My Z71 seems lower than it should

[Dustin Jackson]

Quick update for everyone, after posting in the lowered forum I was able to identify that my Z71 has lowering springs and shocks in the rear.
I have ordered a new suspension including:
Moog 82144 front springs
Moog 81069 rear springs with moog k160072 spring insulators
Bilstein 5100 shocks for the front and rear

This thing should ride amazingly after these parts are installed. Chevy dealer quoted me $1200 for the install, Big-O tires quoted $600-800 for the install. Would like to do it myself but I don't think I can.

 

[Big Mama]

Why not? You can do it. There are many threads here and videos on YT to show you. The most important thing is being safe around springs. The rear is quite simple.

 

[OR VietVet]

Yes, like Steven said, you can do it if you have enough tools and know how. Watch some you tube videos and if can have a tech savvy friend help you. Pizza and beer are good payments for help.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@Big Mama @PNW VietVet I have been tossing around the idea of doing it myself If I can find a place to do the work that has flat concrete. What tools would I need? I have wrenches and sockets but I would need: breaker bar, torque wrench, coil spring compressor, jack and jack stands... anything I'm missing? 1/2 impact drill?

 

[Big Mama]

You’ve got about everything. Start with the rear. It’s very straightforward and doesn’t require a spring compressor so it’s relatively safe. If you don’t feel comfortable up front, which was me at first, you’ve still saved a few hundred bucks doing the rear and it may give you the confidence to do the front.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

You’ve got about everything. Start with the rear. It’s very straightforward and doesn’t require a spring compressor so it’s relatively safe. If you don’t feel comfortable up front, which was me at first, you’ve still saved a few hundred bucks doing the rear and it may give you the confidence to do the front.

@Big Mama I installed the rear this weekend. Spent about $300 on tools and it was cake, I had to use a $40 spring compressor from Harbor Freight to get the rear springs in but that was the biggest problem that came up. After installing the spring I just jacked the rear axle back up to release tension on the spring compressor and they just fell out so I didn't have to crank them out. Good investment on tools, I look forward to doing the front next weekend once I make sure I have the right tools to undo the top of the struts.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

Here it is with the rear springs and shocks in.

 

[Big Mama]

Awesome, looks better already and helps with the confidence going forward. This may have been asked. Are you sure they didn’t use drop spindles up front? @iamdub is there any easy way to identify drop spindles if you don’t have both?

 

[Dustin Jackson]

Awesome, looks better already and helps with the confidence going forward. This may have been asked. Are you sure they didn’t use drop spindles up front? @iamdub is there any easy way to identify drop spindles if you don’t have both?

@Big Mama I took it to the dealership and they seem confident that the front spindle is stock, after taking the lowering kit out I believe that it was the Ground Force 91207 rear lowering kit which only has springs and shocks so if that was all that it had the front should be stock. I will be replacing everything in the front besides the spindle so if that is still factory I should be golden. I am planning on doing the front this weekend.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@Big Mama @iamdub Here are some pictures I took of the front, hopefully they are clear enough.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@iamdub @Big Mama

 

[Big Mama]

Hard to tell but if the dealer says they’re stock we’ll roll with that. Your picture of the truck just looked a little lower in front but they may have gone the cheaper route. Which is good for you.

 

[iamdub]

Awesome, looks better already and helps with the confidence going forward. This may have been asked. Are you sure they didn’t use drop spindles up front? @iamdub is there any easy way to identify drop spindles if you don’t have both?

All you can really do by viewing from the back side with the wheels on is look at the position of the hub. It should be about centered between the ball joints but a little more toward the upper ball joint. On a lowering spindle, the hub will be 2" higher/closer to the upper ball joint. This puts that upper bolt hole in line with the upper ball joint and, on McGaughy spindles, it is eliminated and a screw-in stud is used.


Backside of OEM spindle, note how that top bolt hole is well under the upper ball joint boss:

Backside of drop spindle, note how that top bolt hole is much closer to the upper ball joint boss:

 

[iamdub]

@Big Mama @iamdub Here are some pictures I took of the front, hopefully they are clear enough.

View attachment 247839

Definitely stock spindles. On a 4WD, since the hub location is moved upwards 2", the outer joint of the CV axle hits the stud and nut of the upper ball joint. The stud has to be trimmed and/or ground down flush with the nut. Sometimes the nut has to be ground down as well or a thinner nut is used. This is probably just with some aftermarket upper ball joints that have longer studs for whatever reason.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

Definitely stock spindles. On a 4WD, since the hub location is moved upwards 2", the outer joint of the CV axle hits the stud and nut of the upper ball joint. The stud has to be trimmed and/or ground down flush with the nut. Sometimes the nut has to be ground down as well or a thinner nut is used. This is probably just with some aftermarket upper ball joints that have longer studs for whatever reason.

@iamdub Thanks for the confirmation sir, I will proceed with the peace of mind that I should find no surprises when I tackle the front this weekend.

 

[iamdub]

Speaking of front, unless you want or need to stock up on tools, you can borrow specialty tools for free from the major auto parts stores. No need to buy coil and strut spring compressors for one job when you can borrow them from free on an as-needed basis.

I borrowed two sets of strut coil compressors, one from two different stores, because one set on these struts is too weak.

 

[iamdub]

Speaking of front, unless you want or need to stock up on tools, you can borrow specialty tools for free from the major auto parts stores. No need to buy coil and strut spring compressors for one job when you can borrow them from free on an as-needed basis.

I borrowed two sets of strut coil compressors, one from two different stores, because one set on these struts is too weak.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

Speaking of front, unless you want or need to stock up on tools, you can borrow specialty tools for free from the major auto parts stores. No need to buy coil and strut spring compressors for one job when you can borrow them from free on an as-needed basis.

I borrowed two sets of strut coil compressors, one from two different stores, because one set on these struts is too weak.

That is good advice, I see that the front springs are much thicker and stiffer than the rear so I'll be sure to use two sets of spring compressors. In your experience can the upper insulator boot be reused? It hadn't occurred to me that I might need to replace it until yesterday but shipping times are killer right now.

 

[iamdub]

That is good advice, I see that the front springs are much thicker and stiffer than the rear so I'll be sure to use two sets of spring compressors. In your experience can the upper insulator boot be reused? It hadn't occurred to me that I might need to replace it until yesterday but shipping times are killer right now.

Mine had about 199K miles on those parts and I reused them. My boots have small holes worn into them and I wish I had gotten new ones, but I already had it apart and had to get it back together so I reused them. I may be taking the struts back apart for some minor tweaks later on so I'll get new boots before I do that.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@iamdub @Big Mama @PNW VietVet Gentlemen I did it. I appreciate the assurance that I can do it myself and this weekend I finished up the front and now I am done and saved $1,200 in installation! Here is how the Tahoe sits with Bilstein 5100s set to factory height with MOOG 81244 springs in the front and MOOG 81069 springs in the rear.