Are you carrying heavy loads or has any suspention changes been made? such as lowering or raiseing?
If the front end is rattling after shocks were replaced on a 1998 Chevy Z71, it could be possible that a bolt was left in the wheel well behind the hubcap. It is also possible that not all of the bolts were tightened down securely.
Z71 is an options package with skid plates and different shocks.
Take a regular 4x4 Silverado, add skid plates, Bilstein shocks, and Z71 badging, and you have a Z71 Silverado.
I used to work for a Chevrolet dealer and yes the Z71 option package included heavier duty shocks than the standard suspension option.
Z71 is an options package which included skid plates on the underside of the vehicle, and I believe it had different shocks, as well.
Z71 is the "off-road" suspension package. It adds jounce bumpers, larger shocks, and skid plates.
Off road package..skid plate abd special shocks
It is a 4x4 which is a 4 wheel drive. answer Z71 is the GM code for the offroad option package. it includes, among other things, upgraded shocks, skidplates, and some badging.
There is a small noticable size in lift, maybe a few inches or two, and usually locking diffs such as LSD or solid rear axle or maybe G80 locker. I have a 94 z71 and it's loaded with all sorts of off road stuff, there is like 3 skid plates underneath it, huge blistein shocks, small lift, ofcourse, the z71 stickers, and limited slip diffs
The hub bearings in a 1998 Z71 can not be repacked. The bearings are part of the hub, and the hub assembly will have to be replaced.
Z71 is the Chevy "off road" package. The standard 4x4 doesnt come with as many options. agree with the first answer as Z71 is the GM code for "off road package." it basically includes bilstein shocks and skid plates, along with some trim features. The 4x4 Chevy is just what it says, only a 4WD. The Z71 on the other hand is a 4WD but it also comes factory with skid plates, improved bilstein shocks, different gearing in the differentials (smaller gears, and a locker), it has upgraded cabin air filters, and most Z71 models from 1997 and newer come with push button 4WD "on the fly".
z71 is the GM code for the upgraded offroad package. it included, among other things, bilstein shocks, skidplates, and some exterior trim. The Z71 also have locking rear diffs.. I believe they pretty much all have 3.73 rear axle ratios.