Author Topic: LML Silverado Duramax C-Max build thread part 4 (Read 174237 times)

OldKooT · « **Reply #200 on:** March 03, 2016, 11:32:54 AM »

I can say this... the BFG KM2 is the most popular tire sold here. Which is saying something in some ways because people have to drive 120 miles to get a set. They are the only tire that works on muddy roads, doesn't chunk horribly, and lasts 30+k on a 1 ton farm truck,and can handle 90mph freeways. Now mind you I am referring to the 10 ply rated stuff.... not the lighter tires.

Most guys around here run the KM2 in or around the 35" size range. You can't give a way the Toyo's here due to the width sucks on muddy roads, and they wear far too fast on gravel. (some report 15k on large heavy pickups) And they really are not that great in the mud either.

The recent second runner up is the cooper SST Max, but many complain they chunk worse than the BFG (dunno personally)

I may test a set of KM2's soon on my crew cab....depends how small of a tire I run. I should just sell those border patrol bead locks and buy some different wheels and go 40" Rubber.

stlaser · « **Reply #201 on:** March 03, 2016, 11:43:16 AM »

I had km2's 34" on my 01 F350 dually 4x4, couldn't get them balanced & they wore like crap even rotating them every 10k. They'd last maybe 25k......

Flyin6 · « **Reply #202 on:** March 03, 2016, 01:36:27 PM »

Tires, none of them are all that great when you are actually using them or mounted on a heavy truck or in my case with a true locker.
I actually think 25K and I could have gotten 30 if I'd left them alone on the rear is acceptable considering the excellent traction a mud tire gives me. The Toyo MT's have gotten me in and out of all sorts of stuff. I have this one long soupy hole at the farm. I have been through that thing many times now. Once I even stopped in it and waited a bit, then just drove right out.

The Toyos did chunk on me and I noticed some of the blocks were torn at the point where they meet the casing on the drive side of the blocks. Not sure why that was, but they were. This Grizzly locker is a lot more aggressive than the G80's most people are running these days. When you accelerate from a stop immediately into a turn, well the thing locks right away and causes some tire spin. That is what wore the tires so quickly.

OK, that's a given. The locker wears the tires more quickly than a 80 or an open diff. On the plus side, that grizzly locker is ultra strong and like I have said many times before, has never let me down. I just don't get stuck in that truck. I can pull trailers up slick slopes with it without spinning too much. I can cross ditches at an angle which hangs tires sometimes several feet in the air, and yet, I still keep going. For the weight, wheelbase, gear and power of the 2500 Silvy, well, my Silvy, I am satisfied with the Toyo MT's and I love that locker. I suppose a lot of how one feels depends on their exact environmental circumstances and how they feel about the short life of mud tires and their lofty cost.

KensAuto · « **Reply #203 on:** March 03, 2016, 02:22:21 PM »

Kooter, the problem with the KM2s is that they are only D rated from 35" on up. I had to pull the ones off my new truck after trying every which way to balance them. I resulted to using beads, but even they didn't work well above 60 mph. Discount and BFG worked with me to change them out to the Nittos and haven't had any balance issues with them (up to 120mph :) )
It's a shame, i really liked those tires.

OldKooT · « **Reply #204 on:** March 03, 2016, 05:17:51 PM »

Yah....Ken the larger sizes are 8 ply 3750lbs at 50psi. The smaller sizes are 10ply 3750lbs at 80 psi. So that's 7500lbs of capacity on the rear wheels. And 7500lbs on the front wheels....for a grand total of 15000lbs legal capacity regardless what ply they are... odd huh?

I think tires are like toilet paper.... everyone has their preferred brands. The only similarity is they are round and disposable like TP. But some work better than others in some situations, like TP

The harsh gravel here most drive on tears Nittos and Toyos to shreds. Some people reporting less than 10K before there is so much tread damage they won't balance any longer. Good-years MTR is similar....I have personally ruined a set (Mtr's)in 10K miles. In situations like Dons, it sounds like the Toyo's do pretty well. And TRN runs autocross slicks on his truck with good results... so I suspect it's personal opinion, regional and maybe in some cases comes down to tire batches even. And in some cases even the size makes a difference. A 37" KM2 does not perform anything like a 29" KM2 as an example. And I have yet to see a Goodyear MTR chunk here on the gravel if larger than 37". But I can attest a 285 chunks so bad they are worthless in short order.

I can offer regardless of size....a trick that works with balancing.... but I will start a separate thread.

KensAuto · « **Reply #205 on:** March 03, 2016, 08:46:19 PM »

Hmm. I came up with 2900 for 35s, yet 3500 on the 37s....both load D rated.
Weird.

TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #206 on:** March 03, 2016, 11:38:31 PM »

I drove across grass once.....it was dry so the "autocross slicks" worked ok....

BobbyB · « **Reply #207 on:** March 04, 2016, 03:05:46 AM »

Quote from: TexasRedNeck on March 03, 2016, 11:38:31 PM

I drove across grass once

The horror!

Bigdave_185 · « **Reply #208 on:** March 04, 2016, 09:22:10 AM »

Quote from: KensAuto on March 03, 2016, 08:46:19 PM

Hmm. I came up with 2900 for 35s, yet 3500 on the 37s....both load D rated.
Weird.

Bigger tires = less number of rotations

I also think there is a substantial amount of mileage change to the odometers in a large tire vehicle. It's a formula you could work out but I am on Percocets and math is not going to happen

Raising boys into RealMen!!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #209 on:** April 17, 2016, 09:58:39 PM »

Cleaned up the inside of the beast.

THis truck has been working hard. It is my daily driver and gets used in 4WD in mud almost every week. Most times (90%) it is towing something. Ranger scratched the paint and I added to that when I drove out through the forest, as in not on a road or trail or anything...

Plus the interior was getting pretty nasty. SO bad, in fact, today for church, I didn't even want to drive it, so I took the Tiger instead.

So time to clean first, then buff. It took me all afternoon after services to clean it up. Man it was nasty!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #210 on:** April 17, 2016, 09:59:41 PM »

Ha! Found a hat I wore while flying guns in the Stan. Good shape too! Obviously well hidden from the red dog!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #211 on:** April 17, 2016, 10:00:46 PM »

So G-T-G for the drive over to Case tomorrow!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #212 on:** April 19, 2016, 09:50:43 PM »

Well, looking at the thing in the light today, it doesn't look very good at all. It is covered up with swirl marks, so I guess I am going to go over it again with swirl remover/wax.

That HF buffer is terrible. It is an awful piece of plastic. I am taking it back. It changes speeds all the time...some sort of sensing that increases speed and torque when it loads up. You know like when you just rub against your door handle. Then it will spin up, grinding all the paint off the door handle, then suddenly catch on something and come flying out of your sweaty hands. Anything flying through the air will always impact your paint...Kinds of like a dropped PBJ sandwich always falling on cat hair, peanut butter side down.

I hate that buffer. I'd like to shoot it with the sig, but I can trade it in for something else if I act quickly.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #213 on:** April 19, 2016, 09:57:33 PM »

I don't like this thing

Flyin6 · « **Reply #214 on:** April 19, 2016, 09:58:32 PM »

I used this polish to ruin my scratched up paint once and for all

Flyin6 · « **Reply #215 on:** April 19, 2016, 10:03:27 PM »

Looks shiny. Proving that looks can be deceiving!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #216 on:** April 19, 2016, 10:05:20 PM »

The multi speed buffer which is careful calibrated to ALWAYS be at the wrong speed, sawed through the finish on the body protection strips/trim

Flyin6 · « **Reply #217 on:** April 19, 2016, 10:07:00 PM »

Almost buffed away my 101st, 1st SOCOM, and USASOC patches, but Isiah 6:8 held tough!

stlaser · « **Reply #218 on:** April 19, 2016, 10:21:29 PM »

I once had a single speed black & decker buffer that worked like a charm. I know it's not HF quality :D but they used to sell em at ace hardware.....

Bigdave_185 · « **Reply #219 on:** April 20, 2016, 12:07:12 AM »

Time to get the portercable orbital. Random orbitals take a lot of the guess work out and a lot less stress on the user. Invest in a good three step compound from the Maguires commercial lineup. Should fix a lot of your scratches

Raising boys into RealMen!!

JR · « **Reply #220 on:** April 20, 2016, 01:56:48 AM »

I have heard that a few times about the HF buffer.

CM looks good though. Those 35 almost look small.

OldKooT · « **Reply #221 on:** April 20, 2016, 07:27:18 AM »

Don/everyone. If you folks want a fast painless way to buff out tree branch scratches, orange peel, fresh paint, or even old faded paint let me know. I can do a lil write up on a painless process. I can buff out Patches rust and pantina. LOL

BobbyB · « **Reply #222 on:** April 20, 2016, 09:12:33 AM »

Quote from: OldKooT on April 20, 2016, 07:27:18 AM

Don/everyone. If you folks want a fast painless way to buff out tree branch scratches, orange peel, fresh paint, or even old faded paint let me know. I can do a lil write up on a painless process. I can buff out Patches rust and pantina. LOL

Sure let us know the secret. Although in XJ's case, I'll let the rust and scratches be.

