OK, Bought a 07 with a couple problems today.

[SpareParts]

I'll never be stuck in a muddy water filled pothole ridden parking lot again in the rain
There is not much holding that cable on but now it is never coming off

 

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Just picked up 2 NOS rear Z55 rear shocks off ebay for $375.
Weather getting good enough next weekend I'm going to start my complete suspension rebuild.

 

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I'm going to FINALLY start on my suspension lift and nearly a complete rebuild tomorrow. Kinda exited to get it going. Plan on taking 2 or 3 days to do it as im in no big hurry as i have the week off and the longer it takes me the less wife stuff ill need to do.
Here is how she looks today and measurements for the center of the wheel's to the finder.

 

[SpareParts]

Got both sides of the suspension off today but it looks like ill be waiting till Wednesday to put it back together.
The lower spring isolator was gone on both struts and 1 of the upper dust boots is torn.
Ordered new Dust boots, Bump stops and lower isolators.
One strut i could easily push down and about 2 inches from the bottom it felt like air is in it. It extended very slow!
The other side was a real pita and came apart when i pried the bottom off the A arm. No wonder that side felt week but actually the suspension did not feel as bad as the old struts are.

 

[SpareParts]

Got the rear mostly done. Nothing to hard.
I could not get the rear end to drop enough to get the springs back in. After thinking about it, i ended up loosening the rear control arms and the diff dropped no problem.
Wanted to get the frame wire brushed and undercoated, but around noon it started pouring rain so had to stop for the day.

Forgot to mention front strut springs removal.
This tool takes almost all the scary out of doing front struts. The tool works WAY better than the two flimsy rod style.

Amazon.com

 

[SpareParts]

Changed the diff mount brackets today among other things needing done.
They have to be one of the hardest things to do. I could not do it alone and had to get help from my son. Luckily, he goes to work at 3pm and stopped by around noon to help.
I am going to need a new diff though. Cant believe i never noticed this before.
When i first got it and checked the fluid it was almost empty. Filled it thinking in the spring i would change seals.
Anyway the pic tells the rest of the story except the RT axle just slides in and out. Whoever put that diff in did not put a snap ring on the axle. It has been fine this long so another couple weeks should not hurt till i replace it.

 

[SpareParts]

This is how Cracker is sitting now, waiting on parts.
Rear is nearly done. I need to put the wheel well liners in and once i drive it a few blocks tighten all the bolts up connected to a rubber bushing.

 

[SpareParts]

I could not take it knowing the front diff was wrong, so made a trip to the wrecking yard today and scored the only AWD, GU6 front diff they had.
Picked up 4 wheel height sensors. I did watch live data driving and mine are good but spares are nice!
Also, Cracker has the code CE1 for rain sensing wipers but the sensor in not there and my mirror compass only works part time. So i grabbed a complete mirror with the rain sensor.
Guess ill see if it works or not.
Anyway, got it all for $200 bucks.

 

[SpareParts]

Got these together finally.
Tomorrow ill be changing the diff then continuing on with the suspension reassembly. Thinking i have 2 days left, then off to alignment.

 

[SpareParts]

Here how she is sitting today. Far from done though. Got the new diff installed Still need.
Make new Height sensor rods. Adjust the track bar about 1/4 inch shorter, put the wheel well liners back in, check all bolts but
I think i have a problem im not sure how to solve.
I have only moved it about 5 feet forward and back so maybe i need to get it around the block a few time and look for bumps to drive over.

The front end seems to be very stiff and almost not moving up or down and is almost fully extended. If i bounce on it best i can it does not move.
2 things i can think of.
It just needs to be driven to re settle the front springs?.
The dust boots are new. I also put lower spring isolators on and the springs may not be fully seated yet.
The old struts did not have any so i assumed they needed to be there. Maybe not? Some pics show them.

The upper lift block is 2 1/8 thick and it could be it moves the strut down and at the bottom out further from where it is supposed to bolt up to the lower control arm.
Because it moves the bottom further out you need to really force it back to get the lower bolts in.
Its like the lift block needs to be 2 1/8 thick on one side beveling to 1 3/4 on the other side so the lower strut is more inline with the lower mount.
I do not think a guy can put the struts back together wrong

 

[SpareParts]

I have put a lot of work into this and if i can't get it ridding, driving good by Friday i think ill just take it all off and go back to stock height.

 

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Got it nearly buttoned up about 98%
Drove it about 5 miles and can truthfully say the front is stiff but not horrible so i think i can live with it for a while.
I think the real problem is a 2in puck up top is too much. It flexes the suspension too far to have a smooth ride.
If it does not settle down some and get a little softer ill remove it and try a 1 inch spacer in a couple of months.
Dam* USPS been Fking around with my other rear shock that i ordered nearly 2 weeks ago. So i still need to get that on when it gets here but that a 1/2 hour job.
Saturday at 8AM i have an appointment to get it aligned.
Anyway, here are a couple pics and my little helper that was underfoot all day today.

 

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I'm not happy with this at all and i think it is just to much lift for stock suspension. Just horrible angels on the suspension.
The tie rods bind of full left or right turn.
The axle angle is too far off
The front suspension almost feels no moving.
I'm going to remove it all and go back to stock with just a level that goes on the strut bottom.

 

[donjetman]

@SpareParts
When I rebuilt my front end and installed stock new control arms w/bushing and ball joints, mx instructions said not to tighten the bolts that hold on the control arms until they were at their normal height/angle.

My point is I hope you didn't tighten them in this drooped position/angle?

 

[SpareParts]

NO. I waited till it was on the ground and moved a few feet forward and back, then tightened them.

 

[SpareParts]

Here is a pic of what i meant when i said the lower strut is not lining up with the lower control arm as the upper puck is moving the strut too far out.
It is hard to tell but it's at least an inch too far toward the wheel. Without the puck, the lower strut lines up almost perfect when the control arm is its normal position.

 

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After about 3 hours the 3.5 lift is removed. The RC upper control arms are still on it for a week or two then i'll change them out and get it aligned again. I also did not remove the diff drop yet but will in a week or two.
I'm so glad i did not hack and whack everything up to get the pucks in and lift on!

Went for a test drive and what a night and day difference!!! Rides nice but you can tell it needs to be aligned and i have an appointment tomorrow morning to get that done.
So much better with everything stock. I can see a small lower strut spacer being ok but i will never do a 3.5 puck lift again.

 

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Still waiting on 1 new rear shock but other than that the suspension is good to go.
Here is how it looks with all new suspension.

 

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It's about time to get back to the used replacement engine i bought.
I have been collecting parts to freshen up a few things over the winter, one of them is new cam bearings.
Got the old bearings out and #2 is shot with the rest not great either but at 170K i would not expect them to be.
1 thing i notice i don't really like is the spot where the original bearing is joined together leaves a gouge in the block. There is no way to avoid it and all 5 now have this gouge.
After seeing why that gouge is made removing the bearings i would think all engines with replaced bearings have this gouge.
I sure it will not matter, but dang GM could have done a better design i think.

The new CH25 bearings are better 1 piece solid design. They are wider by about .20, The oil holes are bigger which is better allowing more oil to get to the cam but how it affects oil pressure who knows.

 

[SpareParts]

Well, this is what happens when you are in the woods doing something you should not be.