RE: Equa-L-izer Ajustment w/new TV
yes, new TV or new TT and the whole setup must be redone on level
ground.
The final orientation is to have the TV get distributed weight (WD)
on both axles. Mainly weight distributed from the rear to the front
to maintain proper steering geometry and to maintain proper or enough
traction on the front tires.
If you have 4x4, then note that GM has gone to bumper stops which touch
all the time. To become a secondary set of springs. So the old rule
of thumb of 'even drop, front and rear' no longer works. You'll have
to actually weigh it axle by axle both empty and fully loaded/setup
to know that you have WD'd enough weight from the rear to the front.
The TT orientation when finished setting up is to have the tongue
slightly pointing down or at it's highest pointing, level.
Most of the advice I've seen address 'individual' component HOW2's. Best
to know the final orientation or goal, then these tuning tidbits to
get the 'whole' right.
If you have the 'round' tube receiver (it has a "U" bracket connecting
it to the bumper), suggest you consider replacing it with a traditional
receiver that does *NOT* need to connect to the bumper. About $150 for
the receiver and about 1 hours labor. Do a search and you'll find
many threads on this. If you do go with a traditional design as the
replacement, then note that it will be about 2-2.5 inches taller than
OEM, as that "U" bracket isn't there, which is about 2-2.5"
Then the process of measuring and trail and error adjusting stuff
to get enough weight distributed from the TV rear to front axle
all the while having the TT's tongue slightly pointing down.
Good luck!
RE: Needs empty weights of diff models of Silverado.
In Calif, all pickups must have commercial plates if they want to *EVER* carry
anything in the bed. You can get passenger plates, but if you ever get stopped
and have *ANYTHING* in the bed, fined.
There is a long thread asking what does your truck weigh and it has tons of actual
weights from folks all over the country and all kinds of models/options/etc. Do a
search and check that thread out.
RE: Towing Capacity Question For Sierra 1500 W/ Max Tow Package
As with all things to do with capacity ratings, it is only as strong
as it's weakest link.
In this case, it is the receiver. At least on Suburbans, but think GM
has this design on all of their tow vehicles with a 'hidden' receiver
incorporated into the bumper. By incorporating the receiver into the
bumper, it now has crash and crumple responsibilities, so they have
a stress raiser in there and is my guess why only 1,000 lb rating.
The rest of the TV may well be capable and rated for a much higher
max tongue weight, but if the weak link only allows 1,000lbs tongue
weight, then that is the rating for the whole.
Then the typical or desired 10%-15% tongue of actual trailer weight,
says a much lighter trailer than would normally be.
Many who will advise you based on other components miss the analogy to
the weakest link dictating the whole chain.
So you can have the biggest baddest everything else, but if the
receiver is only rated for a WD tongue weight of 1,000 lbs, that is
the basis for the rest of the setup.
Here is a good thread where another forum member found this out and
got a bit hot under the collar about that weak link...
Suburban 2500...TT to big?? opinions
RE: Tire Info
Heat is the greatest enemy of any tire and it is mainly the 'flexing' that
creates the heat.
Flexing in the sidewall just about everyone knows, but there is also flexing
in the tread area that creates heat.
The greater the amount of bend (weight and PSI factored) and the speed of that
flexing (MPH) does the dirty deed. Heat rejection plays, but the way the tire
is designed, not a huge rate of rejection.
I've seen all sorts of under inflated tires come into a station and run over a
puddle to wet the tire. They show visible water vapor due to the tire temp.
Where as the next car ditto's except for the water vapor because
their tires were not under inflated.
This damage is accumulative.
"In regards to the speed rating - our tires are not speed rated. It is recommended to
obey all posted speed limits when using our tires. It is also recommended to
always maintain proper air pressures"Weasel words from their legal team, as it would be from any tire manufacturer
without a rating on 'that' tire.
I've switched to LT tires on my old boat trailer and have helped a few buddies
convert their trailers to LT tires. Most have stayed with ST rated tires because
they didn't want to spend the money on new wheels or they couldn't fit 16" tires
into their trailer wheel wells and/or there wasn't enough distance between their
axles.
Another 'not' an absolute thing. Going over a tires speed rating won't have it
fail instantly, but increases the chances it will fail sooner. Biggie question
is when/where/etc... Toss in how close to it's load rating @ that PSI to factor that risk...
