Free travel mod needed?

[NIevo]

I am in the process of doing a 2/3 or 2/4 drop on the Yukon, still undecided. Really don't want to cut into anything so wondering if the travel mod is necessary? I've heard that with a 3" drop it's not needed but a 4" drop it's almost required? I have the shorter Belltech bump-stops as well as Air-Ride with the Max-Trailering. Also curious from people that have done it if 4" is to much when you still plan on hauling stuff a lot.

 

[iamdub]

I am in the process of doing a 2/3 or 2/4 drop on the Yukon, still undecided. Really don't want to cut into anything so wondering if the travel mod is necessary? I've heard that with a 3" drop it's not needed but a 4" drop it's almost required? I have the shorter Belltech bump-stops as well as Air-Ride with the Max-Trailering. Also curious from people that have done it if 4" is to much when you still plan on hauling stuff a lot.

It depends on a few factors: The driving you do, loaded or not, towing or not and how unlevel your roads are and how fast you drive on them. Some people can do a 4" drop but drive on smooth roads and never tow or carry loads. So, even though the axle might be really close to the bump stop, it never hits or hits very gently due to their driving situations. On the other hand, someone with a 4" drop that hoons their car over curbs at roundabouts while carrying a loaded 100-quart ice chest and chubby passengers would be 100% sure to bottom out and would need to do as much clearancing as possible.

If it doesn't bottom out or not hard or frequently enough to bother you, then don't do the FTM if you don't want to. If it frequently bottoms out on the Belltech stops, then you'll have to proceed accordingly with reducing the amount of drop, trimming the BT bump stops down, replacing them with the stubby polyurethane ones or just doing the FTM and gaining back all your uptravel.

Mine is a little more than 4" and it carries and tows all I need it to. Granted, I'm not towing a 30' bumper pull. But, I've towed a compact 4-door car on a dolly and ~1,000 lbs. on a utility trailer for almost 800 miles without issue. I had to delete my factory ALC (the "air ride") due to the 4" drop, but I have Air Lift air springs in the rear coils that perform the same function as the ALC.

 

[89Suburban]

I am in the process of doing a 2/3 or 2/4 drop on the Yukon, still undecided. Really don't want to cut into anything so wondering if the travel mod is necessary? I've heard that with a 3" drop it's not needed but a 4" drop it's almost required? I have the shorter Belltech bump-stops as well as Air-Ride with the Max-Trailering. Also curious from people that have done it if 4" is to much when you still plan on hauling stuff a lot.

What kit are you going with?

 

[NIevo]

Belltech 1019 and Arnott 3066 replacements in the back.

 

[Rocket Man]

If your auto level is still functional it doesn’t really matter how much you haul or tow. I’m lowered 4” on my 02 and I’ve loaded it with 7 adult people and a whole bunch of gear, as well as hauled a trailer with 2 tons of yard debris. The system airs up the shocks as needed.

 

[iamdub]

If your auto level is still functional it doesn’t really matter how much you haul or tow. I’m lowered 4” on my 02 and I’ve loaded it with 7 adult people and a whole bunch of gear, as well as hauled a trailer with 2 tons of yard debris. The system airs up the shocks as needed.

Still have your full bump stops or trimmed or...? How close is your axle to it?

 

[Rocket Man]

Still have your full bump stops or trimmed or...? How close is your axle to it?

Haha. I only answered the last question he asked. I did the free travel mod before hauling anything heavy. I never did bottom out and I don’t know if I would have if I hadn’t done the mod but imo it shouldn’t matter as long as you’re using auto leveling. Only one way to be sure though, try it and see if anything hits.

 

[iamdub]

Haha. I only answered the last question he asked. I did the free travel mod before hauling anything heavy. I never did bottom out and I don’t know if I would have if I hadn’t done the mod but imo it shouldn’t matter as long as you’re using auto leveling. Only one way to be sure though, try it and see if anything hits.

There's only about 4" of clearance, if even that, between the axle tube and bump stop at factory height. So, a 3"-4" drop would give you 1" or less of travel. Yeah, the ALC would raise it back up if it were squatting under load, assuming you set the ALC links properly according to your drop. But, to keep it within that 1" of travel, especially when loaded would be a hell of a stiff ride.

 

[Rocket Man]

There's only about 4" of clearance, if even that, between the axle tube and bump stop at factory height. So, a 3"-4" drop would give you 1" or less of travel. Yeah, the ALC would raise it back up if it were squatting under load, assuming you set the ALC links properly according to your drop. But, to keep it within that 1" of travel, especially when loaded would be a hell of a stiff ride.

Mine never hit when I went with Belltech 4” lowering springs but we all know we don’t get 4” of drop, more like 3. So I was probably left with 2” of travel which is plenty with ALC. I did the free travel mod just because I wanted to. I of course did shorten my ride height sensor rods, you have to otherwise the system will raise it right back up where it was with the stock springs. I was running it without the mod done when I drove in the Hood To Coast relay with my daughters team which consisted of 6 college kids, myself and a huge cooler of beverages and I was on 26’s at the time. I didn’t have much tire to fender clearance and the auto level kept the tires from rubbing. Those would have hit before the bump stops. I did the mod after I went to the 22’s I have on it now.

 

[iamdub]

Mine never hit when I went with Belltech 4” lowering springs but we all know we don’t get 4” of drop, more like 3. So I was probably left with 2” of travel which is plenty with ALC. I did the free travel mod just because I wanted to. I of course did shorten my ride height sensor rods, you have to otherwise the system will raise it right back up where it was with the stock springs. I was running it without the mod done when I drove in the Hood To Coast relay with my daughters team which consisted of 6 college kids, myself and a huge cooler of beverages and I was on 26’s at the time. I didn’t have much tire to fender clearance and the auto level kept the tires from rubbing. Those would have hit before the bump stops. I did the mod after I went to the 22’s I have on it now.

Didn't you do a ride height calibration? I think I recall you saying you had a Tech2 and did that.

 

[Rocket Man]

Didn't you do a ride height calibration? I think I recall you saying you had a Tech2 and did that.

A couple years later I did it but I swear it just messed things up and it had to settle for awhile.