Dropping my 08 Tahoe...but not much at all...Questions about this?

[BP RETIRED]

Here is what I got..
08 LS Tahoe..no auto ride etc...just a regular suspension.

What I want is a very modest drop.....Were talking maybe 1'' Front and max of 2" inch rear. I may only drop the rear just to "level" the truck somewhat. I will be adding either 24"s or 26"s in the future.

What I Just bought was a complete set of front struts and rear shocks to replace my old ones.

My main question for thoese who know this..ahem..(Norcal SS) is....
Can I do what I want with just lowering springs alone? With the modest drop can I get away with this?....Or did I pull the trigger to early on the struts and shocks and will have to get a set that helps lower the truck with the springs?...

 

[quattrotman]

If you wanna just drop it 1/2 then yes, just do it with springs. A 1" drop on the front will not kill the shocks like 2" will (it does make a big difference). Same in the rear. It will level it out and look slighlty lowered. The shocks you have will be totally fine with that mild of a drop.

 

[NORCAL SS]

Here is what I got..
08 LS Tahoe..no auto ride etc...just a regular suspension.

What I want is a very modest drop.....Were talking maybe 1'' Front and max of 2" inch rear. I may only drop the rear just to "level" the truck somewhat. I will be adding either 24"s or 26"s in the future.

What I Just bought was a complete set of front struts and rear shocks to replace my old ones.

My main question for thoese who know this..ahem..(Norcal SS) is....
Can I do what I want with just lowering springs alone? With the modest drop can I get away with this?....Or did I pull the trigger to early on the struts and shocks and will have to get a set that helps lower the truck with the springs?...

Honeslty if you have higher miles on it I would do

Front drop struts adjustable to 2 inches
rear 2 inch belltech drop springs
rear belltech sp shocks

You can fit 24 and 26s no problem on the truck. If you look at my escalade build thread and many other customers trucks i put up the 2/3-4 kit i use works fine and 24 and 26 no issues... well just trim the plastic liners.



seeing you just bought struts you can do the belltech 1-2 inch front springs and rear the 2 inch drop springs with shock extenders and call it good

 

[KMeloney]

A 1" drop on the front will not kill the shocks like 2" will (it does make a big difference).

It could have been a huge coincidence, but after installing 1" front spring relocators on my LTZ, the right shock crapped out within 3 weeks. Granted, that was an autoride shock, which may or may not be less hardy than non-autoride shocks. But the fact remains that the shock went bad shortly after dropping the front this way.

I don't think these factory shocks like to have their travel shortened.

 

[BP RETIRED]

Honeslty if you have higher miles on it I would do

Front drop struts adjustable to 2 inches
rear 2 inch belltech drop springs
rear belltech sp shocks

You can fit 24 and 26s no problem on the truck. If you look at my escalade build thread and many other customers trucks i put up the 2/3-4 kit i use works fine and 24 and 26 no issues... well just trim the plastic liners.

Tony...
How much would this be? ------> seeing you just bought struts you can do the belltech 1-2 inch front springs and rear the 2 inch drop springs with shock extenders and call it good.
This souds just what im looking for. What should I expect for the cost of putting on the new shocks, struts and springs?

 

[NORCAL SS]

Tony...
How much would this be? ------> seeing you just bought struts you can do the belltech 1-2 inch front springs and rear the 2 inch drop springs with shock extenders and call it good.
This souds just what im looking for. What should I expect for the cost of putting on the new shocks, struts and springs?

the front maybe 1.5 but rear 1 hour at max.

ill pm you all the options/prices.

 

[quattrotman]

It could have been a huge coincidence, but after installing 1" front spring relocators on my LTZ, the right shock crapped out within 3 weeks. Granted, that was an autoride shock, which may or may not be less hardy than non-autoride shocks. But the fact remains that the shock went bad shortly after dropping the front this way.

I don't think these factory shocks like to have their travel shortened.

I agree with you. The factory autoride shocks IMO are crap and many go with less than 30k miles on them. Mine are done for the second time in it's 50k mi life. I was merely suggesting that the shocks that he did buy already would more than likely be able to handle the 1" drop. I think in your case, the drop may have pushed yours over the edge but they were likely on the way out anyways.

 

[KMeloney]

I agree with you. The factory autoride shocks IMO are crap and many go with less than 30k miles on them. Mine are done for the second time in it's 50k mi life. I was merely suggesting that the shocks that he did buy already would more than likely be able to handle the 1" drop. I think in your case, the drop may have pushed yours over the edge but they were likely on the way out anyways.

Yep, I think you're right, on all accounts.

 

[Modded]

The factpry shocks are crappy. The Autoride ones are even worst.
As for a coil only drop OP, don't do it.
I did it once and the ride quality went to ish. Especially up front. In the rear, it rode good. If you want some real nice riding rear coils go with Pedders or Belltech. Up front, do the Belltech strut job and just return the shocks you bought for the front if you have not installed them yet.