Hey, Everbody new to the site & seeking some advice. Recently bought my 07 Tahoe LS 4.8L. Just hit 111K Miles, but has been in the family since it had 7 Miles. The vehicle has been well taken care of & I love it.
This is gonna be a bit long but the following are mods that I want to do to my Hoe. I'm sharing with you all hoping others have done some and can share their knowledge with me. I am a youngster (Just turned 21 on Apr 15th) so if something on here sounds stupid, blame it on the age. But please explain why it's stupid so I can learn. I've been driving this thing for the past year and a half, and recently took over as the owner. I love it and look forward to staring my family alongside my Hoe. Thank you guys so much for reading my thread. Appreciate any and all advice & feedback.
A.) Performance/ Mechanical:
A1.) K&N Air Intake #57-3058. I did this already & I love the interior sound. The power upgrade may be a myth but there is definitely an MPG Improvement. (https://www.knfilters.com/search/product.aspx?prod=57-3058)
A2.) Exhaust System/Mufflers. This one I am a little stuck on. My uncle did Flowmaster Super 40 on his 07 Nissan Titan with the 5.6 & it sounds so nice. on Startup & around 2K Rpm's. I'm not sure if his is a cat back or not but I love the sound. I've looked at the American Thunder System from Flowmaster & found a video on Youtube of a dude who has it & it sounded nice. I believe he has the 5.3 instead of 4.8 so I'm not sure how much difference that makes. What do you guys think? I want something loud, but not ricer loud. I want a Truck loud.
(http://www.flowmastermufflers.com/e...bmodel=96&engine=453&drivetype=&category=&kw=)
A3.) A Chip/Tune: This is where I desperately need help. I have no clue where to begin. I have been on this forum before & see so many of you recommend Black Bear. My uncle also let me know of Bullydog. Like I said I have no clue where to go but I do appreciate any feedback you would have. I like the Bullydog for the fact that there are so many different things you can do, after doing some research, however, I don't see many people recommending it so I'm not sure. I don't necessarily need the Chip to add crazy HP which is why I like the Bullydog, but of course, some power gained is nice. For those of you that have a bullydog on a 4.8, does it let you do cylinder deactivation? (https://www.bullydog.com/products/b...MakeId=2&vehicleModelId=44&vehicleEngineId=30)
A4.) Multiple little-big things: Now I know a Tahoe is not a racer by any means, but I am young and do want to have fun. (I will say that I'm no dumbass however, even though I like to have fun I know there is a time & place) With that being said what else should I do to add some extra horsepower? What do you guys know about Switching up Gear Ratios? I'm not too bad on MPG going down (I bought an SUV for a reason, not to save gas) as long as it's not under 15 ish. Is switching Gear Ratio difficult? Will need to be done by a Pro? What are some pro's & con's? Has anyone done it? If so do you regret it or not? Also what about some other mods I can do? I know a little about headers but what about Cams? what's the best brand to go with? Other mods that will add some HP? How about a Turbo? I know most trucks would rather have a supercharger but I don't like the whole idea of 'using power to make more power' and would rather go with something that is only adding. Anybody do Twin Turbos? Thank you so much in advance!
A5.) Shocks/Suspension: The vehicle has been taken care of but Shocks have never been replaced. I've heard so many good things about both Rancho & Billstein. Which is honestly the better brand? I'm not doing much off road but it would be nice to have shocks I know I can depend on. (Keep in mind my idea of off road is a dirt road. I know my limits and wouldn't push them) Anyone bagged their Hoe or Yukon? I'm thinking of going that way as well. But I have no clue there.
***I do want to note that the K&N, Bully Dog GT, and American Thunder Exhaust are all compatible with the 5.3. Once my 4.8 dies (Which is hopefully far from today) would you do a 5.3 Swap? If so will the current tranny work with the 5.3? Also depending on what I can do with the 4.8 what about doing a Tranny swap to ensure it can handle it? Will the SuperMatic 4L85-E work with the body & frame? If not I believe the SuperMatic 4L75-E is a direct replacement. I do like the idea of a bigger engine but I like the 4.8. Plus I've seen threads of others with long lasting 4.8L's
B.) Exterior:
B1.) Weathertech items. I'm looking at a few ones here. Living in Arizona I need the Wind deflectors. I'm going with the dark black to match what I want it to look like at the end. Also, I'm looking at the wind/bug deflector in the front as I absolutely love the way it looks. I do like to travel and hopefully this takes care of those big nasty yellow bugs.
