-
Posts
1,862 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
4
Thomcat last won the day on March 11 2020
Thomcat had the most liked content!
Profile Information
-
Name
Tom
-
Location
Harpers Ferry WV
-
Gender
Male
-
Drives
'19 Silverado RST; '18 Malibu LT; '18 Traverse Premier Redline
Recent Profile Visitors
10,428 profile views
Thomcat's Achievements

Senior Enthusiast (9/11)
839
Reputation
-
And these things are supposed to crawl over rocks??? Enjoyed my T1 for the past ten months and it never leaked until yesterday, last mods were the GM lighted bowtie and GM brush bar.......looked great so naturally it was time for my kick in the a$$. Torrential rainstorm and looked to the back window.......no leaks.......even the wipers couldn't keep up and didn't see the speed bump with a portion of the roadway washed away and bottomed out smashing the bottom of the passenger side running board onto the pavement......a real good slam. Though not too much of it but when I got home the rear seats had water on top, worse when I got out the drivers door creaked and I assumed it need lubricant.....still creaked until I noticed that the front edge of the door was rubbing against the fender, spacing in the rear edges were fine but the front edge of the door was warped and mounting twisted. Seems the impact had warped the aluminum shell of the cab on the opposite side of the impact, top of the roof would pop with the weight of my pinky. Even if the hinges were adjustable, which they are not, and with the rear window broken since the front fender had not moved so it looked like baby finally bit me in the a$$. What's the sense of buying a truck with an eggshell structure that weighs less than a typical 60's sedan? Certainly not for a comfortable ride and not for white glove hauling with SUVs like the 18+Traverse capable of carrying 4'x8' sheets of plywood and sheet rock, or an 86" flat screen TV completely., trucks still hold their advantage for hauling bulk, mulch, rocks and maure.Absent passengers and cargo, using a 3.6l 310 hp V6 which can turn a 0-60 in a little over 6 sec engine similar to the time of a 5.3l with the exception that it gets 29 mpg hwy almost double the gas guzzling V8. No more top end Traverses available because all the geniuses are sucking them up taking out 8 year loans ....so had to go for a Highlander Platinum and put an end to my cheapo truck days and not looking back. Over and out.
-
SAFETY ALERT- Rear camera- READ ME
Thomcat replied to Dersch's topic in 2019-2023 Silverado & Sierra
Doubt many owners on this 2019-2020 Silverado forum much give a crap about a monitor in a '15.....and I doubt anyone would give a crap about a true safety concern the vacuum operated windshield wipers in my '53 Bel-Air which would cut out whenever the vehicle accelerated......safety hazard no because it was the best available, most affordable and safest at the time........just like any resolution and brightness shortcomings in a '15 monitor. If you really don't need a backup camera simply unplug it and problem solved, or post on the K2 forum. -
SAFETY ALERT- Rear camera- READ ME
Thomcat replied to Dersch's topic in 2019-2023 Silverado & Sierra
So what? Is my '19 a safety hazard because I didn't opt for a more expensive Silverado with an electronic rearview mirror or overhead view in the monitor like my older '18 Traverse?....maybe I should write a letter to complain and give someone a good laugh. My '16 Z71 didn't have a HD screen and so I squinted or used mirrors or the "get out and guide me out hon" technique when available and then sprung for a '19 with a better video system which had not even been available in '16. And my 13 Avalanche didn't have a backup camera at all, nor the 30 or so other vehicles before that....were they safety hazards too? This whole concept of a too bright or washed out image screen being a safety hazard is absurd......no worse than turning the screen display off and using the mirrors or turning around and taking a look. If a driver can't safely reverse without having to rely on a monitor screen he shouldn't be driving in the first place. -
Turns out Shopchevyparts was a great place to order. $573 total including ground shipping and a 5% first customer discount. Ordered on the 27 and it came today, early morning so enough time for the install. Instructions are included, but visual install on a '19-20 is best in thiks video using another brand. Pricey but one of the very few bars using a custom brackets for the '19+ that permit you to reinstall and access the existing tow hooks. Only points to make is there is no way a battery ratchet removed the factory tow hook bolts.....I used a 3/8" air ratchet pressure pumped to 120 lbs and it couldn't break the bolts loose....needs a 1/2" breaker bar and 18mm socket. Real solid mount both the bar and tow hooks. And easier to remove the front plate to access the nuts on the mounting bolts and then reinstall the plate. Also added a piece of red plexiglass behind the hollow lettering. Now the sports bar, running boards and brush bar match. Install took almost three hours including a 1/2 hour rain break. Nice look with the lighted bowtie and brush guard.
