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Front coilovers for my '04?

mikeyjm1

mikeyjm1

Full Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2009
Messages
363
Location
Creedmoor, NC
Here's the tease >:D

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And assembled...

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About to pull the truck in the garage...
 
Interesting mod,
 
Well I had a few snags and got done right before dark so no pics tonight. Tomorrow afternoon should be nice enough for a few pictures. As for write ups, it's been done by Richard ( Atomic ) over on performancetrucks.net, who builds the mounts.

http://www.performancetrucks.net/forums/gm-drivetrain-suspension-22/99-07-4wd-front-coilover-conversion-518118/

And Tahoewhat on Tahoeyukonforum.com

http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=744206#post744206

Thanks to both of you

I only have a few miles on the set up and I'm sure there's plenty o tweaking to do, but it rides very good. Smoother and more controlled, much more car like.
 
Yeah the Torsion bar suck errr are not very road friendly
 
No time tonight to pull a wheel for pics but I did snap a few of the new stance.

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I will say I'm still driving terrified when I think about the four 1/2" bolts holding the truck up. But it feels wonderful to drive on the new coils. 
 
I see what you meant by 4 bolts holding it up, but it looks like a big enough bolt to handle it.
 
Why didn't GM do coils sooner? Just made a 520 mile drive through the mountains to visit my family. It handled and rode amazingly.  (y)
 
Great job looks clean, yes the way it should have been built.
I?ve been looking at this for some time. My torsion bars are about out of adjustment. 
Can you give details on how you determined what shock and spring rate you are using. Are you staying stock height? I would be looking at leveling the AVY. Would like to run 33?s. I have seen now some coilovers you can adjust the height are yours adjustable?
Please keep us up dated.
 
Pretty much any shock for this type of use will be threaded for adjustment. I used QA1 for the price and accessibility, but there are many options. I may switch to bilstein eventually. Richard (Atomic) lays out all the measurement to choose shocks and springs. I got he shock he uses and recommended. For springs, I wanted eibach because of personal brand loyalty and made an educated guess at 1300lb because it was the heaviest offering in a length that would fit.

I would suggest you jack your truck up from under the front diff to a reaonable hight to fit 33s and measure your shocks. I had 33/12.50s on mine for several years on the stock suspension with the torsion bars cranked up about 1.5" and minor trimming. It didn't take much. I would suggest fitting the longest travel shock and spring you can. I will eventually try to do so on mine. For me it'll probably mean cutting the stock shock mounts and welding new mounts higher to keep this hight with room for more travel. For you, if you actually want some offroad ability, I'd look at bilstien, fox, king...ect. Something monotube, they'll react better to changing terrain. QA1 builds a very nice hot rod and drag racing shock but not so much for off roading.
 
Thanks for the feed back. So reading Atomics pdf and rereading your post you can put different manufacture springs on the shocks you choose? So do research on the shock on the ride I want and the spring weight will be the amount needed for supporting the AVY with the diameter to fit with out being to stiff. So I understand the Eibach known for lowering and handling so understand why the other brands.
I will be keeping the AVY so I like the idea of cutting the upper spring mount reinforcing the frame and welding the new mount in. That?s my biggest concern is the frame at the upper shock mount with doing any off road.
It only took GM seven years to put struts in. I have kicked around the idea of a second gen frame. After seeing yours and how clean it turned out I?m sold on Atomics kit. 
 
I'm a huge Eibach fan for offroad vehicles too. Here's a set up that we've been looking at for my wife's Xterra, for example:
https://www.calmini.com/detail.php?b=1&m=1&t=1&p=988&n=

Actually a dual spring set up with two different rates may work really well for you if you end up with room to do it.
 
I bought that same setup from Richard about a year ago and have yet to do the install. I'm glad it worked out for you and you're happy with the results. How much did you spend on the coilovers if you don't mind me asking? Also do you happen to know if anyone has done a rear coilover setup?

Thanks!
 
abendigo said:
How much did you spend on the coilovers if you don't mind me asking? Also do you happen to know if anyone has done a rear coilover setup?
Click to expand...

I want to say the shocks were around $150 each and I have a couple different pairs of springs at like $60ish each.
 
abendigo said:
I bought that same setup from Richard about a year ago and have yet to do the install. I'm glad it worked out for you and you're happy with the results. How much did you spend on the coilovers if you don't mind me asking? Also do you happen to know if anyone has done a rear coilover setup?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Ever look into rears more? I have been searching it harder lately. Really want more control and adjustment.
 
I can't believe I missed your response over here and worse yet I didn't draw the correlation on Performancetrucks site until you sent me over the link. Hahahaha!

mikeyjm1 said:
Ever look into rears more? I have been searching it harder lately. Really want more control and adjustment.
Click to expand...
 
I haven't done anything on the rear yet, I don't want to change the way it tows but it's a little jumpy/bouncy plus I'd prefer it to sit a little lower all around. I've been thinking of air ride for the on the fly adjustment and I'm pretty sure I can a bag that replaces the coil springs so I may do a combination of coil overs up front and bags in the back.... On another note how are you liking the awd conversion? I got so close to pulling the trigger (and should of) when the t-case went out about 18 months ago, I may still some day!
 
abendigo said:
I haven't done anything on the rear yet, I don't want to change the way it tows but it's a little jumpy/bouncy plus I'd prefer it to sit a little lower all around. I've been thinking of air ride for the on the fly adjustment and I'm pretty sure I can a bag that replaces the coil springs so I may do a combination of coil overs up front and bags in the back.... On another note how are you liking the awd conversion? I got so close to pulling the trigger (and should of) when the t-case went out about 18 months ago, I may still some day!
Click to expand...

Ride Tech actually makes a rear airbag conversion for $400. I've been thinking about it. I really like the idea of coilovers for the handling and worry about the towing too. I really rarely tow but not sure I want to give up the option.

I love the AWD. Its one of the best things I've done. The grip is amazing.
 
Cool, I didn't realize they offer anything, I'll check it out.

Did you swap out the front differential etc or did you just lock it in 4 hi?

I'm really thinking about it again, I have lockers front and rear, I wonder how they'll hold up.
 
I used a Silverado SS front diff. I had rebuilt and regeared the rear to 4.10. The front was still 3.73 and since prior tcase issues I had left it locked in 2wd. So the front was a perfect swap all around. I do like the idea of no actuator and multi piece shaft. It kept with my goal of simplifying things. I'm not sure on the lockers. Mine still has a g80 rear that's operating fine. I haven't seen an AWD truck with a front locker but I think it would work.
 
I would think twice about putting a locker on the steering axle it may cause you more problems than you think.
 
Can you give us an update on the coils. Pros-Cons and what you might of done different if any.
JV
 
I love them. I have been deployed for nearly a year and headed home soon so I haven't been driving it recently. But my wife drives it all the time. I love it so far and she seems happy.

Only thing I keep thinking about is cutting the top mount off of the frame and welding on a taller one for a taller combo with more travel. But I don't think it bottomed yet.

I have found myself hooked. I'm looking at maybe converting the rear. And also at doing a slight body drop on S-10 mounts.
 
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