New member from Scotland with problems...

[J444HN]

Hi guys,
I appreciate you answer questions all the time and it gets tedious but I'm kind stuck as there's no one here in Scotland with the experience of these trucks and other forums aren't very helpful.

I have a couple of problems that concern me.

It's a 2004 Cadillac Escalade 6.0 AWD...
When driving on normal roads or motorway(highway) speeds it feel like it pulls left one minute then right then left, I'm constantly on top of it trying to stay straight. It's had an alignment and the tyres rotated and new upper control arms. It's becoming un-nerving to drive and is starting to feel very sketchy and unrelaxing to drive.

The second problem is like the truck is sitting without springs or suspension for that matter. It's on 26s but it was the same when I had 22s. It seems like when I hit bumps that the full truck is taking the impact rather than the suspension. Like I said, the 26s are obviously harsher on ride but it was the exact same with the 22s.
I notice that the drivers side front is down further than the other 3 corners, almost like its got a smaller wheel.

This is pictures I took of the driver and passenger side, the drivers side is the one that's pushing that black rubber thing down.

Drivers side


Passenger


Again, I appreciate you have better things to do but I genuinely don't have anywhere to take it that will know what to check without just throwing money at it and hoping for the best.

This is genuinely a fantastic forum and I enjoy reading what you guys get up to.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

John

 

[NathanJax]

First, it definitely looks lowered because those arms look like they are basically laying on your bump stops (the black rubber things)

That could cause a lot of bump steer and other issues your describing it with wondering around the road and riding harsh. Can you show us a pic of the entire truck? You can adjust the front back up a little by adjusting your torsion bar keys up front.

 

[jdpber]

That is deffenantly lowered as looks like <1" of travel to the bumps.

 

[J444HN]

It doesn't look or seem lowered?
I thought the bump stops were supposed to be touching the lower arm as part of the set up, no?
I just though because one was way more compressed than the other that it was an issue with one side.

Here's the best picture I have of it side on

 

[NathanJax]

damn, it really doesn't look lowered. there's definitely something wrong though because it looks like your suspension is resting on the bump stops so it has no travel when hitting any bumps or anything...

 

[Young28]

sure is hard to tell..back looks lowered front looks lifted..but like nate said makes no sense.

 

[jdpber]

Take some fender measurements and that will allow us to know for sure. standard inches not that metric crap

 

[J444HN]

Got round to measuring it today and there's an inch difference. The drivers side is an inch lower. I've noticed when I drive fast on a slightly sloped road that the truck goes side to side, as in it'll go down on the left then the right, almost as if someone's rocking it side to side.

Feel like selling it now cos no one here has experience with this kinda set up.

Thanks for your help so far.

---------- Post added at 08:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:31 PM ----------

That's from top of rim to the bottom of fender.

 

[2000Tahoe]

You have a suspension problem there should be more clearance between the bump stops and the control arms. basically as the other's have said somethin doesn't look right do you know the history of the truck ? Also take it to a good tire shop and they should be able to help you out. as far as the steering goes what is probably happening is that as your driving your Tahoe is hitting the bump stops all the time causing the stiff ride and also to steer funny.mine pulls to the left and has since day one my father's does the same thing and has since he has owned it both our 00 Tahoe's have been looked at and they havent found anything wrong . so your suspension needs to be looked at by either a good tire shop or a performance shop that does suspension work.

Dan

 

[WHITEOUT]

Man o Man. Would think most of you guys would know this by now! These torsion bar suspensions are SUPPOSED to use the jounce stops to give the torsion bar (a linear spring) a progressive rate feel. Why the fronts are called jounce stops, not bump stops. The suspension was designed to use them as a progressive rate dampener. So yes, they are supposed to be resting on them, and using them. Not ideal, IMO, but what GM gave us.

I would say your main issue is they are tore up. I have rode without front jounce stops before, and it doesn't ride very well. I would look into replacing those. Z71 jounce stops have worked very well for me and others. Also check your shocks. They could be bad, causing issue with ride.

---------- Post added at 02:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:49 PM ----------

Here is a pic of my front jounce stops installed.

Modified Z71 stops, cut, drilled and shaped. I have tried a few different configurations, and just got some more from Mike-tahoewhat, so I can try and modify and test some different ways. Being lowered, stock height jounce stops will be to tall, and squish becoming extremely firm ride. But so far have found my vehicle rides, handles and feels best when stops are resting on LCA, slightly compressed, to give a soft initial feel, but firms up thru suspension compression/travel.