Project Stanley: From Slammed to Sky-High

Chris Hamilton . August 15, 2024 . HEADLINE .

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From Lowered to Lifted for a New Look

If you’ve been following Street Trucks for many years, you may remember Project Stanley. This is our 2008 Chevy Tahoe LTZ that we originally lowered as far as we could by using a combination of parts from a few different companies, as well as some interesting tricks we found on YouTube. The truck was hammered and looked really sleek, but it rode about as well as a forklift on a loose gravel road. After enjoying a street-rod style SUV for a few years and replacing many different bushings and motor mounts due to vibration, we decided to switch it up and take this Tahoe to new heights with the help of our friends at Rough Country Suspension Systems, Fittipaldi Off Road, and Atturo Tires.

When shopping for a new suspension, we knew we needed something that came with a new front spindle since we replaced the original ones with drop spindles, as well as new springs for the front and rear of this truck. The new 5-inch lift suspension from Rough Country features a set of beefy lifted knuckles, ¼-inch-thick steel front and rear high-clearance crossmembers, and plenty of muscle to handle hazards both on and off-road. This kit utilizes 100% precision laser-cut materials and the latest in computer-aided-design process. It requires no strut disassembly or strut compressor for installation, as well as no modification to the stock differential mounts, drivetrain, or exhaust.

Our choice for wheels and tires included the new 24-inch FA13 wheel design from Fittipaldi. The FA13 is a prime example of what Fittipaldi Off Road does best—lean, fresh designs that complement modern trucks without distracting. The FA13 confidently and quietly stands out in a crowd of followers and copycats. Tire size is 285/40/24, which gives us a clean, stretched look without being too big and bulky to clear when we turn. These Atturo Trail Blade tires give us the perfect stance: a nice all-terrain look with a thin enough sidewall to run a 24-inch wheel with only a 5-inch lift.

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This combination of wheels, tires, and suspension gives us a killer new look on an old Chevy Tahoe, which should satisfy our need for something new without having to buy an expensive truck off the dealer lot. We’re excited to see and feel the difference in suspension and stance, so we took it to our friend Brenden Diehl at Exclusive Offset in Ocala, Florida, for the two-day install.

**01.** Exclusive Offset in Ocala, Florida, is our go-to shop for anything lifted or off-road related. The crew there has been building some of the best trucks on the East Coast for many years, and Brenden is a highly detailed installer whom we fully trust.

**02.** The combination of this Rough Country 5-inch lift along with 24-inch Fittipaldi wheels and Atturo tires will give our 2008 Chevy Tahoe an all-new look and feel.

**03.** It’s obvious how much taller this truck will need to be to clear these new Atturo tires.

**04.** With any major project, it’s always best to have a buddy with a lift because doing this on the ground would not only take quite a bit more time, but also be extremely frustrating all around.

**05.** Andrew is the No. 1 tech over at Exclusive Offset other than Brenden himself, so we were excited when he was the one who was assigned to our truck modification.

**06.** This lowered suspension will have to be completely replaced, including the shocks, springs, and drop shock extenders.

**07.** Starting on the front, Andrew disconnected the front sway bar and removed the brake caliper and rotor.

**08.** Now he can start to remove the front spindle and hub to replace it with the new parts.

**09.** Next to come off are the shocks and lower control arms.

10. You can see the parts included in this 5-inch lift kit from Rough Country. We just need to install the crossmember for the new controller mount locations and new spindles and springs for the front.

**11.** Andrew and Brenden both installed the front crossmembers, which will give us a new lower mounting location for the lower control arms

12. With the new crossmembers installed, you can see how the control arm mounting points are lower, which will raise the truck stance.

**13.** Now all the guys at Exclusive Offset can reinstall the original lower control arms.

**14.** In order to install the new spindles, Andrew removed the hub from the original spindle and followed the instructions from Rough Country to trim away a small piece of the brake dust shield for clearance.

**15.** You can see the dramatic difference between a lowered spindle and a 5-inch lift spindle for a 2008 Chevy Tahoe. The original hub was soon reinstalled on our new spindle to get it back on the truck.

16. With the control arm reinstalled, it was time to turn the attention to the front shocks, which come fully assembled from Rough Country.

**17.** You can see the dramatic difference between a lowered spindle and a 5-inch lift spindle for a 2008 Chevy Tahoe. The original hub was soon reinstalled on our new spindle to get it back on the truck.

**18.** With the shocks installed, Andrew then installed the front spindle with the brake hub already attached.

**19.** After tightening all the bolts and reattaching the steering linkage and sway bar, you can see how the frontend goes back together.

**20.** Moving his attention to the back, Andrew removed the drop shocks and springs that were installed when we lowered this truck.

**21.** The new spring from Rough Country was then slipped into place on the factory spring perch.

This combination of wheels, tires, and suspension gives us a killer new look on an old Chevy Tahoe, which should satisfy our need for something new…