Pre-lowered 12 Tahoe. How much?

[BADRIDES]

View attachment 263426

Clean and Simple

 

[Drwinlied]

I cut the outside face that was easy to reach with the cutoff disc, then the forward and rearward faces, hammered an old screwdriver into the slice to pry it down enough to get my prybar in it and bend it down more to reach the backside face with the cutoff wheel, cutting from the rearward end and working forward. When I got to where the tank was, I scored the metal rather than cutting all the way through it, then bent the bracket up and down until it broke off. Then cleaned up the remains with a flap disc and painted.

Your management of the upper control arm makes sense too. I like to make things more difficult for myself all the time. I suppose I'm stubborn in that way. Once I disconnected the shocks at the bottom it was much easier...like I was mad at myself for not doing earlier. Even if I did strip/break something, it's one bolt and a $55 shock. big whoop. I spent way more time trying to work around it than it would've cost to just do right even if something broke. classic.

I did the outside edge with a grinder on the gas tank side. Then said f it and used a sawzall until I got close to the tank. I placed a thin piece of metal between the bracket and the tank so, after lowering the susp, I could watch/hear if wheel was hitting different metal and adjust from there. The metal was thick enough to where it would take a good deal of contact to come close to getting through. In fact, it was actually too thick because it didn't bend at all so it was a pita to wedge in there. nothing a rubber mallet can't fix.

The passenger side was laughably easy. Sawzall. 6" "thick metal" blade (well, 3 of them because they were cheapies). 6" blade was long enough to hit both sides and it came out with zero drama.

Tonight is finishing the cut on the tank side and cleaning up with flap wheel and painting. Shocks will be here Thursday so this learning experience will be complete, Murphy willing...

My favorite will be when I do all this and it still rides like crap for some reason lol.

 

[Drwinlied]

Welp, got it all done and back together.

I now have a 13/16 socket permanently attached to the inner side of the upper shock bolt on the passengerside. I had a HELL of a time getting it off the driverside, but there is much more room to work on that side and I eventually got it out with some creativity. Thought I could repeat my luck but nope. Adds character. I consider it hidden treasure now.

Now that the bumpstop isn't smacking off the rear, there is definitely some rubbing in turns/bumps...probably should have put some bags in while I was back there, like was suggested...but you know, the whole making things harder for myself.

I think my buddy has a heat gun so I may try to re-form the spots that rub out of the way. Or ill just cut.

One thing I do know is its going to rub like crazy when loaded & towing so bags are getting added in spring. F working out there in winter. I have a small garage that I need to essentially empty everything out of in order to work on Hector and that ship has sailed for the season.

Plus my wife's ltz400 decided to start pissing gas during all this so there's a carb clean/rebuild I'll avoid for the season. Sure smells good in there though...did manage to lose a whole 2.5gallons of gas because the atvs were outside and the wife's was overflowing into an open gas can...annnnd it rained lol

2 questions:

1. Did I go with too small bumpstops? I figured "low profile" meant smallest available so I got the 1.26" ones. I feel like something dramatic would happen before they ever made contact with the frame.

2. Any tips for dropping the rear end to pull the springs? I have a few months to read up and watch vids, but while I'm here...

Thanks everyone! This is a fun adventure.

 

[iamdub]

Welp, got it all done and back together.

I now have a 13/16 socket permanently attached to the inner side of the upper shock bolt on the passengerside. I had a HELL of a time getting it off the driverside, but there is much more room to work on that side and I eventually got it out with some creativity. Thought I could repeat my luck but nope. Adds character. I consider it hidden treasure now.

Now that the bumpstop isn't smacking off the rear, there is definitely some rubbing in turns/bumps...probably should have put some bags in while I was back there, like was suggested...but you know, the whole making things harder for myself.

I think my buddy has a heat gun so I may try to re-form the spots that rub out of the way. Or ill just cut.

One thing I do know is its going to rub like crazy when loaded & towing so bags are getting added in spring. F working out there in winter. I have a small garage that I need to essentially empty everything out of in order to work on Hector and that ship has sailed for the season.

Plus my wife's ltz400 decided to start pissing gas during all this so there's a carb clean/rebuild I'll avoid for the season. Sure smells good in there though...did manage to lose a whole 2.5gallons of gas because the atvs were outside and the wife's was overflowing into an open gas can...annnnd it rained lol

2 questions:

1. Did I go with too small bumpstops? I figured "low profile" meant smallest available so I got the 1.26" ones. I feel like something dramatic would happen before they ever made contact with the frame.

2. Any tips for dropping the rear end to pull the springs? I have a few months to read up and watch vids, but while I'm here...

Thanks everyone! This is a fun adventure.

First off- you need to invest in metric sockets. Everything is metric on these rigs. Yes, SAE might be "close enough" to work, but that may be why that 13/16" is stuck.

