Ride Height

ryan632 · January 11, 2006

I have a 1999 NBS Chevy Silverado Ext Cab Z71 and just replaced the shocks at 118000 miles with Rancho RSX shocks, and my truck looks like it's not sitting up as high as it did with the stock one's. Does any know what the stock height should be from the ground up the the highest point of the wheel fender.

heavy4x4 · January 11, 2006

All psychological...nothing about a common gas shock determines ride height.

Your truck rides at the height dictated by the torsion bars (front) and leaf springs (rear).

ryan632 · January 11, 2006

Thats not what im asking, I would like someone with a stock Z71 to measure the height of their truck.

asilverblazer · January 12, 2006

Well the correct way would be to get into "Z" heights and the like, if I remember mine was 31"ish.

Now that I think that's not right, maybe 37? I don't remember.

I'll measure later.

37-38"

heavy4x4 · January 12, 2006

Ryan,

I was simply explaining to you that nothing changed in your ride height from when you replaced your old shocks with new ones. I'm SORRY that's not what you were looking for, but guess what...the measurement you're asking for is completely useless and will tell you nothing. Let's think about this...tire size, tire brand, tire wear, tire pressure...spring sag, vehicle loading...levelness of the ground next to the tire...all of these lead to 10 different people giving you 10 different measurements. If you still want a number, I'll get you one if you think it will give you some piece of mind.

-Steve

SkyHigh · January 12, 2006

I too would be interested in some ride height numbers. I don't plan on taking them as gospel, but more as a genral idea of where they sit new, and on say 265s an OEM sized tire.

asilverblazer · January 12, 2006

Well the correct way would be to get into "Z" heights and the like, if I remember mine was 31"ish.

Now that I think that's not right, maybe 37? I don't remember.

I'll measure later.

37-38"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

PaulieK · January 12, 2006

Well went and measured mine because that is the kind of dope I am and it measures out at 35 1/2 inches from the ground to the highest part of the drivers front fender opening. I dont know what it means but there you go.

asilverblazer · January 12, 2006

They will all vary, GM has an acceptable range of adjustment on the trucks, if it is within the range to the lot it goes, if you think that's nuts, consider some trucks are different from side to side, so having a truck sit a little lower or higher than a similar model is no big deal.

Bish · January 12, 2006

All psychological...nothing about a common gas shock determines ride height.

Your truck rides at the height dictated by the torsion bars (front) and leaf springs (rear).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not entirely true. When I replaced the stock "autolevelling" oem shock (not Autoride and no air) with Bilsteins, I 2 inched in the rear ride height as measured before and after. A couple coil springs (Tahoe) solved that. I don't know if the auto-levelling shocks come on the Silverados.

Now on the front, I agree completely, there should be no change in ride height based upon a standard shock change.

SkyHigh · January 12, 2006

37-38" seems a tad high. DOes anyone else agree, or am I just off?

I bought my truck off my Dad, I remember him calling me one day and telling me there were a couple bolts that had backed off under his truck, what he was describing was the adjusters...he told me he had tightened them up, I told him No, that controls the rid ehight, and he promptly backed them off to where he thought they were before. So when i g ot the truck i meausred, it was 35" , I cranked to 37" and it seemed to ride kind of hard so i backe dit down to 35.5" , a few days ago I went back up to 36.5". I haven't checked ot see if it settled yet, but I am just curious to where a new z71 1500 sits...maybe i'll check the dealers lot and take an average. Just don't want to be robbed of any acceptable height, riding this low is killing me!!!

my last vehicle had 6" lift and 37's, and my previous had 12" lift and 38's. I am trying to practice self control, but I still want as much height as I can get stock w/o negatively affecting my street performance.

Any feedback is welcome and appreciated!

redvett · January 13, 2006

Shocks do not control ride height thats controlled by springs & torsion bars and MUST be checked with specs in your Heims service manual. Do not check the wheel well opening to ground since the sheetmetal varies too much. All ride height specs are chassis data. Shocks do only one thing dampen & control the ride.

asilverblazer · January 13, 2006

Okay well, 36-37"

For the proper adjustment Bounce the front end three times up and down with your hands to settle the suspension. Measure the horizontal distance from the center line of the lower control arm bolt to the bottom of the steering knuckle. The specification for this dimension is 3.6"

There is a diagram of this somewhere but I don't have it.