04ctd
Full Access Member
All the pics here:
http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b170/04vrscb/Lower_NNBS_Tahoe/#!cpZZ1QQtppZZ24
I did the whole kit, but I put the camera in the truck after doing the rears, and raised the lift, and did not get many front pics. sorry i did not do better, but i will throw these up, in case someone is researching and wants to see the deal. you DO need wrenches from 18mm up to 21mm.
the 739 kit includes 2 inch drop spindles, but no front springs,
and the front adjustable struts,
and rear shocks, and rear springs.
my understanding is the 739SP kit would have had the front springs.
my SUV has ~110k miles, so the shocks & struts were required, the lowering was just for convenience, it's hard to do seatbelts in the G-Kids carseats for short wife.
hang the calipers by wire from truck, or lay on rear control arms.
basically for the rear, support the rear end, pull the shocks, wiggle the springs out, wiggle them back in (see saw the rear end down on each side)
you can NOT support it by the sway bar, we had to move this under the pumpkin
make sure you re-use the OEM isolators (the rear springs come with some plastic parts I did not use, maybe Tony can chime in, they are in the box, in the pics)
the front was tough.
i had a HECK of a time getting the ball joints out of the spindle.
my buddy beleives in just hitting the spindle until the mechanical resonance makes the dis-similar metals lose their adhesion.
he finally got that to work (about 30 taps, about 30 wail on it, and ~30 more taps)
i set the adjustable strut up WAY to short, as you can see by the pics in the field. that severe drop is one 10mm & one 8mm ring.
my rims offset has the tire edge too far out, and it would have hit the fender lip.
i had the truck on a lift, and had to use a floor jack and a post about 3.5 feet tall to lift up on the bottom of the strut to get it out with the spindle intact.
in the pic at the gas station, and in the driveway, i put 3 more rings on the strut (a 10mm, and 2 8mm)
FWIW, everyone on this forum seems to rave about how "good" it rides, but to me, it is harsh & rough... like a performance car, not at all plush & nice like a nice family SUV.
that may be desirable if you are young, but I have 3 other cars that ride like that, and i want one DECENT vehicle to travel in that does not beat you to death.
YMMV, but it is nice & low, just a bit abrupt on Botts Dots.
http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b170/04vrscb/Lower_NNBS_Tahoe/#!cpZZ1QQtppZZ24
I did the whole kit, but I put the camera in the truck after doing the rears, and raised the lift, and did not get many front pics. sorry i did not do better, but i will throw these up, in case someone is researching and wants to see the deal. you DO need wrenches from 18mm up to 21mm.
the 739 kit includes 2 inch drop spindles, but no front springs,
and the front adjustable struts,
and rear shocks, and rear springs.
my understanding is the 739SP kit would have had the front springs.
my SUV has ~110k miles, so the shocks & struts were required, the lowering was just for convenience, it's hard to do seatbelts in the G-Kids carseats for short wife.
hang the calipers by wire from truck, or lay on rear control arms.
basically for the rear, support the rear end, pull the shocks, wiggle the springs out, wiggle them back in (see saw the rear end down on each side)
you can NOT support it by the sway bar, we had to move this under the pumpkin
make sure you re-use the OEM isolators (the rear springs come with some plastic parts I did not use, maybe Tony can chime in, they are in the box, in the pics)
the front was tough.
i had a HECK of a time getting the ball joints out of the spindle.
my buddy beleives in just hitting the spindle until the mechanical resonance makes the dis-similar metals lose their adhesion.
he finally got that to work (about 30 taps, about 30 wail on it, and ~30 more taps)
i set the adjustable strut up WAY to short, as you can see by the pics in the field. that severe drop is one 10mm & one 8mm ring.
my rims offset has the tire edge too far out, and it would have hit the fender lip.
i had the truck on a lift, and had to use a floor jack and a post about 3.5 feet tall to lift up on the bottom of the strut to get it out with the spindle intact.
in the pic at the gas station, and in the driveway, i put 3 more rings on the strut (a 10mm, and 2 8mm)
FWIW, everyone on this forum seems to rave about how "good" it rides, but to me, it is harsh & rough... like a performance car, not at all plush & nice like a nice family SUV.
that may be desirable if you are young, but I have 3 other cars that ride like that, and i want one DECENT vehicle to travel in that does not beat you to death.
YMMV, but it is nice & low, just a bit abrupt on Botts Dots.