LML Silverado Duramax C-Max build thread part 4

[Flyin6]

Those things are still adjustable which I like, so they got mounted to the bar loosely, as I proceeded mocking it all up

[Flyin6]

Right away, I found a tail pipe hangar sitting exactly where I need to place the upper link mount, so I cut it off, then welded the mount to the frame.

A bolt would have been impracticable since a large tubular crossmember passes through the frame at that exact point

[Flyin6]

I connected the links to the frame and looked the thing over.

The front of the bar will rise and fall with rear end bouncing. There seems to be plenty of room for that.

The brake line tabs had to be clearanced to allow for this up/down movement, so I cut off a corner of those.

[Flyin6]

Satisfied that it will at least fit and move, I disassembled the thing, applied the supplied grease, removed a spacer plate to get a little better angle, and then torqued the thing up.

Just like that, I think I am done. It was too late to go for a test drive, that will be in the morrow, but for now, I have an installed rear sway bar.

[JR]

Looks good. Who cares which way it points!

[Flyin6]

^^^^^ I'm with you!

Who cares!

[Bigdave_185]

Looks good.  How did it do on the first drive? Adverse noises? Squeaks?


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[Flyin6]

Looks good.  How did it do on the first drive? Adverse noises? Squeaks?


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Dave, I just got back from a couple hour sortie running everywhere but taking the by ways and country roads

I wish I had done this a long time ago. It feels absolutely great.

Gone is the pesky dive and roll when turning into a corner. it mostly just steers around the corner. So much so that I had to drive a bit less. Seems I now can turn the steering wheel a bit less and still hold a line through a 50 mph sweeper. Something else that I have no explanation for. As you know I run that excellent Yukon Grizzly locker. It had "slack" in it. when you let off the gas, then back on, it would back lash just a slight amount and that proved annoying sometime. It doesn't seem to have done that today. Just press the accelerator and you move forward, no waiting. The locker also did not do the clunky disengagement thing that it sometimes does. This drive was certainly too short to verify if that has stopped.

Overall, the truck feels planted, flat, and more secure in corners at speed. THere is no noise what so ever, and no notchiness. It just rides better.

[Bigdave_185]

I wonder what affect that will cause on tire usage,   You were on the hunt for new rubber not long ago, unsuccessfully but hat might greatly aid in keeping rubber on the tire.   Was this all with out a trailer?


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[JR]

Glad it is doing what it should. Those rear tires do not look like they will last the winter, if till then!

[Flyin6]

I wonder what affect that will cause on tire usage,   You were on the hunt for new rubber not long ago, unsuccessfully but hat might greatly aid in keeping rubber on the tire.   Was this all with out a trailer?


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No trailer, just truck.

Hauling the trusses down to farmside tomorrow will pull the trailer then, but frankly, that's not much weight

[Flyin6]

Glad it is doing what it should. Those rear tires do not look like they will last the winter, if till then!

Roger that

And for now, I think I have found a good and proper tire.

Factoring in cost as an equal factor, I think I'll buy a set of Radar R7 in 35 12.50-18 when the weather shifts to colder climes.

[JR]

I really like my cooper stt's Don. Think its been 2 years now and I will easily get through this winter with them. Just had em rotated/balanced and they still have 1/4 front (center) and 3/8 in the rear.

[Flyin6]

So, after that experience with National Tire and Wheel that turned out so well

I now have tires

Thanks to Mark Hayes

Those who followed over on that thread know I settled on the BFG KM Mud Terrain Radial in fitment 37 12.50R18

These are Load Range D, 8 ply tires, so not as heavy duty as the 10 ply Toyos. But they had max loads around 3400+ per tire, so plenty enough tire for the lighter hauling I do every week

[EL TATE]

 

[Flyin6]

So as to not allow any grass grow under these tires, it's off to the tire shop

Actually off to a whole bunch of them.

