Modding 2013 LTZ with Z71 bumpers, fender flares, suspension

I prefer the height/stance/look of the Z71 model, but what I found is a lot of them have high miles and/or are in northern states.  Therefore, I bought a newer LTZ with lower miles near me. I already changed the tires to BFG KO2's and added a Corsa exhaust. Now I am thinking about other mods that can be done.

Bumpers - The LTZ bumper hangs much lower than a Z71.  Can they be directly swapped and has anyone done this?  Do the bolt holes line up?

Fender flares - Unlike the older models, it looks like the flares do not go all the way around the wheelwell and require the Z71 bumpers.  Has anyone put the Z71 flares on their LTZ?

Skid plates - are they easy to add?  Has anyone added them?

Shocks - Z71s have Bilsteins and LTZ does not.  If I change to Bilsteins, will that hamper the self-leveling ability?

Does anyone have pics of an LTZ with all the Z71 goodies added?

Thank you,

Tom

Can't speak to the rest, but I would suspect all models have the mounting holes for the skid plates.  The Gen1 attach with four bolts.  I'd just crawl underneath and look for the mounting holes.  If they are there it would be easy.

First off I have not converted an LTZ to a Z71 Av either first gen or second gen. I have owned Z71s in both gens though.

In bumpers I would have to guess they would fit right up since whole bodies are the same but one area of added expense may be the fog lights since I believe they are different between LTZ and Z71.

Fender flares would need the front bumper to fit well unless you went aftermarket for a generic cut to fit type of fender flare. You may have to consider other end of flare fit with different running  boards or side bars too.

Skid plates should fit right on with right bolts. I remember others installing them on first gen AVs though have not read of others doing it for second gen AVs yet.

Shocks, the Bilsteins on a Z71 are not air assisted so it would be the elimination of the self leveling capabilities and probably set off sensors and warnings to service your AV system unless you found a way to cancel the signal.

Here are some shots of my 2008 Z71 so you have a visual of the differences.

Thank you for all the advice.  I actually saw a second gen Z71 in the parking lot when we were shopping yesterday.  Unfortunately, we were in her car, so no chance to do a direct comparison. The Z71 definitely appears to have a higher stance though. 

My 2006 WBH has a real chrome bumpers, but the 2013 just has plastic covers.  Are the metal bumpers under the Z71 and non-Z71 the same?  If so I think I might be able to just swamp the front bumper cover for a Z71.  The rear bumper cover looked about the same as mine.

How much do people actually use "self-leveling"?

You can open up a whole can of worms trying to compare ride heights between two older vehicles unless you know all the factors that help set the height.
Things like how many miles on each vehicle, what loads have they carried, what load are they under at the time, are their suspension components at 100%, has anyone adjusted their front suspension keys or added parts, are the tires and rims stock? Then you can have factors like in later years  Z71 package could come on a 2wd as well as 4wd versions of AVs and that may affect stance.
I don't know if the parts under the bumper caps are the same but don't forget you may need new fog lights and housings too.
As far as using "self-leveling" question that is sort of like asking how often do you use your shocks? It is a constant use system that  gives you a soft smooth ride on the road in addition to compensating for increased loads in the bed or when towing. It would also be something that a LTZ AV buyer would expect to find and maybe would take off in purchase price if they knew it was missing. It would probably take hundreds of dollars or more to replace if missing.

My lady needs a smoother ride for medical reasons, and having owned the 2006 for many years, I can attest that the ride was definitely more rugged. Therefore, I am creating a hybrid LTZ 4WD and Z71 with most of the Z71 goodies except the offroad Bilsteins and springs. Attached are a couple of pics from other vehicles I have seen...suburban front end with insert painted black...and Z71 Av with LTZ wheels.

I am currently doing a staycation and the mods are finally in progress...along with some painting and repairs. In addition to the front bumper components, flares, and fog lights, I am also adding the transmission cooler and Z-71 skidplates. One of the biggest things I miss are the 3.42 gears. The 3.08 is way too anemic. However, disabling AFM has helped some. Perhaps sometime in the future, I will mod to 3.43, 3.73 or 4.11. On the plus side, I am sure the 3.08 gives me better mileage.

One big source of confusion in another CAFCNA thread is the skidplates and whether the 2nd Gen Z71 uses special bumpers and mounts for the skidplates, or do they bolt directly to the frame. Could someone with a 2nd Gen Z-71 please take some pics of the oil pan and transmission skidplates under their truck to help answer this question? Some people have expressed concern about how the skidplates are being mounted. Here is the link to the other thread discussing this:


Thank you,

Tom