SUV FNG

[Zachm89]

Just picked up a new to me 03 Yukon with 147k miles on the clock as a daily after my 06 CCSB Duramax got stolen a few weeks ago. Always been a GM truck guy both gas and diesel but this is my first SUV and I’ve got a lot to learn about the platform. It’s completely stock as far as I’m aware, one owner before me and fairly unmolested. I’d like to do some simple upgrades, definitely in the brake and suspension department. But also a bit of performance in the near future. CAI, exhaust (maybe headers but probably just a cat back for now), definitely a tune (I have HPTuners but will need someone to actually tune it). And whatever else I can do along the way to make it a more fun driver without killing reliability. Any and all recommendations are welcome!
Thanks

 

[wjburken]

Welcome to the forum from Iowa.

Nice find.

 

[Jason in DLH]

Looks like a great truck! That’s crazy about the Duramax! Hopefully the police can track it down. Definitely 1st mod...secret kill switch...

You leaning towards either lifting or lowering it?

 

[Tonyrodz]

View attachment 267895 Just picked up a new to me 03 Yukon with 147k miles on the clock as a daily after my 06 CCSB Duramax got stolen a few weeks ago. Always been a GM truck guy both gas and diesel but this is my first SUV and I’ve got a lot to learn about the platform. It’s completely stock as far as I’m aware, one owner before me and fairly unmolested. I’d like to do some simple upgrades, definitely in the brake and suspension department. But also a bit of performance in the near future. CAI, exhaust (maybe headers but probably just a cat back for now), definitely a tune (I have HPTuners but will need someone to actually tune it). And whatever else I can do along the way to make it a more fun driver without killing reliability. Any and all recommendations are welcome!
Thanks

Welcome from NJ. You should check out the "Under Construction" threads. Lots of fun builds in there. Your Yukon looks in good shape, and has super low miles for an 03. My 03 has 295k on it.

 

[Miami-Dade]

Welcome from Miami Beach Zach! Nice Yukon!

 

[OR VietVet]

Welcome to the forum from Oregon. More pics please.

 

[Zachm89]

Welcome to the forum from Oregon. More pics please.

Thanks! I’ll be taking some more and better pictures after I remove some of the chrome trim and get her shined up a bit!

 

[Zachm89]

Welcome from NJ. You should check out the "Under Construction" threads. Lots of fun builds in there. Your Yukon looks in good shape, and has super low miles for an 03. My 03 has 295k on it.

Will do. It’s definitely in pretty good shape for its age and I was surprised by the mileage when I stumbled across it.

 

[Zachm89]

Looks like a great truck! That’s crazy about the Duramax! Hopefully the police can track it down. Definitely 1st mod...secret kill switch...

You leaning towards either lifting or lowering it?

10000% going to be doing some sort of hidden anti theft. I have a good friend who is a car electronics and audio expert already scheduled to get a new head unit installed for BT and Apple car play so I planned on talking to him about some sort of kill switch as well!

For suspension definitely lowering it. Nothing crazy but it needs shocks, probably springs and the bump stops front and rear are completely gone! Just like to level it out a bit but I left my lifted truck days back in HS haha

 

[Rocket Man]

Welcome from Oregon. My build pages are linked at the bottom by my signature, my 02 Denali has had quite a bit done to it if you need ideas and have time to read for awhile lol.

 

[Jason in DLH]

[QUOTE="Zachm89, post: 1529856, member: 82280"
Just like to level it out a bit but I left my lifted truck days back in HS haha[/QUOTE]

I guess I never really mentally left high school as I’m still driving a lifted truck a couple decades later.

 

[Zachm89]

[QUOTE="Zachm89, post: 1529856, member: 82280"
Just like to level it out a bit but I left my lifted truck days back in HS haha

I guess I never really mentally left high school as I’m still driving a lifted truck a couple decades later.[/QUOTE]

I tossed around the idea of lifting my duramax but eventually decided on lowering that as well. Just rear shackles and turned the bars down a bit to level it with some later body style 20s. I also have had two Silverado SS trucks that were lowered. Maybe I’ll get a wild hair up my ass one of these days and get something lifted for a project truck or something because the want for something lifted is definitely still there somewhat haha.

 

[Zachm89]

Welcome from Oregon. My build pages are linked at the bottom by my signature, my 02 Denali has had quite a bit done to it if you need ideas and have time to read for awhile lol.

I’ll be sure to check it out! Thanks

 

[Jason in DLH]

Here you go...I know you want to...

https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/fender-height-lift-height.28755/

Just kidding. Lowered Yukon’s look great! I’ve actually been tossing the idea back and forth to lower mine.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Welcome to the Forum from NH.

Lots of knowledgeable folks here who freely share their knowledge, experiences, and perspectives. Knowledge is power.

I hope that you will become a participating member in the Forum's discussions.

More pics, please.

 

[TeleTahoe]

Welcome to the forum! Nice looking ride.

 

[Zachm89]

Well I just pulled the trigger on several hundred dollars worth of maintenance parts. Some of which I probably could have held off on for a while. But it will give me peace of mind to know what won’t need replacing any time soon. Biggest and most important purchase was new pads and rotors for all 4 corners. The brakes on this thing are obnoxiously noisy. Next big purchase will be new shocks and ditching the factory auto ride or whatever the hell this thing has in the back end. Holy crap is it bouncy!!

 

[Zachm89]

I’m clueless about the rear suspension on this rig. I’ve seen people talk about air shocks but mine don’t have the rubber bladder that I’ve seen in some pictures and I can’t say that I’ve ever heard a compressor kicking on or off to air anything up. The rear shocks definitely look a lot beefier than the fronts that look normal to me coming from the 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton truck world. I’ll get some pictures tomorrow of what’s back there and maybe someone can point me in the right direction.

 

[OR VietVet]

If you look at my thread in the "Under Construction" thread you will see I also replaced several parts just because I wanted to get to a base point and not because they were bad at this time. Good call, IMO.

 

[Zachm89]

Here’s a pic of all the RPO codes if anyone can point me to which one(s) are suspension related so I’ll be able to figure out what I’ve got and what I need to throw away to get set up with standard shocks/springs.