Make the Tahoe New Again

[Doubeleive]

steering slop should not be hard to diagnose at all, take it a to a highly rated FRONT END shop and ask for a inspection
shocks and suspension sounds like you have modified it and the result is what you made it, the vehicle is designed for torsion bars, modifying from that will require tuning you can't just throw anything on there and expect it to be better you have to adjust it, drive it, adjust it, drive it over and over and if that configuration doesn't work trying something else.
if you had the nivomat rear shocks there is virtually nothing out there aftermarket that will meet or exceed them
if you changed the springs well then it is what is, have that all inspected by a competent suspension shop as well.

 

[MassHoe04]

Off the ground? Yes. Still loaded? Yes. Gotta check/diagnose in loaded mode. Sorry, but just hanging can hide stuff.

Yeah. I just meant that a good majority of serious front end suspension/steering issues can be detected while moving pieces around. Listening for noises and looking for excess play in places where there should be any movement. I agree with your suggestion to also check under a loaded mode.

 

[vcode]

Does it do it with the stock tires? Wider tires tramline more that stock and there is probably little you can do about it.

 

[okfoz]

Check the alignment on your rear axle. Although there is no adjustment, it may have been in an accident and be bent, or it could be bent from the factory. I had a Fixed axle vehicle that I could not figure out why it would wander and all sorts of crazy things at speed, and that was the problem.
Also grooved highways will pull cars around as well...

 

[CamaroJoe]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I've been doing a lot of research and I think I'm going to go with some Kryptonite tie rods, pitman arm, and idler arm support kit in the front for the steering. Will report back on how it goes. TBD on the body mounts and bushings for now.

 

[SnowDrifter]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I've been doing a lot of research and I think I'm going to go with some Kryptonite tie rods, pitman arm, and idler arm support kit in the front for the steering. Will report back on how it goes. TBD on the body mounts and bushings for now.

Should totally post a pic of your center link

 

[MassHoe04]

My clunk might still be partly related to blown-out body mount, but I think this might have something to do with it...

I recently had a sway bar connector link break. The threads on the top of the link rubbed through my rubber brake hose. That gave a chance to poke around a little better. I don't think the rubber bushing material is supposed to be just sitting on top of the UCA joint! Might clunk a little less, if the rubber was in the joint... My shop is my driveway and winter is not the time for this one. Eh...It'll be fine until it warms up.

 

[BobBilly]

Hey y'all,

New forum member and long time Tahoe owner here. I've owned my 04 Z71 since 2012 (just cracked 200k miles) and in that time have learned quite a few things about it that I'd like to improve. I've spent a lot of time trying to freshen it up but for the life of me cannot solve these issues. I'm sure a lot of these are common and I'd like to learn what other owners have done to solve these problems. Hoping this thread can help others as well.

1. The steering is AWFUL. It's genuinely the worst I've experienced in any vehicle. When I'm driving down a straight highway holding the wheel straight, the wheels will just change direction on their own even though I haven't moved the wheel an inch. I constantly have to correct the steering every time I drive and it's been this way since I bought it. I've replaced the steering box with a RedHead unit and done new pitman/idler arms and tie rods, but none of that solved the problem. Is there a fix for this? I've looked into Cognito PISK and heard of other brands that claim to fix "steering slop", but want to find out if there's a well researched solution. What do you all do to build a nice comfortable steering system? Is there a secret NBS parts list that you can buy to create a wonderful truck to drive?

2. Going over bumps in the road is miserable. In most vehicles, you get a nice *thump thump* when you go over a bump or an expansion joint, and the noise stays outside the vehicle and you almost can't hear it. However in mine it sounds like the entire truck is crashing around me, even for small bumps. The noise very much gets inside the car- the doors, the dash, everything. I've tried multiple different shocks and even went as far as doing Atomic Fab's coilover conversion in the front. Currently running the Viking dual adjustable shocks up front and Bilstein 5160 shocks in the rear, but the problem remains. Have any of you found a solution for this? I figured doing new shocks would give it the nice quiet *thump* over a bump, but it's very stiff and bumps intrude into the cabin. Don't even talk to me about railroad crossings. Not sure if there are any bushings that need replaced - maybe the bushings that mount the body to the truck? I know it's an older vehicle, but it shouldn't be this stiff and jarring, especially with top of the line suspension.

I've been trying to solve these for ten years now and I'm at my wit's end. Frankly, these make it miserable to drive daily and take on road trips because they're major parts of the driving experience. I love my Tahoe and want to keep it for the long haul. Any advice y'all can offer is appreciated. Thanks.

The one thing that you have not mentioned is rebuilding the Suspension, ie, Ball Joints and Bushings.
What you are describing is worn out Ball Joints and Bushings. This is very Important, Get them fixed very soon, you can loose a wheel and crash.

These vehicles are worth the investment to keep them running.

Good Luck.