When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
LOL...
rockauto...although they sell OEM as well...I opted for something with more stroke...Gabriel Ultras...apparently the oldest manufacturer of shocks...
got great reviews and decided to give them a try.
Alrighty then...
did a deep clean on the carpets using my steamer and shop vac and a variety of carpet cleaning stuff...there was a sticky film on it an a chemical smell I couldn't shake...didn't want to just cover it all up with the all weather mats (that finally arrived in black, like I should have ordered. Originally got dark grey but it wasn't dark and totally clashed with the interior).
" target="_blank">
here you can see my sewing job on the driver seat...came out okay and it'll buy me time before a permanent solution
" target="_blank">
and tackled this today...they looked old and rusty...figured for $105 for all 4 of the "premium" Gabriel shocks, I couldn't go wrong.
" target="_blank">
" target="_blank">
Still left for the day, going to plastidip the chrome grill to see how I like it, and also going to wash and wax her. The water and dirt clung to it pretty obviously in our trip out of town last weekend. I also got new fog light housings and bulbs...one was taking on water and the bulb burst. Got the set for $24 including the bulbs. Fucking Murica, Fuck yeah.
Still waiting on the center cap decals and I need to gut the cats as they have a loose substrate and make a crazy rattling noise at cold startup.
So, verdick is...the old shocks were tired. and rusty. These are sporty feeling, rides firmly over short speed bumps and very comfortably rebounds over longer humps.
Small bumps are non-existent now and overall the suspension just feels refreshed. Cornering also seems vastly improved as far as weight shift and body roll.
Money well spent!
also, digging your car jacks... I need to replace mine as one has completely failed and the other is showing signs of failure. Fucking Costco.
and jack stands FTW
Thanks man...yeah, I had the all aluminum one too but it was failing and I was downsizing during the divorce so I just kept those 2 jacks. I love em...low enough profile for the S2000 and go high enough for the Yukon!
I also have one old school one and a couple of bottle ones...
Originally Posted by TacoBello
Wait... is there no springs involved in the suspension? I know nothing about big truck suspensions
No sir, I was a little confused as well at first. Torsion bars...aka straight springs with a hex on each end...where you put tension on it with a bolt on a "key"...
Originally Posted by Stapler
I was too miffed. I didn't realize chevy was still using torsion bars on trucks that big at that time.
Time to re index them and put the front in the air! I believe it's called the poor man's lift, or the southern squat.
yes sir, I learned it quickly...girlfriend was making fun of me for going over speed bumps like I was still in my slammed TL...so I showed her who's boss and hauled ass over them. When I parked at home I was like, is
the front lower? LOL...maybe it was in my head but I'm pretty sure I made the torsion bars move in the hex end in the lower control arm. So I checked the bolts on the keys and bam...one side was much less torqued up...
so I bumped both of them almost all the way up and gained an inch or so. Evened out the front and rear a bit but it did made the ride more harsh. So today I backed it off a little bit to make it more compliant.
Originally Posted by TacoBello
RS, are you just cutting the cats out completely and straight piping in that spot instead?
I'm thinking of cutting a window into the cat, clearing it out and then welding the window back in...kinda trying to avoid the exhaust bolts since I'm assuming they might be rusty.
Originally Posted by cu2wagon
you can see the spring in the picture with the ghetto-redhot "jack stand". It's inboard further, right behind the trailing arm.
Separate shock/spring. Makes servicing those shocks a piece of cake. Usually one nut and one bolt or two nuts and it's free.
In the rear, yes sir...
and yep, super easy to install although in the rain, it took me a good 2 or 3 hours since I took my time.
Honestly, I don't like a lift on most trucks unless you go crazy super swamper oversized tires.
On a stock wheel, a mild lift works and I gained 1.5 inches over stock with the new 20's on a 60 series.
Plus, even the cheap lifts are supposedly not "doing it to the right way" and you'll wear out other shit...
the legit kits are substantially more expensive too.
Jason...easy peasy...21mm socket and a variety of extensions and a 21 or 13/16 wrench...that's the rear...
front up top is a 15mm nut and something to hold the shock from spinning. I did one corner at a time...very easy...one jack for the corner, one jack for under the rotor to align the bolts and take pressure off.
Gabriel Ultra from autoanything...it's their premium line. Also, check his steering for a thud/thump...if so...I can walk you through unbolting the front steering arm and basically jerking it off to get the grease back down in it so it stops.
The truck had had a little paint work done before my ownership so there was overspray on the roof and rear hatch...I clayed the whole thing and finally waxed the shit out of it. J was making fun of me for cleaning up our off-road vehicle so I had to show her I wasn't afraid to get it dirty...LITERALLY 2 hours after I finished.
Thanks man...yeah those are the upgraded 20's I got...I specifically got the Michelin Defenders because they rated pretty capably for off-road but still smooth on the highway...
good enough for me!
Plus, my 6500 pound vehicle ain't right for real mudding anyway.
Looking good.
Maybe look into Katzkins or Clazzios if you want to re-do the seats.
Fog lights are a common problem on that generation of trucks. Seems the majority have cracked/broken/missing lenses & burnt out bulbs My dad's Silverado has had them broken for years.
a set of new ones WITH bulbs was $24 shipped from amazon and are held in with 2 10MM bolts...
lol...
Thanks man, yeah, for now I'll leave it alone but I'll eventually have the bolster redone.
05-17-2018, 05:58 PM
For $105 I think I might need to tackle this for my pops.
My dad's Silverado has had them broken for years.
