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My 16 Escalade Build

100K views 205 replies 33 participants last post by  BI2011ESV 
#1 · (Edited)
Got the truck tonight. Premimum 2wd edition and thing lays posi pretty easy im surprised. One things for sure IT NEEDS A DROP BAD

Stock front 35.75 ground to fenderlip
Stock rear 38 7/8 ground to fenderlip. Rear needs help bad.



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magnaflow cat back and I will be cutting off the 3rd waste of space cat and doing the full 3.5 inch from the y pipe back. I have to see if I can make the y pipe a 3 inch fill unit also since bottom is flattened

Front/rear lowering kit ordered along with the front/rear swaybars from djm

also bought the djm rear hardware kit with bumpstops for free travel mod

oh i forgot AFE INTAKE

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whipple 2.9 ordered


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parts started coming in

if you need afe intakes just holler can save you over summit or jegs. I will be doing a before/after dyno of the intake also



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I got the suspension parts powdercoated.



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ok so the outside of the eskys are all led.... except the horrible lights above the license plate




i ended up doing 2 of these
5K WHITE 6 LED HIGH POWER 360° 180LM 194 | 1 EACH - 360 - 194 - 168 - 158 LED - Shop Bulb #



Looks much better
 
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#2 ·
i ended up buying front/rear energy suspension greasable swaybar endlinks. This makes it cake to grease it all and i will offer it for my ultimate cornering package for the 15 up gm suvs and yes ocd taking over i will be getting the brackets powercoated to match the bars.

 
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#8 ·
More info on sways please

I asked my shop if I needed to upgrade them, and they said since I had magnetic ride control, it was not needed since that system would compensate faster than anything better sways could do unless I wanted to elevate the base level stiffness - which I didn't due to the booming and buffeting risk with the roof
 
#9 ·
Ive done many 15 and 16 escalades so far with the swaybars and deff helps. The fronts i use are 1.5 and rears are 1.25. Ive lowered over 30 of the newer escalades (2wd) and great results. Also some ive done people just wanted rear lowered to match front which I have tested a set up that works flawless on that also.

One things for sure DO NOT do front springs in front of these trucks. The drop spindles work much better and keep shock stroke the same in front so autoride stays the same. In rear there are 2 brands of shock extenders i use. For rear leveling kit i use a different extender then when i lower the truck 4 inches. You do have some leanway as far as eye/eye height when lowering. I usually try to keep it from 18.5 to 20.25 inches at ride height eye/eye measurement.

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oh if you do lower the front Mill the strut snap ring. DO NOT use springs because it throws ride off with the mag shocks.
 
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#15 ·
so worked late today but got few things done.

Truck was at 35.5 front rear comes in at 38 1/4 ground to fenderlip


Did the free tavel mod on pass side bracket cut off which gives 3 more inches of travel finish up drivers side tomm. Ill prob go back to grind it smooth to the frame but for now just want to get it dropped



insulators on these things are big. I just wrap heater hose on top and bottom coils on them but the oem ones give the truck a 13/16 lift


Belltech 5305 coil left vs oem spring right. Yes i had the belltech springs coated to match oem. OCD strikes again
 
#16 ·
Can't wait to see this thing dropped. REALLY wanna lower mine but have owned tons of lowered cars over the years and never liked the ride quality after lowering. Even with nice coilovers on my BMWs.

Might just end up dropping the rear a couple inches to level it out and call it good.

Please report back on the ride quality once it's all done!
 
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#19 ·
My buddy does the wraps on escalades I lower. I will ask him. Removing the panels would scare me lol


Back to thr suspension here's a little before/after pics. Great ride and the shorter endlinks helped nicely. I don't have that sway when I go over the exit curb going to my work. Spindles and swaybars and adjustable panhard bar going on next.

Front is at 35 5/8 ground to fenderlip and rear is 34 1/4. I will be doing my strut mod and my rear custom springs to being it to 33 level all around its not low enough

 
#21 ·
That looks SOOOOOO much better in the rear, but man, now the front fender gap is REALLY accentuated. I'm thinking I'll just do 2 or 3 inches in the rear to level it out and hopefully be happy with it. :)

What rims you go with? I have the same dark granite color and am having a hell of a time trying to pick a wheel. Chrome is a little too flashy/tacky for my taste, black is played out AND looks like crap with all the chrome bits on the truck.

Was thinking a machined finish would look killer but it's pretty tough to find a machined finish in a style I like. :(
 
#28 ·
I've installed a few of the magnaflow cat back on these trucks so might as well get one for mine. 3.5 inch cat back (others out there are only three) I will be taking out the center valve replacing with straight pipe for flow. I will need it with the whipple 2.9

 
#29 ·
I went to get my new esky dynoed tonight. Afe intake made 24 rwhp/21 tq over stock but that's just part of story. More power across the board and at 3700 rpms we saw a peak of 31 rwtq vs stock. Any questions just ask and thanks to precision auto in san bruno and my buddy jason.

 

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