Let's sift through every square inch of a 2013 Tahoe PPV

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

iamdub

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Posts
20,821
Reaction score
44,951
Location
Li'l Weezyana
Okay... How bout some suspension tech?

It seems as though the front struts are physically interchangeable from 2007-2020, although the specs are not identical. Monroe makes a PPV strut for 07-14, and then another for 15-20.

According to Rock Auto, this is the situation:

07-14 Monroe part # 39106
Extended length: 18.050 in
Compressed length: 14.510 in
Travel length: 3.540 in

15-20 Monroe part # 39140
Extended length: 17.120 in
Compressed length: 13.890 in
Travel length: 3.230 in

Interesting! I'd like to know the difference in ride quality and shock performance between the two. The travel length is negligible.


What does this mean once mounted on the vehicle? Can you use either pair of coil springs?

If the springs physically fit, then I don't see why not. If the distance from the perch to the top plate is similar, and they likely are, then they should work fine. If the distance from the perch to the cross bar is any different than your original, then the ride height will be affected at around double the difference.

It'd be cool to find the 15-20 as an upgrade or a "hack" as a small bolt-in lift or drop.
 
OP
OP
Caddylack

Caddylack

Full Access Member
Joined
May 12, 2022
Posts
232
Reaction score
213
If the distance from the perch to the cross bar is any different than your original, then the ride height will be affected at around double the difference.

It'd be cool to find the 15-20 as an upgrade or a "hack" as a small bolt-in lift or drop.
This is what I was hoping for, with the 15-20 being shorter.

Although, there still isn't a solution for lowering the rear besides lowering springs.
 
OP
OP
Caddylack

Caddylack

Full Access Member
Joined
May 12, 2022
Posts
232
Reaction score
213
However, if you ever lose your cats, just know it'll be LOUD. I learned that the hard way.
Really? I have been planning to delete them, but I have assumed the difference in volume would be minor.
 

iamdub

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Posts
20,821
Reaction score
44,951
Location
Li'l Weezyana
This is what I was hoping for, with the 15-20 being shorter.

Although, there still isn't a solution for lowering the rear besides lowering springs.

The newer strut is about 5/8" shorter. But, with your original spring on that newer strut, it'll compress a lot more than 5/8" once assembled, installed and with the vehicle weight on it. So, that 5/8" difference means nothing. The strut's overall length is shorter, but the vehicle rests on the top of the spring (via the top plate/hat) and the spring rests on the perch. So the perch height from the lower control arm is what will determine the difference, if any.
 

iamdub

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Posts
20,821
Reaction score
44,951
Location
Li'l Weezyana
Really? I have been planning to delete them, but I have assumed the difference in volume would be minor.

I learned that cats are very effective mufflers. I don't mind "loud" and thought that 18" muffler with an otherwise stock exhaust was perfect. Cruising on the highway, it was just a faint rumble that was easily lost to casual conversation or having the radio on. It was "loud" only when accelerating under load and high RPM- perfect, IMO. With no cats, it was obnoxiously loud. Have you seen what I've had to do to get my exhaust back to those tolerable noise levels? My ish starts here: https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/growing-up-doesnt-have-to-suck.93510/post-1462346

And here:
https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/growing-up-doesnt-have-to-suck.93510/post-1485205



The catless noise is one thing, the smell is a whole other tangent.
 
OP
OP
Caddylack

Caddylack

Full Access Member
Joined
May 12, 2022
Posts
232
Reaction score
213
The newer strut is about 5/8" shorter. But, with your original spring on that newer strut, it'll compress a lot more than 5/8" once assembled, installed and with the vehicle weight on it. So, that 5/8" difference means nothing. The strut's overall length is shorter, but the vehicle rests on the top of the spring (via the top plate/hat) and the spring rests on the perch. So the perch height from the lower control arm is what will determine the difference, if any.
So, we need to find out the "perch height" of these struts.

When I was under the car just now, I wondered about attaching the lower strut mount to the bottom of the LCA instead of the top.

