2002 Tahoe 2/4 Belltech kit - alignment

[Doubleclutch]

Hi guys, new member here. I have a quick question. Here we go:

I just did the Belltech 2/4 suspension drop with keys and coil kit. I also used the Street shocks and Belltech sway bars.

I noticed when I was pulling the factory keys that the key on the passenger side was not very tight, whereas the driver's side key was very tight and harder to remove. It also took more adjustment to make it match the other side's ride height.

The alignment shop is telling me that there's not enough adjustment to get the camber correct. Is this usually true? Would I be better off with the drop-spindles and keep the factory geometry, or is this an upper a-frame issue that I need to resolve with aftermarket pieces?

Thanks in advance for words of wisdom.
RP

 

[mizzouguy]

Stock upper arms don't allow for a huge amount of adjustment. If you still have negative camber when the camber bolts are maxed, you'll either have to raise the front back up a little with the keys, get spindles instead, or offset upper control arm bushings. I wouldn't do adjustable ball joints.

 

[Doubleclutch]

Thanks Mizzou, I'd just about come to that conclusion. Most of my suspension experience is with earlier A-body and F-body GM cars, so this was a little bit new to me. Sounds like I need to key it back up and double-down on drop spindles.

The one thing I can say after spending a day under my Tahoe, is that they really did make these trucks easy to work on, and from what I can tell the performance is going to be a significant improvement over stock.

 

[mizzouguy]

Does your back end bottom out any? Even with the shorter belltech bump stops? Mine does and i even have the spacers in. May want to do a free-travel mod.

 

[NORCAL SS]

swap to the spinldes will align and ride way better. I have the belltechs for 275 shipped and your ready to roll

 

[Doubleclutch]

Does your back end bottom out any? Even with the shorter belltech bump stops? Mine does and i even have the spacers in. May want to do a free-travel mod.

I haven't noticed it bottoming out at all, but I have less than 20 miles on the car. The one thing I've noticed, as I've read here, is that the driver's side rides 1/2" lower than the passenger side. I guess I'll have one of the spacers that came with the kit machined to 1/2" to compensate.

swap to the spinldes will align and ride way better. I have the belltechs for 275 shipped and your ready to roll

Thank you sir, I'd already ordered them before I saw your post. Summit ships out close to me in GA and I need to get the truck back on the road by next week.

 

[Doubleclutch]

One thing I'd like to say as a general observation, is that this truck is by far the easiest vehicle to work on as I've ever owned, including Chevelles, Camaros, Trans Ams, K10s, C10s, Tri-5s, etc.
The funny thing is that this Tahoe has been my wife's daily for 14 years, we've raised our kids in it, vacationed in it, and put 120,000 miles on it. I've not had to do anything but put a water pump on it and buy a battery. I just bought her an MDX as a daily, so I got the Tahoe as a hand-me-down. I just wanted to give it a new life and enjoy it for myself, hence joining a forum and investing in upgrades.