Anyone install Ground Force Lowering Kit

[murphy]

Im interested in lowering the beast to improve the swayish tippy choppy feeling and appearance too of course and see a few kits are out there.The Ground Force 9855 kit being the most expensive (as it comes with spindles) and the Eibach which only has coils.
Can anyone provide input, other options/kits and installation ease/difficulty.
Appreciate thanks,
Murphmeister

[3DRacing]

I just had a SpringTech lowering kit installed on my Escalade. 3" springs in the rear and 2" spindles in the front. I got it from Suspension Max in Anaheim, Ca. (www.suspensionmax.com or phone 714-632-7024). I paid $330 for the kit & they installed it for another $250. I called some of the local automotive shops and was quoted between $225 and $500 to have the kit installed. A knowledgable alignment/suspension shop should be able to install it in about 2 -3 hours. I drove it for about 100 miles to let it settle in and then had it aligned (for another $75). I am running 305/35R24 tires and so far everything is good. I haven't had any problems other than some minor rubbing in the rear on the plastic fender linings which they said I could either trim with a blade or just let it go and the tire would eventually wear it away. I don't necessarily have rubbing when I hit bumps but I do when I take a corner at speed from the body lean. There seems to be a little more rubbing when turning right than turning left. I have minor rubbing in front with the wheel locked out in either direction but no different than before the lowering kit was installed.

[3DRacing]

Sorry, I hit reply too soon. I meant to attach a photo. Here you go.

Murphy, if you would like to see some before and after photos, PM me with your e-mail address.

[Punmax]

What about the auto ride shocks?

[3DRacing]

Sorry Murphy, but the system will not let me reply to your PM. Apparently I haven't been a member long enough or do not have enough posts. What's up with that? I guess I'm still on probation since I've only been a member for 362 days! If you want to PM me with your email address I can send you some links to my photos online or email the photos to you.

BTW, anybody know what the rules are or when I'll be off probation so I can reply to a simple PM message? Can somone please inform the Cadillac Forum Gods that I'm not a spammer, not a dealer, not a vendor? I'm just a plain ol' Cadillac owner and forum member trying to reply to a PM from another forum member!

[3DRacing]

I just had mine lowered last week. Suspension Max also has the identical SpringTech kit currently listed on eBay for $329.95 + $53.95 shipping.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEWAX%3AIT

I did not change the shocks and Suspension Max did not suggest or recommend that I do so. The kit comes with lowering brackets to relocate the stock rear shocks to accommodate the shorter springs. They also said the rear air ride suspension and shocks would continue to work as normal after the kit was installed and they do not anticipate I will have any problems. They also said I will have no problems returning the vehicle back to stock if I have someone reinstall the stock spindles and springs. So far everything appears to be working as normal and the air ride compressor runs and levels the car when it is started. They just told me to drive it for about 50 -100 miles and then have it aligned after it settles. You will not have rubbing if you stick with the stock tires. I have 24s with 305/35 tires so the wider tires cause the rubbing

Before settling on the SpringTech kit I also looked at the following:

McGaughy's

http://www.mcgaughys.com/tahoe.html


DJM

http://www.djmsuspension.com/


Ground Force

http://www.groundforce.com/default2.html


Eibach

http://eibach.com/cgi-bin/htmlos.exe...27051600019949


Belltech

http://www.belltech-sport-trucks.com/

I would suggest you check them all out and decide which one is best for you. In the end I went with the SpringTech kit from Suspension Max because I could get it cheaper than the comparable kits, they are the actual distributor for SpringTech, they are in my local area plus they offered professional installation, warranty and support.

I will warn you it takes some getting used to it after it's been lowered especially after you're used to seeing it and driving it at the stock height. The first time I saw it lowered it looked really weird and then I got behind the wheel and it seemed like I was sitting so much lower than before. At first I did not like it and almost decided to have it put back to stock. But after a few days I got used to it and now I think it looks so much better without all that space between the fender and tires. For my taste though, I would not go any lower. Suspension Max also said the rear spring will sag another 1/2" over the next few months to level the vehicle even more.

[murphy]

Originally Posted by 3DRacing

I just had mine lowered last week. Suspension Max also has the identical SpringTech kit currently listed on eBay for $329.95 + $53.95 shipping.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEWAX%3AIT

I did not change the shocks and Suspension Max did not suggest or recommend that I do so. The kit comes with lowering brackets to relocate the stock rear shocks to accommodate the shorter springs. They also said the rear air ride suspension and shocks would continue to work as normal after the kit was installed and they do not anticipate I will have any problems. They also said I will have no problems returning the vehicle back to stock if I have someone reinstall the stock spindles and springs. So far everything appears to be working as normal and the air ride compressor runs and levels the car when it is started. They just told me to drive it for about 50 -100 miles and then have it aligned after it settles. You will not have rubbing if you stick with the stock tires. I have 24s with 305/35 tires so the wider tires cause the rubbing

Before settling on the SpringTech kit I also looked at the following:

McGaughy's

http://www.mcgaughys.com/tahoe.html


DJM

http://www.djmsuspension.com/


Ground Force

http://www.groundforce.com/default2.html


Eibach

http://eibach.com/cgi-bin/htmlos.exe...27051600019949


Belltech

http://www.belltech-sport-trucks.com/

I would suggest you check them all out and decide which one is best for you. In the end I went with the SpringTech kit from Suspension Max because I could get it cheaper than the comparable kits, they are the actual distributor for SpringTech, they are in my local area plus they offered professional installation, warranty and support.

