Need Help with a 2000 Suburban Project

[BangShiftChad]

I'm new around here, and have been lurking for a while, but have a project we need some advice on. It's a 2000 Suburban that we are calling the $200 Hauler on BangShift.com.

We paid $200 for it and it's actually pretty nice. 2000, 2wd, Suburban, 2500, 6 liter, 4L80E, 14 bolt.

We want to lift it a bit and then use it as the family truckster, tow vehicle for the race cars, family hauler, and portable promo stand and announcer stand. And of course we will be happy to go bomb around the desert a bit with it too.

Because it is a 2000 it has coils up front even though it is a nbs. All the spindle companies say the 2001 spindle won't work, and they don't make one for it. All my research tells me that it uses the same spindle as a 1999 2500 Silverado, and all other front end parts support that like tie rods, ball joints, calipers, hubs, rotors, etc. So I'm confident that it is the same as the '99.

I've built several lifted trucks that were linked and solid axle swapped, but never a prerunner or lifted 2wd. I am a decent fabricator, so that doesn't scare me. But, as I'm finding no options I'm starting to think that this might end up being a more involved project than we initially planned on and quite honestly I'm okay with that I suppose.

So, if I want to run a 33-35 inch tire under this thing and go have fun with it, what are your suggestions. I'm open to kits and such, and also open to the thought of making something on our own. I'm an out of the box thinker sometimes. I wasn't initially thinking of a LT setup up front, and still think mid travel is all we need, but if there are no real options then I guess we do what we have to in order to build something cool. I even thought about swapping the upper arms and spindles from an 01 onto the thing, which obviously takes some measuring and figuring on ball joint taper and such for the lower. Steering components are easy, they will swap.

Have any of you ever seen a Suburban with pulled rear quarters? I have done it on bedsides before but never on a Sub.

We are doing lighting, induction, exhaust and tuning changes along with the BangShift wrap that it already got and some comfort upgrades that are on the list.

What do you guys think? The reason that I'm hitting you guys up is the fact that many of you have good ideas, opinions, and experience based on what I have read on the site. Please don't think that BangShift is trying to come over here and make a splash. We are mostly drag car and pro touring guys so we figure it is smart to get some advice from "experts".

If you want to look at the truck, here is a link to the story behind it.

Help.

Thanks,
Chad

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[Scott_F]

Before you crack open Pandora's box, maybe just put on lift spindles and some 2" reservoir shocks and call it good.

[BangShiftChad]

Before you crack open Pandora's box, maybe just put on lift spindles and some 2" reservoir shocks and call it good.

That's a problem since the spindle is the same as a '99 Silverado 1500HD, 2500, or 3500 and nobody makes a lift spindle for those. That is why I said I needed to figure something else out.

Right now I'm working with the SEMA tech database to figure out if I can swap 2001 upper arms and spindle onto the 2000 so that it still uses the coil spring but can use the readily available 2001-2010 lift spindle from CST.

I'll keep you posted, but also want to hear any other ideas.

[jeff]

Post a picture of your current knuckle... wheel off.

Aloha

[BangShiftChad]

Post a picture of your current knuckle... wheel off.

Aloha

Will do Jeff. Sorry for the delayed response, I've been on the road non stop for weeks and it all caught up with me over the last ten days or so.

I did do some checking with Moog and know that this spindle will bolt up directly to both the upper and lower ball joint on my truck. According to a couple of GM technical drawings I was able to get the steering arm looks very slightly different with regards to the angle, but the truck uses the same steering box, idler, pitman, and centerlink as a 2001.

The 2000 2wd 2500 uses a different inner and outer tie rod but the 4wd uses the same inner as the 2001 2wd or 4wd. The outer tie rod for a 2000 is wrong regardless of 2wd or 4wd.

So, my way of looking at it is that I should be able to run the correct inner and outer tie rod ends for a 2001, along with the 2001 Lift Spindle, and bolt this bad boy together. A little bit of lift spring and I should be good to go. Now convincing CST or McGaughy's of that is going to be the challenge. LOL

The tend to freak out when you start swapping parts because the public then wants to do the same thing and they have headaches dealing with people who aren't ready to tackle something like this. I don't blame them.

[ErikShallbetter]

Fiberglass fenders up front with 33's (or 35's if they'll fit) put some decent shocks on it and use it as a hauler/truckster. That will give you the look you want but will keep it at a decent height for towing/getting in and out/climbing on to announce. I think Scott is right, once you start replacing suspension parts the potential to snowball increases!

[BangShiftChad]

I've thought of that angle as well. If I'm going glass front fenders, then I really need to pull the rear quarters. I haven't even gotten in their to look at the logistics of doing that on the Sub, but have done it several times on pickups.

I hate it when the front is done and the rear isn't.