Front higher than back....

[JBrianR]

I lowered my 17 4WD Yukon recently. Used belltech spindles and model # 34324 springs, DJM offset sway bar end links, bell tech shocks instead of using the shock relocate brackets. I believe the springs I used are the same as the 5305 springs(which I believe Norcal provides) just a newer model or something. After the initial lowering, the rear was way lower. I added the spacer provided and it leveled off, but I knew once it settled it would be lower in the rear. Sure enough, it is about half inch lower in the rear. It drives me crazy. I am thinking of dropping the front using the adjustable struts. My question is, has anyone used those to only drop a half inch or so, will I have trouble getting the alignment back in spec?

 

[Big Mama]

Let’s get Tony @NORCAL SS in on it he’s been there done that

 

[iamdub]

The spindles don't really affect the geometry a whole lot, so you'd only be re-aligning for that 1/2" of drop from the struts. There's plenty of adjustment for that. May as well go an inch to regain a slight amount of forward rake to help aerodynamics. But an even front-to-rear fender gap is way better than having a saggy rear if you don't want any rake. Take accurate measurements so you'll know exactly how much you want to adjust your struts for or you'll have to take it all apart again. Check the left-to-right measurements as well cuz the left is usually lower than the right.

 

[JBrianR]

Thanks. I had it realigned after changing the spindles, and it had no problem going back to spec. I know with the struts or springs, the camber is affected a bit. I assume though, since its just an inch or less, there might be enough wiggle room without having to use a caster / camber alignmment kit. Just wasnt sure. Regarding the struts, to adjust up or down, they have to come back out? I thought they might be like coil overs and use some fancy tool that can be adjusted while the car was in the air or something.

 

[dbbd1]

Do you have MRC? Could that be affecting your rake?

 

[iamdub]

Thanks. I had it realigned after changing the spindles, and it had no problem going back to spec. I know with the struts or springs, the camber is affected a bit. I assume though, since its just an inch or less, there might be enough wiggle room without having to use a caster / camber alignmment kit. Just wasnt sure. Regarding the struts, to adjust up or down, they have to come back out? I thought they might be like coil overs and use some fancy tool that can be adjusted while the car was in the air or something.

On a GMT900, we can usually get away with upwards of 2" of drop without needing special alignment parts, and even then it's just a $25 set of eccentrics that allow a little more adjustment to pick up where the factory ones max out. I'm not the expert on the K2xx, but I'd imagine them to be similar enough to not need special parts until around the same amount of drop. The adjustable struts work by using a combination of rings of varying thicknesses to raise or lower the spring seat on the body of the strut. I believe the graduations are in 1/2" increments. If you use all the rings in the kit, the spring seat will be as high up on the strut body as possible, which will lift the front end 2" as compared to stock. If you remove all the rings, the spring seat will be at it's lowest possible position, which will lower the front end 2" as compared to stock. The rings sit on a small perch on the strut body and the spring seat slides over them to rest on the top of the stack. So the rings are inside the cup/tube part of the spring seat. If you decide you want to add or remove rings, you have to repeat the full installation process. This means you remove the strut, compress the spring, remove the top plate, remove the compressed spring, remove the spring seat, add or remove the rings, then reinstall everything in reverse order. If you take accurate measurements after all springs have finish settling, you should be able to determine the amount of drop you want that will make it sit how you want. I will be lowering the front of mine anywhere from 1"-2" (in addition to the spindles) with either the passenger side lowered 1/2" more or the driver side 1/2" less to fix the left-to-right lean.

 

[JBrianR]

Thanks for the thorough explanation. It is greatly appreciated.

Regarding the other question, I do not have MRC as this is a SLT with no air ride, etc.

 

[donald wyman]

I lowered my 17 4WD Yukon recently. Used belltech spindles and model # 34324 springs, DJM offset sway bar end links, bell tech shocks instead of using the shock relocate brackets. I believe the springs I used are the same as the 5305 springs(which I believe Norcal provides) just a newer model or something. After the initial lowering, the rear was way lower. I added the spacer provided and it leveled off, but I knew once it settled it would be lower in the rear. Sure enough, it is about half inch lower in the rear. It drives me crazy. I am thinking of dropping the front using the adjustable struts. My question is, has anyone used those to only drop a half inch or so, will I have trouble getting the alignment back in spec?

i have a 2018 suburban and did basicaly the same thing with norcal rear springs and 2" drop struts in front. had to end up with a 1 1/2 ' spacer and 5/8' rubber heater hose threaded into spring to get it level.has no air ride just standard