'07 TAHOE DOWN & DIRTY DJM's
3-4 drop kit for the new Tahoe improves the look and preserves the ride…
Story & photos by Marshall Spiegel
The stock rear ride height of the new Chevy Tahoe is 23-1/8 inches measured from the center of the hub to the lip of the fender well. The front measured 20 ¼ inches. Someone somewhere decided that the three-inch rake is fashionable. That same someone must be responsible for the fact that the rear ends of most new American vehicles are noticeably higher than the front ends. Nevertheless, most of us who love motor vehicles seem to agree that the "ass-in-the-air" configuration isn't exactly everyone's ideal. In any case, the engineers at DJM Suspension in Gardena, CA, not only set out to change the stance of the "down-in-the-mouth" Tahoe with their newly introduced leveling kit and their 2-3 drop kit, but they've just launched a brand-new 3-4 drop kit for the '07 Tahoe. The front drop is based on newly engineered upper and lower control arms. DJM drops the rear by installing new coil springs; relocating the sway bar and changing the angle of the trailing arms. It is basically the same engineering as DJM drop kits for the Suburbans and Tahoes of old. The engineering has stood the test of time. The installation is relatively quick, easy and straightforward. The result is a Tahoe, Chevrolet's sizable, heavy, bulky SUV, with a greatly improved stance that becomes aggressive and nimble at the same time with ride and handling that is every bit as good as the stock suspension. DJM's objectives were to create a 3-4 drop kit for the '07 Tahoe that would install easily; improve the vehicle's look and preserve its ride and handling. From covering the following installation and from the time I spent with the '07 Tahoe after the installation, I am convinced that DJM accomplished each of its goals. DJM has even managed to keep the new 3-4 drop kit affordable. No new shocks are required for this drop since the new Tahoe has struts rather than front shocks and the rear retains the stock shocks with shock extender.
The front 3-4 DJM drop kit for the '07 Tahoe consists of newly engineered upper and lower control arms that now come with new ball joints and fixed boots. |
The stock front ride height measured 20¼ inches, measured from the center of the hub to the lip of the fender well. |
After removing the front wheels, our installer begins the front drop by removing the tie rod end. |
With the stock lower control arm up on a bottle jack, the taper is broken loose with a hammer and removed. |
The lower control arm is jacked up so the spindle can be removed. |
The bolts holding the lower strut mount are removed. |
Next, our installer removes the sway bar end link. |
Then the pivot bolts are removed. |
Now the stock lower control arm can be removed. |
Here's the stock lower control arm (left ) beside the newly engineered, stronger DJM lower control arm that has been designed to contribute to the three-inch front drop. |
To prevent damage in shipping, the grease fittings are packaged separately and the installer is required to screw them in place on the twin tube sleeves. |
The twin sleeves are pre-greased and, before they are mounted on the truck, they are carefully checked to be sure the grease is flowing properly |
Each new DJM lower control arm is bolted in place with a nylock nut supplied in the kit |
The lower control arm is then jacked up and the ball joint is installed |
Then the original sway bar end link is installed. |
New DJM upper control arms come with replacement ball joints and all necessary hardware to mount them. |
Here's the new DJM ball joint mounted in place on the DJM upper control arm. |
The grease fittings on the twin sleeves of the DJM upper control arms are not installed until they get to the installer |
Ready to be installed, the new DJM upper control arm has been designed to provide optimum alignment clearance and optimum ball joint angle. |
The plastic rivet is removed from its bracket so the ABS wire is free to be relocated. |
|
 The ABS wire is then unplugged |
 Our installer taps on the casting and bracket to loosen the ball joint for removal. |
 Using a pickle fork (as shown) may damage the stock ball joint boot, rendering it unusable. ( DJM's replacement upper control arm is the only such unit in the industry that comes with a new ball joint and grease boot.) |
 The ball joint is removed. |
 Our installer removes the pivot bolts with adjustable cams and the stock upper control arm can then be removed. |
 While our installer greases the new DJM upper control before installing it, we can compare it to the stock arm. |
 The stock pivot bolts and adjustment cams are reused with the new DJM control arms. |
 While the spindle casting is drilled or filed to slightly enlarge the hole so it can receive the new ball joint, the installer must make certain the taper is not disturbed. |
 The ball joint is aligned with the spindle; two flat washers are used as spacers between the spindle and the nut and, after the nut is tightened, a new cotter pin is installed |
 The ABS wire is carefully routed around the DJM control arm and the ABS wire is plugged back in. |
 Reattached bracket to complete the installation of the DJM upper control arm |
 Tahoe recorded a stock rear ride height of 23-1/8 inches. |
 The DJM 3-4 rear drop kit for the new Tahoe includes new coil springs, trailing arm brackets, shock extenders and sway bar end links. |
 Our installer begins the rear drop by removing the rear wheels. |
 He then positions the extension jack that he will need to install the DJM 3-4 drop kit. |
|
 The stock sway bar is then unbolted. |
 Our installer removes the stock coil springs and then removes and saves the stock rubber isolators to be installed later. |
 The new DJM four-inch rear coil springs with shock extenders are installed. |
 The stock coil spring (left)is considerably longer and made of lighter material than the new DJM four-inch lowering spring. |
 The stock bump stops are removed, cut considerably shorter and reinstalled to work with the four-inch rear drop. |
 The shocks are then fit into the shock extenders. |
 To clear the panhard rod bracket, the sway bar must be moved ¾inch to the right |
 The sway bar is repositioned into two freshly drilled mounting holes on the driver's (left) side and secured with new hardware supplied in the DJM kit. |
 The end links are then tightened. |
 The original end link is considerably longer than the new DJM end link. |
|
 The rear ride height measured 19-1/8 inches, a drop of exactly four inches, resulting from the DJM rear drop. |
After the 3-4 drop, the front ride height measured 17¼ inches and the rear, 19-1/8 inches and the '07 Tahoe shows greatly improved stance, ride and handling. |
|
