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Due to my previous daily (01 Tahoe LT 4x4) getting punched in the but and totaled by a non-attentive driver, I was forced to find me something new. I wanted to get back in something with an open bed so I started searching for a GMT900 Crew Cab LTZ/SLT (simply because of the door handle placement). The truck would perform tow duty pulling the race truck around so I wanted another 4wd with either a 6.2 with 3.42/3.73 gears or would settle for a 5.3 if it had the max tow package with 3.73 gears. Color choice was anything not black, white or red. After three weeks of searching only found one truck matching that criteria but I was too slow on the draw and it was sold before I could go look at it. However I found the next best thing and picked up this jewel...
2012 Sierra Denali AWD in Stealth Grey Metallic...
Only seat time I have so far is the trek back from Birmingham (~250 miles) and my trip to work today. I just ran all of the 87oct out of it the dealership put in and filled it up with 93. Now that it has premium fuel in it I will start tinkering with the tune. It will also get lowed at least 2/3 if not 4/5 fairly soon and tint (requirement for dark interior in Florida). Other than that, some minor interior cosmetics are in order, new wheels, an intake and possibly headers. So this isn't going to be a major project thread but more a tracking/sharing of the little things.
Seeing all these other Sierra Denali project updates made me want to do some work to mine. I had the components for a 3/5 drop in the garage and decided to spend the last couple evenings puting it on. I used a flip kit and spindles I acqured from a buddy that removed it from another truck along with some new Belltech struts and shocks. I am hoping the front will settle a bit more but here it is after the drive to work this morning.
I'll get some better pics once I get it cleaned up.
Bags are in the works. I have a set I had on the blue truck that I will have to fab up some bracketry for to work with the flip kit. With the u-bolts carrying the all the weight now, I want to use the bags to distribute some weight directly from the frame to the axle.
Responding to a thread earlier, I realized I hadn't added any pics since cleaning it up and removing the step bars, so...
I am still chasing a rearend vibration since lowering it. Originally installing the kit as is place equal and opposite 6* angles on both joints with the pinion pointing up and had a horrible high speed vibration (resonant hum) above 60 under acceleration or load along with a low speed vibration (shake) 40+. I currently have 1/2" spacers at the transfer case and 2.5* shims pulling the pinion down for a 4.5* angle which has helped the high speed vibe/hum but the shake is unchanged. I am thinking it may be a drive shaft balance issue. I took it out to inspect the shaft and joints and found a slight gouge in it ~1/3 down from the front.
01-19-2016, 07:42 PM
Stealth Denali - AWD daily driver
I have a set I had on the blue truck that I will have to fab up some bracketry for to work with the flip kit. With the u-bolts carrying the all the weight now, I want to use the bags to distribute some weight directly from the frame to the axle.
