Help? Can't get Tahoe to ride level

[Z71likecadillac]

I just bought a 02 tahoe z71 with 126k miles on it, and I noticed it leaned to the drivers side of the truck initially by almost 2 inches if I remember right...

I looked around what I could do. Adjusted the keys to full max lift on the drivers side and fully max low on the passengers side and it's still off (within a inch now... )

I'm tech savy and know all about IROCS but the truck world is new to me... Am I missing something? Im not sure why it's doing this and I know the drivers front is under too much stiffness compared to the other side because the torsion bars act as sping rates too! So this isn't right and I want it corrected! It's too clean of a truck to scrap with low miles... My worst fear is frame dramage!

I also started looking around for evidence for damages and I don't really see anything besides the bump stop being torn away on the higher side that's maxed low now and didn't change much... And the rack and pinion has a suspicious welded in bracket to hold it in place... Any ideas what's going on here? Thanks so much!

 

[wjburken]

First off, welcome to the forum from Iowa.

These trucks have always had the drivers side sitting a little lower on the drivers side. Some call it the Chevy roll or the Chevy lean. That being said, not sure I’ve heard of that much difference. Typically it’s in the 1/2”-3/4” range.


Im sure you have done these things, just to make sure. A few things I’d make sure I checked before I got too aggressive with making adjustments would be how full the tank of gas is as it sits on the drivers side. I’d also make sure I measure from center of wheel to top of fender opening at front and back to take out tire pressure variation. I’d also make sure I’m on a fairly flat surface like a concrete pad that’s not cracked up as that can put some articulation into your suspension. I would then look at your rear springs to see what they look like.

I would then take it to an alignment shop and have them take a look. I would not drive with your keys each maxed out in different directions.

Hopefully, as the sun starts to come up, others with more experience with the NBS rigs will offer up their knowledge and experience.

 

[Bill 1960]

I’d start by jacking it up from the center of the rear axle, measure the heights, then swap the jack to the front and repeat measuring. Point being to determine if there’s a weak spring on a front or rear corner. You may just have a weak spring.

That certainly looks like collision damage on the front.

 

[mpope2]

That thing has been hit pretty good on pass side it appears. It’s got the drop stop tweaked and smashed in towards idler bracket, which has for sure been welded as repair at some point. I’d personally take it to a reputable body shop with a good frame machine to see what frames integrity is like and go from there.

 

[ivin74]

That thing has been hit pretty good on pass side it appears. It’s got the drop stop tweaked and smashed in towards idler bracket, which has for sure been welded as repair at some point. I’d personally take it to a reputable body shop with a good frame machine to see what frames integrity is like and go from there.

X2, well said. If it's been a while since you purchased the vehicle.

I would take those yahoos that sold you that vehicle to court for not disclosing the vehicle was wreck/total. Did you get a blue title or a reconditioned tittle?

 

[Z71likecadillac]

Thanks guys! And yeah I was thinking same, also thought about maybe a balloint snapped and snagged the mounting bracket of the rack and ripped away at the mounts... I had a appointment set for it tomorrow at a 4x4 place thinking that they'd prob see this stuff before and tell me what's wrong... Now I'm 2nd guessing if I should find a body shop place or even the dealer because they have all the stuff too and save my diag money from the 4x4 place maybe

 

[Darksyde]

Another thing to note is that in the second picture, that plate with the curved slot? That's for camber/caster adjustment and it's in backwards.

Edit: it also looks like it's missing the pins that are supposed to ride in those curved slots.

 

[Z71likecadillac]

Alright update time!!!

Went to the junkyard and got some torsion bars off of another 4x4 tahoe with factory keys!

Installed them... Disaster results! I was riding on the bump stops, the front end dragging twards the ground! Not sure exactly why?!?, even with the factory keys more than half way cranked! Suspicious thing is even both on bump stops... The drivers side was still lower some impossible how... Makes me think something is bent!?


Swapped the rear springs left to right to see if one was weaker than the other, no change installed ranchero shocks I the rear, no real change (just needed to shocks anyways )

So in the end I thought the only way I'll have the truck/ front end/ left side to right side to ride equally and evenly was to ...

I installed the original torsion bars BACK IN

• put only one LIFT key I originally had, ONLY ON the drivers problematic chevy leaning side... Half way cranked!

• And then PUT A FACOTORY key on the passengers side half way cranked!

And that's how I got the truck to be closest to riding even I could get it!
Also in doing this this way my truck is now not resting on the droop stops and not sitting on the bump stops it's right where it should be sitting in the middle unlike before, with the torsion bars cranked so hard with both lift keys in that the UCA were standing on the droops

CONCLUSION: I'm thinking my driver's side torsion bar is SHOT ( even though tested 2 used torsion sets) and that's why I'm having to over crank the drivers side with a single lift key or I have something bent I'm counter acting?!?!

So now I'm wondering, and been researching with my driver's side torsion bar with a different lifted key, is the torsion bar's load going to be more stiffer than the passengers? I don't feel too much of a difference, I've read that the spring rate is the spring rate no how much preload twist is on....and doesn't affect the driving quality... I don't notice too much difference...