Chevy Silverado - Continued V

ryanbab

Computers are cool and i like em but i hate programming. I have C++ its not hard but the teachers doesnt know how to teach.
STORCH: Wow go for the gm job, but I see ford is looking for alot of people too i have thier website for jobs http://www.ford.com/engineeringcareers. Hey i wouldnt mind working there for the $$$ but u know i wold have to drive a chevy to work each day. I am working on submitting my resume to GM to try to get an internship with them this yr. That would be real cool i think alot of good experience. Tim or anyone else for that matter dont get mad cause i mentioned ford in here im sorry but people do need jobs.

Ryan

unixgod

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
("Heartbeat Style")

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the trails Every Ford was stranded, their progress like snails.

They had no shovels, no strap and no winch,
No CB, no cell-phone, to get out of their pinch.

When out from a mud pit, there arose such a clatter; All the'wheelers came running to see what was the matter.

I saw some poor 'Dodge all covered in crud;
He had blown his motor trying to get free of the mud.

As he stood there I noticed his glowing red face,
And I knew in an instant he wanted out of this place.

I glanced at his roof, it was all I could see;
He pleaded for help from my winch and from me.

So I sprang to the front of my trusty old truck,
Spooled out the winch cable and said, "Hook 'er up, ya dumb F..K!"

He went for a swim in the watery hell, And I laughed as he turned brown, and started to smell.

He hooked up the cable to his buried front hook,
I put a coat on the line like it says in the book.

I winched him out quickly, a very fast session;
And I charged him a C-note just to teach him a lesson.

I then drove my Chevy through the same mud and same muck; No problem for me, 'cause I had a REAL truck!

I wound down my window as I drove out of sight,
And smugly yelled, "Next time stay home Christmas night!"

ryanbab

Unix that was a very good christmas story i give you your props im sure it is a true story somewhere. If u have kids i hope u tell that to them before they go to bed xmas eve just leave out the F..K part edit that out for the kids.

Ryan

rado

Is the 3.08 axle available for the 5.3 V8?

mdw1000

How often do you guys recommend changing the fluid on the front and rear on the new trucks? The book says to just check the level; doesn't say anything about changing it. I wonder if that's a good idea though.

ryanbab

3.08 Axle???? WHAT???The 3.08 only comes with the V-6. The lowest u can get with the 5.3 V-8 2wd is 3.42. Then comes the 3.73 4wd comes with either 3.73 or 4.10. Hope this helps

Ryan

mgdvhman

Box boards...you know...the little boards that go on the box...between the rear tire and the bed..

I have these exact boards...all 4

http://www.teleweb.net/mgdvhman/PipeLinenew.jpg

Great addition...

Thanks yet again to dave40 for the Putco Lead...

The instructions said GM of canada....turns out Putco sells this stuff direct to GM in canada!...and they are working on the US market for Silverado's and Tahoes....

Can't say much more...but you get the idea...

I hear they have a test Vehicle some where around here too??...hmmmmmmmm..where could that be??

..(it doesn't make a rats [non-permissible content removed] bit of difference what you know in this world..it's WHO you know!)

- Tim

mgdvhman

the mud flaps on though...

They can be seen in the picture...

SS to boot!

- Tim

dave40

Visit the all New TruckForce 2000 Page..and send your New Pic's to truckforce@webtv.net

http://community.webtv.net/truckforce/USTF

ryanbab

What kinda mud flaps did u get do u have a pic of em. How much were they? I dont care to much for the factory chevy ones. I want plain black i am thinking. Let me know thanks

Ryan

afs11

Has anybody bought the extra warranty from GM? Is a extented warranty worth it or just a ripoff?

quadrunner500

It's something you can wait to buy later, like at the end of the factory warranty. I think it is a bad time to purchase one, if you are closing title papers or loan work in the finance office. You just shook on it, signed the deal, thought it was over, but the dealership transferred you to a new layer of the sales department, the finance guru. And they are still pitching you. This is where if you are not careful, an incentive or hard won concession can vaporize into pure profit for the dealer.