That, too turned out to be an experience.
I went to the Tire Discounters in Walton, Kentucky. When i arrived I noticed the shop had no cars inside! Eureka, I'm first in line!
So I walks inside, I do. Then I's asks, can I get me five tires mounted up, there pretty please.

The man I is ah talkin to looks right back at me, he does and says, he can't get to me today. Now confused I am, so asks of the man, "Now why is that, cause, i don't see anyone in the shop?"
He sez, well that's cause there isn't anyone working today.

So I get's to thinkin, I do. Is it Christmas? No, not Christmas. Ah, is it Thanksgiving' Day? No, not thanksgiving either. Hmmm, Lincolns birthday, national arbor day, golden lilac remembrance day? No none of those.
I must have looked confused cause the man, he sez. "I had four of my five tire changers quit on me, and I just had to fire the fifth. I don't have any tire changers left.

Bad day, I'm thinking, so I ask if Mark can at least align the front end. He looks down and tells me that he, too has quit!

I didn't have time to sit and listen to what must have been a pretty good story, so I ask him if he can get me in the next town over, and he does over the phone and tells me to hurry up and get there.

Now that place is chock full of cars. The man tells me that he can't do the alignment, but if I agree to sit there until closing time (3 hours) he thinks he can get me done, but no alignment.

He says he is short on help. I was almost afraid to ask, but I did. The alignment guy quit (Can't make this stuff up) and all but one of heis tire changers also quit!!!!!!

OK, something definitely not so good going on with this company, so I respectfully decline any further service and just leave

I drove over to carmax. They can not do 37" tires. So I drive to Tom Gill Chevrolet. A very courteous young man asks the service manager if he can help me out. That guy says, no, unless you buy the tires from me.
Now there is an interesting side note here. You see I was just about to buy a 1 ton dually, a 3/4 ton truck, an impala and two midsize cars along with a commercial only 2500 suburban to have some heavy stuff installed in it. Because of that one incident, That dealership, whom I was going to use will see none of that business. His mottos says something about being a business of caring or something like that...

I then drive to GMC. THey can't get to me until Thursday and they never heard of balancing with beads (Are you kidding me???Isn't GMC supposed to be a truck store???) I then go to a place called Steels who can get to me the next day. But $25 a tire to change and another $15 a bag for the beads.

At this point, I threw up my arms and went to TSC to buy a water pump for the cistern holding tank at the farm. I run into Larry who works on Sarge from time to time. I relay the experience and then says "take it to Tire 1 Plus" a truck shop they use
So I did

I am so, so happy I did. THose folks were just great. None of the kid stuff I found everywhere else. These people know tires and trucks.

[Flyin6]

I gravitate toward places like this. If its shiny and new, I am immediately suspect.

The young man, Corey or Cody, man I forgot...Sorry

Anyway, he is very courteous to me and super respectful to "Too-Tall"

[Flyin6]

Too Tall, is an ex Army airborne infantry sergeant who was one of those benevolent leaders who is the fabric, and spirit of the place. Right away he asks me what am I doing there, come to help?

Sergeants...

I counter, nope, come to tell you how to do this!"

I didn't know he was a sergeant, but he took notice to the SOCOM, USASOC and 101st Airborne patches on the topper. So he points to the tire and asks, "So where should I begin?"

I tell him, "Most people would jack the thing up and remove the lug nuts." He points to the very nice young man who he calls "Kid" who does just that.

I sort of get out of the way and away they go. They did things very methodically. After removing the tires, they used a wire wheel to clean the bead lip, and brake cleaner to clean all interior surfaces, then pulled and installed new valve stems. The coated the new tire beads with grease like soap and added the correct size packet of beads to each tire

[Flyin6]

Notice the guns on Too Tall? 70 years old, that one, but the Airborne in him still works out!

And the process continued

[Flyin6]

And he and I traded Armee stories and the friendship thing came to visit.

But all too soon, it was all over and time to go. I left Too Tall a little something and away I went.

[Flyin6]

First surprise: The tires are smoother!

