Tech Article

DJM Suspension installs their 2/3-drop kit for the new Chevy Tahoe
… Story & photos by Marshall Spiegel

07 Tahoe 2/3 Kit

Like all new vehicles manufactured in the U.S., the '07 Chevy Tahoe was born with its butt in the air. It's good looking with well-bent sheet metal; quality interior appointments and a price tag to match.The stock ride height is 20 ¼ inches in the front and 23-1/8 inches in the rear measured from the center of the hub to the lip of the fender well. Since Chevrolet was attacking the market as early as possible with this '07 model, the crew at DJM Suspension decided to attack the Tahoe's ride height as early as possible also. After a bunch of staring and measuring from beneath the company's own '07 Tahoe, undoubtedly the first one purchased anywhere in the Los Angeles area, the DJM engineering department created three-inch drop coils with shock extenders and a 2/3 drop kit evolved for the new Tahoe. For a successful three-inch drop in the rear, the stock bump stops had to be trimmed. As the 2/3 drop kit evolved, the engineering guys discovered that the sway bar had to be moved ¾-inch to the right (passenger 's side) to clear the panhard rod bracket. As a result, two new mounting holes had to be drilled on the left side. Then new DJM end links were installed and tightened. To stop a bind on the existing trailing arm and properly align the drive shaft, the trailing arm relocator had to be tightened also. After the installation was complete, the rear ride height measured 19 ¾ inches, a drop of slightly more than three inches. The front end drop, which turned out to measure exactly 2 ¼ inches, is a matter of removing the stock lower control arms and replacing them with new DJM arms. The DJM twin tube sleeves must be greased before they are installed. An extremely important feature of this DJM front drop are the new DJM ball joints,, each equipped with a fixed boot, essentially a bag that holds grease to lubricate the joint and keeps dirt and impurities away from the ball joint. Stock Chevrolet lower ball joints are notoriously difficult to remove without damaging the boot. Using a pickle fork to remove the stock ball joint is very tempting, but this can easily damage the boot. When the boot is damaged, the grease leaks out and the dirt gets in. A damaged boot creates problems down the road until it is replaced. Other lowering kits may have to reuse existing ball joints and control arms and, in so doing, may damage the ball joint boot. If the boot is damaged in removal, it should be replaced before re-assembly. DJM's newly engineered lower control arms lower the truck 2 ¼ inches and come with improved twin tube sleeves and new ball joints with fixed boots and zerk fittings. The result, according to the DJM engineering team, is perfect front--end geometry and excellent handling. I don't know anything about "perfect front-end geometry," but I do know "excellent handling," and if you get a chance to drive an '07 Tahoe with this 2/3 DJM drop kit, you'll know excellent handling too. In any case, the accompanying photos and captions follow the highlights of the installation of this new DJM 2/3drop kit into the new '07 Chevy Tahoe.

2007 Tahoe 2/3 CALMAX Kit

#1. The stock '07 Tahoe measured 23-1/8 inches in the rear from the center of the hub to the lip of the fender well.

#2. To begin the installation of the rear drop, the wheels were removed.

#3. The extension jack is positioned.

#4. The lower shock mounts are unbolted.

#5. The sway bar is unbolted.

#6. The stock coil springs are worked free and removed.

#7. After the stock rubber isolators are removed and saved to be re-installed, the three-inch rear coil springs with shock extenders are installed.

#8. Here's a comparison of the stock coil spring (left) and the DJM lowering spring

#9. The stock bump stops are removed, trimmed and reinstalled for the three-inch rear drop.

#10.. The shock is fitted into the shock extender.

#11. The sway bar must be moved ¾-inch to the right (passenger side) to clear the Panhard Rod bracket.

12. Two new mounting holes are drilled on the left (driver's) side and the sway bar is anchored with new hardware provided in the DJM kit.

#13. The end links are tightened carefully, but not over-tightened.

#14. This comparison shot illustrated how long the original end link is compared to the new DJM end link.

#15. The trailing arm relocator is tightened to stop a "bind" on the existing trailing arm and properly align the drive shaft.

#16. After the DJM rear drop was installed, the rear ride height measured 23-1/8 inches, slightly more than a three-inch drop from the stock ride height.

#17. The stock front ride height measured 20¼ inches from the center of the hub to the lip of the fender well.

#18. After the front wheels are removed and our installer makes certain the Tahoe is safely supported on the lift, the tie rod end is removed.

#19. With the control arm jacked up and supported with a bottle jack, the taper is broken loose with a hammer and removed.

#20. The control arm is jacked up to remove the spindle.

#21. The bolts holding the lower strut mount are removed.

#22. The sway bare end link is removed

#23. The pivot bolts are removed.

#24. The stock control arm is removed

#25. Here is a comparison of the stock control arm (left) and the newly configured, stronger DJM control arm that provides the 2¼-inch front drop

#26. To prevent damage in shipping, the grease fittings on the twin tube sleeves are installed at the job.

27. The twin tubes are pre-greased and, at this point, they are checked to be sure the grease is flowing properly before they are mounted on the truck.

#28. The control arm is bolted in place with the new DJM nylock bolt provided in the kit.

#29. After greasing the new, improved DJM ball joint with its fixed boot, our engineer installs the strut with the original hardware.

#30 The control arm is then jacked up and the ball joint is installed.

#31. The original sway bar end link is installed.

#32. The original tie rod end is installed.

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