While the extended warranty has a long list of covered items, there are many more parts not covered. This is why I have not purchased them. If they would make it simple, and just tell you what they do NOT cover, not as many people would buy them.

teaboy022

My truck is a 2wd with the firm ride suspension and 255 tires. I also have the locking rear axle. I like the look of the z71's but i rarely go offroad. Only time my truck will see the backwoods is when im going to my secret fishing spot "Bass heaven." My truck rides incredibly smooth on the road and over bumps. I am really glad that i went ahead and got the firmer suspension.
I washed my blue truck yesterday and gave it a nice coat of Carunaba Wax and a second coat on the hood and front of the truck(prevents bugs ruining the paint) The truck is beautiful when washed! I also put dressing on the bumbers and trim. Looks Sharp! The blue is a great color but it will require lots of washings.

~Teaboy~

werking

awhile back i read a post that said armor all was not a good product to use on interior vinyl/plastic parts. they had also listed another product that's purpose was to actually protect your vinyl and plastic interiors, as opposed to just making them shiny like armor all does. anyone remember what that stuff was, or have any suggestions? i've used armor all on my current truck, and am noticing now (4 years down the road) that there are spots of damage where the armor all should have protected, but didn't. don't want that to happen on my new silverado. thanks...
kyle

rs_petty

Couple of topics on the maintenance conference that talks to this. Try carcareonline.com or autosupermart.com for more how-to's. I think the real key is not to use stuff with silicon in the formula (which is most stuff you get a WalMart). Try Lexol vinylex.

mgdvhman

Ryan,

I got thick S.S. flaps from Putco.

They came with the Boards.

They are S.S. and the bottom few inches is a black plastic flap.

I'll have pics in a few days when i put them on and trim the rest up.

- Tim

ryanbab

Thanks Tim

TEABOY what part of the country do u live in? The main reason i am getting 4x4 is for the snow the 2wd isnt cutting it anymore i hate going sideways all the damn time on ice and snow. Are u gonna tow a boat with your truck? This is another reason i am going for the 4x4 im gonna tow a bass boat and i plan on taking it alot of places and some of them i know for a fact you cant have 2wd or your screwed.
How does everyone like the rear locking differential??? Ive heard so much saying if u have autotrac you dont need it and all this other bs. Ill probably get it its only a couple hundred dollars im just wondering if it has worked for any of you guys?

Ryan

mledtje

If you have a 2wd truck and an open rear end your truck is really 1wd. When one wheel spins, the other does nothing. With the locking differential you have 2wd. One rear wheel could be on ice, and the other will pull you out.

If you have a 4wd and no locking differential (or Positraction, etc) then you have 2wd. One in front and one in the rear. Put one side of that truck on ice and it won't move. With a locker in the rear, you have 3wd, both rears and one front.

On the street a front locker can be dangerous. If one front wheel looses traction and the power goes to the other front wheel, it can pivot the powered wheel and go where it wants. In other words, you may loose steering control.

Mike

soilworker

werking

I believe the product you are referring to is 303 Aerospace Protectant. Check out Topic #868 - Chevy Silverado III, Posts #999 and #1016. Also check out www.303-products.com/all.htm for a full line of products, descriptions, and ordering information.

I have never used this product but have seen it for sale at truck accessories stores.

Hope this helps.
Gary

jaijay

werking

Yup, protectant 303 products is the stuff. I used to use Armor All and products alike. However these products contain silicone that destroys your vinyl. They also leave the vinyl surface oily which attracts dust and dirt.

I have tried the protectant 303 stuff and am very happy with it. It leaves the vinly looking new without any oily residue.

Ever notice that the inside of your windsheild develops a foggy crud over time? This crud is produced by fumes from the ingredients in Armor All and occurs a as their product deteriorates. I have not gotten this to occur using the 303 stuff.

After researching this stuff I ditched the Armor All and other vinyl dressings and have been quite pleased.

For the paint, I recommend the products put out by Zainobros.

vince4

For the few hundred dollars, why not? You are spending quite a bit of money to buy a 4wd truck to get better traction, so why throw away the opportunity to get even more traction for such a small price. I consider it a no brainer if there isn't any downside. Since it's not a clutch based limited slip unit I don't think there is much downside.

My brother-in-law warned me of one potential problem, or maybe just something to keep in mind. With an open diff in snow, one tire isn't powered much and acts as a rudder to keep the rear end in line. With the locker there is more chance of the rear end breaking loose. I'm not a snow driver so have no experience with this, any comments from the snow bound?