B2.) Grille Guard. I know this isn't 100% necessary or useful but I do feel like it beefs up the truck somewhat. There's a few I'm looking at that I like but can't choose. Which is the best looking one to you?
---https://www.carid.com/2007-chevy-tahoe-grill-guards/ranch-hand-legend-series-grille-guard-126798760.html
**I've seen this one in person & I like it, I just feel that there's too much covering the actual grill
---http://www.autoanything.com/grille-guards/black-horse-off-road-grille-guard
**This is more the style I'm going for. but I'm not too sure.
---http://www.ebay.com/itm/APU-07-14-Tahoe-Suburban-Avalanche-Grill-Bumper-Brush-Guard-Push-Bar-Black/252128606120?_trksid=p2385738.c100677.m4598&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908110712%26meid%3Db2581e550ff942a095a7765efcff2f71%26pid%3D100677%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D23%26sd%3D271391869739
**So far this one is in the lead for me. I like that it looks sleek and looks like it fits perfectly.
Anyone have pics of Grille Guards? Please share as I don't see many 'Hoes with them here.
B3.) Lighting. I saw on another thread someone had installed the Spyder Lights & I love them. I'm looking to replace both headlights & tail lights & possibly adding some lighting under the vehicle.
Tail lights= https://www.carid.com/spyder/black-...7v2-led-bk.html?singleid=269864089&url=656014
Head Lights= https://www.carid.com/2007-chevy-tahoe-headlights/spyder-u-bar-projector-headlights-378411795.html
How many of you have done this? Liked it or regretted it? The thread I saw on here had another special part that I have no clue about. Once I actually buy I will go back to read that one. I am looking into Spyder as I feel it makes the vehicle look newer and meaner.
B4.) Body (Kinda): I'm not too big on changing the body too much as I love the way it looks. Of course, there are some things that can make it look different.
I've looked at this Duraflex Hood & I like the way it looks. I feel it looks aggressive & it will definitely stand out from other Hoes
https://www.carid.com/duraflex/zl1-style-hood-mpn-108495.html?singleid=235444800&url=654128
Also the Escalades have the little opening on their front end panels/fenders above the tire that I would love to get. I don't see any kits to convert so I'm assuming you have to just take it off a Cadillac? Anyone know or done this? Any pictures of it on a Tahoe? Recommended or really just dumb of me?
C.) Interior
C1.) Sound system (Of course). I have so many uncles and cousins that have done sound systems and I like them all. On a Hoe I can only imagine what kind of noise I can be pushing. I want to do either 2 12's or 15's in a custom box behind the 3rd row. I don't know much about speakers & sound systems but I am not afraid to learn either. I understand I would need Amps and would go to a shop for installation. What I need help with is the Brand selection. I've used JBL for Home speakers and I do like them. I know they make speakers for vehicles as well and I am thinking of giving it a shot. My uncle has a newer 15 Silverado with the Bose system and stock it sounds so nice. My goal is to have clear deep bass music. I'd be replacing all speakers on the inside & adding Subs of course. Anyone have any advice to offer? How about the actual radio itself? Will the factory radio sound nice with an upgraded system?
C2.) Little minor upgrades. For dome lights, I'm thinking of going with black Lights (Like the ones used to find scorpions), or plain white LED. Then possibly some running lights across the front of the dash. Also, the vehicle comes with the standard radio, no GPS ETC. Though having a GPS is not something I absolutely need, it would be nice. Has anyone done a swap out? Recommend it or no?
C3.) I'm doing a Limo tint all around, and Weather tech All weather floor matts on the inside as well. Thinking of a cargo Liner but I don't see much use to it.
In the end when it's all said & done I want to have a loud, mean, Tahoe. Once I finish the most important upgrades/mods I'm going to paint her Matte Jet Black & probably throw some rims on it to fully murder it out. This probably won't happen anytime soon but Little by little I'll get to what I want & I can't wait to finish & share it with you all. Again any and all advice is appreciated!
