Let's sift through every square inch of a 2013 Tahoe PPV

[iamdub]

Oh, okay. I think I read that it turns back on after 35 mph.

Interesting. I never knew what the parameters were for that. Now I gotta research it to see if it's 35 mph vehicle speed (as best as it can detect) or wheel speed. Neither is very much but 35 mph rear wheel speed is really low.

 

[Caddylack]

Well, I finally did my exhaust.

I went with a Cherry Bomb "Salute" muffler, and a 2.75" to dual 3.5" polished tip.

The muffler is not one that I'm familiar with, but it seemed fitting for my application. It's 2.75" in/out, straight through with the correct offset, and it's 409 stainless. For under $40, why not?

I'm very happy with the sound. It's much quieter than expected, but that's perfect for a daily. I left the factory resonator, because I was concerned about potential drone. At idle, it sounds basically stock. At WOT, it reminds me of an old muscle car. Zero drone.

Oh, about that resonator. It meant enough to me that I compromised on the location of the tip. The shop initially told me that the resonator would have to be removed, because the tip would stick out too far. I told them to just cut off as much tailpipe as they could and try to make it work. It looks a little bit awkward, but I am okay with it for now.

 

[iamdub]

Well, I finally did my exhaust.

I went with a Cherry Bomb "Salute" muffler, and a 2.75" to dual 3.5" polished tip.

The muffler is not one that I'm familiar with, but it seemed fitting for my application. It's 2.75" in/out, straight through with the correct offset, and it's 409 stainless. For under $40, why not?

I'm very happy with the sound. It's much quieter than expected, but that's perfect for a daily. I left the factory resonator, because I was concerned about potential drone. At idle, it sounds basically stock. At WOT, it reminds me of an old muscle car. Zero drone.

Oh, about that resonator. It meant enough to me that I compromised on the location of the tip. The shop initially told me that the resonator would have to be removed, because the tip would stick out too far. I told them to just cut off as much tailpipe as they could and try to make it work. It looks a little bit awkward, but I am okay with it for now.

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Had to look up that "Salute" line. Never heard of it. It's the same construction as the AP Xlerator that is a "Magnaflow Clone". AP's part numbers are very similar to Magnaflow and I see Cherry Bomb's part numbers are similar to AP's. I have the AP Xlerator XS1259: 18" body length, 4"x9" oval body dimensions, 3" center and offset connections, 409 stainless, wool and fiber packed around a perforated core, etc. The Cherry Bomb SA1259 is identical. I'm sure they're all from the same factory. Do you know the body length of the one you got?

Also, have no fears of losing the resonator. You won't notice anything. And that muffler will sound better over the next thousand miles or so. I had the same impression- stock-ish at idle, mild rumble during normal driving and wild growl at WOT/high RPM. Drop your right rear window and floor it next time you're next to a concrete retaining wall.


My documentation: https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/growing-up-doesnt-have-to-suck.93510/post-1282110

A year later: https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/growing-up-doesnt-have-to-suck.93510/post-1384358


XS1259: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/aph-xs1259

SA1259: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/imm-sa1259

Even Summit uses the same photos for the two brands.

 

[Caddylack]

Had to look up that "Salute" line. Never heard of it. It's the same construction as the AP Xlerator that is a "Magnaflow Clone". AP's part numbers are very similar to Magnaflow and I see Cherry Bomb's part numbers are similar to AP's. I have the AP Xlerator XS1259: 18" body length, 4"x9" oval body dimensions, 3" center and offset connections, 409 stainless, wool and fiber packed around a perforated core, etc. The Cherry Bomb SA1259 is identical. I'm sure they're all from the same factory. Do you know the body length of the one you got?

Also, have no fears of losing the resonator. You won't notice anything. And that muffler will sound better over the next thousand miles or so. I had the same impression- stock-ish at idle, mild rumble during normal driving and wild growl at WOT/high RPM. Drop your right rear window and floor it next time you're next to a concrete retaining wall.


My documentation: https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/growing-up-doesnt-have-to-suck.93510/post-1282110

A year later: https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/growing-up-doesnt-have-to-suck.93510/post-1384358


XS1259: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/aph-xs1259

SA1259: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/imm-sa1259

Even Summit uses the same photos for the two brands.

Wow! Good detective work.

Mine is a 14" case, and I may be misremembering the inlet/outlet size. I'm not seeing 2.75" on Summit, so it is probably 3".

I'm pretty sure it's SA1229: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/imm-sa1229

 

[Caddylack]

Okay... How bout some suspension tech?

It seems as though the front struts are physically interchangeable from 2007-2020, although the specs are not identical. Monroe makes a PPV strut for 07-14, and then another for 15-20.

According to Rock Auto, this is the situation:

07-14 Monroe part # 39106
Extended length: 18.050 in
Compressed length: 14.510 in
Travel length: 3.540 in

15-20 Monroe part # 39140
Extended length: 17.120 in
Compressed length: 13.890 in
Travel length: 3.230 in

What does this mean once mounted on the vehicle? Can you use either pair of coil springs?

