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Stock control arms: Steel or aluminum?

pancepance
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pancepance Enthusiast

pancepance

Posted
Posted

I'm wanting to order my lift kit because my truck is supposed to arrive in a couple of weeks. The issue is, I need to know when ordering if I have aluminum of steel control arms/steering knuckles. I have searched and read every line of the standard equipment list and cannot come up with an answer.
Other than having the truck in front of you, is there a way to know based on options/packages/trim which one it will have? the dealer is useless for this info. According to the salesman they all have "metal". So i'm trying to find out if there is a way to know based on the specifics of what I ordered.
Anyone know?
What does a CC denali, 4wd, standard bed, 6.2, off road suspension package come with?
I can wait until the truck arrives to order the parts but I'd like to do it before if possible.
Or can I find out from GM with the vin? Any info appreciated.

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racerkvn
racerkvn

I was begining to believe it was the early production Z71's were steel control arms and they were making an advancement to using alum on the later release Z71's but from this, there really seems to be

jimmyboy8301
jimmyboy8301

2017 LTZ Z71 stamped steel, but there doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason     Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Z45
Z45

There is a real easy way to tell. Look at it.   Its not a standard Z71 part, comes on the Z60 performance suspension (Denali etc)  

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Last C5 Enthusiast

Last C5

Posted
Posted

I'm wanting to order my lift kit because my truck is supposed to arrive in a couple of weeks. The issue is, I need to know when ordering if I have aluminum of steel control arms/steering knuckles. I have searched and read every line of the standard equipment list and cannot come up with an answer.

Other than having the truck in front of you, is there a way to know based on options/packages/trim which one it will have? the dealer is useless for this info. According to the salesman they all have "metal". So i'm trying to find out if there is a way to know based on the specifics of what I ordered.

Anyone know?

What does a CC denali, 4wd, standard bed, 6.2, off road suspension package come with?

I can wait until the truck arrives to order the parts but I'd like to do it before if possible.

Or can I find out from GM with the vin? Any info appreciated.

The off road suspension gets you the aluminum suspension. My double cab LTZ has the standard suspension and I have the steel control arms.

Full Lock Enthusiast

Full Lock

Posted
Posted (edited)

Yup stock z71 is aluminum. Not 100% what the denalis have though but I would guess they are aluminum. What kit are you looking to get?

Edited by Full Lock
pancepance Enthusiast

pancepance

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I was getting the bds 4 most likely. After looking around that seems to fit best what I am looking for. They were very helpful on the phone an were specific about me knowing if I had alum or steel before ordering. Even offered to expedite shipping if I had to wait to have the truck in front of me to order it to lessen delays of getting it done.

At this point i'm not in so much of a hurry because I just heard back from magnuson and the kit is pushed back from April to "summer" so I have time I suppose since I wanted to do everything at once and be done.

Thanks for the replies. Much appreciated.

mcnwil Enthusiast

mcnwil

Posted
Posted

My Z71 is steel. I thought the alum verses steel was related to whether it is DC or CC?

Z45 Senior Enthusiast

Z45

Posted
Posted

There is a real easy way to tell. Look at it.

 

Its not a standard Z71 part, comes on the Z60 performance suspension (Denali etc)

DSC00048_zps3fd04472.jpg

 

  • Like 1
fondupot Senior Enthusiast

fondupot

Posted
Posted (edited)

My All Terrain Z71 double cab has steel control arms. I checked with a magnet.

 

I think Crew Cabs get the aluminum arms to reduce weight.

Edited by fondupot
  • Like 1
punk007 Enthusiast

punk007

Posted
Posted

My crew cab Z71 Standard bed has steel, so who knows!!

Steel on my crew cab Z71 standard bed also.

 

Aluminum is part of the Z60 pkg as elcamino pointed out above.

Full Lock Enthusiast

Full Lock

Posted
Posted (edited)

damn I just double checked mine and I could've swore I had aluminum lowers... maybe it was all the staring at the McGaughy's kit got me confused haha

 

does the Z60 only come on Denalis?

 

ok found some info. z60 is more of a on-road tuned suspension and the z71 is obviously off-road tuned.

 

info thread here

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topic/156378-high-country-vs-ltz-z71/

Edited by Full Lock
bearman95 Enthusiast

bearman95

Posted
Posted (edited)

My LTZ Z71 4x4 Silverado short bed crewcab has Aluminum. My LTZ Texas Edition 4x4 Silverado with short bed and crewcab has steel. I don't know about GMC since I did not look at them when I bought my Chevy's. Both have the 5.3 motor and 342 gearing.

Edited by bearman95
Full Lock Enthusiast

Full Lock

Posted
Posted

My LTZ Z71 4x4 Silverado short bed crewcab has Aluminum. My LTZ Texas Edition 4x4 Silverado with short bed and crewcab has steel. I don't know about GMC since I did not look at them when I bought my Chevy's. Both have the 5.3 motor and 342 gearing.

 

well I'm just totally confused then. Does your RPO have both Z60 and Z71?

atmotocrosser Enthusiast

atmotocrosser

Posted
Posted

My LT Texas Edition crew cab short bed 4x4 has steel control arms and knuckles. Who knows how they decided what got what lol.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

pancepance Enthusiast

pancepance

Posted
  • Author
Posted

So basically from what I'm reading the answer is that there is no definitive answer based on specifically optioned/configured vehicles?
My obvious last resort is to wait for arrival to determine. I was hoping there was a way to know in advance to save time in ordering but from what I can find (which is nothing specific) it is a crap shoot with regards to what you get.
That is ok. I appreciate the info. It appears to be one of those things that could be one way or the other and GMC/Chevy doesn't have any specific record of how/why something is done. I'm fine with it. I have so many other things to get that this will just have to wait until arrival. There are worse things that can happen. This one wont cause me to lose sleep. When it does arrive I'll certainly post what wound up being underneath it.

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