I want to make my 09 Tahoe more off-road trail ready

[gmartin1215]

Thanks!

Just to be clear in your comment, you used to have the Rancho 4" lift, but now you have the King suspension?

If so, would you mind sharing what parts these are?

What are you using for the rear?

When I looked at your build thread, I saw the Rancho lift. Do you have any build pics for the front and back with your current system?

A light bulb went on!
@Tozan
You still have the 4" Rancho lift, but that product has been discontinued! I need to learn how to read, obviously! LOL!

What product would be a good alternative to the 4" Rancho?

I still would like to know exactly what the other parts are you put in with your 4" lift, if you don't mind sharing. I know you said Kings struts. If you don't mind listing all the parts you have in your front and rear suspension, I would certainly appreciate it!!

 

[Dustin Jackson]

A light bulb went on!
@Tozan
You still have the 4" Rancho lift, but that product has been discontinued! I need to learn how to read, obviously! LOL!

What product would be a good alternative to the 4" Rancho?

I still would like to know exactly what the other parts are you put in with your 4" lift, if you don't mind sharing. I know you said Kings struts. If you don't mind listing all the parts you have in your front and rear suspension, I would certainly appreciate it!!

@gmartin1215 I have been down that hole before, it seems like the BDS 4 inch lift is the next best besides the Rancho. The rancho crossmember drop is a single piece which seems like an advantage compared to the other kits but the BDS still looks really good.

 

[Tozan]

Thanks!

Just to be clear in your comment, you used to have the Rancho 4" lift, but now you have the King suspension?

If so, would you mind sharing what parts these are?

What are you using for the rear?

When I looked at your build thread, I saw the Rancho lift. Do you have any build pics for the front and back with your current system?

I still have the Rancho 4 in lift. When the Rancho strut blew out I had King make a custom strut that has more available travel. It is longer than stock and has a much longer stroke too.

I don't have any recent photos of it.

I am looking at putting spohn's upper and lower control arms and Panhard bar on the back with longer springs and King shocks and a over travel limiter strap above the differential. With this set up I can adjust the pinion angle for maximum travel and articulation.

 

[Tozan]

The Rancho part number for the Tahoe was RS6582B

 

[gmartin1215]

Thanks!

 

[wsteele]

With that budget you can do a lot. My advice is not to do too much until you get some trail time in and get a feel for what capabilities are falling short of your desires. Big lifts and tires are sexy but there are penalties in economy, durability, and reliability.

Some random observations:

The front diff is weak. Will have to plan around that at higher levels of stress. Most serious OR builders will say just go for the straight axle swap. I like the ride of IFS so I’ll be swapping in the center section from a 2500 should I get that deep into the pool.

Any significant lift (more than a level) for the IFS involves aftermarket spindles, which bring along several additional inches in track width. Then add big tires and it’s very wide. That’s nice on the dunes. Not so much in the trees or a shelf road.

You get what you pay for in lifts. Prices vary, so does performance.

Build for the terrain you like. Mud, mountains, deserts, have dissimilar build needs for best results.

To a certain degree you can swap trimming for lifting. A 4” with the NorCal mod is roughly equivalent to a 6” without. More trim and less lift will keep your weight lower, which is a plus.

Have fun with your project and post up some pictures!

My pictures are here: https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/building-the-ss-v-trailhoe.124192/

Boy, excellent post.

 

[gmartin1215]

I think I am going to start off with replacing the front bumper. I am going with @Bill 1960 suggestion to first focus more on recovery, and then build as I get to know what the Tahoe can/can't do.

What front bumper brands do you suggest that are available for 2009 Tahoe, and have a hidden winch mount?
I like the pre-runner style, but I am not married to that idea.
I like the front number @Tozan has, but that one seems to no longer be available.
Right now, I am leaning toward the Trail Ready with Pre-runner Gaurd (https://www.bumperonly.com/collecti...trail-ready-pn10651p-chevy-tahoe-and-suburban), unless you guys think this is junk. This site asks about sensor holes. I am not even sure what sensors they are asking about.

Also, my window wash tank is in the front and looks like it will hang low, possibly being exposed when the old bumper is replaced with a new one. Any suggestions for this issue?


Lifts?
I like the BDS 4", but that part of the project will be way further down the trail!


I appreciate everyone's inputs on this project planning!

 

[Dustin Jackson]

I think I am going to start off with replacing the front bumper. I am going with @Bill 1960 suggestion to first focus more on recovery, and then build as I get to know what the Tahoe can/can't do.

What front bumper brands do you suggest that are available for 2009 Tahoe, and have a hidden winch mount?
I like the pre-runner style, but I am not married to that idea.
I like the front number @Tozan has, but that one seems to no longer be available.
Right now, I am leaning toward the Trail Ready with Pre-runner Gaurd (https://www.bumperonly.com/collecti...trail-ready-pn10651p-chevy-tahoe-and-suburban), unless you guys think this is junk. This site asks about sensor holes. I am not even sure what sensors they are asking about.

