Welcome to the TYForum!
The new rig looks great - the color is beautiful. Almost too many white and blacks rolling around, and I live in Maine.
I think the 6" crossmember lift on the Suburban/Yukon XL is a good way to go regarding ride height and body length. Give it a little time, I think it will grow on you. My wife has an Audi a5 that is a lot of fun to drive, but a lifted rig is an entirely different animal.
Not sure where you live, and what outdoor activities you and the family enjoy, but having the ability to take the Yukon XL to many remote locals does have its advantages. Plus, doing so in comfort and style makes it all the more enjoyable. I know my 4 and 10 yr old love getting off the beaten path.
From personal experience, I have to admit that driving my Tahoe around is
A LOT of fun. I'm about 20 mins outside of Portland, ME and it's fairly rural. Roads are windy and a bit bumpy for the most part around my house. I think that if you had
front coil-overs installed you might think twice about lowering. For $1500-$2500 you can get a pair of front coil-overs that will provide the same 6" of lift, as well as options of remote reservoirs and custom controlled damping. I would look to Fox, King and Icon initially. Some TYForum members have also had custom coil-overs built to meet their needs. Another great idea. The ride quality and off-road ability is hands down INSANELY better than the OE magneride shocks, or a lift kit using coil spacers (ie:
RC 6" lift kit for magneride). You could also consider upgrading your UCAs; however, the 6" RC lift is designed to use OE UCAs. Fabtech makes and adj. UCA for 0-6" lift heights I believe. RC also has UCAs, but I'm not 100% sure about their fitment with their lift kit and your tire/wheel setup.
Here's a quick pic of my 4" BDS lifted 2015 Tahoe LTZ:
That being said,
IF you decide to upgrade your front to coil-overs, you will need to
delete the magneride control. Many members on the TYForum are firm believers in getting rid of the magneride shocks on our vehicls ASAP...
To delete magneride and/or air-ride, there are several options available to us. I am a major endorser of
Xineering, LLC out of Orlando. Owner is Max and he's great; smart and career in the auto computer industry and has a need for speed. I think you will appreciate that he developed the MRC delete for Xineering in order to convert Corvettes (also equipped with magneride shocks) for track racing. Most of their products are geared towards racing, but the MRC delete happens to overlap with other GM vehicles...
https://shocksims.com/
I've used all of their MRC delete products and am a huge fan of the newest OBD/SS delete kit. It plugs right into your OBD/II port (under steering wheel) and basically tells the computer that MRC is operating normally; when in fact, you have installed a passive suspension system on your rig in the front and/or rear that is not even plugged into the computer. Customer service is great too, they always have time on the phone and have helped me numerous times in the past when I have thrown suspension system DTCs.
Regarding tuning, many TYForum members have gone down this road. Many as simple as AFM delete to maintain v8 throughout driving. Others do a full tune, most would favor Black Bear, but that seems to be those who are modifying for speed and lowering vs. lifted and off-road. Whether lifted, stock, or lowered, I would
suggest the tuning to at least get rid of the AFM. Plus, with your lift, you may need to change your tire size setting in order to get the speedometer correct again. Not sure what tires you are running.
Welcome again and please continue to keep us posted of your progress.
Safe Travels!