KensAuto · « **Reply #223 on:** April 20, 2016, 10:48:02 AM »

Until Norm gives us his secrets concerning the use of everyday fuels for that show car shine, I'll give D a couple tips.....3m and/or Meguires, in multiple steps, with a seperate foam or wool pad for each and be sure to label them with a marker. For example; heavy, medium, fine. (even the pads are different grades...wool=heavier cutting) If you switch to the wrong one at the wrong stage, you have to wash out the pad, and start over.
I use an air powered buffer for cutting/polishing work, then switch to an orbital for the wax.
...and try and remember that if you try and take the deep scratches out, you may actually hit paint...after you cut through the clear coat!

It's so time consuming to do it right, that I just don't do it anymore.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #224 on:** April 20, 2016, 01:09:40 PM »

Quote from: Bigdave_185 on April 20, 2016, 12:07:12 AM

Time to get the portercable orbital. Random orbitals take a lot of the guess work out and a lot less stress on the user. Invest in a good three step compound from the Maguires commercial lineup. Should fix a lot of your scratches

Raising boys into RealMen!!

Copy that.

Went cheap, didn't go with maguires, which I cut my teeth on decades ago.

Paying for my mistakes...

Flyin6 · « **Reply #225 on:** April 20, 2016, 01:11:47 PM »

Quote from: JR on April 20, 2016, 01:56:48 AM

I have heard that a few times about the HF buffer.

CM looks good though. Those 35 almost look small.

35's do look small, but I think I'll stand fast right here.

Is a great puller with the 4.56's, but not best on gas. 18.2 to/from the farm, but more like 14.5 pulling. But I never lug!

rpar86 · « **Reply #226 on:** April 20, 2016, 11:25:53 PM »

Gas? I hope you're not putting gas in C-Max ;)

Flyin6 · « **Reply #227 on:** April 21, 2016, 11:05:59 PM »

Quote from: rpar86 on April 20, 2016, 11:25:53 PM

Gas? I hope you're not putting gas in C-Max ;)

Hmmm, that could be my mileage problem!

stlaser · « **Reply #228 on:** April 21, 2016, 11:12:52 PM »

Yeah don't think the tuck gets that cold this time of year to be adding gas to the diesel fuel....

Flyin6 · « **Reply #229 on:** April 21, 2016, 11:20:18 PM »

Quote from: stlaser on April 21, 2016, 11:12:52 PM

Yeah don't think the tuck gets that cold this time of year to be adding gas to the diesel fuel....

I've never done that...to my truck

But I might have done it to my M-60 tank, a few M35's and a helicopter or two

JR · « **Reply #230 on:** April 21, 2016, 11:55:30 PM »

Mine won't be lifted quite as much as Cmax and a solid 18 or 14 towing would be great. I don't drive that fast anymore, happy at 70-75 unless the trip is really long.

EL TATE · « **Reply #231 on:** April 26, 2016, 01:05:32 PM »

the Hyundai I rented in FL for the Jeep Beach event got around 22, but that may have had something to do with me cruising at around 110mph for 30 miles on the turnpike. Passed a FSP at 90 and he didn't even shift in his seat. funny, it's got a bit of a top end rattle at 17k on the odometer...

Flyin6 · « **Reply #232 on:** April 28, 2016, 09:02:21 PM »

I had to solve another problem.

That's the nature of any project, and well in the larger sense, of life itself

One goes along solving for problems that arise, then moves on to the next obstacle

True?

So after cleaning the heck out of the truck last week, I take one trip down to the farm with the Ranger and this is what I get:

Flyin6 · « **Reply #233 on:** April 28, 2016, 09:03:42 PM »

Now all that piled on during one trip down and one back, about 2 hours and with a quilt spread out on the floor!

The front didn't fare all too badly. A quick touch-up and I was back in business

Flyin6 · « **Reply #234 on:** April 28, 2016, 09:08:40 PM »

So I opted for a strap in dog hammock

I added door covers to that to beef up the protection to everytning Ranger bumps into while I slide around the corners here

Flyin6 · « **Reply #235 on:** April 28, 2016, 09:09:56 PM »

Next up, the seat cover and hammock thing

It has a no-slip rubber backing

Flyin6 · « **Reply #236 on:** April 28, 2016, 09:11:22 PM »

With treated seats, the no slip is really "a lot of slip"

Flyin6 · « **Reply #237 on:** April 28, 2016, 09:12:28 PM »

So I added some bungees to lock it all down

Flyin6 · « **Reply #238 on:** April 28, 2016, 09:14:03 PM »

You know, come to think of it I have hauled Rangers around an awful lot over the years, and whether they are four legged or two, they all seem to destroy the things they ride in!

