Jump to content

Leveling Thoughts


huff4x4

Recommended Posts

Posted

Just looking for some input. I just bought a 2018 GMC Sierra Denali and i have been looking through this site for a week or so looking for leveling kit info. I love the truck and ride but i would like to have it sit a little higher in the front. I looked at just doing the shocks all the way around but nothing seems to work with the magnetic suspension. Don't want to go more than 2" level because of the CV angle. I even looked at just doing the 3.5 suspension lift from i think RC but it seems to be getting some bad reviews with the replacement of the upper control arms. I don't off road which means the truck will spend it's life mainly on the road but like to have it there if needed. I would like to keep a little rake for pulling my boat but i can always add a block to the rear if needed. I plan on keeping my stock wheels (20's) but will be upgrading the tires with the level kit. 

 

Any input would be greatly appreciated as far as level kit and tire size. Even if you have some pics of your leveled truck so i can get an idea of what I'm looking at would be great. 

 

Thanks,

Huff

Posted
2 hours ago, huff4x4 said:

Just looking for some input. I just bought a 2018 GMC Sierra Denali and i have been looking through this site for a week or so looking for leveling kit info. I love the truck and ride but i would like to have it sit a little higher in the front. I looked at just doing the shocks all the way around but nothing seems to work with the magnetic suspension. Don't want to go more than 2" level because of the CV angle. I even looked at just doing the 3.5 suspension lift from i think RC but it seems to be getting some bad reviews with the replacement of the upper control arms. I don't off road which means the truck will spend it's life mainly on the road but like to have it there if needed. I would like to keep a little rake for pulling my boat but i can always add a block to the rear if needed. I plan on keeping my stock wheels (20's) but will be upgrading the tires with the level kit. 

 

Any input would be greatly appreciated as far as level kit and tire size. Even if you have some pics of your leveled truck so i can get an idea of what I'm looking at would be great. 

 

Thanks,

Huff

A few questions. You said "i would like to have it sit a little higher in the front." Followed by "I would like to keep a little rake for pulling my boat"

To me its a pain to add the blocks for something as simple as pulling a boat. I would recommend a front leveling kit as I have ran them an towed with no issue. Front leveling kits are cheap and you will get a feel for what you like in the truck. You can always just take the front up more and leave the rear alone for towing. You will have to sacrifice some towing control if you want the front higher than the rear. Suspension systems are a little more pricey for not knowing if you will like them. You could also put some weight in the back and see if you like the rear being down lower than the front, be a cheap way to see if you like the look.

 

Just my 2 cents.

Posted
4 hours ago, Mikebtte said:

A few questions. You said "i would like to have it sit a little higher in the front." Followed by "I would like to keep a little rake for pulling my boat"

To me its a pain to add the blocks for something as simple as pulling a boat. I would recommend a front leveling kit as I have ran them an towed with no issue. Front leveling kits are cheap and you will get a feel for what you like in the truck. You can always just take the front up more and leave the rear alone for towing. You will have to sacrifice some towing control if you want the front higher than the rear. Suspension systems are a little more pricey for not knowing if you will like them. You could also put some weight in the back and see if you like the rear being down lower than the front, be a cheap way to see if you like the look.

 

Just my 2 cents.

Thanks for the input. I do want to level it and maybe add slightly bigger tires if possible but i don't want any issues with rubbing bit hopefully that won't be an issue with staying with factory wheels. As far as pulling my boat, I thought about just adding bags to the rear if it's to bad of a ride pulling the boat. 

Posted
46 minutes ago, Jdkno said:

I put a 1.5 block in the front of my 17 CC and couldn't be happier. Still has maybe 3/4"-1" if take but ALOT better than factory. 

Did it mess with the ride? Did you change the size and if so what size did you go with? Any rubbing? Could you send pic so i can compare?

Posted
2 hours ago, huff4x4 said:

Did it mess with the ride? Did you change the size and if so what size did you go with? Any rubbing? Could you send pic so i can compare?

Mine is a SLT so no magna ride. I put the blocks in about a week after I got the truck so it's hard to really say but at the time I dont ever remember saying to myself, damn it drives alot different. I did not change tire size.

Posted

How big is your boat? I have a Rough Country 2" in the front with stock rear. I tow a 6k lb boat (probably around 400lb of tongue weight plus gear in the bed) and the sag is hardly noticeable. If I was hauling it long distances every weekend i would probably consider bags in the rear, but its not bad enough to bother me the handful of time that I pull it each year.  

Posted
40 minutes ago, damnthetorpedoes said:

How big is your boat? I have a Rough Country 2" in the front with stock rear. I tow a 6k lb boat (probably around 400lb of tongue weight plus gear in the bed) and the sag is hardly noticeable. If I was hauling it long distances every weekend i would probably consider bags in the rear, but its not bad enough to bother me the handful of time that I pull it each year.  

I was thinking about bags in the rear if i do the 2 inch level. If you don't mind me asking, do you have any rubbing issues and what size tires did you go with. 

Posted
18 hours ago, Jdkno said:

I put a 1.5 block in the front of my 17 CC and couldn't be happier. Still has maybe 3/4"-1" if take but ALOT better than factory. 

