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

[Caddylack]

I just figured I would mention that K&N intakes, with metal tube, are on closeout on Rock Auto for $250 right now:




AND… I’m lowering the Tahoe like maybe 2” or something. Woohoo!

 

[Caddylack]

Okay... On the subject of lowering...

I am probably okay with dropping 2-3" from the current ride height. Given that the PPV is already 1" lower than normal, then I have to be careful about the parts that I use.

In the rear, I'll be making the adjustment by replacing the coil springs with lowering springs. If I want to drop by 2-3", then what I actually need are springs listed as 3-4".

In the front, there are more options for adjusting ride height in addition to lowering springs.

You can drop the front strut down slightly by bolting it to the bottom of the control arm rather than the top.

You can use DJM control arms to drop 2-3" with OEM struts. In this case, the advertised drop would be the same with a PPV.

Then there are drop spindles. Again, the drop is the same for a PPV and a civilian model.

Adjustable coilovers will be out of budget for me.

DJM has their 3" rear coil springs on sale, so I might do that and then get their shocks to go with them. They have a rear hardware kit with end links and relocation brackets for both the shocks and the lower trailing arms.

I'm not sure what I should do in the front. I really like the DJM control arms, but I'm hesitant to replace the aluminum LCAs that the PPV comes with.

I'm leaning towards drop spindles with OEM springs and OEM-replacement struts.

 

[kbuskill]

Okay... On the subject of lowering...

I am probably okay with dropping 2-3" from the current ride height. Given that the PPV is already 1" lower than normal, then I have to be careful about the parts that I use.

In the rear, I'll be making the adjustment by replacing the coil springs with lowering springs. If I want to drop by 2-3", then what I actually need are springs listed as 3-4".

In the front, there are more options for adjusting ride height in addition to lowering springs.

You can drop the front strut down slightly by bolting it to the bottom of the control arm rather than the top.

You can use DJM control arms to drop 2-3" with OEM struts. In this case, the advertised drop would be the same with a PPV.

Then there are drop spindles. Again, the drop is the same for a PPV and a civilian model.

Adjustable coilovers will be out of budget for me.

DJM has their 3" rear coil springs on sale, so I might do that and then get their shocks to go with them. They have a rear hardware kit with end links and relocation brackets for both the shocks and the lower trailing arms.

I'm not sure what I should do in the front. I really like the DJM control arms, but I'm hesitant to replace the aluminum LCAs that the PPV comes with.

I'm leaning towards drop spindles with OEM springs and OEM-replacement struts.

Struts are a solid option but not the cheapest.

Rough Country sells a 2" drop kit for the front which is a 1/4" spacer and Grade 9 hardware to bolt the struts under the control arm.

I contacted them and bought just the hardware without the spacer for around $20, although that was several years ago, so now with inflation it is probably closer to $500.... lol

Anyway, it is the cheapest/easiest way to get 2" and the ride is the same since you aren't losing any strut travel like with springs.

 

[89Suburban]

Struts are a solid option but not the cheapest.

Rough Country sells a 2" drop kit for the front which is a 1/4" spacer and Grade 9 hardware to bolt the struts under the control arm.

I contacted them and bought just the hardware without the spacer for around $20, although that was several years ago, so now with inflation it is probably closer to $500.... lol

Anyway, it is the cheapest/easiest way to get 2" and the ride is the same since you aren't losing any strut travel like with springs.

I didn't think they sold them anymore. I had to make my own kit.

 

[kbuskill]

I didn't think they sold them anymore. I had to make my own kit.

I'm not sure. I bought mine several years ago and haven't had any contact with them recently... you may be correct. If so, it is just Grade 9 hardware. Grade 8 would probably be sufficient but for the added safety factor, why not get the Grade 9.

 

[Caddylack]

They sell grade 12 at Farm and Fleet, so, yeah.

I got impatient and placed a couple of orders. One from DJM and the other from Rock Auto.

DJM:

2" drop front springs
3" drop rear springs
Rear hardware kit
Rear shocks

Rock Auto:

Bilstein B6 front struts
Moog UCAs
Dorman "Rugged Duty" tie rod ends
Moog front poly end links

I still plan to mount the front strut from the bottom. The 3" rear springs should be a 2" drop for a PPV. The 2" front springs should be a 1" drop. I don't like the "leveled" look; I would rather have the rear just slightly higher than the front. This is a "sport truck", and I haul stuff sometimes.

I'm still kind of uncertain about the front. I'm not sure if springs + mounting from the bottom is a better option than doing drop spindles, mounting the strut normally, and keeping the PPV springs.

Do drop spindles change the angle of the sway bar, or no?

 

[kbuskill]

They sell grade 12 at Farm and Fleet, so, yeah.

I got impatient and placed a couple of orders. One from DJM and the other from Rock Auto.

DJM:

2" drop front springs
3" drop rear springs
Rear hardware kit
Rear shocks

Rock Auto:

Bilstein B6 front struts
Moog UCAs
Dorman "Rugged Duty" tie rod ends
Moog front poly end links

I still plan to mount the front strut from the bottom. The 3" rear springs should be a 2" drop for a PPV. The 2" front springs should be a 1" drop. I don't like the "leveled" look; I would rather have the rear just slightly higher than the front. This is a "sport truck", and I haul stuff sometimes.

I'm still kind of uncertain about the front. I'm not sure if springs + mounting from the bottom is a better option than doing drop spindles, mounting the strut normally, and keeping the PPV springs.

Do drop spindles change the angle of the sway bar, or no?

No, drop spindles don't change the front-end geometry, which is the big selling point. No negative camber to worry about because everything else remains in stock location.

 

[Caddylack]

No, drop spindles don't change the front-end geometry, which is the big selling point. No negative camber to worry about because everything else remains in stock location.

As life would have it, the McGaughy's drop spindles are on sale for $289.

 

[Caddylack]

So these "drop struts" that are sold by Belltech, McGaughy's, etc.... Am I understanding correctly that they lower the front end up to 3" without any other mods? It says to use factory coils only.

Since my struts and shocks are at the end of their life anyway, that might be cheaper for ME in this particular situation.

Of course, I already bought stuff, because I'm impulsive.

 

[kbuskill]

So these "drop struts" that are sold by Belltech, McGaughy's, etc.... Am I understanding correctly that they lower the front end up to 3" without any other mods? It says to use factory coils only.

Since my struts and shocks are at the end of their life anyway, that might be cheaper for ME in this particular situation.

Of course, I already bought stuff, because I'm impulsive.

Yes, they move the lower spring mount closer to the bottom of the strut, thereby lowering the front-end. The Belltechs use spacer rings to achieve differing levels of drop. So no rings equals max drop, all rings equals stock height or whatever, and anything in between.

The downside is negative camber will be induced by spring/strut lowering VS a spindle drop.

Spindles are essentially a "Free" drop, meaning no (or very little) change in suspension geometry. Anything else and you start messing with Camber which will eat tires if not corrected.