Second surprise: They are quieter than the Toyos!

Third surprise. Now I can't explain this, but the GPS speed exactly matches the speedo!!!!!!!

Look at the fuzzy pic. You should see 69 mph on the gps and speedo, 20.4 mpg and the reflection of my grill just ah smilin away

[Flyin6]

The truck has plenty of power, more than enough

and pulling into my driveway, the mpg clock was showing 19.0 for the trip. If I am not mistaken, that would be an increase

[Flyin6]

Seems to be the right size tire for my truck to me.

So, the left headlight burned out AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm going to do something this time

I figured its the reduced voltage of the DRL headlight function that is not LED friendly, so I am pulling the DRL fuses.

I ordered new headlight assemblies since mine are starting to show some crazing. I got black projector housings set up for LEDs which I will rewire to kill any DRL function. Should be here in a few days

[KensAuto]

Brother Don, I was going to PM you, but chose to post it up instead...

Those are the first tires I ran on my new truck, but in 35s, also load D. I argued with discount tire about how they would be fine, even tho they said the tire wasn't good enough for an 8k lb truck. The only way they would even sell them to me was if I put them on, so I bought them and had my brother swap them at his shop.
Fast forward about 20,000 miles later (iirc...I posted about it somewhere on here) and they started chopping/cupping badly, and I was rotating often. I always had a vibration that I tried to fix with beads MULTIPLE times, adding weight, subtracting, but all that would change was the mph at which it would vibrate.
They just couldn't handle the weight of the truck. Off they came and I switched to Nittos and have yet to have a balance issue, nor have I had to use beads, even in those raunchy mud grapplers I ran.
Had I realized that these were the tires you were going after, I would've typed this sooner...but...maybe they've changed the compound in the last 4-5 years (hopefully?)

It was a crying shame...I really liked those tires, more than any other to date.

[Flyin6]

Well, I'm $1660 deep into them at the moment and their life has just started.
What I have started, I will complete

I guess the question is where, exactly that end point is.

In the 18" fitment there are not a great selection of tires

Of the ones available, not many are, in my view, affordable

Then of those very few offerings, not many are available

So, for me, at this point in time, there were these and, I think, oh yea, no others!

I was not totally happy in purchasing a 1500 truck tire for my 8700 lb 2500 (3500??) truck. But the Toyos are shaking me apart. They were down to 7/32 on two tires and winter is approaching (Read wet mud, not snow) I have never liked running mud tires at less that 50% tread depth just because of the very real muddy life my truck (hauling my butt) lives.

So what we have here, is another test of this tire on the public stage. Lets see how they do...

[KensAuto]

I didn't mean to sound negative, just throwing out some info. Again, I really liked those tires...a bunch smoother than the nittos, they didn't "track" when hitting grooves in the road, and did really great off road. It was the highway that they didn't hold up to (like above 60mph). I will be waiting and watching, hoping they do well for you. If they do, I'll try them again!

[JR]

I hope they work as they look good on there. With the 4.56 it should be in more of the sweet spot too.

[stlaser]

I hate the KM2's, I loved the old school mud ta's. The compound the the KM2's is too soft which is why I hated them. Basically what Ken stated & I bought a pair that were not round. Couldn't get them to balance right ever. I say all of this and BFG was a great sponsor. They make a great off road tire.

[Bigdave_185]

I had the km2 on a Tacoma and a 1500 Silverado and really enjoyed them.  I have yet to buck up and put them on my Diesel truck but from the looks of my nitto ridge grapplers I will be having them a long time.  Looking forward to how they hold up to the rear locker on your truck.

Now I want gears or to lower my truck back to stock height


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[Flyin6]

I had the km2 on a Tacoma and a 1500 Silverado and really enjoyed them.  I have yet to buck up and put them on my Diesel truck but from the looks of my nitto ridge grapplers I will be having them a long time.  Looking forward to how they hold up to the rear locker on your truck.