This is gonna be a bit long but the following are mods that I want to do to my Hoe. I'm sharing with you all hoping others have done some and can share their knowledge with me. I am a youngster (Just turned 21 on Apr 15th) so if something on here sounds stupid, blame it on the age. But please explain why it's stupid so I can learn. I've been driving this thing for the past year and a half, and recently took over as the owner. I love it and look forward to staring my family alongside my Hoe. Thank you guys so much for reading my thread. Appreciate any and all advice & feedback.
A.) Performance/ Mechanical:
A1.) K&N Air Intake #57-3058. I did this already & I love the interior sound. The power upgrade may be a myth but there is definitely an MPG Improvement. (https://www.knfilters.com/search/product.aspx?prod=57-3058)
A2.) Exhaust System/Mufflers. This one I am a little stuck on. My uncle did Flowmaster Super 40 on his 07 Nissan Titan with the 5.6 & it sounds so nice. on Startup & around 2K Rpm's. I'm not sure if his is a cat back or not but I love the sound. I've looked at the American Thunder System from Flowmaster & found a video on Youtube of a dude who has it & it sounded nice. I believe he has the 5.3 instead of 4.8 so I'm not sure how much difference that makes. What do you guys think? I want something loud, but not ricer loud. I want a Truck loud.
(http://www.flowmastermufflers.com/e...bmodel=96&engine=453&drivetype=&category=&kw=)
A3.) A Chip/Tune: This is where I desperately need help. I have no clue where to begin. I have been on this forum before & see so many of you recommend Black Bear. My uncle also let me know of Bullydog. Like I said I have no clue where to go but I do appreciate any feedback you would have. I like the Bullydog for the fact that there are so many different things you can do, after doing some research, however, I don't see many people recommending it so I'm not sure. I don't necessarily need the Chip to add crazy HP which is why I like the Bullydog, but of course, some power gained is nice. For those of you that have a bullydog on a 4.8, does it let you do cylinder deactivation? (https://www.bullydog.com/products/b...MakeId=2&vehicleModelId=44&vehicleEngineId=30)
A4.) Multiple little-big things: Now I know a Tahoe is not a racer by any means, but I am young and do want to have fun. (I will say that I'm no dumbass however, even though I like to have fun I know there is a time & place) With that being said what else should I do to add some extra horsepower? What do you guys know about Switching up Gear Ratios? I'm not too bad on MPG going down (I bought an SUV for a reason, not to save gas) as long as it's not under 15 ish. Is switching Gear Ratio difficult? Will need to be done by a Pro? What are some pro's & con's? Has anyone done it? If so do you regret it or not? Also what about some other mods I can do? I know a little about headers but what about Cams? what's the best brand to go with? Other mods that will add some HP? How about a Turbo? I know most trucks would rather have a supercharger but I don't like the whole idea of 'using power to make more power' and would rather go with something that is only adding. Anybody do Twin Turbos? Thank you so much in advance!
A5.) Shocks/Suspension: The vehicle has been taken care of but Shocks have never been replaced. I've heard so many good things about both Rancho & Billstein. Which is honestly the better brand? I'm not doing much off road but it would be nice to have shocks I know I can depend on. (Keep in mind my idea of off road is a dirt road. I know my limits and wouldn't push them) Anyone bagged their Hoe or Yukon? I'm thinking of going that way as well. But I have no clue there.
***I do want to note that the K&N, Bully Dog GT, and American Thunder Exhaust are all compatible with the 5.3. Once my 4.8 dies (Which is hopefully far from today) would you do a 5.3 Swap? If so will the current tranny work with the 5.3? Also depending on what I can do with the 4.8 what about doing a Tranny swap to ensure it can handle it? Will the SuperMatic 4L85-E work with the body & frame? If not I believe the SuperMatic 4L75-E is a direct replacement. I do like the idea of a bigger engine but I like the 4.8. Plus I've seen threads of others with long lasting 4.8L's
B.) Exterior:
B1.) Weathertech items. I'm looking at a few ones here. Living in Arizona I need the Wind deflectors. I'm going with the dark black to match what I want it to look like at the end. Also, I'm looking at the wind/bug deflector in the front as I absolutely love the way it looks. I do like to travel and hopefully this takes care of those big nasty yellow bugs.