RE: K & N Cold Air Injection
Thought about that, so left the OEM intake. It is still functionally
there as I off road and do ford streams & stuff.
If ever get water up there, either an accident or dang fool for whatever
I did.
Do find bugs, rocks, paper, etc in the filter box, so know it over takes
the OEM intake, which intakes just behind the passenger headlamp and is
way small in dia.
7.4L gasser, so not at WOT often to benefit from this. Just boy racer
and after power mode whenever I want it (and the higher timing advance
allowed).
A diesel has no throttle, so air filtration pressure drop is much more
of an impact.
RE: Who would change my caliper bolts and why???
Reported over at the Suburban forum to same question to your era truck, GMT800, is a T55 Torx socket head bolt.
That is standard for GMT800 and newer trucks.
Bosch recommended this braking system after GM commissioned them to
check it out.
RE: K & N Cold Air Injection
Made my own, as all of these kits suck in engine bay heated air, which
then increases the octane requirement, reduces the intake air density,
heats up the engine, etc, etc. Did for less than $20 bucks and still
uses the OEM filter box, which is also part of the noise suppression
system. I'd not go high flow filter for street use, as they are mainly
for racing, boy racer, etc
No gain in MPG, but does allow power mode more often and doesn't go
into reduced power mods like it did before these modifications. Also
while towing in high throttle settings, it helps reduce engine heating
by keeping the ingested air at ambient (the coldest around).
Chipping/re-programming/etc does increase the power, but at a cost
in general. Plus increases the stresses on all drive train components.
That usually means higher temp from the increased power.
The best way to increase MPG is to slow down.
Here is the article wrote up on my cold, ran air intake system for
my Suburban's 7.4L gasser. There is a member with a new body style
who did a similar mod, but lost his links/pic's.
Ben's cold, ram air mods
http://aplsweb.com/Topics/Bens-Air-Box/Cut-Out.jpg
http://aplsweb.com/Topics/Bens-Air-Box/Intake-Scoop.jpg
RE: SLOW DOWN!!!
Typical trailer tire (15") is rated for around 65 MPH max.
If they went to a LT tire, then 100 MPH max is the typical speed rating
of that class of tire.
If they went to a P tire, then it can be much more in speed rating, but
typically they are then not high in weight rating.
They were lucky it didn't cause a more severe accident for themselves.
You were lucky it didn't happen during his passing maneuver around you...
RE: Little DPF insight
Not a diesel person and have been reading up on it as a maybe for my next truck.
Know what they are 'trying' to do, but understand that our politicians are lawyers
and bean counters with very few technical enough to actually understand of which
they legislate. Remember, these are the idiots who brought us MTBE.
Engineer9860's precise explanation covers it and to me, indicates the general
philosophy that diesel is for working applications, not automotive for
the general public.
To me, this will settle out over time just like the 80's SMOG and 90's MTBE
fiasco. Or how's about the reel in seat belts that ratcheted you down into
the seat when driving over rough roads? Or when the first shoulder belts came
out, on American cars you couldn't reach/touch anything, but could on foreign
cars?
Know how it works as engineer says. Then decide how you will manage or use it.
RE: towing weight recommendations
Excellent posts, especially campercajun and LarryJM....but....there
are too many who will dismiss these as 'weight police' and then proceed
to recommend to over load or juice it up to go faster.
All of this is really an individuals risk management decision (gambling)
Some will push the limits and beyond, while others will stay below.
Overloading won't have the wheels instantly fall off. Just sooner
and dependent on how much overloaded, maintenance, etc. **AND** it
will take longer to stop, that is a fact.
Best advice I have is to read up and weigh everyones input, but know
that there is only one person responsible for the setup and it is the
driver. None of the advisor's here or any other Internet forum will
any liability.
Plus when that bad/worse day crosses someones path, they will not have
time to go back to the store for bigger/better/proper/etc components,
nor re-setup. Either it is there spot on or not.
RE: towing weight recommendations
Best to weigh your XL both empty and fully loaded ready to tow. Plus
weigh each axle when empty and fully loaded. Ditto the trailer when
you get it.
Then get these factory numbers:
GVWR
GAWR, front and rear
MTWR
GCWR
Here is my Suburban's door label on weights and ratings. Find yours
and use those numbers as the basis.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/bentoy/09270005_Sub_Dr_main_rm_VIN.jpg
You say GM says your MTWR (max tow weight rating) is 8,000 lbs. Okay,
but if you load up your XL to it's 7,200 lb GVWR it will have no ratings
left for any trailer tongue weight, which will then mean your MTWR
is ZERO....or....you find a trailer with zero tongue weight.