 

[Caddylack]

More on wheels:

The current generation PPV has 20" stock police wheels. I'm sure they aren't cheap or easy to find, though.

The Nissan Armada, which shares our bolt pattern, came with a 20" spare. I can get these from the junkyard for nothing, but it will require some patience.

I wouldn't mind running staggered 20s and 22s, if it happened to be convenient. Maybe 2 transport wheels and 2 Armada spares.

 

[Tonyrodz]

More on wheels:

The current generation PPV has 20" stock police wheels. I'm sure they aren't cheap or easy to find, though.

The Nissan Armada, which shares our bolt pattern, came with a 20" spare. I can get these from the junkyard for nothing, but it will require some patience.

I wouldn't mind running staggered 20s and 22s, if it happened to be convenient. Maybe 2 transport wheels and 2 Armada spares.

What do the Armada spares look like? Newer or older models?

 

[Caddylack]

What do the Armada spares look like? Newer or older models?

Black steelies.

I don't think the year matters, but you just have to verify 18" vs 20", since those were the two sizes Nissan used for the spares.

 

[Caddylack]

2008-2021 20x8 Nissan Armada Steel Wheel Rim - Road Ready - Road Ready Wheels - OEM Replica Wheel Supplier

New OEM Replacement 2008-2021 20x8 Nissan Armada Steel Wheel .Free Shipping and Free Returns. One Year Full Product Warranty.

www.roadreadywheels.com

 

[iamdub]

Wow! Good detective work.

Mine is a 14" case, and I may be misremembering the inlet/outlet size. I'm not seeing 2.75" on Summit, so it is probably 3".

I'm pretty sure it's SA1229: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/imm-sa1229

I figured you meant 3" cuz 2.75" isn't an option as it's sort of an oddball size, especially for the aftermarket gradients. Our stock 2.75" pipe is, conveniently, a nice fit into the 3" muffler I/O, leaving an easy 1/8" gap to weld. Yup, there's our twin part numbers again- SA1229 and XS1229.

I was always happy to find the AP Xlerator mufflers cuz they were nearly clones of the much pricier Magnaflows. These Cherry Bomb Salute mufflers are the exact same as the APs and a few bucks cheaper still.

These style of mufflers all tend to have the same general sound and the volume changes by the case length. I thought an 18" would be about the comfort limit for a daily driver. Good to know the 14" isn't too loud. However, if you ever lose your cats, just know it'll be LOUD. I learned that the hard way.

 

[iamdub]

Okay... How bout some suspension tech?

It seems as though the front struts are physically interchangeable from 2007-2020, although the specs are not identical. Monroe makes a PPV strut for 07-14, and then another for 15-20.

According to Rock Auto, this is the situation:

07-14 Monroe part # 39106
Extended length: 18.050 in
Compressed length: 14.510 in
Travel length: 3.540 in

15-20 Monroe part # 39140
Extended length: 17.120 in
Compressed length: 13.890 in
Travel length: 3.230 in

Interesting! I'd like to know the difference in ride quality and shock performance between the two. The travel length is negligible.

What does this mean once mounted on the vehicle? Can you use either pair of coil springs?

If the springs physically fit, then I don't see why not. If the distance from the perch to the top plate is similar, and they likely are, then they should work fine. If the distance from the perch to the cross bar is any different than your original, then the ride height will be affected at around double the difference.

It'd be cool to find the 15-20 as an upgrade or a "hack" as a small bolt-in lift or drop.

 

[Caddylack]

If the distance from the perch to the cross bar is any different than your original, then the ride height will be affected at around double the difference.

It'd be cool to find the 15-20 as an upgrade or a "hack" as a small bolt-in lift or drop.

This is what I was hoping for, with the 15-20 being shorter.

Although, there still isn't a solution for lowering the rear besides lowering springs.

 

[Caddylack]

However, if you ever lose your cats, just know it'll be LOUD. I learned that the hard way.

Really? I have been planning to delete them, but I have assumed the difference in volume would be minor.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Really? I have been planning to delete them, but I have assumed the difference in volume would be minor.

Believe me--it's much louder. I have long tubes with no cats.

 

[iamdub]

This is what I was hoping for, with the 15-20 being shorter.

Although, there still isn't a solution for lowering the rear besides lowering springs.

The newer strut is about 5/8" shorter. But, with your original spring on that newer strut, it'll compress a lot more than 5/8" once assembled, installed and with the vehicle weight on it. So, that 5/8" difference means nothing. The strut's overall length is shorter, but the vehicle rests on the top of the spring (via the top plate/hat) and the spring rests on the perch. So the perch height from the lower control arm is what will determine the difference, if any.

