LML Silverado Duramax C-Max build thread part 4

[Flyin6]

So, next up, I needed to repair the tire carrier on the bumper. Years now of carrying that heavy tire and oftentimes also carrying three full cans of fuel have taken its toll and added a noticeable droop to the thing.

The tire carrier used to tuck in closely to the rear door on the capper

[Flyin6]

So the plan will be to cut both sides and the top here, rotate the thing clockwise to the desired angle, re-weld and plate over for strength

[Flyin6]

I used some .250 angle to plate over, then skip welded it into place.

[Flyin6]

And that made a big difference:

[Flyin6]

Before/After:

[Flyin6]

I painted the thing after grinding/cleaning and added some new hardware to the other side

[Flyin6]

It is rattle free and I picked up some improved handling. I ran it through a local road race course and was able to best a Z06 vette and a 911 Porsche!

One of the above statements is true.

[Bigdave_185]

The Porsche is my guess. Probably a convertible with the driver wearing a sun visor


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[Flyin6]

The Porsche is my guess. Probably a convertible with the driver wearing a sun visor


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Man, you're as sharp as a finely honed log! ;-)

[dave945]

I like the rear bumper/tire rack. i need to redo the bumpers on my k5, go a little more stout than stock.

[Sammconn]

Bumper repair looks good.
Tough luck on the tires, He is telling you something I'd guess.
That box looks like how we get stuff up here. Beat to smitherines.
I once witnessed 2x4x.250 wall tubing arrive bent like a hockey stick blade.
20 footers, three feet wide instead of 2".

That sucks.

[TexasRedNeck]

Incompetence at tire shops
Whoodathunkit. Fortunately I've always had good experience with Discount Tire


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[Flyin6]

I like the rear bumper/tire rack. i need to redo the bumpers on my k5, go a little more stout than stock.

You need a LOT more than stock

Quit thinking like someone who came from the Air Force and get real! ;-)

Come on over and check out the bumpers on SquareD. That is what you need.

Air Force...

They must have invented the concept of washing your feet with your socks on!...

[EL TATE]

I like the rear bumper/tire rack. i need to redo the bumpers on my k5, go a little more stout than stock.

You need a LOT more than stock

Quit thinking like someone who came from the Air Force and get real! ;-)

Come on over and check out the bumpers on SquareD. That is what you need.

Air Force...

They must have invented the concept of washing your feet with your socks on!...

Don't worry Dave, Don's just still bent out of shape over the tire pros. I'm sure he's more than happy to show you how to fab an 800lb statue. 

[Flyin6]

I like the rear bumper/tire rack. i need to redo the bumpers on my k5, go a little more stout than stock.

You need a LOT more than stock

Quit thinking like someone who came from the Air Force and get real! ;-)

Come on over and check out the bumpers on SquareD. That is what you need.

Air Force...

They must have invented the concept of washing your feet with your socks on!...

Don't worry Dave, Don's just still bent out of shape over the tire pros. I'm sure he's more than happy to show you how to fab an 800lb statue. 

Tater

Ya know...Some day when you're hopelessly stuck in a mud hole, during a gunfight, and Square D just cruises on by like its on a sunday cruise...Well, on that day you're gonna regret saying those horrible things! ;-))

[dave945]

I like the rear bumper/tire rack. i need to redo the bumpers on my k5, go a little more stout than stock.

You need a LOT more than stock

Quit thinking like someone who came from the Air Force and get real! ;-)

Come on over and check out the bumpers on SquareD. That is what you need.

Air Force...

They must have invented the concept of washing your feet with your socks on!...

Don't you need the bumpers on Square D so you can strap it to the trailer when you take it to the shop?  I don't need bumpers like that, mine runs.
 

[EL TATE]

Looks like Dave can take care of himself.  And should that day arrive, I'll be weeping tears of joy when she motors on past under her own power.

[Sammconn]

I like the rear bumper/tire rack. i need to redo the bumpers on my k5, go a little more stout than stock.

You need a LOT more than stock

Quit thinking like someone who came from the Air Force and get real! ;-)

Come on over and check out the bumpers on SquareD. That is what you need.

Air Force...