You most likely will have problems finding your GCWR. It usually will
be the 'curb' weight plus MTWR. 'Curb' for a typical 1500 Sub will be
listed in the 5,000 lb range. So 5K + 8K = 13K lbs GCWR or there abouts.
After weighing your XL and use say 6,500 lbs for discussion purposes.
13,000 - 6,500 = 6,500 lbs as your true MTWR. Factored by your rear
GAWR and the tongue weight (which should be 10%-15% of the actual
trailer weight). This is where the '80% rule of thumb' comes from.
You will get tons of advice and too many will tell you 'sure you can'
over load, or "I've been doing that for decades with no problems" and
remind you that they won't get the ticket or be responsible for anything.
Only the driver is held responsible for the setup...
I don't recommend towing anything over 5K-6K lbs for any 1500 Suburban
and find most will have little left for tongue weight after they load
up their Suburbans. Usually have ratings in the PUP ranges.
RE: please answer like i am a two year old
Use your own body and mind as an analogy, but note that your
body will replace most all parts, while a truck really can't
as easily short term. That changes over the long term, as
once you die, gone, but in-animate objects can be rebuilt
over and over again.
You can run fast and carry so much today because of what your mind tells
your body to do.
Your body really can do more, but ask yourself why it isn't?
Mainly due to self preservation (not breaking anything and know enough
to let yourself go the distance). Go the distance for 'this' trip and
not shorten the end date of your life.
The level of 'risk' any person will take is dependent on their mind
set or values. Some folks think nothing of jumping over a crevasse
while others won't. Or most all will if the jump is within 50% of the
max capabilities, while others will continue to jump up to over 70%
to 90% to 100% of their max capabilities.
What a 'chip' or 're-programming' does is to remove many/most of the
computer programs safeties and allow the engine to exceed them above
some level either chosen by the supplier or yourself during the
re-programming.
Then there are changes to some things. Like timing, which will then
require higher octane fuel (gasser) and lower temp thermostats.
There is a preset max speed and is from the tire ratings. Most of
the chips and programs remove that safety. Okay if you also change to
higher speed tires, but LT tires typically top out at 100MPH.
Or the rev limiter. Both because the mechanical components many not
support that or that the engine might blow up. Most engines can rev
a bit higher, but nothing is there, as the valves will start to float
because the valve springs aren't strong enough. Go a bit more and the
valves may touch the pistons while they are floating away from the
rocker. Too many 'think' they are getting more HP (kinda sorta true)
but really risking blowing up their engines and really losing efficiency
in the process.
Back to your own body....tell yourself to carry 25lbs more while
climbing that hill faster and you 'can' do it. Then do it again for
the next hill. Ditto that for a while till you get to the camp site.
Then reverse it for the trip back.
Sure you got there faster, but how many times do you think you can
do that in one summer vs the older, slower paced way? Over how many
years could you do that with the old mind set vs the new mind set?
RE: How much does it really cost to make a pickup?
Thought post a response here instead to the the PMs asking what the
heck is and does ROI have to do with this thread...
ROI, Return On Investment, is used in corporations to gauge how much
bang for their buck is going or projected to be. If one product has
a much shorter ROI, they many approve that program over one that is
much longer....or....approve the longer one if the return is larger.
This is blaring to me when you look at domestic vs foreign decisions
based on ROI, or perceived ROI as presented to them. Why Detroit has
and continues to get their lunch eaten by foreign OEMs...
Since most large companies don't have hand ledgers any more, but
computer based data bases (DB), they just run a program to spit out
the spread sheet they want. Many times 2 + 2 = 5 or whatever they
wish it to be.
The numbers in those reports are supposed to tell the actual costing
over time of the product(s). Technically, these reports are supposed
to roll in all costs associated and assigned to that product(s).
BUT, there are 'accrual' numbers baked into all and can be left in or
even manipulated to whatever result they wish.
'Accrual' as in how they account for their money and/or expenses
and/or credits...etc.
Like when they acquire another company and then write off all of the
expenses involved with that acquisition (layoffs, sell assets, extend
warranties, etc, etc). Those expenses can be rolled into the whole
corporate bottom line (all do that) and/or assign it to a division
that received that acquistion into their P&L structure. That division
can then assign or not those costs to one or more product team(s).
