Why am I lopsided??????

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theprovider

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2002 Z71 Tahoe

So the Tahoe leans to the drivers side. I replaced the front shocks with Bilstein 5100s and upper control arms. Still a solid 1" difference between the drivers side and passenger side. I've got some rough country keys to replace the OEM ones, plan was to level the front with them, will this help with the lopsidedness???

I need to replace the rear shocks and was thinking about replacing them with some shorter shocks to bring the rear down instead of lifting the front super high to level. Any recommendations? Any pictures of a Tahoe with the rear lowered to match the front??

41803335625_faff57609d_b.jpgUntitled by Chris Nelson, on Flickr

#picsforclicks
 
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theprovider

theprovider

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Did some digging on the street suspension forum. Ordered 2" lower springs and bilstein shocks for the rear. Will update when i fix the lopsidedness!!!!!!!
 

Chubbs

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Looks almost perfectly level in the picture that is posted. Z71 aren't really meant to be lowered in any way, but to each their own. I think lowering the back end 2" will bring it down lower than level with Cali-Lean results.

All you needed to do was jack the front of the truck up and torque the torsion bar key adjust-bolt on the lower side, and back off on the adjuster bolt of the side that sits higher, half & half unless there is enough thread on the bolt to just keep going all the way on the lower side to even the truck out. Most 800 owners do find that the DS sags lower with age so this is nothing new. My 4x4 was/is the same way but I got the 2" keys to level it all out; no easy chore but well worth the time & effort

Swapping the keys would help but getting the 2 front corners leveled left to right and front to back comes with the finesse of torque on the adjustment bolts, not the bars or keys themselves. A lot of back & forth with a floor jack, 18mm socket/ratchet, and jouncing the front suspension when it's back on the ground to check the different fender heights.

Really nice truck though, just be careful to raise & lower in small increments. Going up & down with the front suspension changes the camber of the tires: raising the suspension with the keys or adjustment bolts brings the top of the tires outward, lowering it vice-versa. Swapping keys altogether definitely requires a professional realignment. And if you weren't already aware, there is a specific tool for removing & replacing the TB keys, lest you injure yourself or someone else who is assisting.
 
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theprovider

theprovider

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Truck is definitly not level, rear sits about 37-38" gtf and the front pass. side is 36.5" gtf and the drivers side is 35.5" gtf. I figured 2" drop in the back will bring it level for the most part. The keys I will use to even the sides out and maybe raise it 0.5". I don't want a stupid reverse rake look, but don't mind the rear squatting a little bit compared to the front. If the 2" drop springs in the rear look stupid, I'll return/sale them and get OEM springs.
 

bladenbullet

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look up the proper ride height specifications and make the adjustments on a level surface...playing up and down isnt necessarily solving anything if you arent doing it right...the vehicle suspension geometry is designed for a specific ride height for proper handling...if anything it will save you time and potential problems in the long run...
 

Rocket Man

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look up the proper ride height specifications and make the adjustments on a level surface...playing up and down isnt necessarily solving anything if you arent doing it right...the vehicle suspension geometry is designed for a specific ride height for proper handling...if anything it will save you time and potential problems in the long run...
Specific ride height for proper handling? Pffft. Lower it, add some Bilsteins and huge sway bars and see what it can really handle like. Stock ride height and stock suspension and these things handle like a 1970 Hearse.
 

bladenbullet

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i love it when guys make it sound like you just drop it and run it...and all is right with the world...meanwhile youve got a ghetto wagon thats goes fast around corners and rides like crap...cause thats what trucks are for today...
 

Rocket Man

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i love it when guys make it sound like you just drop it and run it...and all is right with the world...meanwhile youve got a ghetto wagon thats goes fast around corners and rides like crap...cause thats what trucks are for today...
I'll run you any time bub. I love it when a fng comes on here and talks shit. Fffnnn ghetto wagon? You have no idea. My build thread is linked at the bottom of this post, turn your phone sideways so you can see and learn a thing or 2. Supercharged, lowered, best suspension available, Wilwoods, rides way better than stock and runs circles around pretty much everybody. Including you. All you'd see is my rear bumper lol. Speak of what you know and leave the rest to someone with experience.
 

HiHoeSilver

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I'll run you any time bub. I love it when a fng comes on here and talks shit. Fffnnn ghetto wagon? You have no idea. My build thread is linked at the bottom of this post, turn your phone sideways so you can see and learn a thing or 2. Supercharged, lowered, best suspension available, Wilwoods, rides way better than stock and runs circles around pretty much everybody. Including you. All you'd see is my rear bumper lol. Speak of what you know and leave the rest to someone with experience.

You kill me, mark. You and your ghetto wagon.
 
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