Now I want gears or to lower my truck back to stock height


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Yea, regarding the locker and these tires.
They seem to have made the Grizzly locker growl more.
When pulling out onto a street, 90 degree turn, the locker remains engage hopping the rear tires. At this rate, I cannot see the tires lasting long at all.
Now, the Toyos never did that.
Could it be the difference between a 10 ply tire (Toyos) and these 8 ply load range D BFG's???
Or Perhaps tire pressure. I ran the Toyos at 55-60 psi. THe max pressure on these BFG's is 50 and I am at 46 as a start point. Could the lower pressure make for a bigger contact patch and the lower pressure just be putting more tire on the road?

I am having an occasional wobble in the steering wheel at 55-60 mph that smooths out. The mileage remains strong, and I definitely have enough power with those 4.56's chewin up KY roads.

[Bigdave_185]

That pressure seems about right for the size vehicle for my liking.  I ran my nittos at 38 for the first few months. I like them low but it does kill the mpg


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[EL TATE]

I had the km2 on a Tacoma and a 1500 Silverado and really enjoyed them.  I have yet to buck up and put them on my Diesel truck but from the looks of my nitto ridge grapplers I will be having them a long time.  Looking forward to how they hold up to the rear locker on your truck.

Now I want gears or to lower my truck back to stock height


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Yea, regarding the locker and these tires.
They seem to have made the Grizzly locker growl more.
When pulling out onto a street, 90 degree turn, the locker remains engage hopping the rear tires. At this rate, I cannot see the tires lasting long at all.
Now, the Toyos never did that.
Could it be the difference between a 10 ply tire (Toyos) and these 8 ply load range D BFG's???
Or Perhaps tire pressure. I ran the Toyos at 55-60 psi. THe max pressure on these BFG's is 50 and I am at 46 as a start point. Could the lower pressure make for a bigger contact patch and the lower pressure just be putting more tire on the road?

I am having an occasional wobble in the steering wheel at 55-60 mph that smooths out. The mileage remains strong, and I definitely have enough power with those 4.56's chewin up KY roads.

The inside (drive) tire of a turn will always have the load, and the outside tire, with enough resistance, will disengage at the faster rate of speed and ratchet as you negotiate the turn. with the Toyos, you had more contact pattern and a smaller tire creating greater force on the outside tire allowing it to disengage quicker. if you start the turn, power under straight line, let off the gas then turn under coast, then apply power again, you might have a better time of it. I always thought you were getting off easy with the lack of complaints on the grizzly. brute strength and traction don't come free. I have a posi unit now for these things, but I feel it would wind up next to your hydraulic rams the way you operate;-)

[stlaser]

So what you're saying Tate is once again it boils down to operator error?

[Flyin6]

I'm very satisfied with the Grizzly
Even after the quart of grizzly grease that Ashley sent me! ;-))

The projector headlight assemblies came in today. So, off to the races trying to get them done with the light of day

So, packing was good!

But, no instructions in either box.

Instructions for a red and black wire. I figured those were ground and power for the halo rings, I was right.

I spliced the black halo wire into the black wire in the harness, and the red, power lead into the brown wire (Power) of the side marker lamps

[Flyin6]

Not going for a look here.

I have run through a bunch of LED and HID headlights which don't seem to make it much over six months.
Oncoming drivers are constantly flashing at me, but I require a long range, wide dispersal and bright light pattern to catch the things that go bump in the night before they actually start bumping

[Flyin6]

The supplied halogen bulbs were pitiful so right out of the gate, I swapped them out for a pair of 11,000 lumen LED H3 bulbs

[Flyin6]

The high beams are augmented by so many lights, they are not needed anyway, so the halogen yellow will stay around for a bit

[Flyin6]

The factory shiners were heavy and had wires, and ballasts and wasps nests all over the place. The new projector assemblies were mucho better.

Here I am modifying for the H3 style LED

[Flyin6]

The lighting choices from the cockpit are varied. I just noticed one of the Warn 350 floods are kaput!