Also, my window wash tank is in the front and looks like it will hang low, possibly being exposed when the old bumper is replaced with a new one. Any suggestions for this issue?


Lifts?
I like the BDS 4", but that part of the project will be way further down the trail!


I appreciate everyone's inputs on this project planning!

@gmartin1215 Since you are in the planning phase have you thought about going with Baja kits control arms with coil overs? That would be an alternative to a lift with a crossmember drop and would give you the most wheel travel and articulation. It will be the most expensive option.

 

[gmartin1215]

@gmartin1215 Since you are in the planning phase have you thought about going with Baja kits control arms with coil overs? That would be an alternative to a lift with a crossmember drop and would give you the most wheel travel and articulation. It will be the most expensive option.

To be honest, I had not even considered it because I don't know about it.

Will this baja kit help get me more clearance? How is it different from the cross-member drop? Sorry, I really don't know anything about it.

Do you have any links on it?

 

[Tozan]

To be honest, I had not even considered it because I don't know about it.

Will this baja kit help get me more clearance? How is it different from the cross-member drop? Sorry, I really don't know anything about it.

Do you have any links on it?

A link to the Baja kit is in my post and page 2... lol

@Tozan Have you gone with that rear panhard/track bar? I have it installed on mine and wanted to see if your experience is different from mine.

Not yet it is still in the planning stages. How do you like yours?

 

[Tozan]

Here are some photos of my front end. As noted above Rancho 4 inch lift with custom built King struts. The strut is much longer than stock with longer travel too. I don't remember the spring rate but, it was chosen to match my vehicle weight in the front.

The Rancho lift changes were, control arm brackets, diff lowering brackets, steering knuckle, sway-bar relocation brackets, drive spacers, steering ends and stainless brake lines it originally came with a Rancho strut.

 

[gmartin1215]

A link to the Baja kit is in my post and page 2... lol

Sorry. There are many pieces to this puzzle, and only a few I am starting to put together. I am so new to this, but I am trying to learn.

I am still trying to understand coil-overs like the baja kit. This kit will also give more clearance in height like the Rancho or BDS suspension lift?

 

[gmartin1215]

Here are some photos of my front end. As noted above Rancho 4 inch lift with custom built King struts. The strut is much longer than stock with longer travel too. I don't remember the spring rate but, it was chosen to match my vehicle weight in the front.

The Rancho lift changes were, control arm brackets, diff lowering brackets, steering knuckle, sway-bar relocation brackets, drive spacers, steering ends and stainless brake lines it originally came with a Rancho strut.


View attachment 272013

View attachment 272014


View attachment 272016

Thanks, for the pics!!

 

[Tozan]

Sorry. There are many pieces to this puzzle, and only a few I am starting to put together. I am so new to this, but I am trying to learn.

I am still trying to understand coil-overs like the baja kit. This kit will also give more clearance in height like the Rancho or BDS suspension lift?

The coil over is basically a strut or in simple terms a shock with a spring attached

The Baja kit is an upper control arm and with a King shock it will increase your travel and you can also adjust the spring so it will raise the front end up to 3 inches.

 

[gmartin1215]

The coil over is basically a strut or in simple terms a shock with a spring attached

The Baja kit is an upper control arm and with a King shock it will increase your travel and you can also adjust the spring so it will raise the front end up to 3 inches.

Thanks!

 

[gmartin1215]

Thanks, everyone, for your inputs!


The coil-over idea does seem like a very nice set-up, but it is also costly. If my Tahoe was dedicated to heavy off-road all the time, then investing in coil-overs would make more sense. I think I will take it a step down until I know more about what the Tahoe can not do for my needs.

I do want to change the shocks and springs, at least. My Tahoe has 140K miles on it on the original shocks for the ZW7 Premium Ride suspension. Although I do not see many indications these shocks are bad (excessive roll and bounce), that is a lot of miles on them, and putting on more trail use will likely push them over. Plus, I am fairly certain this suspension was engineered for mostly highway use while towing a heavy trailer. Since I am going to replace the shocks, I might put fresh springs in, too. I decided not to go with the direct replacement of the springs but get a set for the Z71 package.

I did find a new set of reasonably inexpensive Moog equivalents for the Z71 springs that I purchased. I got a set of 81244 for the front and 81609 for the rear. From my research, I read this set is equivalent to the Z71 springs, and the 81609 is the one to use when replacing the Nivomat shocks of the ZW7 to standard. I could be wrong, so please shout out if anyone thinks I am going in the wrong direction. I know these springs are heavier duty and will likely give a more firm ride, and I think they may also give a bit more lift. I got these through Amazon, so I can easily return them if I am wrong.