 

[iamdub]

Really? I have been planning to delete them, but I have assumed the difference in volume would be minor.

I learned that cats are very effective mufflers. I don't mind "loud" and thought that 18" muffler with an otherwise stock exhaust was perfect. Cruising on the highway, it was just a faint rumble that was easily lost to casual conversation or having the radio on. It was "loud" only when accelerating under load and high RPM- perfect, IMO. With no cats, it was obnoxiously loud. Have you seen what I've had to do to get my exhaust back to those tolerable noise levels? My ish starts here: https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/growing-up-doesnt-have-to-suck.93510/post-1462346

And here:
https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/growing-up-doesnt-have-to-suck.93510/post-1485205



The catless noise is one thing, the smell is a whole other tangent.

 

[Caddylack]

The newer strut is about 5/8" shorter. But, with your original spring on that newer strut, it'll compress a lot more than 5/8" once assembled, installed and with the vehicle weight on it. So, that 5/8" difference means nothing. The strut's overall length is shorter, but the vehicle rests on the top of the spring (via the top plate/hat) and the spring rests on the perch. So the perch height from the lower control arm is what will determine the difference, if any.

So, we need to find out the "perch height" of these struts.

When I was under the car just now, I wondered about attaching the lower strut mount to the bottom of the LCA instead of the top.

On that note, I'm typing up some "under the car" randomness from today.

 

[iamdub]

So, we need to find out the "perch height" of these struts.

Yup. Go from the cross bar where it rests on the ears in the lower control arm to the base that the bottom of the coil spring sits on. It's just like how those adjustable coilovers work- the ones with the rings that you turn with a spanner wrench. You're adjusting the height of the perch in relation to the lower arm.

Actually, a couple of companies make a spring relocator. It's basically the same as the stock perch, which is a sleeve slid over the shock part of the strut with a ledge that the spring rests on, but with that ledge a little lower.

Here's McGaughy's relocators. They yield a 2" drop, but have rings to raise the perch height back up to net a 1.5" or 1" drop if 2" is too much.

When I was under the car just now, I wondered about attaching the lower strut mount to the bottom of the LCA instead of the top.

Quick, cheap and easy way to lower it about 2". Rough Country sells or used to sell a "drop kit" exactly for this. It was bolts and nuts of a particular grade (12.x? 14.x?) and spacers. With the strut bolted directly to the bottom side, it's less than a 2" drop. The spacers make it a full 2". @89Suburban and I think @kbuskill have or had theirs lowered by this. Some people feel sketched out by this method but I've never heard of any failures. I doubt Rough Country would risk their business on a simple $40 drop kit. I've read discussions of hardware tensile strength, the theoretical maximum loads the front of a GMT900 SUV could put on those points, etc. Apparently, Grade 8 is "sufficient" and some have ran or are running Grade 8 hardware for this drop. The extra strength, yet not brittle hardware spec'ed and supplied by RC is probably over- over-kill as a CYA. Proper torque specs are a factor, too. I have this hardware kit on standby as a drop option for when I get back into messing with mine.

 

[kbuskill]

Yup. Go from the cross bar where it rests on the ears in the lower control arm to the base that the bottom of the coil spring sits on. It's just like how those adjustable coilovers work- the ones with the rings that you turn with a spanner wrench. You're adjusting the height of the perch in relation to the lower arm.

Actually, a couple of companies make a spring relocator. It's basically the same as the stock perch, which is a sleeve slid over the shock part of the strut with a ledge that the spring rests on, but with that ledge a little lower.

Here's McGaughy's relocators. They yield a 2" drop, but have rings to raise the perch height back up to net a 1.5" or 1" drop if 2" is too much.




Quick, cheap and easy way to lower it about 2". Rough Country sells or used to sell a "drop kit" exactly for this. It was bolts and nuts of a particular grade (12.x? 14.x?) and spacers. With the strut bolted directly to the bottom side, it's less than a 2" drop. The spacers make it a full 2". @89Suburban and I think @kbuskill have or had theirs lowered by this. Some people feel sketched out by this method but I've never heard of any failures. I doubt Rough Country would risk their business on a simple $40 drop kit. I've read discussions of hardware tensile strength, the theoretical maximum loads the front of a GMT900 SUV could put on those points, etc. Apparently, Grade 8 is "sufficient" and some have ran or are running Grade 8 hardware for this drop. The extra strength, yet not brittle hardware spec'ed and supplied by RC is probably over- over-kill as a CYA. Proper torque specs are a factor, too. I have this hardware kit on standby as a drop option for when I get back into messing with mine.

Yep, had mine lowered this way for a while before swapping out to wider tires which necessitated lifting the burb back up a couple inches..

Rough country's nuts and bolts are grade 9.

 

[89Suburban]

Yep, had mine lowered this way for a while before swapping out to wider tires which necessitated lifting the burb back up a couple inches..

Rough country's nuts and bolts are grade 9.

As are mine.