What did you do to your GMT today?

[Boricua SS]

Wow such an awesome garage! Any problems with tools rusting or mildew or anything?

No problems at all.. all tools are in tool boxes for the most part... the garage is insulated as well (except the ceiling for now) it was just built this june and is I believe 28' wide by 40' long... either way, I love workin in it lol...

Plasti-dip came out good. I like my Impala as well...just nicely designed and built cars.

Not sure why standard brake work makes a truck high-maintanence


Why would you think that the tools would rust or mildew? That garage is 10 times nicer than mine and I never have any issues of the sort. I guess if i threw tools on the ground by the garage door where water seeps in in hard rains i could have issues, but that garage makes me jealous.

Thx Kyle. Gm got these cars spot on... decent gas mileage and freakin tanks of a motor. Did you ever get your issues sorted out? Was it the converter?

Judging by how bad the brakes were and the fact she knew something wasnt right, I would assume there are a few other things that could be done. Standard maintenace becomes high maintenance! Lol.

She's junking the truck in January for a new ride.. so she really doesn't care.. she just had me do the brakes cause she knew somethin was wrong.. its actually a nice blazer too.. '01 w/80k mikes on it... such a shame to let it go... but, she wants sonethin new..

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Thx Kyle. Gm got these cars spot on... decent gas mileage and freakin tanks of a motor. Did you ever get your issues sorted out? Was it the converter?

She's junking the truck in January for a new ride.. so she really doesn't care.. she just had me do the brakes cause she knew somethin was wrong.. its actually a nice blazer too.. '01 w/80k mikes on it... such a shame to let it go... but, she wants sonethin new..

Yep. Replaced convertor but still a bit low on mpg for some unknown, but runs good. Hoping the cat burns it some and it works out.

I might know someone interested in one of those blazer for a project...shoot me some info if its going cheap.

 

[Short Bus]

I ordered new tires, 255/75/17 Kenda Klever M/T's

Klever M/T

 

[Sparky]

Took apart the front driver side suspension today. Those UCA bolts that I was worried about came right out. Well, after I figured out how to get the sheet metal bent out of the way of the front bolt. Stuff going quite well, then....

Whoever came up with the bright idea of using an allen wrench on a shock shaft to hold it in place should be shot!

There is some rust on the upper threads of the shock. No biggie I thought. Until that darned hex rounded right off when trying to loosen the shock nut! Long story short it ended up just splitting the upper part of the shaft. But this of course is after I got the nut loosened by a couple turns, so I can't just stick it all back together. No, now I have to buy new shocks just because of that #^%(@^(!!! hex

Yes, I'm really frustrated.

Guess I'm ordering new front shocks. They don't even have 50k on them yet and are under 3 years old.

Now the question is can I get shocks here THIS WEEK so I can still use the $40 off coupon on new tires. Probably not, so this will cost me even more

@$#^$#@&$@#^

 

[blazinlow89]

Took apart the front driver side suspension today. Those UCA bolts that I was worried about came right out. Well, after I figured out how to get the sheet metal bent out of the way of the front bolt. Stuff going quite well, then....

Whoever came up with the bright idea of using an allen wrench on a shock shaft to hold it in place should be shot!

There is some rust on the upper threads of the shock. No biggie I thought. Until that darned hex rounded right off when trying to loosen the shock nut! Long story short it ended up just splitting the upper part of the shaft. But this of course is after I got the nut loosened by a couple turns, so I can't just stick it all back together. No, now I have to buy new shocks just because of that #^%(@^(!!! hex

Yes, I'm really frustrated.

Guess I'm ordering new front shocks. They don't even have 50k on them yet and are under 3 years old.

Now the question is can I get shocks here THIS WEEK so I can still use the $40 off coupon on new tires. Probably not, so this will cost me even more

@$#^$#@&$@#^

you had the same joy I did when I did my suspension, entire threaded portion of rod was corroded to hell. Stripped the hex nut, could not grip the rod with vice grips, so I went the next course of action. Sawzaw straight down the shaft through the nut, washer and top mounting washer. Not recommended course of action but it go the job done, all while clamped with the screw style spring compressors.

The bilstein HDs seem better made, I've been spraying them with some liquid A corrosion prevented that is used at work.

