install probably took about 4 hours of real time, but the thinking it out and the redo's such as clearancing. I had to cut center sections out for the drive axle to clear increased it to about 10 hours, read on to see what I mean. Cross supports above the drive axle had to be cut all the way across (watch out for under carriage spray on, when cutting with a cut off wheel it melts and drips on you OUCH burnt the crap out of me!) , customize the bracke to hold the rear shocks etc.......
I had planned on installing helper bags because of the weight I carry and when I tow a trailer. Well the bags did not have enough clearance between the axle and the "C" section that i installed. The minimum clearance needed to be installed with the vehilce on the ground is 5 1/4 ", I had 3 1/2". So, when you install it you have no clearance for any travel. Man I though I screwed it up and installed the whole kit wrong. It rode like riding in a horse drawn trailer with no springs. OUCH!
I am making a bracket that will move the bag inward, inside the frame to give the extra 3" I need. Well I then contacted DJM to ask about the not level stance I had. Front higher than rear. They said "oh you need the 1 inch level shackle extender" would have been nice to know when you order the kit! That was another $70 shipped to the door.
Well the wheel spacers that I installed when I got the wheels 2 years prior made the tires rub the inner fender lip. I removed front and rear bought new tires same size $580 (the old ones were warn out) and eliminated the rubbing, but I did not like the look. The rear tires and wheels to far in. Especially in the rear. So drove it for 2 weeks till I got the extender and it was ok, gave me time to keep clearancing the slight rubbing I had in different spots. I installed the 1 inch raising shackles and brought the vehicle to a level stance empty. Re installed the spacers in the rear and love the look!
Now I carry about 2000 lbs of samples for my job. So, adding the samples brings the rear down further than I want, hence making the brackets I need for the helper bags.
Oh I forgot, the exhaust had to be cut off at the factory exit of the big can muffler. This was done to get the car on the road but did not like the exit point. Hey I wanted dual exhaust any ways. Begged my wife to let me spend just a little bit more money! You know how it is. Sold her on the fact the shocks were gone needed tires so I would do the whole package for say $1400 or so!
Well went to the local muffler shop and looked at what we could do. Now this is a 2dr with the factory gas tank that holds almost 30 gallons of gas. I have a tow hitch which means there is no room for an exit point behind the rear axle. I hate side exit exhaust in front of the rear tires, which led to only 1 option. Turn downs in front of the rear axle.
The factory set up has the drivers exhaust cross over to the passenger side under the tranny and 2 catalytic converters are side by side that goes into a big can like 2ft in diameter. Truck runs 4 total O2 sensors. I wanted to keep this setup for emissions, even though Florida has no emissions check. Now I had them cut the exhaust on the drivers side after the O2 sensor on the down pipe move the cat to the drivers side with the O2 sensor after as well. Passenger side was simple as just adding the muffer and keeping the factory settings same for O2 emission reason. So I have a true dual exhaust, I know factory exhaust manifolds or the cork but I can't afford them now. Remember I want heads and cam, so that will be the next upgrade. Exhaust cost was $300 not bad!
Worked out well, great sound and definitely has the cool factor as to noise. The drone from 1000 rpm to 1900 rpm is annoying though. Just had to alter my driving style around town.
I don't consider myself an expert by any means but I have a lot of knowledge after this journey!
Hope you like my blog and travels. Will update as things change!
Total Cost
Wheel tire package $1195
Drop kit $950
Spacers $330
Shackle extender $70
Exhaust $300
Total $2845.
P.S. Oh in the midst of all this my Sons 19,21 said I need to black it out. So they helped me on this and we painted the bumpers, grill and all emplems black! Looks good!
---------- Post added at 11:57 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:56 AM ----------
Now I want the BIG BRAKE look!
Any suggestions. Don't have much money left. I will take any ideas!
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