Anyway, I tried!

BobbyB · « **Reply #239 on:** April 29, 2016, 02:26:20 AM »

Bear does the same to XJ. But if those don't work out, Duluth Trading company has seat covers in different styles that are made out of the same stuff fire hoses are. So they should be able to handle GSD hair and dog claws. I'm thinking about ordering a couple things to try out.

http://www.duluthtrading.com/search/searchresults/sitesearchresults.aspx?pg=1&p_keyword=dog+car+seat+covers&p_utk=seat&p_search_sid=&gndr=&p_origin=mens-home&processor=content

JR · « **Reply #240 on:** April 29, 2016, 02:40:05 AM »

What, no weathertechs!! Mine are nice.

At least he doesn't tear it up, just gets its doggy,,,,,,,,,,,

rpar86 · « **Reply #241 on:** April 29, 2016, 03:09:30 AM »

Quote from: BobbyB on April 29, 2016, 02:26:20 AM

Bear does the same to XJ. But if those don't work out, Duluth Trading company has seat covers in different styles that are made out of the same stuff fire hoses are. So they should be able to handle GSD hair and dog claws. I'm thinking about ordering a couple things to try out.

http://www.duluthtrading.com/search/searchresults/sitesearchresults.aspx?pg=1&p_keyword=dog+car+seat+covers&p_utk=seat&p_search_sid=&gndr=&p_origin=mens-home&processor=content

We got our dog one of those firehose toys and she had a rip in it the very first day. Hopefully it stands up better to toenails.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #242 on:** April 29, 2016, 07:39:26 AM »

Quote from: BobbyB on April 29, 2016, 02:26:20 AM

Bear does the same to XJ. But if those don't work out, Duluth Trading company has seat covers in different styles that are made out of the same stuff fire hoses are. So they should be able to handle GSD hair and dog claws. I'm thinking about ordering a couple things to try out.

http://www.duluthtrading.com/search/searchresults/sitesearchresults.aspx?pg=1&p_keyword=dog+car+seat+covers&p_utk=seat&p_search_sid=&gndr=&p_origin=mens-home&processor=content

I didn't know Duluth made any or I might have ordered them

Now, having said that, Duluth is expensive!

I paid $22 for the door covers and $36 for the hammock. I feel that was pretty reasonable and that's why I am trying it out

BobbyB · « **Reply #243 on:** April 29, 2016, 09:15:08 AM »

Quote from: rpar86 on April 29, 2016, 03:09:30 AM

We got our dog one of those firehose toys and she had a rip in it the very first day. Hopefully it stands up better to toenails.

I was thinking about getting Bear one, but he doesn't play with many toys.

Quote from: Flyin6 on April 29, 2016, 07:39:26 AM

I didn't know Duluth made any or I might have ordered them

Now, having said that, Duluth is expensive!

I paid $22 for the door covers and $36 for the hammock. I feel that was pretty reasonable and that's why I am trying it out

Yea they are a little pricey, but I like some of their stuff. Just haven't bought anything yet, I'm thinking about heading down to the "local" DTC store and pick some stuff up next payday.

stlaser · « **Reply #244 on:** April 29, 2016, 09:57:42 AM »

I have the rear cargo space cover from dtc, covers back of seat & floor cargo area in jeep. It lays on top of my weather tech cargo mat. Only thing I wish about it is that the side covered the carpeted wheel wells. Our golden sheds all over those otherwise I am very happy with the dtc cover.....

OldKooT · « **Reply #245 on:** April 29, 2016, 11:44:07 AM »

I was considering ordering a couple of their couch covers and using them to upholster the crew cabs seats.

My wife buys a lot of her clothing there... me I am too cheap LoL

cudakidd53 · « **Reply #246 on:** April 30, 2016, 04:18:29 PM »

Got a Duluth Trading Store being built right by Cabelas 2 miles from me.......gonna be nice!

JR · « **Reply #247 on:** April 30, 2016, 08:07:31 PM »

Quote from: cudakidd53 on April 30, 2016, 04:18:29 PM

Got a Duluth Trading Store being built right by Cabelas 2 miles from me.......gonna be nice!

Mines just 2 hours away in Reno.

OldKooT · « **Reply #248 on:** May 01, 2016, 10:03:42 AM »

Allegedly they are building one in Omaha. 120 miles away so a hour and a half isn't too bad.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #249 on:** May 16, 2016, 08:43:30 PM »

Today after cutting the grass I piled on the C-Max truck to finish polishing it out. Essentially, I just started all over. I purchased a random orbit polisher with foam velcro pads and some Maguires mirror glaze polish

It started out looking like this: