17 Yukon 4” ReadyLIFT SST Lift

[nick14226]

Looks outstanding!! This is the same kit the local shop recommended to me.. I had a few questions as this is my first lift and I am going in a little hesitant. My pops had us jumping into his trucks all with 6 inch lifts since we were in diapers so I know I'm down with it. Just heard so many Cons with lifts that it's had me second guessing...of course pops says, it's good to go and is all for it..

1. Are those 33s in the picture with the lift. As I also was thinking that was the best size to go with 4 inches. Cutting involved?

2. As this is a main reason I'm concerned, but do warning lights pop up...as with the one you initially stated you had to clear.

3. Does everything else function properly ie. Cruise control without issue.

I'll probably end up doing it regardless, but just a little insight on these topics would be helpful! Or I could just ask Pops again and he'll talk me into it. Maybe even going to up to 6inches Lol.

Thanks in advance!
Doing this on a 2016 Tahoe LS 2WD

Thanks, yes, I'm really enjoying the new look.

Good info from Stormin.

1. The tires are 285 55 20. Not quite a 33", they're closer to 32". You could get away with 33's, I went a little more extreme on the offset with 20x10 -24 so they'd stick out a bit. If you go with a 9" wide wheel with Readylifts recommended offset 33's should be easily achievable. I did need to do some wheel well and factory running board trimming to clear my setup (but again mostly due to wheel offset).

2. No other warning lights since. I believe what I had happened either because they left the battery connected during the install (with tie rods can move a lot when UCA isn't holding the knuckle) or when they moved the truck to the alignment rack before it was aligned. From what I understand the electric steering rack doesn't like being way out of alignment at any time. Once DTC's were cleared it didn't come back. I've heard of it happening with leveling kit installs too, when I did mine I disconnected the battery.

3. Yes, all features are functional. Being a base model SLE I don't have adaptive cruise, lane assist, or fancy shocks. Could need some tweaks to get all of that working if you had it, but being an LS Tahoe, we're in the same boat.

As for ride, I think it's very close to factory. When I'm driving over bumps and dips I don't feel the UCA's hitting the droop stop bumpers, off road you'd likely be harsher as you have less travel. My stiffer ride comes from pot holes and the LT D rated tires (ride harder and require a bit more air pressure than the original P tires).

I've had a variety of lifts on previous vehicles. Body lifts, leveling kits, my last truck had a Pro Comp Stage 1 6" suspension lift. There are pros and cons to everything. On my 6" lift my tie rods would hit the strut coils (steering knuckle design issue, Pro Comp sent me revised knuckles), needed to balance and re-clock my front driveshaft, and chased a rear end vibration the whole time I had the truck. Yes, geometry was better though for control arms and CV's. You're 2WD as well, so CV's aren't a concern.

I don't think you'd regret getting the ReadyLIFT, and if you make the additional tweaks I did should be good to go even at full lock / full droop. I can't speak for ball joint and CV boot life yet, but others have had good experience, so fingers crossed there.

 

[Joker619]

Thanks, yes, I'm really enjoying the new look.

Good info from Stormin.

1. The tires are 285 55 20. Not quite a 33", they're closer to 32". You could get away with 33's, I went a little more extreme on the offset with 20x10 -24 so they'd stick out a bit. If you go with a 9" wide wheel with Readylifts recommended offset 33's should be easily achievable. I did need to do some wheel well and factory running board trimming to clear my setup (but again mostly due to wheel offset).

2. No other warning lights since. I believe what I had happened either because they left the battery connected during the install (with tie rods can move a lot when UCA isn't holding the knuckle) or when they moved the truck to the alignment rack before it was aligned. From what I understand the electric steering rack doesn't like being way out of alignment at any time. Once DTC's were cleared it didn't come back. I've heard of it happening with leveling kit installs too, when I did mine I disconnected the battery.

3. Yes, all features are functional. Being a base model SLE I don't have adaptive cruise, lane assist, or fancy shocks. Could need some tweaks to get all of that working if you had it, but being an LS Tahoe, we're in the same boat.

As for ride, I think it's very close to factory. When I'm driving over bumps and dips I don't feel the UCA's hitting the droop stop bumpers, off road you'd likely be harsher as you have less travel. My stiffer ride comes from pot holes and the LT D rated tires (ride harder and require a bit more air pressure than the original P tires).

I've had a variety of lifts on previous vehicles. Body lifts, leveling kits, my last truck had a Pro Comp Stage 1 6" suspension lift. There are pros and cons to everything. On my 6" lift my tie rods would hit the strut coils (steering knuckle design issue, Pro Comp sent me revised knuckles), needed to balance and re-clock my front driveshaft, and chased a rear end vibration the whole time I had the truck. Yes, geometry was better though for control arms and CV's. You're 2WD as well, so CV's aren't a concern.

I don't think you'd regret getting the ReadyLIFT, and if you make the additional tweaks I did should be good to go even at full lock / full droop. I can't speak for ball joint and CV boot life yet, but others have had good experience, so fingers crossed there.

Thanks for the reply.. yeah being a newb at this, I'm just taking all the possible worst case scenarios to much. On a side note.. With your experience, if I ditched the 4 inch kit, and went for more of a level, would you get the readylift sst kit 2.5/1.5 or would you opt for a Bilstein route...

 

[STORMIN08]

From what i have heard, i do not think the bilstein gets you that lfit amount. the FOX or ICONS do, but much more costly.

 

[nick14226]

Thanks for the reply.. yeah being a newb at this, I'm just taking all the possible worst case scenarios to much. On a side note.. With your experience, if I ditched the 4 inch kit, and went for more of a level, would you get the readylift sst kit 2.5/1.5 or would you opt for a Bilstein route...

Can't speak for the Bilsteins, prior to the 4" I was running the suspensionmaxx 2.5/1. Overall I was happy with it but if I was keeping it figured I should do UCA's at some point (I had factory stamped).

 

[Oh Kee Pah]

Without looking up specifics...there is a 4" that only drops the front diff for shaft angles.
For me, that is too much lift with put correcting A-arm angles.

Secondly, some replacement upper arms recommend or require a different off set wheel (seey pic again), as the tubes are larger diameter or on slightly different approach angles.

When exceeding *** amount
( tahoe/suburban being 2-2.5" max), I would prefer to see a drop crossmember Lowering the lower arms, and providing a longer knuckle to keep stock a arm angles and ball joint angles.
The new knuckle being longer (outside wheel barrel) and thick generally requires a different offset wheel.

That off set could be
1. New wheels
2. Spacers (I do not recommend)

@STORMIN08 - I'm currently running OE wheels with hub centric wheel spacers. 0.5" front and 1.5" rear. No trimming of hub bolts was necessary.
However, I was hoping you could expand on your #2 Spacers from above posting and some of the specifics as to why you DO NOT recommend them.
Would really appreciate your thoughts.

 

[STORMIN08]

personally, i am not a fan..simply due to the added stresses it implies on the wheel studs. as many experienced both good and bad...ball joints and studs due break and typically that would be a scenario i would not want to have. i have had 1 ball joint failure in my life

that time was shortly after a very high speed run, luckily in town and just after straightening from a turn. but yet, still very dangerous and uncontrollable.

even wheels with heavy negative offset induce much unneeded stress. i cringe when seing all these heavy liftde trucks with the wheel sticking way out the side...all to many have taken unwanted rides down the interstate when a ball joint or wheel stud fails.

simple laws of physics, the torque arm situation that is against those much smaller parts.

 

[nick14226]

@STORMIN08 - I'm currently running OE wheels with hub centric wheel spacers. 0.5" front and 1.5" rear. No trimming of hub bolts was necessary.
However, I was hoping you could expand on your #2 Spacers from above posting and some of the specifics as to why you DO NOT recommend them.
Would really appreciate your thoughts.

@Oh Kee Pah, I was reluctant at first about the 1.5" spacers I was running previously but read enough good things about Bora that I got more comfortable. Biggest pain for me was the double check of the spacer nuts. Torque them down, then the lug nuts, drive for a while, pull the wheels off to check the torque on the spacer nuts again, then torque the lug nuts and then check the lug nuts again after driving. Just a more tedious process. On my double checks the spacer nuts never loosened at all though. For the narrow spacers you're running up front assume you have enough stud and thread for the lug nuts to be comfortable (if not can get longer studs)? As for the rear, pretty sure just about everyone with a suspension lift that pushes out the front tires, and care about even track width, runs spacers in the back. Good brand like Bora, and hub centric, seems to have a solid track record of reliability.

 

[STORMIN08]

agreed, if one has to or needs to HUB CENTRIC is a must,
https://www.wheeladapter.com/
have always said to be one of best available

 

[Oh Kee Pah]

Agreed, huge impact on ride if there’s unwanted contact there during normal driving.

Pic of clearance between new UCA and droop stop bumper on drivers side, passenger is a bit less eyeing it up.

With the 2.5 suspensionmaxx they have you trim down that rubber bumper, I picked up new ones for the ReadyLIFT at full thickness. I thought with the level it looked a bit tight with stock UCA’s, looks like more clearance with the ReadyLIFT UCA’s. I’m curious what it looks like stock, I didn’t start paying attention until after I started making changes

@nick14226 - do you happen to have the GM part# for the UCA bumper? I think I've found it on a website, but hoping to confirm.

These front UCA bumps are not there on my Tahoe; so either not installed at purchase date (bought as CPO) or shop removed them (w/out me knowing) when my Freedom Off-Road UCAs were installed a couple years back. Since I'm back to "stock" angles again with my lift, in theory, figured it would be worthwhile to go ahead and throw these on. Fairly inexpensive...


Thank you! @nick14226's rig is looking darn good BTW, as usual

 

[nick14226]

@nick14226 - do you happen to have the GM part# for the UCA bumper? I think I've found it on a website, but hoping to confirm.

These front UCA bumps are not there on my Tahoe; so either not installed at purchase date (bought as CPO) or shop removed them (w/out me knowing) when my Freedom Off-Road UCAs were installed a couple years back. Since I'm back to "stock" angles again with my lift, in theory, figured it would be worthwhile to go ahead and throw these on. Fairly inexpensive...


Thank you! @nick14226's rig is looking darn good BTW, as usual

Thanks @Oh Kee Pah, as does your Tahoe!

Here's the info on the UCA stops.

Suspension : Bump Stop
GM GENUINE 84128120
Front Upper