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[oih82w8]

Over the weekend I am swapping out the Inner and Outer Tie Rods, Upper Control Arms and Lower Ball Joints on my 2008 LT Avalanche.

So far, I have the drivers side Tie Rods replaced, and I am working on getting the Lower ball joint free from the lower control arm.  Those crimped edges are a pain in the back side to get off. 

[ygmn]

So that thread says 8.3 seconds on a 2WD like my Z66. Stock 4WD will be slower. I have a CAI, Custom HP Tune, and Magnaflow high performance exhaust and Dynatech Long Tube Headers, 8.3 seconds seems a bit slow.

That info came from the car and driver artical on the avy back in 2001....
Do a run and get out the stop watch.

What about those runs peeps did @ drag strip? they come with time slip right?

[james21]

Cleaned the rust and gave her a fresh coating of protectant, and also got Ceramic Pro on entire truck.

[MS03 2500]

I found a paint bubble on the rear fender, soooo I guess it's time to find a shop that will strip the paint off in certain areas. I can buy front fenders no problem, but rear not a chance 

[Z66Modder]

I found a paint bubble on the rear fender, soooo I guess it's time to find a shop that will strip the paint off in certain areas. I can buy front fenders no problem, but rear not a chance 

Bummer dude! 

[MS03 2500]

Bummer dude! 

No worries this 2500 ain't going nowhere, if I catch it early I can stop it.

[roadrunner777]

Got supplies to do rust repair on a front fender yesterday... cut out everything bad to good solid metal... worked today, but I'm all set to start the repair for real tomorrow.

Today... I guess I have become more aware of other Avalanches in the area.  I saw a later model LTZ this afternoon, it had all the exterior proximity sensors, and another one while I was driving, a Z71 that could easily be mistaken for a brand new truck out for it's first drive.  Very shiny bright red and new looking.

I also have what I might guess is the very beginnings of ball joint problems.  Tiny little shake going over road defects.  I'm going to lube and inspect the front end this fall.

[Calicak89]

Cleaned the rust and gave her a fresh coating of protectant, and also got Ceramic Pro on entire truck.

Underside plus entire ceramic coat in one day. Where'd you hide the Delorean?

[No Tyme]

Underside plus entire ceramic coat in one day. Where'd you hide the Delorean?

I'm curious, cause I had my AV detailed today and was given a cost of $900 to $1,000 for the ceramic coating which I believe they said was lifetime. With the detail I had done today they gave me an entry level coating that is suppose to last about 6 months.
With 70,000 miles and paint chips I can't see $900 plus for ceramic coating.
Will you share your cost and expectant time your coating is suppose to last?

[Handmedown04]

I dropped the tranny pan and changed the filter today.  With 160000 plus miles I was a little nervous about what I might find in that pan. It was perfect, no shiny particles no friction material, even the old filter looked clean. Of coarse I did find I have an outer front axel leak and the air conditioning is starting to leak lubricant out an ‘o’ ring seal. 

[Z66Modder]

Have not done it yet but I have several kits on my Amazon wish list. I'm going to do my painted sail panels and the rest of the painted cladding after I airbrush the chips. The cheaper kits are 6-8 months from what I read. more expensive will give you 12 months or more. I have never heard of a lifetime kit. The kit really is not that much of the cost, it's all the labor to ready the paint.

[roadrunner777]

Today, I went through a traditional ritual I do with every vehicle I buy... I try to change a tire using only the factory tools on-board.  I was almost successful... one lug nut was too tight for the factory lug wrench.  Other than that, the real star of this story is that little jack. 

When I first looked at that jack and the ground clearance of a Z71, you know, it just didn't seem right.  But, it has a little telescoping thing going on, and I was really surprised.  That jack has it going on!

Anyway, did a front-end inspection on one side... the truck had almost new tires when I bought it earlier this month, and it looks like it got new brakes at the same time.  I have a very minor shimmy going over road bumps, but the tie rods and ball joints were tight.  So, I greased up the 4 zerks I could see (upper and lower ball joints, tie rod end, and one further up the shaft to the tie rod).  There's a little bit of play in the CV joint, which I kind of expected, it pops a little bit if I am turning tight.  I know the sound of bad CV's and that can wait a while.

Lug nuts were not happy about going back to 140 ft/lb.  Lots of creaking and snapping.  I did some reading on applying anti-seize to lug nut threads... interesting debate, but I think it's more about the face of the lug nuts and the surface of the hole in the rim.  I'm pondering this, I may go back and apply a little grease to the face of the lug nuts and try again.