BUT...the best financial report in a very large corporation is the
ROI numbers for any given product(s).
RE: Suv vs Truck
7 passenger is SUV or van territory. Marry that with towing capacity
to drive the sizing of that SUV/Van. Don't forget that if your kids
are small, they kinda sorta grow and want to take along buddies... Pets?
House utility dictates a pickup truck but I've also hauled dirt/gravel/wood/etc
in my K5 Blazer and Suburban with a tarp to keep it off of the rugs, but
nothing I'd like to do often.
If every once in a great while, then rent or borrow a pickup.
I have a 4x4 Suburban for my people hauling and towing. An old Silverado
pickup for my dirt/wood/gravel/refrigerator/lumber/cement/etc hauling.
It was dad's grocery store truck and is cheap, as it cost $5 bucks for
the DMV title transfer fee, kinda sorta remember about $400 bucks/year
insurance and maintenance (DIY most all things on it).
RE: How much does it really cost to make a pickup?
Les, I used to work in a large computer company ($7 billion in
revenues per year) as a program manager. Chaired product teams...what
amounts to a small company within Sun Micro and had P&L responsibilities.
GM/Ford/etc are way bigger but similar in structure (BOMs and the
financial DB).
ROI is tough to figure and here is an example.
Got a special assignment to run an embedded product team. Just the
mother board so to speak and no monitor/keyboard/enclosure/HDD/etc/etc.
But the controller's report was always off by too big a number.
Digging (got into lot's of trouble on that one) and found that the DB
automaticly embedded into my cost structure the overhead for monitors/
keyboards/HDD/enclosure/etc.
The directors/VPs/GMs didn't understand what the heck I was talking
about, nor did they care.
Finally got a small group in the east coast to listen and they under
stood what the heck was talking about. After about 3 months, that
controller found that Oracle program had what I needed/wanted, but it
was turned off.
Once I got that guy to turn it on for a test, the numbers came out as
I expected (really dead nuts on). He got a huge at'a'boy and 1,000
stock options. I got a reprimand for messing around stuff.
What I'm saying is that in a very large organization, they really
don't know. The FASB accrual allows credits, transfers, etc that
factor an already very complex picture. Like how I've played that
game by donating some servers (obsolete to us) to non-profits and got
credits that I then traded to another educational group who had the
DB check points.
Like that freebie car is written off as a marketing/sales expense, which
is rolled up into their op budget.
Did you know that the 'typical' auto today has over 20,000 individual
parts? Just adding a 'new' component requires the product team to pull
a PNR (part number request), which has to go through a whole process.
Engineering writes a spec sheet, coordinators run it through the DB.
Components reviews against existing stock. Purchasing goes out to bid.
Production, quality, service, etc all write up their own specs and
processes. Proto's or samples are purchased. Receiving must have the
new part on their DB, else they will reject it and not receive it.
Regulatory certification folks will then test it to spec. Finally it
will go to CCB (change control board...aka ECO group) for a review
and all assigned approvers either approve or reject and the whole
process repeats till it passes.
This is all buried in the 'over head' for all product teams, no matter
whether they use the part or not.
If the new part is complex, this whole process is more complex and
expensive.
So what is the true cost of that vehicle?
Only one controller kept two books for me. For the others, I had my
project coordinators keep that second set of books. They thought I
was going to cheat, but I wanted cash accounting vs their FASB
accrual methods. Always had a much larger margin position and shorter
ROI than other program managers.... :)
RE: BRAKES
folks have asked about drilled, slotted and even cryogenic rotors
and in reference to my comment about 'checking' of the cast iron
surface and not a good application for trucks (not those used as
cars, but as 'real' trucks).
Over at one of my boy racer forums, some one just bought a C2500 Sub and
asking about hub centric, so took some pictures of mine and remembered
to take a close up of my cryogenic/slotted rotors on my Sub, which
has heat checked the OEMs and these new (75K miles on them) cryo/slotted
Heat checking is when the surface is ripped apart by the friction between
the pads/shoes and cast iron. The surface sees both the shearing and
heat cycling (also rate of change from ambient to whatever high temp
it gets to...hot enough to melt the metalic fillers in the friction
material).
I have performance friction materials and some special tunning of my
own design. So braking is very good on all of my vehicles. Especially
this Sub, as this era has poor brakes.