And those chinaman HIDs I stuck on in the spring are now faded ans will not last much longer. Does anyone sell good stuff anymore?

[Flyin6]

Think I'll order four H4 bulbs for the fogs, and chuck those chinaman long range lights for something better

[TexasRedNeck]

I dont want to say this because they'll probably fail now....

I bought genuiune phillips HID from europe for the Dually and they have been flawless for nearly 4 years.  Of course they were more than 2 hondos

[wyorunner]

Chief,  I'm not sure if they make anything for chevys but check theretrofitsource.com. I ran a set of there stuff for years on my 4Runner. To the point our abuse of the rig caused it to fail after about 5 years. Called em up and asked about the fail and they said yea you have an early model, and your warranty just lapsed last year......but let's go ahead and get you a new set for something like 25% off. Great stuff really and amazing customer service. Sorry I'm just now thinking of this....


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[Flyin6]

Chief,  I'm not sure if they make anything for chevys but check theretrofitsource.com. I ran a set of there stuff for years on my 4Runner. To the point our abuse of the rig caused it to fail after about 5 years. Called em up and asked about the fail and they said yea you have an early model, and your warranty just lapsed last year......but let's go ahead and get you a new set for something like 25% off. Great stuff really and amazing customer service. Sorry I'm just now thinking of this....


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OK, I'll take a look

But

Am I solving problems I don't have yet?

[KensAuto]

That truck looks mucho better with 37s.

[Bigdave_185]

So are you actually going to post a photo of the light output? Yes I know a camera alters the light in an image but find a dark street and take a photo of high beam, low beam, all lights you have on at once.    Also pull up to your garage door about twenty feet back and take a measurement of the beam cut off on low, How high is it from the ground ?

Post photo of view at garage door from inside cab please


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[Flyin6]

So are you actually going to post a photo of the light output? Yes I know a camera alters the light in an image but find a dark street and take a photo of high beam, low beam, all lights you have on at once.    Also pull up to your garage door about twenty feet back and take a measurement of the beam cut off on low, How high is it from the ground ?

Post photo of view at garage door from inside cab please


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Something is all screwed up
I mean the light pattern is indescribable, and no part of it is good

I have multiple problems to solve. First the light pattern appears so far left and right of center that the area directly in front of the truck has no light at all.

The headlight assemblies showed up with simple halogen bulbs that were like flashlight size. I replaced them right away with some LED H3 bulbs. I used the ones with the loops of aluminum braid as heat sinks. The heat sinks are directly in line with an existing bulkhead (Read: Doesn't fit well)
When installing the headlight assemblies, those loops push the bulb over to a strange angle. I think that may be the problem, not sure.

Also the longish LED lamps looked to be too long to fit the projector housing and cane with a plastic sleeve which positioned the bulb about 3/4" from bottoming. I am not sure these should have remained, but I did install the bulbs with standoff installed.

So, I am pretty sure that the bulbs with the braided cooling sinks simply will not fit although I have run them in the past, albeit with a stock housing. So I'm thinking I start with purchasing some standard LED bulbs with the fan base and replace the bulbs first.

The truck is not driveable at night like it is.

[Bigdave_185]

I am going to follow the other suggestion given or getwith the retrofit company or other and get some headlights built.   I have and love them!!


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[Bigdave_185]

High beam


Hill low beam
High beam


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[Flyin6]

^^^ That's good

Its what I had when the LED bulbs worked in my stock housings.

When the plastic is starting to craze or cloud, it is breaking down. Sunlight does that, happens to aircraft plastics all the time. (They are exposed to more of the sunlight's energy at altitude than we get at the earth's surface)

So I think it is wise to replace them now as the rate of decay will only increase from here on.

Now, I have to figure out how to get "Fittable" LED bulbs in there

Like anything, seldom is the initial offering perfected...

[Bigdave_185]

Call up retrofitcom


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