EDIT - I decided not to try applying grease to the face of the lug nuts.  It could lead to over-torque.  Maybe new lug nuts later.

[james21]

Underside plus entire ceramic coat in one day. Where'd you hide the Delorean?

Actually it took a week, but the AV looks brand new.

No Tyme, I got the 5yr coating for $1100, the 2yr was $900, and 1yr was $550. The Lifetime was north of $1600. My under coating cost $450.

[getsome4800]

Drove my daughter to college

[No Tyme]

Actually it took a week, but the AV looks brand new.

No Tyme, I got the 5yr coating for $1100, the 2yr was $900, and 1yr was $550. The Lifetime was north of $1600. My under coating cost $450.

I could understand for a new truck spending the $1100 but for my AV which has paint chips and 70,000 miles I can't see it. Thanks for the info... If this coating I have now gets me thru the upcoming winter I will do the 6 month each year so I can get thru the winter season.

As for undercoating I bought a couple cans of Fluid Film and used the extended wand to coat the inside of the frame rails. A couple cans of Rust Reformer can be had cheap and applied each year in my eyes elsewhere.

[2004Slickside]

Gave my 2004 some big love this weekend after ignoring it for too long.  It's been nice to have a vehicle that I can just drive with no problems, but it was time.  2 half days of work.  New spare tire hoist.  Changed the oil and truly greased all the fittings (whew!).  Refinish Restorer on the plastic cladding.  Wax on the paint.  Interior cleaned and treated with conditioner.  New Weatherguard mats.  Now my rust-free Z71 Avy from South Carolina looks good again!  Actually looks amazing for my area of the rust-belt (northern Indiana).  My wife calls the Avy color June-bug green!

Next month, off to just south of the Detroit area to get my second yearly Krown rustproofing (those Canadians know how to do it right).  Think I'll trailer the Blazer there with the Avy and have both done.  Maybe save the Blazer for a while longer - no rust through on it yet.

[Duneit]

Looked at all the rust and said wtf then walked away.

[EXT4ME]

Looked and saw no rust and said cool then walked away.

 

[roadrunner777]

I'm about 3 weeks into ownership, getting some confidence that the dealer didn't slip me something bad... so far so good.  I did a little hauling stuff and then decided to pop the hood and contemplate the hidden zerk fittings.  I really don't see how anyone reaches the pitman arm at all.  There's a plastic shield under the bumper, looks easy enough to pull and get access.  I wish I knew a mechanic I trusted enough to do this, but they are all crooked in my town.

Anyway, I'm just looking at stuff randomly in the engine bay.  I like to get to know my vehicle, and will do this for hours.  I got to looking at a broken hood ground strap.  it was broken on both ends and wires were dangling (to a hood light, which doesn't work).  Ok, super easy, I've seen them at the parts store for $6.00. 

Then I saw a bigger one next to it.  It goes from the firewall down towards the trans bell housing. It's green with corrosion, and I give it a little wiggle.  It almost falls apart.  There's probably 10-20 strands left holding it together.  I looked at threads here, diagrams, and I'm betting this goes to a top bolt holding the trans to the engine.  I have no idea what this ground strap does.  There is already a fat ground cable from the battery to the engine block.  I wonder if this is, somehow, a ground for the body, passing through the engine? No idea.  There's no hope of getting to the bolt on the engine side.  I'm not dropping the engine to fix this strap.  I'm contemplating running a ground cable from the body to the engine in some other location.

I also have an intermittent shaky voltmeter.  I'm reading this is grounding problem, maybe the new ground will fix it.

[Handmedown04]

I finely got around to upgrading the front brakes to the second generation ones. I used a  powerstop caliper kit with cross-drilled and slotted rotors. What a difference an inch makes!

[redheadedrod]

I finely got around to upgrading the front brakes to the second generation ones. I used a  powerstop caliper kit with cross-drilled and slotted rotors. What a difference an inch makes!

Thats what *** said...

[No Tyme]

 

Thats what *** said...

[oih82w8]

Thats what *** said...

Wow...I was just reading a whole bunch of those responses and this one flew right over my head.   

[Wickman]

I finely got around to upgrading the front brakes to the second generation ones. I used a  powerstop caliper kit with cross-drilled and slotted rotors. What a difference an inch makes!

That is the same one that I put on, works great.

[Handmedown04]

That is the same one that I put on, works great.

In every day, stop and go, traffic I don’t see much improvement. But when I really need to step on the breaks the difference is huge .