By the way, the locker works. I laid a little rubber recently (6.0L surprised me!) and there were two equal stripes on the road.

vince4

I remember reading several posts about the oil minder light not flashing when you do the gas pedal reset thing on year 2000 vehicles. I had the same problem on mine recently and wondered if anyone has any further info on this issue. Has anyone heard a good reason from a dealer? Is there a software fix?

ryanbab

Snow sucks driving in with a 2wd all i know. This is the first winter ill get to test 4x4 we got a 4x4 blazer and ill see how it is it has no rear locker hopefully itll be ok. I am gonna get the rear locker i seen no harm in it it can only help.

Ryan

markbuck

mine triggered at 2984 this time, 3300 the first and 3600 the second... works great!

dan33

I just had some good news/bad news. After reading
various postings decided to add the eaton locker
onto my year 2000 4 door silverado order. The good news I found out when calling the dealer to make this change is that the order has been accepted with a targeted build date of Dec. 20 (knock on wood I may be getting a new truck in January!). The bad news is that I now can't change the order. Kind of kicking myself as I'd made this decision to add the locker a while ago and hadn't gotten around to it because I thought the prospects of getting my truck were still a ways out there. My question is, will it cost an arm and a leg to put a locker on after I get the truck as opposed to the 250 bucks it would have cost if ordered on the truck? And what would I want, the eaton locker or the eaton posi-trac
thing? Any help will be appreciated.

Also how do the lockers and lsd work at higher speeds on say hitting a patch of ice on the interstate? Will they help keep you from losing the rear end or contribute to it?

quadrunner500

Vince4,
Locker has less tendency for tail end to jump sideways on acceleration.

Dan33,
I think you missed your best opportunity to get the locker. Not saying it can't be done after the fact, but having changed out gears and carriers before, it can be a hassle depending on the vehicle. My advice, get the open diff, enjoy it, and hope for the best.

vince4

My oil minder question related to the reset operation after chaning the oil, not its normal operation.

rwagoner

GM is perhaps the best of these, but I would never buy one. GM makes money, the dealer makes money. The only way they can make money is if the repairs on average cost less than the sales price of the warranty.

I'll take my chances.

Tim: You probably already said: where dod you get the side rails?

Richard

450es

I've noticed something on my '99 Silverado, and was wondering if anyone else had experienced this. During normal driving, if you let off the gas, and then press back down on the accelerator, it feels like the pedal sticks a little, or catches on something. Is this normal? I have a friend with a '99, and he says his does the same thing.

Sam

bernie51

I now have 15000 miles on my Silverado and that 5.3L engine just gets stronger! I believe the combo of the 5.3 with 3.72 rear end and the auto trans is the best out there. My pedal feels a bit sticky at times and is annoying. Im going to try some oil here and there and see if that makes a difference.

ryanbab

I hope u mean 3.73 rear end ratio.

z71bill

I changed the fluid in the rear differential at 6,000 miles. It is easy to do and the only down side is the cost of GM'S synthetic fluid. $25.00 per quart. It takes 3 full quarts and 6 additional ounces for a total of 102 ounces. The service guy at GM claimed it only takes 2 1/2 quarts - he is full of [non-permissible content removed].. I did not even fill it all the way up, you are told to stop at 25 mm from full. Next time (at 20,000 miles) I will switch over to Mobile 1 at $7.00 per quart. I would not bother changing the front fluid until 50K.

quadrunner500

Did you just let the fluid run out into a pan? You pull off the cover right? New gasket required?
Thanks in advance.

mgdvhman

i got the Putco rails and skins at Autozone.

pep boys had them also...but AZ was much better prices.

$182.99 for the rails
$189.99 for the skins

They have a new style of rails now...not on the web site yet....same look....end pieces are solid..instead of open..and a hook for tying down pops up and back down for a flush fit.
You will see it soon.

