Helping my buddy build out his 2011 Yukon XL LT and doing all the research for him since he works 80hrs a week and has a wife and kids. I'm new to this whole GM arena but have been reading up on here as much as possible. Looking for input from those who have done similar and have learned what works and what doesn't.
He's not looking to do hard core rock crawling, but does want a decent ride and more ground clearance than he currently has. He has a wife and four kids and his boys are huge so between people and gear it'll be loaded heavy, my guess would be 900-1000lbs in people and then another 150-200lbs in gear. I wouldn't say this is a budget build at all, he's looking to go with coils instead of spacers.
Right now the only thing that he has set in stone is running LT285/75R17 Toyo AT3s. They balance easily, do well in the snow and measure in right at 33.9" and weigh 60lbs in E range. Should work well for his long 600+ mile trips in the south west. He's willing to trim so fitment shouldn't be a problem based off what I've seen in here.
Looking for suggestions on:
Wheels: Doesn't want them to stick out a bunch and make fitting them harder but also enough to clear the UCA, frame, etc. Thinking 17x8 or 17x8.5 but not sure on the perfect backspacing. Would love something lightweight to cut down on rotating and unsprung mass but I don't think he'd spring for forged stuff.
Suspension: Looking at the Cognito 3" they're using 2" Fox IFP Coilovers and then slapping a spacer on top. Anyone have a link for just the spacer? I don't see a way to get just that from Cognito or just the Front Fox setup with the spacer in a standalone.
For the rear, I'm guessing the Dobinson's C09-037 660-880lb constant load springs will be best (he doesn't want sag and he will tow a popup trailer here and there). Not sure what rear shocks to pair with those Dobinson springs. I'm also open to running something completely different than the Fox and Dobinson combo if it makes sense.
UCA: Open to input here. I and friends use ICON, SPC and JBA UCAs on Toyotas. No clue what to look at on GM stuff.
Axles: Not sure on what gearing he has or how to find out, need to look into that. Hoping it's at least 3.73. How do these rear ends hold up to tight limited slips with bigger tires? I don't think he's interested in doing a locker, but maybe.
I'll make him some rock sliders when I build mine. We'll use a mix of 2"x2" 3/16" tubing and 1.75" .120
What does he need to do to keep his trans happy? Are you guys running a big aftermarket trans cooler? If so what are you using and how's it working out?
What else should we be looking at? I don't know what I don't know and appreciate guidance from more knowledgeable people.
He's not looking to do hard core rock crawling, but does want a decent ride and more ground clearance than he currently has. He has a wife and four kids and his boys are huge so between people and gear it'll be loaded heavy, my guess would be 900-1000lbs in people and then another 150-200lbs in gear. I wouldn't say this is a budget build at all, he's looking to go with coils instead of spacers.
Right now the only thing that he has set in stone is running LT285/75R17 Toyo AT3s. They balance easily, do well in the snow and measure in right at 33.9" and weigh 60lbs in E range. Should work well for his long 600+ mile trips in the south west. He's willing to trim so fitment shouldn't be a problem based off what I've seen in here.
Looking for suggestions on:
Wheels: Doesn't want them to stick out a bunch and make fitting them harder but also enough to clear the UCA, frame, etc. Thinking 17x8 or 17x8.5 but not sure on the perfect backspacing. Would love something lightweight to cut down on rotating and unsprung mass but I don't think he'd spring for forged stuff.
Suspension: Looking at the Cognito 3" they're using 2" Fox IFP Coilovers and then slapping a spacer on top. Anyone have a link for just the spacer? I don't see a way to get just that from Cognito or just the Front Fox setup with the spacer in a standalone.
For the rear, I'm guessing the Dobinson's C09-037 660-880lb constant load springs will be best (he doesn't want sag and he will tow a popup trailer here and there). Not sure what rear shocks to pair with those Dobinson springs. I'm also open to running something completely different than the Fox and Dobinson combo if it makes sense.
UCA: Open to input here. I and friends use ICON, SPC and JBA UCAs on Toyotas. No clue what to look at on GM stuff.
Axles: Not sure on what gearing he has or how to find out, need to look into that. Hoping it's at least 3.73. How do these rear ends hold up to tight limited slips with bigger tires? I don't think he's interested in doing a locker, but maybe.
I'll make him some rock sliders when I build mine. We'll use a mix of 2"x2" 3/16" tubing and 1.75" .120
What does he need to do to keep his trans happy? Are you guys running a big aftermarket trans cooler? If so what are you using and how's it working out?
What else should we be looking at? I don't know what I don't know and appreciate guidance from more knowledgeable people.
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