Stock height of Z71 vs LT/LTZ?

[Modded]

If you don't mind bashing rocker panels, front fascia, rear quater panels, then yes, it will do about the same. otherwise, umm, no.

Ok, may I ask you how one would have an actual noticeable chance in doing any of those with a 2/3 dropped Z71, as compared to a stock height one.
Bashing quarter panles and rocker panels is not easily done on these Tahoe w/o some involved driving, and if it would happen with a 2/3 drop, it will for sure do the same thing with a stock height one.
Front fascia bashing will not happen unless the person just does not watch where they drive.
Me, from experience, can tell you that a Pedders 2/3 drop on a Z71 will be almost invisible to the eye of atleast 80% of the Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade drivers out there, barely noticeable, I have had the kit so I know.

Lastly, the Pedders rear 3" kit rides like no other drop kit, when I say just like stock, I mean JUST LIKE stock, you will not even know it was dropped. The front 2" kit, is a different story

 

[dheadv8q]

Sorry for the picture quality. Thats the Belltech 2/3 kit.

That looks just about the way I envisioned it - there's over 3" of clearance (or appears to be) for that rear wheel well.
Those 18s don't look 'lost' to me. I'm certain if I went to 20" my ride quality would suffer even more than my pocketbook!

 

[GreatWhite]

I had a similar issue as the O.P., so I'll weigh in with my thoughts. I have an '09 Yukon with the XFE package, which is supposed to be a 1" drop from stock all round. I've parked next to presumably stock models and the 1" looks about right. I wanted to lower it a bit more so I looked at the options. The chief issue was figuring out where I would end up. At the back there is no question that the 1" drop was done with springs (no air ride), but upfront there are options. I doubt that GM would have used different spindles, but they might have positioned the lower spring perch differently on the strut or just used springs. At the back, if bought a lowering kit the final drop would be relative to stock, not my starting point. At the front, if I used a spindle kit, the drop would relative to my starting point, so the rake would increase. So, I went with an all-springs package, specifically the Pedders Sport kit. What I wound up with looks just like the pictures on the Pedders website and looks perfectly proportioned to my eye, not unnaturally high or low. I'd post a picture, but there's nothing special about it. I'll post a writeup on the install shortly, although there was nothing specially difficult about it. Everyone is asking what the ride is like, and while I haven't driven it under a full range of conditions yet, I like it better than stock. The handling has improved just due to the lower CG and reducede body roll. It's still a Yukon, but now it feels like the tires are the limiting factor. The ride is not at all harsh. Bumps are slightly more abrupt but feel well damped. A lot of jiggliness has been taken out of the ride and that makes it feel better to me. Call me a satisfied customer.

 

[THE YETI]

LOL, Funny you should ask this... This pic is about a year old, but it's my wife's LTZ Burban (on right), My buddies Z71 Burban (on left), and my other buds LT Burban(in middle). All are 2008 models and stock height in the pics.

 

[Modded]

I had a similar issue as the O.P., so I'll weigh in with my thoughts. I have an '09 Yukon with the XFE package, which is supposed to be a 1" drop from stock all round. I've parked next to presumably stock models and the 1" looks about right. I wanted to lower it a bit more so I looked at the options. The chief issue was figuring out where I would end up. At the back there is no question that the 1" drop was done with springs (no air ride), but upfront there are options. I doubt that GM would have used different spindles, but they might have positioned the lower spring perch differently on the strut or just used springs. At the back, if bought a lowering kit the final drop would be relative to stock, not my starting point. At the front, if I used a spindle kit, the drop would relative to my starting point, so the rake would increase. So, I went with an all-springs package, specifically the Pedders Sport kit. What I wound up with looks just like the pictures on the Pedders website and looks perfectly proportioned to my eye, not unnaturally high or low. I'd post a picture, but there's nothing special about it. I'll post a writeup on the install shortly, although there was nothing specially difficult about it. Everyone is asking what the ride is like, and while I haven't driven it under a full range of conditions yet, I like it better than stock. The handling has improved just due to the lower CG and reducede body roll. It's still a Yukon, but now it feels like the tires are the limiting factor. The ride is not at all harsh. Bumps are slightly more abrupt but feel well damped. A lot of jiggliness has been taken out of the ride and that makes it feel better to me. Call me a satisfied customer.

If you were to add some shock extenders to the kit, that minor complaint would disappear.

 

[ec07z71]

LOL, Funny you should ask this... This pic is about a year old, but it's my wife's LTZ Burban (on right), My buddies Z71 Burban (on left), and my other buds LT Burban(in middle). All are 2008 models and stock height in the pics.

so were they all exactly the same height (sorry can't tell from the pic)

 

[emann_01]

looks like the decrease in height from left to right but then again it is a parking garage where the ground could be sloped

 

[THE YETI]

parking garage where the pic was taken was level. The garage slopes in the middle of the garage, that's where the traffic flows to different levels.

There is a decrease from left to right. The LTZ on the right, LT in the middle, and Z71 on the left.

LTZ and LT are on OEM 20s, the Z71 is on the OEM 18s