 

[Sparky]

you had the same joy I did when I did my suspension, entire threaded portion of rod was corroded to hell. Stripped the hex nut, could not grip the rod with vice grips, so I went the next course of action. Sawzaw straight down the shaft through the nut, washer and top mounting washer. Not recommended course of action but it go the job done, all while clamped with the screw style spring compressors.

The bilstein HDs seem better made, I've been spraying them with some liquid A corrosion prevented that is used at work.

These ARE Bilstein HDs. That's part of the reason I'm so frustrated. I guess I have wonderful Ohio road salt from winters to thank for destroying the very tip top of the shock shaft for me.

 

[blazinlow89]

My passenger side one gave no problems, the driver side was the PITA.

 

[bigytwotone]

Today out in kelowna working and loud bang run out side and all I see is steel pipe all over the road and around my truck and this is what it did to my truck

Now it dose not look that bad in the photos but it's 18" long 10" wide and goes in 1/2" I was pissed and ICBC won't cover me I was apparently parked in a no parking spot but there are no signs to tell me I was

 

[jrSS]

These ARE Bilstein HDs. That's part of the reason I'm so frustrated. I guess I have wonderful Ohio road salt from winters to thank for destroying the very tip top of the shock shaft for me.

Good lord....mines my dd and mine don't look that bad

 

[smitty5150]

Well, it was this weekend but I adjusted them a little...still need to check and fine tune the cutoff but it's pretty damn spot on.

 

[Sparky]

Good lord....mines my dd and mine don't look that bad

I just checked and those have only been on the truck since May of 2011. Pretty ridiculous Just put in an order for the two new ones. Sigh.

Is it safe to leave the spring in the compressor for the next few days until the new shocks arrive or is that a bad idea? I only have hand tools so it takes some time and grunt to compress them.*edit* never mind, I went ahead and released almost all pressure on the spring. Still keeping some since the nut is compromised.

Well, it was this weekend but I adjusted them a little...still need to check and fine tune the cutoff but it's pretty damn spot on.

I really like that. You should make the turns LED strips or something

 

[dmanns67]

What gears do you have? How much city driving? Hoping a tune would bring that up some...

Gears are stock. I do have a PCM tune. I had it tuned for 93 octane which is what I always use since I bought my TB.

I work Sunday through Thursday and a round trip each day is 17 miles city (30mph-50mph) and 40 miles highway (60mph-80mph). I fill up once a week (16-18 gallons), so I am averaging 85 miles city and 200 miles highway each week. That is not counting any miles from running around on the weekend.

When I drive 100% highway, I have seen 20mpg-22mpg.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

There are 3 stock gear ratios...

You seem to be getting some pretty good mpg honestly.

 

[Playsinsnow]

There are 3 stock gear ratios...

You seem to be getting some pretty good mpg honestly.

Been sitting on the tune bug for some time. I have the same granny gears, 3.42, and see same mpgs with a lower hp motor. We'll have to race...

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Been sitting on the tune bug for some time. I have the same granny gears, 3.42, and see same mpgs with a lower hp motor. We'll have to race...

Get the tune. One of best mods I made.

I don't race.

 

[Playsinsnow]

Get the tune. One of best mods I made.

I don't race.

I always tell myself I will send my pcm in. Just a matter of taking it out, filling out the form and making it happen.

I say race because if he kicked my @$$ I would order the tune on the way home lol

 

[STLtrailbSS]

Got fed up and bought a press for the rockers made short work of them $36 Harbor Freight best place to go for the oddball pieces

 

[DJones]

I raced a Mercedes and won. He eventually passed me, and waited extra long at the red light. I don't understand why people race to red lights.

 

[Matt]

I raced a Mercedes and won. He eventually passed me, and waited extra long at the red light. I don't understand why people race to red lights.

Traffic light Grand Prix!

 

[STLtrailbSS]

changed the oil 7qts still running mobil for now.
Magnet looked pretty good nothing alarming me.

 

[Sparky]

Considered working on another project while waiting on the shocks to arrive but watched Youtube videos instead

 

[smitty5150]

Cutoff from about 30'.....

 

[05tbowner]

Bought Cragar Soft 8's in 17x8. Also bought a new shift knob. Should all be here by the end of the week. I bought 1 inch adapters, too.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Bought Cragar Soft 8's in 17x8. Also bought a new shift knob. Should all be here by the end of the week. I bought 1 inch adapters, too.

