Want to drop my Tahoe to level.

[ChrisAU]

What is the best way to lower the rear of my Tahoe about 2" to get to level or close to it?

 

[KMeloney]

Hi, Chris! Welcome to the Tahoe Yukon Forum!

(Dude... Seriously? What do you want to know, exactly? You've been here for ever! I'm sure you've read the 10,000,000 threads on this. )

 

[yates ™]

Springs...

 

[edgaranah1]

Hi, Chris! Welcome to the Tahoe Yukon Forum!

(Dude... Seriously? What do you want to know, exactly? You've been here for ever! I'm sure you've read the 10,000,000 threads on this. )

Lol. Then lol some more


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[07Burb]

Get a belltech 2" rear drop kit from NorcalSS. It'll consist of springs and shock relocator brackets.

 

[ChrisAU]

Hi, Chris! Welcome to the Tahoe Yukon Forum!

(Dude... Seriously? What do you want to know, exactly? You've been here for ever! I'm sure you've read the 10,000,000 threads on this. )

Haha sorry for going noob on ya'll...I've been so wrapped up in my '92 K1500 that the Tahoe has been neglected...and I really have no idea how these Tahoes are set up.

Rear coil springs eh? I would have swore they were leaf-sprung before my little bit of research today.

 

[KMeloney]

Make sure you get some Ford keys for the front torsion bars, too. (Joking!)

Chris -- I went around and around trying to level just the rear on my LTZ. What I found was that getting close to 2" of drop in the rear resulted in the truck looking too low in the rear. Then again, getting @ 1" of drop in the rear seemed pointless. Either way, it took a lot of tinkering with the autoride links to try to get the rear height just right.

...But, the bottom line for me was that even when I thought I had gotten the rear height correct, it just made the front gap look too big. Soooooooooooo, I put the truck back to stock, actually raised the front an 1" to level it that way for a while, and finally bit the bullet and lowered the rear AND front. Whereas it still takes a little messing with the links, I think the whole look is a ton better.

Now, you're welcome to do whatever you want to your truck. I just thought I'd share my experience and maybe save you the headaches of the intermediate steps I took to lowering.

If I were to do it all again, I'd go straight for the 2/3 kit and call it a day.

 

[ChrisAU]

Thanks for the advice, I think that is the direction I'll go...mine is going to be a Blue version of your truck...hope you don't mind haha. Yours is PERFECT IMO.

---------- Post added at 09:11 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:08 AM ----------

Any reason I should be looking at spindle drops for the front rather than replacement springs?

 

[07Burb]

Thanks for the advice, I think that is the direction I'll go...mine is going to be a Blue version of your truck...hope you don't mind haha. Yours is PERFECT IMO.

---------- Post added at 09:11 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:08 AM ----------

Any reason I should be looking at spindle drops for the front rather than replacement springs?

I'm looking at going 2/4 drop on mine and I asked Tony this question and he stated it was dependent on mileage of the vehicle. He suggestion for mine to go with drop struts for the front as opposed to spindles because I have 120k on my Burb and need the struts replaced anyway. If you've got lower mileage, though, (75k or less) then I think your good with using a spindle drop. Norcal SS will be a nice resource for you and can get you a complete kit when you're ready

 

[KMeloney]

Jacob, you don't have Autoride, do you? It's a different ball game with Autoride.

Chris, if you use drop spindles in the front (like I did), then you keep the stroke of the stock shocks the same as stock [by lowering everything], and since you have Autoride shocks that are tied in the electrical and air system, you want to go this route. Otherwise, you'd need to ditch the Autoride shocks, which might mean ditching the rear ones, too (not sure about that), and use resistors to trick the truck into thinking that you don't have an Autoride system (and I don't know much about all of that, either).

With spindles and rear coils/shock relocators, I think it's @ $525 or so from Tony (check that, obviously). If you have to get into changing shocks and adding resistors, but don't have to buy the spindles, then I don't know what you're looking at for material costs.

 

[07Burb]

Crap I always forget about the headache of lowering with Autoride. I shall step out of the convo now

 

[ChrisAU]

You sure I have autoride?

 

[KMeloney]

You sure I have autoride?

Ohhhhhh, no, now I'm not. I saw your "LT2" as "LTZ." Nope, I'd say you don't have Autoride. (Man, that 2 and Z look close!)

Well, whereas Autoride can be a PITA, it also allows you adjustably that non-autoride trucks don't.

I guess if your front shocks are trashed, you should consider the drop-shocks route. I just don't know much about them.

 

[07Burb]

Ohhhhhh, no, now I'm not. I saw your "LT2" as "LTZ." Nope, I'd say you don't have Autoride. (Man, that 2 and Z look close!)

Well, whereas Autoride can be a PITA, it also allows you adjustably that non-autoride trucks don't.

I guess if your front shocks are trashed, you should consider the drop-shocks route. I just don't know much about them.

They are just the front struts and Belltech makes and "adjustable" strut that can lower your front up to 2" and keep your stock spring in place. From what I've read it's a nice option to go especially if you think you'll be replacing your front struts as a maintenance item anyway. Looks like my advice earlier may actually be helpful now. PHEW!!

 

[ChrisAU]

Ohhhhhh, no, now I'm not. I saw your "LT2" as "LTZ." Nope, I'd say you don't have Autoride. (Man, that 2 and Z look close!)

Well, whereas Autoride can be a PITA, it also allows you adjustably that non-autoride trucks don't.

I guess if your front shocks are trashed, you should consider the drop-shocks route. I just don't know much about them.

Haha ok that makes sense.

I'm right around 72k, I'm sure new shocks wouldn't hurt...the cheaper kits on eBay are front and rear springs and rear shock extenders...time for more research.

 

[07Burb]

Just a quick warning on some of the cheaper kits.... Not all kits are created equal especially as it pertains to ride quality. The cheaper kits can produce quite a bit of bounce as you drive down the road especially with the rear springs. I'd definitely make sure you're getting a quality kit and spend a little extra (if you have to) in order to get it. I've heard great things about the BellTech kits and mostly good things from the DJM kits.

 

[ChrisAU]

Just a quick warning on some of the cheaper kits.... Not all kits are created equal especially as it pertains to ride quality. The cheaper kits can produce quite a bit of bounce as you drive down the road especially with the rear springs. I'd definitely make sure you're getting a quality kit and spend a little extra (if you have to) in order to get it. I've heard great things about the BellTech kits and mostly good things from the DJM kits.

Oh yeah I don't plan on being a cheapo with this.

 

[LILC509]

They are just the front struts and Belltech makes and "adjustable" strut that can lower your front up to 2" and keep your stock spring in place. From what I've read it's a nice option to go especially if you think you'll be replacing your front struts as a maintenance item anyway. Looks like my advice earlier may actually be helpful now. PHEW!!

I have a question about those "adjustable" struts. Are they like those PITA racer coilovers that would keep moving all the time with bumps and alignment was thrown off by every bump? I'm in the 90K mi range so now I'm debating on those or air bags.

 

[07Burb]

I have a question about those "adjustable" struts. Are they like those PITA racer coilovers that would keep moving all the time with bumps and alignment was thrown off by every bump? I'm in the 90K mi range so now I'm debating on those or air bags.

No, this is an example of the part I'm referring to...

http://www.stylintrucks.com/parts/lowering_-and-_lifting_struts_by_belltech/1104000114_1926.aspx

 

[LILC509]

No, this is an example of the part I'm referring to...

http://www.stylintrucks.com/parts/lowering_-and-_lifting_struts_by_belltech/1104000114_1926.aspx

My question is in that for the pair for the front or do I need to order two one for each front side?