Occupying time with domestic full-size trucks, travel and camping
- Thread starter Bushcoat
- Start date
C.O. Solid plan my friend, next time I am in the colorful Colorado I plan to head further south, around your area. I'd love to make it again in the fall but we will see what happens.
Chili, when are you planning to be back, I'll likely be in and around Calgary last week of may/first week of June but will see how busy things are here, maybe end up going an extra week and do some driving around B.C.
Chili, when are you planning to be back, I'll likely be in and around Calgary last week of may/first week of June but will see how busy things are here, maybe end up going an extra week and do some driving around B.C.
chilliwak
Expedition Leader
Im wont be there before late July. Can that work for you?:smiley_drive:
Sorry Mr Wak, was hoping to go out that way later on this summer with a couple weeks to spend, but this conference has come up for the end of may. Too many things planned, not enough time.
So, I sold my car this past week which free'd up some cash to buy some things I needed.
Ordered some 265/70R17 10 ply General grabber red letter tires and bronze level 8 mk6 wheels for my 2015 sierra. I sold the stock tires and bought winter tires to put on the factory wheels, spring is upon us so I needed another set.
Also ordered four Fox 2.0 shocks for the 1500HD. Im long overdue on shocks, now its something thats pretty noticeable with pothole season upon us.
Finally, 1stDeuce has inspired me to finally get on a bumper for this thing. Ive had an idea of what I wanted drawn out in my head using materials Ive had laying around. My factory bumper took a hit and crunched the drivers bedside a bit so I plan to fix that also. I jacked the bumper out awhile back, but its time to give this truck some loving'.
I reused the factory brackets, and mostly 4" channel iron, with a strip of 1.5" flat bar, and some 3/16 plate on the sides. I had a slow day at work this past wednesday, so I got started, worked at it a few hours today, now almost done. Will likely paint with POR15, then rough it up and bedliner. I wanted to keep the bumper incorporated with the factory hitch since I do a fair amount of towing. Im not going to say the bumper is lighter than stock, but surprisingly it isn't too much heavier. Maybe Ill weigh them both when Im done.
Ordered some 265/70R17 10 ply General grabber red letter tires and bronze level 8 mk6 wheels for my 2015 sierra. I sold the stock tires and bought winter tires to put on the factory wheels, spring is upon us so I needed another set.
Also ordered four Fox 2.0 shocks for the 1500HD. Im long overdue on shocks, now its something thats pretty noticeable with pothole season upon us.
Finally, 1stDeuce has inspired me to finally get on a bumper for this thing. Ive had an idea of what I wanted drawn out in my head using materials Ive had laying around. My factory bumper took a hit and crunched the drivers bedside a bit so I plan to fix that also. I jacked the bumper out awhile back, but its time to give this truck some loving'.
I reused the factory brackets, and mostly 4" channel iron, with a strip of 1.5" flat bar, and some 3/16 plate on the sides. I had a slow day at work this past wednesday, so I got started, worked at it a few hours today, now almost done. Will likely paint with POR15, then rough it up and bedliner. I wanted to keep the bumper incorporated with the factory hitch since I do a fair amount of towing. Im not going to say the bumper is lighter than stock, but surprisingly it isn't too much heavier. Maybe Ill weigh them both when Im done.
Just started EZ with a couple trimmed up pieces of channel, welded nuts to the back of the lower one and bolted it to the hitch in the stock location.
Tried my hand at the CAD design. Worked out well, then I used the templates upside down for the opposite side.
Fits pretty tight to the body, Im content.
The factory bumper is roughly 8"x8", close to what I ended up with.
Ive got so many of these 07+ front tow hooks, I cut down a couple and put one on each corner. These will be used to tie down my non existent camper. I will eventually get a camper, so when I find something I can jump on a deal and be ready to go pick it up. I also plan to make tie downs for the front of the camper, before I actually need them. And Im also hoping these tie down rings will be versatile enough for either a 6 or 8 ft camper, depending what I find. Thanks 1stDeuce for the idea!
I chamfered down the edges and joints quite a bit so I could grind the welds flush and round off corners.
Ive worked on these trucks long enough to know, the easiest way to pull the rear bumper is to remove the back 4 bed bolts and jack it up, pull the bumper and bolt the bed back down. GM had it figured out on the 07-13s, but went back to the B.S on the '14+.... Are you listening, GM?
Cant forget to fix this...
Tried my hand at the CAD design. Worked out well, then I used the templates upside down for the opposite side.
Fits pretty tight to the body, Im content.
The factory bumper is roughly 8"x8", close to what I ended up with.
Ive got so many of these 07+ front tow hooks, I cut down a couple and put one on each corner. These will be used to tie down my non existent camper. I will eventually get a camper, so when I find something I can jump on a deal and be ready to go pick it up. I also plan to make tie downs for the front of the camper, before I actually need them. And Im also hoping these tie down rings will be versatile enough for either a 6 or 8 ft camper, depending what I find. Thanks 1stDeuce for the idea!
I chamfered down the edges and joints quite a bit so I could grind the welds flush and round off corners.
