Z71: From lowered to stock

[kbuskill]

@91RS @massivespl Thanks It does look great but it doesn't ride well, whatever they put in the rear feels clapped out. In my town there are a lot of dips and bumps and I want to avoid bottoming out my rig, I want good wheel travel so I can mob around without worrying about hitting a dip too hard. I got the Z71 offroad package for a reason but It might as well be a escalade at this point. I am hoping that with the lift the bilstein 5100 offers in the front will let me level the front without hurting the ride too much.

Depending on the rear drop it may need the free travel mod to keep it from bottoming out. That is where you cut the whole bump stop bracket off the frame rail.

Also as @91RS mentioned the shocks could be the issue. If they are too long and bottoming out it will ride like crap.

You could get some shorter shocks or get the lower shock relocation brackets to regain the travel.

 

[91RS]

There’s no way it needs the free travel mod only lowered 2” to match the front. Mine is lowered 3” in the rear and doesn’t need it.

 

[kbuskill]

There’s no way it needs the free travel mod only lowered 2” to match the front. Mine is lowered 3” in the rear and doesn’t need it.

I agree... just throwing that out there because it can be overlooked by the uninitiated.

Also I wasn't sure if the Z71s had bigger bump stops, although that would be very unlikely.

It's not often you see Z71s lowered... usually they go the other direction.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

I agree... just throwing that out there because it can be overlooked by the uninitiated.

Also I wasn't sure if the Z71s had bigger bump stops, although that would be very unlikely.

It's not often you see Z71s lowered... usually they go the other direction.

That's my goal, to get it back to stock. I'm putting together a parts list and I'm trying to figure out what parts have been replaced to make it lower so I can buy new parts to make it stock again, might just have the dealership check it out when I have the money.

 

[91RS]

If you can post pictures of the suspension (turn the wheels to full lock and you can get some good pictures of the front without even having to lift the truck), there's a really good possibility we can tell you what all is aftermarket. I've rebuilt almost the entire suspension on both of my trucks, lowered both, and I've been working on these since they came out in 2006 so I know what everything is supposed to look like.

 

[Keanen55]

You may need to trim the bump stop if your kit did not provide new 1s for the drop!

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@91RS @kbuskill @1lowhoe04 @swathdiver @massivespl @Keanen55 Gentlemen here are the pictures that I have promised. I wasn't sure what angles you needed but I did my best.

 

[swathdiver]

@91RS @kbuskill @1lowhoe04 @swathdiver @massivespl @Keanen55 Gentlemen here are the pictures that I have promised. I wasn't sure what angles you needed but I did my best.

View attachment 243114 View attachment 243115 View attachment 243116 View attachment 243117 View attachment 243118

For sure those are aftermarket springs and shocks on the back. Stock up front.

 

[kbuskill]

What James ^^^ said.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@swathdiver @kbuskill Thanks gentlemen.

 

[91RS]

Definitely all stock in the front. Rear is springs and shocks. Unless you really just don’t like the look, get better shocks (like Belltech Nitro Drop 2) and I’d bet it’ll fix your issue.

 

[BG1988]

Hey guys I purchased a Z71 and didn't realize it but it has a lowering kit on it. I am researching putting it back to stock height but I wanted to see if you guys can tell me what kind of lowering components might have been used to lower it.

So far all I can tell is that the rear springs are blue and probably lowering springs, there are no rear shock lowering brackets so the rear shocks mounts are stock. I looked up front and the front shocks are red. I cannot tell if there are lowering knuckles.

Here I have attached a picture of my white lowered Tahoe on 20 inch wheels as well as a stock z71 with 20 inch wheels for reference.

View attachment 242584 View attachment 242585

stock height is 2" lower as well*

*on the SSV/PPV and H trims... you will probably lose some mpg like 1mpg or so...

one of the benefits is increased stability on pavement.. plus it's more convent putting a drunk suspect into a lower chassis

 

[91RS]

Lowering does not lose MPG.

 

[BG1988]

Lowering does not lose MPG.

it increases the frontal area.

highering up the suv loses it.
lower= gain

 

[91RS]

Lol.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

stock height is 2" lower as well*

*on the SSV/PPV and H trims... you will probably lose some mpg like 1mpg or so...

one of the benefits is increased stability on pavement.. plus it's more convent putting a drunk suspect into a lower chassis

What do you mean by the stock height being 2 inches lower?

 

[BG1988]

What do you mean by the stock height being 2 inches lower?

there is multiple "stock heights" depending on the trim one has

Z71 slighty higher
LS/LT/LTZ 'normal'
HY1/HY2/PPV/SSV lowered

this is a good example

 

[Dustin Jackson]

there is multiple "stock heights" depending on the trim one has

Z71 slighty higher
LS/LT/LTZ 'normal'
HY1/HY2/PPV/SSV lowered

this is a good example

View attachment 243178

@BG1988 Oh you were saying that the PVV model is 2 inches lower than stock? How much higher should the z71 be over stock and what determines the ride height of the factory trucks, is it the struts or the springs?

 

[BG1988]

@BG1988 Oh you were saying that the PVV model is 2 inches lower than stock? How much higher should the z71 be over stock and what determines the ride height of the factory trucks, is it the struts or the springs?

74.61 to 74.84″ HY1-2

74.6-77.0 in SSV

73.9" PPV

76.9 " LT/LTz Z71

4WD = 77" it's only a fraction of an inch.. so they did lower it or it's a fako z71?

it has the Z71 cluster correct?

 

[Dustin Jackson]

74.61 to 74.84″ HY1-2

74.6-77.0 in SSV

73.9" PPV

76.9 " LT/LTz Z71

4WD = 77" it's only a fraction of an inch.. so they did lower it or it's a fako z71?

it has the Z71 cluster correct?

@BG1988 It has the z71 cluster, fender flares, nerf bars pretty much everything that would indicate it is a z71 but who knows