Belltech drop w/ autoride and no spacer in the rear? Questions...

[emay]

Pace, if your on the bump stop then you are as low as you can go. You can cut down that bump stop, but you would be better off doing the free travel mod and cut off the entire bump stop bracket, and installing the 1/2 stop Tony mentioned directly to the frame itself in the void created.

 

[NORCAL SS]

Thanks Tony.... Is it odd that the truck is sitting on the bump stops like that? That means i have no rear suspension right now huh?

So I'm clear, nothing will push the ass down further right now without cutting those off right?

i put a post up of how much of belltech bumpstop to cut off

 

[PACE]

Saw it. I will try to cut them in half and shorten the links and see if that pushes me down further. Is there any disadvantage to the free travel mod?

 

[NORCAL SS]

free travel mod just helps ride. Last night went out with my buddys im 210 daves 250 he was in front then my 2 other buddys are about 400 together and had another buddy in back hes about 200 and truck rode so smooth. IM glad i did the rear hardware kit also on mine.

 

[PACE]

I know it alone doesn't "lower"....but I thought in my case with the fact that it's just sitting on the bump stops, removing them would allow the truck to sit as low as it wants to... In other words, the bump stops are currently preventing the truck from sitting as low as it should........... right?

 

[PACE]

I cut the bump stops in half and cut down my autoride links to exactly 2.5. They were at about 2.75 prior..... I will take a drive in the morning and we'll see if she settles down further!

 

[2011Tahoe]

Pace-- are you running the bell-tech 2-3/4 drop w/o spacer?

Anyone---i am running this ^ setup 2/4; links @ 3". It seems to be a little harsh in rear. Not bad but..could be better. If i set links at 2 1/2" is that going to lower it more in rear or will it make the ride slightly softer? Softer is what i want, not lower.

 

[NORCAL SS]

are your guys bumpstops cut?

 

[2011Tahoe]

are your guys bumpstops cut?

No. i have not been under there yet to see if there hitting . I was J/W cause it seems like the compressor kicks on a little more and longer than it did when it was stock height.

 

[KMeloney]

If i set links at 2 1/2" is that going to lower it more in rear or will it make the ride slightly softer? Softer is what i want, not lower.

In a word, yes. When the compressor goes on, it stiffens the shocks, hurting the ride. If it's raising the truck because of a lot of weight in the back, then the weight usually balances the additional air in the shocks, and the ride doesn't suffer. But when the truck airs up because it thinks the truck is too low, but there's no additional weight in the back, then the shocks become much more stiff. If you can keep from having air put in the shocks, and let the truck ride more on the springs and the softer shocks, the ride is a ton better.

 

[2011Tahoe]

KM-- your setup is the 2 3/4 without the spacer except the spacer is cut in half on the left rear. To make up for the chevy lean and links set at 2.5 or 2.75? Right^^^?

 

[KMeloney]

KM-- your setup is the 2 3/4 without the spacer except the spacer is cut in half on the left rear. To make up for the chevy lean and links set at 2.5 or 2.75? Right^^^?

Very close -- but I'm WITH spacers, and the RIGHT rear spacer is cut in half, and I'm not convinced that it has really made a difference with the chevy lean. BUT, I also didn't adjust the links again since the spacer-cutting. So, the jury may still be out on the whole half-a-spacer deal.

 

[2011Tahoe]

KM-you think your compressor kicks on more/less or about the same as it did stock. With your links at 2.75? J/W like i said mine are 3" and mine kicks on more than stock by far. Just trying to find the fine line. Thanks.

 

[KMeloney]

KM-you think your compressor kicks on more/less or about the same as it did stock. With your links at 2.75? J/W like i said mine are 3" and mine kicks on more than stock by far. Just trying to find the fine line. Thanks.

I think so. BUT, I'm convinced that my compressor typically kicks on because my driveway is sloped (so, my truck is always parked with the rear lower than the front). I don't know for certain that the compressor will come on with the rear's height being relative to the GROUND/truck's overall slope, but I suspect that's the case. Anyway, it comes on just a little more than it did in stock trim. When I can mess with the links again, I'm going to see if I can either keep the compressor from coming on at all, or reduce it, at least.

 

[PACE]

My compressor always kicked on at 2.75. Now it does NOT kick on all the time like it used to now that I cut them down to 2.5.

Cutting the bump stops made a very noticiable difference in ride quality as well! I can't believe I didn't cut them sooner!

By doing both of these things I got the extra .5 inch drop I was looking for-- AS WELL AS got a much softer ride. Wow!

 

[KMeloney]

My compressor always kicked on at 2.75. Now it does NOT kick on all the time like it used to now that I cut them down to 2.5.

Cutting the bump stops made a very noticiable difference in ride quality as well! I can't believe I didn't cut them sooner!

By doing both of these things I got the extra .5 inch drop I was looking for-- AS WELL AS got a much softer ride. Wow!

Good stuff! Now, did you shorten the links at all BEFORE cutting the stops? If so, how was the ride then? And did it get a lot better from just the links being shortened, or did you also have to cut the stops before the ride got a lot better?

Finally, how did you cut the stops? Ddi you cut the whole bracket off, or just cut the snubbers themselves?

Thanks!

 

[crew chief]

I just cut the snubber with a hacksaw as Tony showed in a different thread. The snubber just pulls off the bracket then snaps back in when reinstalling.

 

[chadman]

So is the consensus to get the softest ride(without doing the free travel mod) with the 2/3-4 kit is to do these things? :
1. remove the spacers
2. trim the bumpstops
3. set the autoride links to 2.5

tanks.

 

[2011Tahoe]

I believe that is the consensus. I will let ya know how it worked for me next week after i get my links and stuff.

 

[PACE]

Good stuff! Now, did you shorten the links at all BEFORE cutting the stops? If so, how was the ride then? And did it get a lot better from just the links being shortened, or did you also have to cut the stops before the ride got a lot better?

Finally, how did you cut the stops? Ddi you cut the whole bracket off, or just cut the snubbers themselves?

Thanks!

Chapman is right although I don't think #1 matters. I had the links at 2.75 and air ride system was confused and aired up and down. It was sitting on the yellow stops so ride was rough. Cut the yellow snubs in half and link down to 2.5 and BIG difference!