They must have invented the concept of washing your feet with your socks on!...

Don't worry Dave, Don's just still bent out of shape over the tire pros. I'm sure he's more than happy to show you how to fab an 8000lb statue. 

Fixed it...

[Flyin6]

I like the rear bumper/tire rack. i need to redo the bumpers on my k5, go a little more stout than stock.

You need a LOT more than stock

Quit thinking like someone who came from the Air Force and get real! ;-)

Come on over and check out the bumpers on SquareD. That is what you need.

Air Force...

They must have invented the concept of washing your feet with your socks on!...

Don't worry Dave, Don's just still bent out of shape over the tire pros. I'm sure he's more than happy to show you how to fab an 8000lb statue. 

Fixed it...

Only thing you fixed is your future here!

You're fired

(I've been studyin' the Trump)

I try and remember to ban you later on after I cook up some crabcakes!

[Bob Smith]

Another one bites the dust.You are with good company however. If Don spent as much time on the truck as firing people, it just might be running.

[KensAuto]

I was just goin' to add...the only way that truck will make it to Tate's neck of the woods, would be if the 'Tuck raised a few thousand feet in altitude and Big D released the e-brake !

[Flyin6]

Another one bites the dust.You are with good company however. If Don spent as much time on the truck as firing people, it just might be running.

Might have to fire another one...That Ken guy is acting up again

Seems I'm losing control here

No, wait, can't lose something you never had

And...I forgot to ban Sam. Crabcakes were so good banning him slipped my mind.

[Dawg25385]

Only thing you fixed is your future here!

You're fired

This is golden. Might be sig worthy.


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[Flyin6]

Sortieing  now a couple times a week to/from the hide, I am accumulating a bunch of debris and dirt along with a healthy dose of dog hair.

This floor is a week or so after a through cleaning and a trip to/from the farm. It gets dirty fast.

To solve this issue I decided that spreading a blanket over the floor was simply not effective. So I purchased a set of weather-tech floor covers for the front and back

[Flyin6]

The rear mat is large, covering all of the floor even the area beneath the seats

[Flyin6]

From vacuumed and shampooed to this in just one trip!

[Flyin6]

Was in a hurry today, so I just tossed the new floor covering right over the mess, protecting it from more dust!

[Flyin6]

The front pieces were very well made and fit like a shadow!

[Flyin6]

Before/after

[Sammconn]

The rear one should help contain the mess!
I forget the newer seats fold up.
Mine fold down, I use a couple packing blankets and one blanket over it all.

[Flyin6]

The underside of the mats attach to some nifty "adhesion disks" which have a lot of sharp little points which will find all the cuts in your fingers if you are sporting them like someone I know

[Flyin6]

The rear one should help contain the mess!
I forget the newer seats fold up.
Mine fold down, I use a couple packing blankets and one blanket over it all.

I was running out of blankest!

I spend a bit of time carefully tucking the things under and around this or that.

Then

The first dog gets in, does a quick clearing turn which unseats the blanket, then he inevitably plops down on the newly exposed piece of not so virgin carpet!

[Flyin6]

The sheepskin seat covers are holding up nicely, but come winter I think I'll opt for some black covers so I get a little cooler lookin'

[dave945]

Those are nice floor mats. I like the fact they double as a concealment garment, I could see your pistol before you put them on. But after, nothing. it was like magic. 

[stlaser]

I like weather tec, need a set for the F150 b4 winter....... JK already sports them 

[Flyin6]

Those are nice floor mats. I like the fact they double as a concealment garment, I could see your pistol before you put them on. But after, nothing. it was like magic. 

Yea? Wow
Amazing!

A/F!!!

[rpar86]

I'm less than impressed with the Weathertech product. I feel that the entire bottom should have the little nubbies that grab into the carpet - especially on the older trucks that don't have the floor mat hook in the floor. They do send a hook that screws into the carpet as a retrofit, but only for the driver's side. As a result, my passenger side slides all over the place.  The do fit well initially, but over time I've noticed that they don't fit as snug. Case in point - my passenger side sliding around has made the mat deform from around the lower a-pillar trim. You step up into the truck and the whole thing goes sliding.