B2.) Grille Guard. I know this isn't 100% necessary or useful but I do feel like it beefs up the truck somewhat. There's a few I'm looking at that I like but can't choose. Which is the best looking one to you?
---https://www.carid.com/2007-chevy-tahoe-grill-guards/ranch-hand-legend-series-grille-guard-126798760.html
**I've seen this one in person & I like it, I just feel that there's too much covering the actual grill
---http://www.autoanything.com/grille-guards/black-horse-off-road-grille-guard
**This is more the style I'm going for. but I'm not too sure.
---http://www.ebay.com/itm/APU-07-14-Tahoe-Suburban-Avalanche-Grill-Bumper-Brush-Guard-Push-Bar-Black/252128606120?_trksid=p2385738.c100677.m4598&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908110712%26meid%3Db2581e550ff942a095a7765efcff2f71%26pid%3D100677%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D23%26sd%3D271391869739
**So far this one is in the lead for me. I like that it looks sleek and looks like it fits perfectly.
Anyone have pics of Grille Guards? Please share as I don't see many 'Hoes with them here.
B3.) Lighting. I saw on another thread someone had installed the Spyder Lights & I love them. I'm looking to replace both headlights & tail lights & possibly adding some lighting under the vehicle.
Tail lights= https://www.carid.com/spyder/black-...7v2-led-bk.html?singleid=269864089&url=656014
Head Lights= https://www.carid.com/2007-chevy-tahoe-headlights/spyder-u-bar-projector-headlights-378411795.html
How many of you have done this? Liked it or regretted it? The thread I saw on here had another special part that I have no clue about. Once I actually buy I will go back to read that one. I am looking into Spyder as I feel it makes the vehicle look newer and meaner.
B4.) Body (Kinda): I'm not too big on changing the body too much as I love the way it looks. Of course, there are some things that can make it look different.
I've looked at this Duraflex Hood & I like the way it looks. I feel it looks aggressive & it will definitely stand out from other Hoes
https://www.carid.com/duraflex/zl1-style-hood-mpn-108495.html?singleid=235444800&url=654128
Also the Escalades have the little opening on their front end panels/fenders above the tire that I would love to get. I don't see any kits to convert so I'm assuming you have to just take it off a Cadillac? Anyone know or done this? Any pictures of it on a Tahoe? Recommended or really just dumb of me?
C.) Interior
C1.) Sound system (Of course). I have so many uncles and cousins that have done sound systems and I like them all. On a Hoe I can only imagine what kind of noise I can be pushing. I want to do either 2 12's or 15's in a custom box behind the 3rd row. I don't know much about speakers & sound systems but I am not afraid to learn either. I understand I would need Amps and would go to a shop for installation. What I need help with is the Brand selection. I've used JBL for Home speakers and I do like them. I know they make speakers for vehicles as well and I am thinking of giving it a shot. My uncle has a newer 15 Silverado with the Bose system and stock it sounds so nice. My goal is to have clear deep bass music. I'd be replacing all speakers on the inside & adding Subs of course. Anyone have any advice to offer? How about the actual radio itself? Will the factory radio sound nice with an upgraded system?
C2.) Little minor upgrades. For dome lights, I'm thinking of going with black Lights (Like the ones used to find scorpions), or plain white LED. Then possibly some running lights across the front of the dash. Also, the vehicle comes with the standard radio, no GPS ETC. Though having a GPS is not something I absolutely need, it would be nice. Has anyone done a swap out? Recommend it or no?
C3.) I'm doing a Limo tint all around, and Weather tech All weather floor matts on the inside as well. Thinking of a cargo Liner but I don't see much use to it.
In the end when it's all said & done I want to have a loud, mean, Tahoe. Once I finish the most important upgrades/mods I'm going to paint her Matte Jet Black & probably throw some rims on it to fully murder it out. This probably won't happen anytime soon but Little by little I'll get to what I want & I can't wait to finish & share it with you all. Again any and all advice is appreciated!
I had never intended to do so much my truck when I bought it, and looking back from day one when I brought it home, it looks nothing like it did back then. And I love everything I've done to it. Not stopping the mods is the fun part though!
