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Bringing My Old Avalanche back to life--suggestions?

triaker

Full Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2014
Messages
50
Hey super amazing people!  My 2002 Avalanche needs help.  I love this truck and just hit 124k miles on it, so it's got a lot of life left.  But frankly, it's starting to show it's age.  Two of my splash guards (both on the right side) have cracks in them (OK, I drove over a curb to park near the gate at the fair last year).  I have a small tear in the leather in my back seat and along the seam of my drivers seat.  Last week I had to back down a steep country road because the car coming downhill forgot that uphill traffic has the right of way and I backed into a log and cracked my rear bumper cover.  I have LED turn signals, and my left turn signal randomly flashes normal, or fast, or a combination of both when I use it.  The cladding is starting to really look, well, dull.

So I'd love to keep the truck awhile longer if possible, but really want to fix it up right.  Here's my to-do list, and if you have sources for replacement parts, I'd love to hear about it!

1.  Fix or replace leather seats.  Truck is green, and I've always loved that brunello colored leather in the F150 Limiteds.  If not replace, source for repair kits?
2.  Fix/replace splash guards.  OEM front guards are still available, but rear ones are discontinued.  Should I try JB weld on them first?
3.  Fix/replace rear bumper cover.  Same issue--replace or JB Weld?
4.  Install better rear lighting.  I have LED bulbs in rear lights, but not enough.  Has anyone had good luck with LED bars under the rear bumper?
5.  Panels leaking--is it a matter of just replacing all the weather stripping?  Middle panel is heavy like it has water in it.  How to remove?
6.  Rear bed lighting--want to upgrade to LEDs in multiple spots--anyone have pics of their modified bed for ideas?
7.  Spiffing up the cladding--what has worked for you?
8.  Anyone had luck using LED headlight bulbs for the 9006 and 9005 headlights?

Many thanks in advance for suggestions/tips/parts leads!
 
For the seats ytou can get new covers from ebay and other placers.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=2002+Silverado+seat+bottom&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_osacat=0&_odkw=2002+Silverado+seat+botto%2Cs

This should help with the cladding color:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006NZRAFE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04__o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Local u-pick parts place for the bumper cover
or JB weld, just run some stiff wire across the split embedded in the JB weld to help hold the the 2 half's together.
 
Thanks!  I'll check it out on eBay.  I found a place online that can do new leather seat covers for $1500!  Yikes!
 
For the cladding restoration there is a mountain of old threads mentioning various ways t improve the looks many members have great results with a product called Refinnish Restorer  and this link used to give a discount for site members...it last a long time with the right prep work.
http://www.therightcarstuff.com/

For great quality leather seats many members happy with Katzkin :
https://katzkin.com/
Others have used this company.
https://www.theseatshop.com/

Almost all of your problems can be found in older threads if you check the right section for each issue. You may want to check behind the lower cladding for signs of rust since that seems to be showing up in older cladded AVs.
Good luck with your restoration.

 
Thank you!  I tried searching for a few of my topics before posting, but maybe I was searching the wrong areas.  One other thing I forgot to ask about (and I'm sure there is a thread on it but I'll ask anyway)--anyone running Morimoto LED bulbs in their factory headlights?  I need to upgrade my headlights but don't want to blind oncoming traffic.
 
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