In my wife's rig, it is so bad that the passenger door hits the mat when closing, and the driver side is pulling away from the a-pillar trim down by the parking brake.  I contacted them via Facebook (of all places) and sent a picture of this and they sent me a new front set for the wife's rig -- so at least the customer service is good (haven't complained about the one in my truck yet). That said, I may still opt for Husky liners next time - at least they have the nubs on the bottom.

Just my $.02

[Bigdave_185]

We installed the weather techs in our family traverse, I love the one solid piece in the back of the SUV second and third row.  But like rpar86.  My driver and passenger matts are slowly deforming as we speak.  I called and was instructed to put them in the house in a warm temp and they will go back to shape.   Not sure what the cool of my house will do to mold them any different than the 100 degrees outside will do but. ... I didn't bother


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[Wilbur]

I forget what set I bought for the yukon but the front ones were a thick pliable rubber that stayed put even w/minimal "nubs" (that's the technica term donchaknow?  )... but the back seat one is like a hard plastic molded tray....fortunately it went all the way across the back and the fitment around the back of the console and the legs of the back seat keep it in place but it curls a bit and moves up/down slightly. Definitely shoddy compared to the fronts. But those front ones hold a ton or water which is great in the winter for sure.

[JR]

I am not overly impressed with my weathertechs. They fit OK, but could be way better. They seem to want to curl up and away from the edges. The stupid little screw thing just comes out and I have resorted to small screws for the drivers mat as it keep getting stuck in the door also. And the passenger side has never been the same after 1200 with a boy scout up there. Wish my rear seats folded up, the little mat for the back is a joke for $100.

I do need something for the drivers seat though (no sheepskin though) as after 11 years it is showing some wear.

[Bigdave_185]

There are a lot of companies that offer leather seats.   You could try a brand and let us all know how it goes ?


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[TexasRedNeck]

Ya know...Some day when you're hopelessly stuck in a mud hole, during a gunfight, and Square D just cruises on by like its on a sunday cruise...Well, on that day you're gonna regret saying those horrible things! ;-))

I just spit my drink out of my nose


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[Flyin6]

Weather Tech update

I can give the rear mat an A for performance and containing the debris from a recent farm trip.

The front drivers mat, however is moving around too much. THe excessive heat we have now is making it soft and it remolds itself into configurations that are trying to block my emergency brake pedal.

For that reason, the drivers mat, aka, the most heavily trafficked is a fail in my view and I would not purchase another based on what I am witnessing.

[Flyin6]

So, I finally got the missing hardware package for my rear sway bar.

Helwig sent me two hardware packets actually, so i started installing the bar.

Here is the complete kit as sold:

[Flyin6]

The sway bar is set up to mount beneath the axle housing with a bunch of threaded u-bolt hanging down in "wait-ah-minute" snag territory.

I did not like that too very much.

I started to assemble the link frame mounts, torqueing the passenger side frame mount before moving to the drivers side and making a discovery.

This sway bar will not fit applications where the owner is using the big atlas 57 gallon fuel tank. Where the stock tank has a flat side, the Atlas tank has a boxy protrusion which completely blocks off the frame where one would mount the link on that side

[Flyin6]

So, what to do?

I want to install the bar to get me a tad better handling on these twisty Kentucky back roads, so I wonder if it might just fit facing backwards, and installed up and out of the way, on top of the axle???

[Flyin6]

With that thought in mind, I started to mock it all up to check for clearance.

It will be facing the wrong direction...It will be mounted on top vs on the bottom...And there is a lot going on up on top of the axle.

Well, the mounts seem to fit OK, and they will capture the bar...and by rotating the mount somewhat, the bar can pivot without hanging up on stuff...Hmmm

[Flyin6]

Angles aren't optimum, but other than that, so far, so good...

[Flyin6]

I'm not worried about having a sway bar facing aft, as my H2 Hummer had the rear bar set up like that, and I only broke it once!

The end links are going to be way too long, so I went about shortening them. First to cut it down, and tap the virgin steel using a 9/16" X 18 die

[Flyin6]

With a copious amount of red grease, the two parts fit together quite well

I added the bushings and sleeves and called those parts done