The bump stops are there so the axle doesn't hit the frame, as in, metal-on-metal. With the FTM performed, you should have plenty of suspension travel to cover most any normal driving and hauling duties. Really, the panhard bar mount on the axle would hit the cross member before the axle hits the frame. If your springs are too soft, then you may have a problem. But, this can be remedied by different springs or load bags. I have a 4.5" rear drop using Jeep Wrangler springs. They're a touch on the soft side, but just a touch- not land yacht soft. For load capacity, I have AirLift air springs ("load bags") that I add air to as needed. I recently took the fam (two girls, so LOADED cargo hold) to Tampa, Florida and towed an electric golf cart back. With 10psi in the bags, it was a little cushy, but not unstable or uncontrolled at all and sat level. I could've put as much as 35psi in the bags. The rear shocks I'm running are Bilstein for a Jeep Cherokee because they were the exact length I needed for my drop and I had them on a shelf. They work great.

I also rolled my rear fender lips and have an adjustable panhard to center the rear. I'd say that a 3" drop is probably about the most one could possibly go on a stock panhard. At or beyond that, the axle is too far off center and the tires will hit the fender on one side and rub the inner fender liner on the other.


Can't really think of any tips for dropping the rear. It's pretty straightforward:

Raise rear with floor jack under pumpkin (gets more and quicker lift this way)
Lower frame onto jack stands and stop lowering jack when frame is rested but axle is still almost at ride height
Disconnect sway bar end links
Remove lower shock mount bolts
Slowly lower axle while watching brake line(s) in center- stop before brake line has any tension on it
Lowering springs should be really loose (or have fallen out) at this point. Stock springs can be removed but may need some pulling and twisting


Have you noticed any difference in ride height or ride quality since the FTM?

 

[Drwinlied]

I definitely used the right socket for the shock bolt. Things are rusty and its nearly impossible to get leverage on the inside bolt. Its not uncommon for a socket to stay on a bolt when taking the ratchet off when things are rusty.

The ride is definitely better...a lot less crashy if you can believe it haha. Just need to sort out the rubbing now

 

[iamdub]

I definitely used the right socket for the shock bolt. Things are rusty and its nearly impossible to get leverage on the inside bolt. Its not uncommon for a socket to stay on a bolt when taking the ratchet off when things are rusty.

The ride is definitely better...a lot less crashy if you can believe it haha. Just need to sort out the rubbing now

*Googles "rust"

Ah! Yeah, I can see that being a problem. lol

Do you know exactly where it's rubbing? Might have to hit a dirt road or something then hit some bumps on the highway to make it rub. Get out and check for non-dirty spots. It could just be the fender liners, though.

 

[Drwinlied]

*Googles "rust"

Ah! Yeah, I can see that being a problem. lol

Do you know exactly where it's rubbing? Might have to hit a dirt road or something then hit some bumps on the highway to make it rub. Get out and check for non-dirty spots. It could just be the fender liners, though.

Lol I mean I'm not very smart but I can handle using the right sockets. *rounds off 300th bolt

It might be on the inside inner fender, near the front of the wheelwell. It was already rubbed thru there a little, so I'm guessing its the same spot, just hitting it a lot more often now. I had originally thought the vehicle was lowered more before its current set up in order to make those marks, but that is unlikely at this point.

I'm going to start at the wear marks and go from there. Might sharpie some duct tape and fill the inner fender...see where it rubs if it isn't the first spot.

My buddy just insulated his garage so I might not wait till spring to bag it...or I just wait until its packed with snow/ice and rubs all the time anyway. Decisions...

 

[91RS]

You really won't be able to stop the tires hitting the fender liners in the front. Mine rub in multiple spots.

 

[Drwinlied]

You really won't be able to stop the tires hitting the fender liners in the front. Mine rub in multiple spots.

Fair enough. After looking into the rubbing and at least trying to minimize it, I may just call it a day. OR...maybe I'll get adventurous and tackle the front and go with spindles or coilovers...maybe put the same brand of stuff at each corner. Or maybe I'll just move on to addressing the growing list of things wrong with my wife's 400 while I window shop trailers, SxS's, snowmobiles, more four-wheelers, and anything else striking my fancy whatever day it is...

 

[Drwinlied]

Does anyone know the accurate/for real/not a football from walmart part# for the Air lift helper bag for the Belltech 4# drop spring for the 7-14 tahoe? Between this site, youtube, and internet searches I've come across no less than 5 different part#'s for the same question. Which, almost begs the question as to why I'm asking at all lol.

Anyway, I've procrastinated on getting the bags in (read: "other projects") and now I need them by next weekend for a towing trip to indy for cleetus and cars. Just want to make sure I order the right ones for the drop springs because I pretty much only get one crack at this (or I will literally be doing the football mod lol).

Any help is appreciated!