On that note, I'm typing up some "under the car" randomness from today.
 

iamdub

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Posts
20,821
Reaction score
44,951
Location
Li'l Weezyana
So, we need to find out the "perch height" of these struts.

Yup. Go from the cross bar where it rests on the ears in the lower control arm to the base that the bottom of the coil spring sits on. It's just like how those adjustable coilovers work- the ones with the rings that you turn with a spanner wrench. You're adjusting the height of the perch in relation to the lower arm.

Actually, a couple of companies make a spring relocator. It's basically the same as the stock perch, which is a sleeve slid over the shock part of the strut with a ledge that the spring rests on, but with that ledge a little lower.

Here's McGaughy's relocators. They yield a 2" drop, but have rings to raise the perch height back up to net a 1.5" or 1" drop if 2" is too much.


When I was under the car just now, I wondered about attaching the lower strut mount to the bottom of the LCA instead of the top.

Quick, cheap and easy way to lower it about 2". Rough Country sells or used to sell a "drop kit" exactly for this. It was bolts and nuts of a particular grade (12.x? 14.x?) and spacers. With the strut bolted directly to the bottom side, it's less than a 2" drop. The spacers make it a full 2". @89Suburban and I think @kbuskill have or had theirs lowered by this. Some people feel sketched out by this method but I've never heard of any failures. I doubt Rough Country would risk their business on a simple $40 drop kit. I've read discussions of hardware tensile strength, the theoretical maximum loads the front of a GMT900 SUV could put on those points, etc. Apparently, Grade 8 is "sufficient" and some have ran or are running Grade 8 hardware for this drop. The extra strength, yet not brittle hardware spec'ed and supplied by RC is probably over- over-kill as a CYA. Proper torque specs are a factor, too. I have this hardware kit on standby as a drop option for when I get back into messing with mine.
 

kbuskill

***CAUTION*** I do my own stunts!
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Posts
5,314
Reaction score
8,342
Location
NE. FL.
Yup. Go from the cross bar where it rests on the ears in the lower control arm to the base that the bottom of the coil spring sits on. It's just like how those adjustable coilovers work- the ones with the rings that you turn with a spanner wrench. You're adjusting the height of the perch in relation to the lower arm.

Actually, a couple of companies make a spring relocator. It's basically the same as the stock perch, which is a sleeve slid over the shock part of the strut with a ledge that the spring rests on, but with that ledge a little lower.

Here's McGaughy's relocators. They yield a 2" drop, but have rings to raise the perch height back up to net a 1.5" or 1" drop if 2" is too much.




Quick, cheap and easy way to lower it about 2". Rough Country sells or used to sell a "drop kit" exactly for this. It was bolts and nuts of a particular grade (12.x? 14.x?) and spacers. With the strut bolted directly to the bottom side, it's less than a 2" drop. The spacers make it a full 2". @89Suburban and I think @kbuskill have or had theirs lowered by this. Some people feel sketched out by this method but I've never heard of any failures. I doubt Rough Country would risk their business on a simple $40 drop kit. I've read discussions of hardware tensile strength, the theoretical maximum loads the front of a GMT900 SUV could put on those points, etc. Apparently, Grade 8 is "sufficient" and some have ran or are running Grade 8 hardware for this drop. The extra strength, yet not brittle hardware spec'ed and supplied by RC is probably over- over-kill as a CYA. Proper torque specs are a factor, too. I have this hardware kit on standby as a drop option for when I get back into messing with mine.

Yep, had mine lowered this way for a while before swapping out to wider tires which necessitated lifting the burb back up a couple inches..

Rough country's nuts and bolts are grade 9.
 

89Suburban

Bull in the china shop
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2013
Posts
15,339
Reaction score
42,753
Location
SE PA
Yep, had mine lowered this way for a while before swapping out to wider tires which necessitated lifting the burb back up a couple inches..

Rough country's nuts and bolts are grade 9.
As are mine.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
132,762
Posts
1,873,798
Members
97,593
Latest member
slm987
Top