These micro cracks will wear away if the severe braking forces do not
continue. If they continue, the cracks will propagate to crack clean
through, which is what happened to my OEMs.
Cryogenic cooling (nitrogen bath) is to change the molecular structure
of the cast iron (cast iron because it is the best friction to temp
of all metals). Leaves hardened crystaline structures on the surface
and toughens the whole. Very expensive when I bought them ($1K for
the pair, including hubs) back around 99.
Since these also heat checked and won't wear away, as they are too
deep and numerous. I'll keep an eye on them and replace with either
OEM or NAPA Gold.
Drilled rotors is to manage the outgassing (fade and that floating
of the friction material off the cast iron surface) and to cool
both...but if the rotor isn't spinning fast enough, not enough air
flow...plus 'some' drilling programs has around 30%-40% of the surface
area and mass removed, which works against braking... Slotting does
the same thing, but doesn't remove as much material, nor does it crack
like many drilled rotors do (cast in holes don't, but they cost much
more).
So my recommendation is to stick with OEM or high end like NAPA Gold.
Not the boy racer stuff, which really is designed for stuff spinning
much faster than our truck dia tires 'normally' turn at.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/bentoy/Brake/CIMG0045Subrotorheatchecked.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/bentoy/Brake/CIMG0094.jpg
This the OEM, which cracked clean through a bit after noticing and
taking this picture.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/bentoy/Brake/09040001.jpg width=640
RE: Headlites
Nothing is absolute, but pretty much so when it comes to headlamp
aiming. Since not absolute, could be wrong in this.
It 'has' to be, as there are too many things going on that affect their
aiming. An accident to mess up sheetmetal, suspension changes, etc, etc
Even the standard manufacturing tolerances will have them in need of
adjustment.
Two things.
#1.....any TV that needs to have their headlamps re-aimed due to the
hookup does not have their WD system setup right and needs to have it
redone.
#2....All headlamps have adjustments. If you can't see them does not
mean they are not there. Composite headlamps usually have them in
wacky places.
What is your setup spec's? That is the 'problem'...
RE: Gear Ratio and Tire Size
snip...
It would seem to me that gear ratio alone is not a good way to determine how well the tow vehicle will perform.
Yup...it's the whole package, not just any one component of that
food chain.
From the engine type/size/setup (turbo, etc), tranny gears (type too
as auto vs manual matters), diff ratio, tire rev's per mile (better than
tire dia), tire type/size/PSI, wheel spec, TV frontal area, TV Cd, TT
Cd, TV weight, TT weight, etc, etc, etc...
What works for one setup might be all wrong for another setup that
'looks' very similar...
Even driver's style and terrain matters.
Then stuff like a 4.11 in a 12 bolt diff is way different than a
4.11 in a 14 bolt diff. Same gear ratio, but one is around 9" dia
ring gear and other is 10.5"-11.5" dia ring gear, so that lever arm
is a bit longer or more capable than the other.
Or stuffing a turbo on a small block to have similar HP and torque
numbers as a big block and think the same. Not so, one is highly
stressed while the other is just loafing along at those numbers...
RE: Changing Coolant on Silverado
Here is my home made reverse flush kit and a HOW2 article posted
over at the Suburban forum. I don't open the drain plug. Yours is
different, but can use my system anyway. Your radiator doesn't have
a cap and the over flow bottle is now a pressurized extension of the
hot tank and is where you fill the whole system from.
My system uses the radiator hose and heater hose & their connections.
In Calif, if they sell it, they *MUST* take it back to recycle or have
a place setup to take it back. Also, our trash companies have recycling
centers that take it for free. Poison and kills the kidneys first.
Lost my last dog to that nasty stuff (any coolant will do that).
Reverse flush kit article
http://tinypic.com/anzy82.jpg
You'll need to take off the fan clutch and if it's bad, handling it
is important (never knew this till this article)
Fan clutch article
In case you run into problems, this is the master cooling page from
buddies Suburban/SUV site:
Cooling system page
RE: BRAKES
snip....
I thought Silicone Valley was in L.A.????:B
Not this kind (border line allowable), so saving Marty the effort
of having to delete this link due to some one offended by this
perfectly good picture (okay by me, plus it was taken at a public
beach), as it is totally funny on what LA's silicone valley is about.... :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/bentoy/Humor/Nowthisisold.jpg
Sunnyvale, Calif...aka...silicone valley....aka...computers and chips
made from silicone...aka...sand or glass...