I did the same.  Zero issues.

Posted

I installed motofab 3 inch front and 1 inch rear lift and installed 20x12 moto metal wheels with 33x12.50r20 on a -44 offset and it looks sweet slight rubbing in the back fender corner easy fix. Truck is 100% level but it's my driveway that's slanted. Fyi tops a 3 hr installation with some knowledge 77738ae79fc150426325113fccc89482.jpg3875325cf5c6335b2d0eba2787585d07.jpg2d87b4cecbda70ac971f4b4d874b082e.jpg

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk

Posted
On 12/20/2018 at 10:44 PM, Szubi said:

I installed motofab 3 inch front and 1 inch rear lift and installed 20x12 moto metal wheels with 33x12.50r20 on a -44 offset and it looks sweet slight rubbing in the back fender corner easy fix. Truck is 100% level but it's my driveway that's slanted. Fyi tops a 3 hr installation with some knowledge 77738ae79fc150426325113fccc89482.jpg3875325cf5c6335b2d0eba2787585d07.jpg2d87b4cecbda70ac971f4b4d874b082e.jpg

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk
 

Thanks for the pic and info. I just other the 2inch level and new tires. Will pay pics when i get it installed. 

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • I like the idea.  I would pick diesel if I had a choice. I need pictures though.
    • I've installed cheap eBay new aftermarket digitizers before.  They work.  Did a bunch of Cadillac CUE (aka Cadillac's MyLink) for someone years ago.  They all worked fine after the repair.    That number 22740886, that is a component part # for GM.  You can use it to search, but its not something that's obtainable at the dealer level.     So pretty much any of these will work - 2015 Colorado Digitizer for sale | eBay
    • Black bumper and the later years Z-71 style color matched grille.
    • You can install tailpipes that direct the exhaust sideways vs the OEM one that goes straight back. There are several on the market, do you own research. HOWEVER, you need to make sure the Venturi vents are still intact, otherwise it will throw a engine code. There is a sensor somewhere that detects back pressure on the exhaust. And if it doesn't collect the correct metrics, it will throw the truck into limp mode. 
    • "Teardown" is complete. Head surfaces are clean and ready, new intake is prepped and ready. Coolant drained and water pump is removed, radiator is removed, new hoses and pump are ready.   The replacement intake is also from a '95 (with I think 260k, the odometer said). Noticeably less pitting where it covers the rear coolant passages. I'm not sure if that's a tribute to more frequent use, more frequent coolant changes/upkeep, or if the intake was machined at some point. But it appears I found a good one.   My coolant hoses were original, and the lower hose still retained the factory spring inside. It's not really rusty, but it's got deposits all over it. Unsure if I should re-install it (will thoroughly clean it first). Someone said hose technology has gotten better since 1995 (has it?) and I don't need the spring. I think modern EPDM is what made those hoses last from 1995-2026, so it's a question of how much suction can the water pump really pull, and will it collapse the hose without a spring?   I'm stopped and waiting for parts, however.   When I first brought the truck home, the fan was intermittently hitting the radiator shroud. I could see someone had monkeyed with the shroud (put a bunch of cardboard as a spacer between the upper/lower shroud halves. Someone said the motor mounts have likely failed and the engine has sagged. I wasn't sure I believed that. The engine is really solid in its mounts: To remove the old intake I *just* nearly permanently welded to the heads with freshly cured RTV and gasket snot two weeks ago, I literally had to use the arms on my lift and a chain with a bolt attached to the intake to pull it loose. It almost picked the front of the truck off the ground before ....scuuuuuuuuuuup.... I could actually hear the gaskets tearing and it broke loose and the whole truck settled back down. Motor barely moved.   SO, those parts I'm waiting on... The lower radiator mounts/bushings had completely failed. The radiator needs to be insulated from the rad support, and the bushings help the rad stand at the correct height. The plastic "baffle" was also destroyed at some point. Someone had attached the shroud to it incorrectly, overlapping a joint that should have been underlapped, creating another suspect issue potentially causing things to hit the fan. Broken tabs, side is busted off, and it's perma-formed/bent where it was jimmied incorrectly.   The baffle? Unobtainum. Long since discontinued from GM, of course. Aftermarket/capa/chinese? Also unobtanium. In GM's infinite wisdom, it appears there are at least two different variations whether the Blazer is 2 or 4 door, and I can't yet tell if they shared the same part with the S-pickups. Plan B, if I can't find a viable used one, will be to create a bracket to re-assemble the critical joint I need to seal a gap with the shroud. But that will bug me, it won't be...perfect.   The water pump bolts appear to have been installed with...plumber's putty. I guess, sure, if it works...? I've found a few "backyard fixes" like that. Someone's been here before....   If I can't find someone to jam bamboo under my fingernails to fill my free time this week I think I'll install the driver's power window motor and replace the rear door speaker that's inop. I've got a genuine GM "9.5" ohm working replacement. Why GM used a non-standard resistance....nevermind. Of course they did, you can get more sound from a cheap factory amp that way.   And the saga goes on...
  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...