Good Luck

- Tim

vince4

My 2000 3/4 w/locker has a drain plug on the rear diff. I assume everyone's does.

vince4

There was a similar complaint a few months ago on this topic. It was caused by the butterfly plate in the throttle body sticking.

kanton

I just got off the road going up to my home town, South Lake Tahoe, CA. Snow country, and it is currently snowing. I had the chance to try out the open diff and the autotrac tonight. The truck did just fine with the open diff, although I could break it loose if I was on the gas too much. The autotrac works awesome; just a little wheel spin and it engages. I have some questions about it though. Does it disengage once there is no more rear wheel slip, or does it stay engaged as if it was in 4hi? Also, what is the recommended max speed when engaged? And, what are the parameters as far as engaging 4hi/autotrac (speed, neutral or not, stopped)? I pulled off the road and put the truck in neutral for good measure. I would go and get my owner's manual, but it is miserable outside and I will just get in the morning. Thanks for your answers.
Kyle

quadrunner500

Thanks Vince4.

Kyle, I engage/disengage autotrac while rolling a little bit, or on the fly. 4-Lo, that you have to stop and put it in neutral. I only use autotrac or 4-Hi for situational needs, or to keep the seals lubed, then switch it off to minimize wear.

mgdvhman

is supposed to shut it off after wheel slippage is no longer detected.

If it has to engage 4WD for a while or several times in X amount of time....it puts it into 4HI automatically.

- Tim

scottay

GM customer service center gave week of 03 Jan. for 4th door LS 3.73 (right ryan?) SB 5.3 locker tow pkg etc.
This is the first time in two months they gave me a firm date, so.....mid Feb. delivery maybe?
-scott

scottay

So happy to hear of snow in Tahoe! How much did you get? And will it last, or is it sunny already?
-scott

bob259

Just read a article where they really trashed the new GM 4 door and said they hoped GM fixed all the problems they encountered with the demo vehicle GM provided them.

The problems with the 4 door as listed were:
1) More wind and road noise than 3 door.
2) Lots of rattles from the rear doors.
3) What appeared to be excessive cab flexing which may have been causing both 1 & 2.

The article went on to say they would not opt for the 4 door til GM worked out all the bugs. Hopefully knowing the media gets the test vehicles months before general release, to meet press times, this is the reason for the delays and we'll get a good vehicle before it hits the streets.

If not, I and a lot of others will have lost a lot of faith in GM and start looking elsewhere for our next vehicle. GM ARE YOU LISTENING!!!!!!

mgdvhman

obsession.....and take a 3 door until they are perfected..

..."But we HAVE to have a 4 door....we will die and not be able to function as we have all our lives without one!!"

yeah right...

- Tim

werking

and i'll enjoy my four door. as a matter of fact, i just MAY die without four doors. why? i dunno, just to add some melodrama to all this bs. obviously you are not cultured enough to realize that NO CIVIL MAN can live without four doors, 6-way power, 2 memory, heated, full leather, guinness tap having, jack daniels serving (note: only to the passenger side) better than sex with your hottest wet dream seats, air conditioning, cd changer, blah blah blah blah blah blah...
hey, gotta keep busy SOMEhow while i'm waiting for my four door to come in...
kyle

werking

can't forget the osrv's with defroster. what's next? the little headlight wipers like the mercedes and other elite german touring sedans? personally, i'd like to see entertainment systems mounted into the back of the front seats so when i have kids, they can watch movies, play video games, and do research for their homework on the internet - all while listening to different music than i'm listening to (2 ft in front of them) while we travel to grandmother's house...yeah, i'm bored...

chevytrucks4me

GM is buying back my truck due to a continual spark knock that they can't fix. I have a 99 Silverado LS Z71 Ext Cab, 5.3l, 3:73 locking diff, 265 tires, Tow package.

My question. Do I now go for the 3/4 ton or another 1/2 ton. I don't really want the extra gas bill, but I have heard so many good things about the 3/4 tons that I am inclined to get one anyway.

I only tow a boat as my "work" for this truck so I don't really "need" the 3/4 payload. Is anyone having problems getting a 3/4 ton with 4 doors?

dave40

I heard the 3/4 ton 4-doors won't be out till May.

chevytrucks4me

Who cares about some things that need to be worked out with the doors. IF the drivetrain is functioning properly, noisy doors can be fixed.

I don't care if I have a 3 door or a 4 door. I was perfectly happy with just 3 doors, but a 4 door would be nice. I didn't miss something I never had.

chevytrucks4me

on the lots or will I have to order an LT?

afs11

Timmy,

I hope thatyuo keep your 3 door pickup a long time. If you want to trade it in the future, you will be at a HUGE disadvantage with everybody who has a four door. Oh well, your the fool not me!