I will warn you it takes some getting used to it after it's been lowered especially after you're used to seeing it and driving it at the stock height. The first time I saw it lowered it looked really weird and then I got behind the wheel and it seemed like I was sitting so much lower than before. At first I did not like it and almost decided to have it put back to stock. But after a few days I got used to it and now I think it looks so much better without all that space between the fender and tires. For my taste though, I would not go any lower. Suspension Max also said the rear spring will sag another 1/2" over the next few months to level the vehicle even more.

Thanks for you time and input..really appreciated..
Cheers

[Talented Square]

I read up on a lowering kit and didnt make me any bit interested. but i read put on air bags and i was interested. then i bought air bags and loved it. I have the world of options with air bags and everything is bolt on. also got 26 diablo elite with 305/30/26 kumho tires and it rides smoother and handles better than the factory 22's with 285/45/22

[murphy]

Originally Posted by Talented Square

I read up on a lowering kit and didnt make me any bit interested. but i read put on air bags and i was interested. then i bought air bags and loved it. I have the world of options with air bags and everything is bolt on. also got 26 diablo elite with 305/30/26 kumho tires and it rides smoother and handles better than the factory 22's with 285/45/22

I don't know didley about them but I doubt they would like our -40 degree winters

[3DRacing]

Here's a link to another post in this forum with some additional information regarding lowering kits.

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums...uspension.html (best drop suspension?)

[3DRacing]

Originally Posted by Talented Square

I read up on a lowering kit and didnt make me any bit interested. but i read put on air bags and i was interested. then i bought air bags and loved it. I have the world of options with air bags and everything is bolt on. also got 26 diablo elite with 305/30/26 kumho tires and it rides smoother and handles better than the factory 22's with 285/45/22

Interesting... What kit did you have installed? Where did you get it installed? Any negatives? What would someone reasonably expect to pay for an an air bag suspension kit? How much for installation? Can it be switched back to stock? How much would it cost to put it back to stock?

[Punmax]

Originally Posted by Talented Square

I read up on a lowering kit and didnt make me any bit interested. but i read put on air bags and i was interested. then i bought air bags and loved it. I have the world of options with air bags and everything is bolt on. also got 26 diablo elite with 305/30/26 kumho tires and it rides smoother and handles better than the factory 22's with 285/45/22

More information please! Where did you get your kit from? And how much was it?

[Punmax]

Originally Posted by 3DRacing

I just had mine lowered last week. Suspension Max also has the identical SpringTech kit currently listed on eBay for $329.95 + $53.95 shipping.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEWAX%3AIT

I did not change the shocks and Suspension Max did not suggest or recommend that I do so. The kit comes with lowering brackets to relocate the stock rear shocks to accommodate the shorter springs. They also said the rear air ride suspension and shocks would continue to work as normal after the kit was installed and they do not anticipate I will have any problems. They also said I will have no problems returning the vehicle back to stock if I have someone reinstall the stock spindles and springs. So far everything appears to be working as normal and the air ride compressor runs and levels the car when it is started. They just told me to drive it for about 50 -100 miles and then have it aligned after it settles. You will not have rubbing if you stick with the stock tires. I have 24s with 305/35 tires so the wider tires cause the rubbing

Before settling on the SpringTech kit I also looked at the following:

McGaughy's

http://www.mcgaughys.com/tahoe.html


DJM

http://www.djmsuspension.com/


Ground Force

http://www.groundforce.com/default2.html


Eibach

http://eibach.com/cgi-bin/htmlos.exe...27051600019949


Belltech

http://www.belltech-sport-trucks.com/

I would suggest you check them all out and decide which one is best for you. In the end I went with the SpringTech kit from Suspension Max because I could get it cheaper than the comparable kits, they are the actual distributor for SpringTech, they are in my local area plus they offered professional installation, warranty and support.

I will warn you it takes some getting used to it after it's been lowered especially after you're used to seeing it and driving it at the stock height. The first time I saw it lowered it looked really weird and then I got behind the wheel and it seemed like I was sitting so much lower than before. At first I did not like it and almost decided to have it put back to stock. But after a few days I got used to it and now I think it looks so much better without all that space between the fender and tires. For my taste though, I would not go any lower. Suspension Max also said the rear spring will sag another 1/2" over the next few months to level the vehicle even more.

Thanks for the write up

[3DRacing]

Hey Talented Square,

How about posting some photos of the vehicle as well? I would love to see the vehicle lowered on air bags with the Elite 26s (I went back & forth trying to decide betweeen the 26s or 24s for my vehicle).