Towing and Suspension

[SilveradoWV]

The max trailer weight for a reg cab 4x4 4.8 is 5000lbs, unless your truck is a Z85 or Z71, then it is 7200lbs! What do these 2 packages have in common that allows them to tow the extra weight?

[Shaners]

It's all in the shocks...  The Z85 and Z71 suspensions have larger diameter shocks...  There may be a slightly stronger front torsion bar on the Z71, but it is basically shocks...

[HillHound]

Shaners is 100% right, as usual   .  GM uses different sway bars in their various suspension packages also but I don't know the details.

[Dihappy]

Hmm, i thought it was 9200, or maybe thats just the xtended cabs.

 

 

 

EDIT:  My bad, im thinking of the 5.3's

[kevinc]

I crawled under new 2002 1500s at the dealer after I bought mine, and observed the Z71, Z85, and generic 4x4 all had the same front torsion bars as identifed by the 2-letter sticker.

[Dihappy]

If its a half ton, they should all be the same.

 

However, i know even 1/2 tons have different rated Tbars.

 

 

The shocks should be different tho

[SilveradoWV]

My truck is a Z85 and it has some pretty long BLUE shocks. The RPOs for my t bars are FK2 and FK3!

[racer0175]

i'm no expert, and i haven't messed with my torsion bars yet, but they are adjustable for a reason. gm (or any car manufacturer) for that matter would want to use as few parts as possible in there vehicles. as said above the torsion bars are all the same in those vehicles, but i bet they add an extra turn for different applications z71 gets different shocks, the skid plates and alittle more on the torsion bars

 

just my 2 cents

[SilveradoWV]

Yeah something is different up front for sure, my Z85 sets about 2 inches lower in the front than the rear, and a Z71 looks a little more level front to rear. I love my stance though!!! Dont think I could squeeze 285's though without some cranking!

[Dihappy]

i'm no expert, and i haven't messed with my torsion bars yet, but they are adjustable for a reason. gm (or any car manufacturer) for that matter would want to use as few parts as possible in there vehicles. as said above the torsion bars are all the same in those vehicles, but i bet they add an extra turn for different applications z71 gets different shocks, the skid plates and alittle more on the torsion bars

 

just my 2 cents

Sorry Racer,

 

The Tbars are not all the same.

 

CHEVY TORSION BAR CODES AND RATINGS:

 

15048307-LH (code XK) (Max torque 4553)

15048308-RH (code XK) (Max torque 4553)

 

15048309-LH (code XL) (Max torque 4626)

15048310-RH (code XL) (Max torque 4626)

 

15712407-LH (code WX) (Max torque 4863)

15712408-RH (code WX) (Max torque 4863)

 

15048311-LH (code XM) (Max torque 5638)

15048312-RH (code XM) (Max torque 5638)

 

15058267-LH (code YH) (Max torque 5913)

15058268-RH (code YH) (Max torque 5913)

 

15712409-LH (code WY) (Max torque 5913)

15712410-RH (code WY) (Max torque 5913)

 

15528957-LH (code GG) (Max torque 6709)

15528958-RH (code GG) (Max torque 6709)

 

15712411-LH (code WZ) (Max torque 7267)

15712412-RH (code WZ) (Max torque 7267)

 

15528963-LH (code GK) (Max torque 8615)

15528964-RH (code GK) (Max torque 8615)

 

15528965-LH (code GL) (Max torque 8782)

15528966-RH (code GL) (Max torque 8782)

 

15732338-LH (code XG) (Max torque 9054)

15732339-RH (code XG) (Max torque 9054)

 

And this list isnt complete either.

[racer0175]

i understand that there are different t-bars available but what are all of those for? are they all for 1/2 tons? i was just going by kevinc posted at the beginning of the thread. He posted

 

"I crawled under new 2002 1500s at the dealer after I bought mine, and observed the Z71, Z85, and generic 4x4 all had the same front torsion bars as identifed by the 2-letter sticker."

 

if this is true then what are all the different bars for 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, different engines? I understand that you can change them for more lift, or to beef up your suspension, and i am sure that they do use them for certain applications, but in kevinc's case it dosent appear to be true.

 

my truck is a z71 with the towing package and it has many of the same options as trucks with the snow plow prep package. I am assuming that when someone orders certain options some parts may be the same, or overlap. how would you find out what the  t-bars in the above list are used for?

 

i'm just trying to understand. (and to be honest i would like to add all of the options that the snowplow prep package has to my truck), but in all the research i haven't seen any reference to different t-bars)