How Close Can I Get To "z71itizing" My Nbs?

Mazer18 · January 28, 2008

My truck sees a hell of a lot of off road use. Probably 60% on road, 40% off. Problem is I don't have Z71 and I'm worried it is a matter of time before something breaks.

Do yall think I should try to do what I can and buy items that come with the Z71 package? Off the top of my head a skid plate comes to mind as almost a necessity.

Or do yall think that the truck will be alright off-roading without the Z71 items? Like a Rock right?

svensk · January 28, 2008

Uhhh, red shocks and a skid plate... That's the only difference, oh and most come with a G80 which most people don't like anyway.

2017HD · January 28, 2008

Jounce stops and skid plates would be the first things I would add. The skid plate is a simple bolt-on item. Jounce stops are the hard rubber blocks that prevent the suspension from really bottoming out. You might have them already if you have a trailering suspension pkg. Most of the Z71 suspension features are also in the HD Trailering Package - on my new 2500HD I added the skid plate and the G80 locking diff along with the HD Trailering Pkg so I have everything but the decal

mljenkins · January 28, 2008

I have an '06 WT with the heavy duty suspension package (includes the stops) + skidplates from factory. When I am working around the farm the skid plate is a necessity. About everytime I go up or down a hill I think "dang I'm glad that was on there when I bought the truck." The stops probably save the rear end when I have a load and accidently hit a bump too quick.

On a side note cheers to Chevy for fixing the trailer wiring harness in the bumpers on the newer trucks. I am thinking of moving mine up there myself. I already broke the plastic door by dragging the back end coming down a steep hill that levels out fast at the bottom. I can't wait to break the whole metal bracket off next year <sigh>.

The suspension personally wouldn't concern me as much as I don't go fast off road since I usually have something in the bed anyway when I am off road, and don't care to be jared around in the cab... Er maybe the Z71 suspension would help with that :-)

d3athsong · January 28, 2008

Shouldnt be a problem. A lot of gas well operators in the area are driving new Chevs and the company didnt go with a z71 package. Only problems that i know of they have had are with the transmission and those trucks get well used.