Ive worked on these trucks long enough to know, the easiest way to pull the rear bumper is to remove the back 4 bed bolts and jack it up, pull the bumper and bolt the bed back down. GM had it figured out on the 07-13s, but went back to the B.S on the '14+.... Are you listening, GM?
Cant forget to fix this...
Colorado_Outback
Adventurer
Loving the bumper design. And the Prius sticker 
So recently I got the left lower bedside roughed in, thinking Im going to bedliner the lower section of the whole truck and bumpers. Also got the Fox 2.0 shocks installed, they seem great, but I did have three completely dead shocks and one that was almost there. Been too busy to finish up the bumper, but hopefully this week.
And I picked out some wheels for my wife, ordered, mounted, TPMS, etc.
Tires are factory size, 265/70R17, all that I need. I was considering waiting on General to release the 285s, or going to 275/70R18s and 18" wheels but I plan to tow the travel trailer so I figured the stock size might be best with these tires being so heavy. I went with the "0 offset" wheels, happy with that, they stick out maybe an inch more, which I feel gives a better, more aggressive look but isn't going to dirty up or stone chip the truck too much.
Also noticed with 9000km on the truck now, and less on the Iron cross HD steps, they are already pretty beaten up from road salt and sand so I will be bedlining them in the matching body colour. Have I mentioned Im not a fan of powder coat?
And picked up a a new toy to park in the bed. For extra traction, you know!
And I picked out some wheels for my wife, ordered, mounted, TPMS, etc.
Tires are factory size, 265/70R17, all that I need. I was considering waiting on General to release the 285s, or going to 275/70R18s and 18" wheels but I plan to tow the travel trailer so I figured the stock size might be best with these tires being so heavy. I went with the "0 offset" wheels, happy with that, they stick out maybe an inch more, which I feel gives a better, more aggressive look but isn't going to dirty up or stone chip the truck too much.
Also noticed with 9000km on the truck now, and less on the Iron cross HD steps, they are already pretty beaten up from road salt and sand so I will be bedlining them in the matching body colour. Have I mentioned Im not a fan of powder coat?
And picked up a a new toy to park in the bed. For extra traction, you know!
So, to keep this alive... Ive sold the topper from the blue truck, it never was quite what I wanted so now Im taking my time figuring out what I want to do.
I got a skidplate set from the dealer for the '15, Ill probably put them on this week or next. It is a 3 piece steel set that replaces the flimsy plastic one they give from the factory. The third piece is a transfer skid. Cost about $240 canadian. Heres the number if anyone is interested.
Also been doing the break in period on my new bike, adding some accessories, breaking some trail and clearing/maintaining some trail, places no truck would make it.
I got a skidplate set from the dealer for the '15, Ill probably put them on this week or next. It is a 3 piece steel set that replaces the flimsy plastic one they give from the factory. The third piece is a transfer skid. Cost about $240 canadian. Heres the number if anyone is interested.
Also been doing the break in period on my new bike, adding some accessories, breaking some trail and clearing/maintaining some trail, places no truck would make it.
Took a ride out west last week, had some business to conduct in Calgary so we made a family trip of it. Sure felt good to get out on the road, stretch the legs, log some miles and get back to the mountains. Just over 5000km, 9 days, myself along with my wife and our two young children. I think the message center said 13.4 L/100k (17.8 MPG) over this trip.
been having a great summer, been busy. up to almost 22000 km on the '15, no trouble so far other than my tires wearing horribly but warranty covered me for an alignment and rotation. these red general grabbers have been wearing great, about 13000 km on them, mostly highway, some towing and have worn about 1.5-2/32.
blue truck got new headlights, old ones were getting really foggy. got the marker lights too, but they dont fit well. probably better off trying to get gmc lights to fit. chinese junk. got a partial rebuild on the trans, a flush and a mag hytec deep pan, got the broken manifold studs addressed on the drivers side and a mag hytec rear diff cover and fluid flush. felt strange putting 6 quarts in the rearend! also got a new spare tire winch installed, need to find a tool kit so i can hang a tire up there.
been out camping which is great! my wife is far too busy, getting away forces her to take a break.
Finished up that bumper, raptor linered it and the lower bedsides behind the rear wheels.
Oem stainless replacement skidplate set. t case skid is painted steel.
shocks upgrade
deep pan and cover upgrade
putting miles on the bikes with my dad, got stopped by the police taking my daughter for ice cream
blue truck got new headlights, old ones were getting really foggy. got the marker lights too, but they dont fit well. probably better off trying to get gmc lights to fit. chinese junk. got a partial rebuild on the trans, a flush and a mag hytec deep pan, got the broken manifold studs addressed on the drivers side and a mag hytec rear diff cover and fluid flush. felt strange putting 6 quarts in the rearend! also got a new spare tire winch installed, need to find a tool kit so i can hang a tire up there.
been out camping which is great! my wife is far too busy, getting away forces her to take a break.
Finished up that bumper, raptor linered it and the lower bedsides behind the rear wheels.
Oem stainless replacement skidplate set. t case skid is painted steel.
shocks upgrade
deep pan and cover upgrade
putting miles on the bikes with my dad, got stopped by the police taking my daughter for ice cream
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