Can you take some pics of how much you cut off all your wheel studs please? Really wondering if on the rear you get into threaded portion.

 

[jimmyjam]

called the dealership to schedule for my driver door switch recall... ugh what a pain, I asked if the part was in stock and they tell me that first I have to go there and they will determine if I need one. I have an intermittent issue where the BCM doesn't know the driver door has been opened, I'm pretty sure this thing has issues and needs replaced... how much money should I bet they don't have it in stock and i'll have to make 2 trips...

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

called the dealership to schedule for my driver door switch recall... ugh what a pain, I asked if the part was in stock and they tell me that first I have to go there and they will determine if I need one. I have an intermittent issue where the BCM doesn't know the driver door has been opened, I'm pretty sure this thing has issues and needs replaced... how much money should I bet they don't have it in stock and i'll have to make 2 trips...

Thats what they did to us.

 

[fireman4215]

Took the roof rails off the truck.
Before

After

And on a side note I have two Saab 9-7x roof rails for sale if anyone's interested.

 

[MAY03LT]

Installed a pair of underhood lights and got most of the harness made for them. They're going to be modded to hold a lot of LEDs in each housing.

And while I was there, I finally deadened the hood so hopefully now it won't flex with the stereo on.

 

[Boricua SS]

spoke to the engine builder today, and my motor is still sittin on the floor ... he's pretty backed up... 4 weeks at the very least...

 

[DJones]

Took the roof rails off the truck. And on a side note I have two Saab 9-7x roof rails for sale if anyone's interested.

One of my favorite parts are my chrome roof rails because they're uncommon. You have a good price on those. I paid $75 and had to pick mine up.

 

[DDonnie]

I did this.

View attachment 30872

 

[Sparky]

The new shocks arrived today, so I made short work of the stuck nut on the old one with my angle grinder. Lopped it right off. Separated the mount and WTH the mount rubber is cracked. Well I'm not going to put that back in there that way So new mounts on order. If I was smart I would have ordered new mounts when I ordered the shocks. But no, I'm not smart

Thanks to the delay with the shocks I wasn't going to get the tires until next week anyway, so whatever. Amazon Prime will get them to me on Monday and I'll put it all together that night.

 

[kjkim93]

Took the roof rails off the truck.
Before

After

And on a side note I have two Saab 9-7x roof rails for sale if anyone's interested.

Looks great!

 

[blazinlow89]

The new shocks arrived today, so I made short work of the stuck nut on the old one with my angle grinder. Lopped it right off. Separated the mount and WTH the mount rubber is cracked. Well I'm not going to put that back in there that way So new mounts on order. If I was smart I would have ordered new mounts when I ordered the shocks. But no, I'm not smart

I forgot to order the mounts when I ordered my struts as well, thankfully I remembered before they shipped that day and a quick call to shockwarehouse and he added them to the order before it shipped.

Washed it today and gave it a quick detail, the Jetta is tomorrow.

 

[STLtrailbSS]

heads= D O N E

 

[dmanns67]

Took the roof rails off the truck.

Looks awesome Fits better with the blacked out look. How did you fill the holes in the roof?

Installed a pair of underhood lights and got most of the harness made for them. They're going to be modded to hold a lot of LEDs in each housing and while I was there, I finally deadened the hood so hopefully now it won't flex with the stereo on.

Now you need to install a set of RedLine Tuning hood struts

Wonder why GM decided not to put lights under the hood on the TB Guess no one ever needs to look at the engine compartment at night.

 

[fireman4215]

Looks awesome Fits better with the blacked out look. How did you fill the holes in the roof?

I painted the ugly metal rings black using my touch up paint. used silicon and black plastic pieces to push into the holes.

 

[Matt]

Wonder why GM decided not to put lights under the hood on the TB Guess no one ever needs to look at the engine compartment at night.

They did...just not yours!

Actually, the 02's and maybe some 03's have them, then the cost cutting began and that was a part that was deleted.

 

[Sparky]

My 02 has a light.

It rarely turns on. I usually have to smack it to get it to work, but then it goes out later again. Also its location is only useful for the fuse box as having it in the corner leaves everything else pretty much dark.

 

[jrSS]

Bought me a new grill
Not my truck in the pic.