Since I will have the Tahoe apart to do the shocks and springs, I might as well go ahead and replace the stock UCA and ball joint. I am not comfortable putting additional stress on the stock UCA/ball-joint, and from what I read, the OEM ball-joints are a bit on the weak side. The Bajakits UCA replacement is very nice, but it's on the expensive side. What are some alternative UCAs that everyone can suggest that will have similar qualities to the Bjakits? I don't think I need a UCA with the bolt-on replaceable ball-joint (Kryptonite, JBAOffroad...), but something not as expensive as Bajakits. I am not totally ruling out Bajakits, but I want to have some other options.

I decided that I eventually would like to put a 4" lift on the Tahoe, too (further down the trail). I like the BDS lift kit and will likely get the 4" kit that does not have the coil-overs. The kit without the coil-over has Fox shocks for the rears and uses the stock springs. They offer a strut with this set, but they are not Fox from what I can tell in their catalog. Further research on the Fox Web site shows they don't offer any struts (just shocks and CO). I also read that Fox shocks are fairly firm and designed for constant off-road use at moderate speeds. Honestly, I don't think I need a shock like that for my ride and for what I will be using: road and trail use. So, I am pursuing a different set of shocks as an alternative for the Fox that BDS has in this kit.

Right now, I am seriously considering the Bilstein 5100s. These shocks should work with the leveling kit I have on the Tahoe now and work with the new springs. The part I am unsure about is if these shocks will not work for when I do the 4" lift. I do know the shocks are ride height adjustable, but that is only for 0" to about 2" inch. I suppose I could use the spacers from the leveling kit if it seems the shocks will be too short for the 4" lift. Still, I really would not like to do that ( I could be wrong, but that seems like not the right thing to do). I would hate to invest in this set of shocks only to learn that they will not work when I eventually do the 4" lift. Can anyone say if the Bilstein 5100 will not work with a 4" lift?

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@gmartin1215 Those springs look good, they are the same that I am using. 81244 in front and 81069 in the back.

The Rough Country Forged Upper control arms are a really nice for the price, they cost just a little bit more than a good set of oem replacements.

The bilstein 5100s are great but if you get a 4 inch lift just use the shocks that are included in the lift.

You can find my exact setup in my profile signature.

 

[Tozan]

I think you have a misunderstanding of coil overs. Your Tahoe already has them... That is your only option... Some of the better coil overs will come with springs and some can lift it too.

Going with a heavier spring will certainly ride rougher unless you have a heavier load. A heavier spring will also make a standard shock not work as well because the spring will not fit the dampening profile of a softer spring. If you want to lift it just a little bit just stick a spacer in there.

Keep in mind swapping out rear springs is easy just jack it up. Swapping a set of front springs or if you get new struts without new springs already installed it is best to have a shop do it. The front springs are very dangerous if you do not have the tools and experience to do them.

I am pretty sure the Bilsteins will not work later on for the 4 inch lift. Any 4 inch lift worth getting will most likely come with the shocks and struts that will work for it.

My advice is to do very little if you are planning to do a lot more later otherwise it will just be good money into bad.

 

[gmartin1215]

I think you have a misunderstanding of coil overs. Your Tahoe already has them... That is your only option... Some of the better coil overs will come with springs and some can lift it too.

Going with a heavier spring will certainly ride rougher unless you have a heavier load. A heavier spring will also make a standard shock not work as well because the spring will not fit the dampening profile of a softer spring. If you want to lift it just a little bit just stick a spacer in there.

Keep in mind swapping out rear springs is easy just jack it up. Swapping a set of front springs or if you get new struts without new springs already installed it is best to have a shop do it. The front springs are very dangerous if you do not have the tools and experience to do them.

I am pretty sure the Bilsteins will not work later on for the 4 inch lift. Any 4 inch lift worth getting will most likely come with the shocks and struts that will work for it.

My advice is to do very little if you are planning to do a lot more later otherwise it will just be good money into bad.

Good advice!
Yeah, I was getting myself confused with the terminology. I was calling what I have now a strut, and thinking coil-overs were something entirely different. Learning as I go.

The Moog springs I picked up are similar to the springs I have on the Tahoe, now. I called Moog tech support and verified they are the same as the GM versions.
However, I may return the front springs and save up to go for King or Fox coil-overs. I am still trying to decide on the BDS 4" lift if I want the version that is coil-over, or the one that is a strut. The coil-over version is like a thousand dollars more, though! I have a question out to BDS on what the ride quality difference is between these two kit versions, and whatever the answer will help me decide which way to go. I am betting they will say the coil-over version will give the better ride.

As for the shocks, I have decided to hold off on those. The existing shocks/struts I have now have a lot of miles and are showing signs they need to be replaced, but they are still mostly working. I am not going to spend the money to put new shocks on now until I decide on the lift I want to do. I rather get the shocks that are tuned for the lift I will put on later. However, I have seen lift kits where they use spacers with your existing OEM suspension. Those may be OK kits, but honestly, I think adding spacers on struts is the cheaper less quality way to go about a suspension upgrade (I could be wrong), so I will focus on kits that do not use those. If I am going to do it, I might as well do it right the first time.