-
SAFETY ALERT- Rear camera- READ ME
Thomcat replied to Dersch's topic in 2019-2023 Silverado & Sierra
Good luck with your complaints. Here's how my '19 RST with the Convenience II package with HD Camera and HD monitors works at night with IOS radio upgraded to IOT/Nav. Nothing wrong with the safety on mine! At night or with the Sun sensor covered the +/- dash panel buttons will dim the dash and screen, including camera screens to almost total blackout.....this is especially useful with the Nav to reduce glare levels to suit driver preference.......dims in all gears except Reverse. And this is likely a safety feature that GM will never change because it is operating as designed......to override all dash controls and preference under Settings give full brightness when in Reverse so no complaints or excuses that drivers ran over something because the display was turned off under Settings or adjusted too dim. I live in an area with residential lighting but visit relatives in VA without residential lighting whose developments are pitch black at night. The stock HD camera/monitor setup with lighting using stock halogen bulbs in the Reverse lens and LEDs in the red lenses when backing up under both conditions is bright but with excellent resolution, much improved over my old K2 without the HD monitor/screen. Brighter LEDs in the Reverse lenses make likely the glare situation worse, not better. Only way to get dimming of the screen while backing up in Reverse is to previously dim the screen with the dash buttons, and while backing stop the vehicle place in Neutral to dim the screen to take a better look and then shift to Reverse to continue backing. -
AVS In Channel Vent guards
Thomcat replied to StLTrailBoss's topic in 2019-2023 Silverado & Sierra Mods
NO....what would really save aggravation is not buying those in the first place! I had known better from the Weathertechs I had installed in my previous vehicles, but was in a rush and bought them anyway. Doesn't require ingenuity to install, just good instructions and the provided instructions were confusing because some of the edges are out-channel and taped to the outside of the pillars......try to install the whole deflector in-channel and you've got problems! Wasted my money buying those flimsy deflectors because the thicker plastic with machined edges more expensive ones, e.g. Weathertech or E.G.R weren't yet available for the new T1 bodies. Disobeyed rule #1 taught by the School of Hard Knocks....."It always turns out to be more expensive when you go cheap" Ripped the AVS off as soon as E.G.R came out with a 4 window set (Weathertech only had fronts at that time) and the extra bucks for them were worth every nickel if for nothing else for better appearance, durability, and function. The AVS only cover the top edge of the front windows, the others wrap around all the way behind the mirror eliminating and wind noise. And E.G.R s come in black matte finish to match the trim on the RST's. And no troublesome install....all 4 installed in less than 10 minutes and have been firmly in place for almost a year. Thank you E.G.R. -
Here's my .02.....didn't ask for it but you got it. We are energy independent with enough hydrocarbon energy to supply out great great grandchildren and their children.....air is clean....water is drinkable.....so what's the beef with replacing gasoline. Instead of pi$$ing away money on battery research they should use the bucks to reduce cost of their existing vehicles. May be they failed at Physics, but matter and energy can neither be created nor destroyed....only transformed from one state to another state. And the juice need to charge the batteries or capacitors comes from power plants that burn a greater amount of energy in coal, oil or nat gas to produce a given amount of electricity. Oh yeah, forgot about solar and those huge Windmills made of alloys and resins that contaminate the environment not to mention the amount of lubricants necessary top keep them running and all the fuel and man hours necessary to service them. Now they discover that these avian Cuisinarts with fragile resin blades all need servicing because of the destructive nature of the winds otherwise they go out of balance when a blade breaks and collapse or turn into 200' high Roman candles when the motors seize or break loose and overspin the turbines during a hurricane. And they ignore the most clean and efficient.....Nuclear. Should take a lesson from the old New Englander's and go with flowing water energy and devoting their resources to projects similar to Niagara or the Hoover dam and go tidal, and not those stupid bouncing bouys either. Coastal areas do not have the advantage of fast flowing water, but the do have Moon energy in the form of rising and lowering tides with unlimited ability to trap water from the daily high tide, store in a holding lake and metering it out through electric turbines at low tide....unlike the wind or the Sun the Moon is 100% dependable, day or night, for moving enough water to make it feasible. So how come there's no interest......probably because the beachfront property is to valuable to those who have money or political control to proovide a cheap and relatively clean source of cheap energy to those who drive Chevys instead of those chauffeured in Mercedes 500s. Fantastic - lithium batteries.....much better than lead or zinc because they are much more reactive elements on the Periodic table and can provide much more energy in the same sized battery. And of course everyone WILL recycle these, not, recycling itself proses environmental hazards So what when lithium finds it's way into the environment...same element used in many psychoactive compounds to really mellow one out and produce a sedate society....or maybe that is the ultimate goal? Maybe some challenged teenaged Swede with a cool accent should provide a meaningful solution instead of being used as as a shill for environmental extremists.
- 156 replies
-
- battery electric truck
- electric truck
- (and 8 more)
-
GM Splash Guards installed "backwards"?
Thomcat replied to todd308's topic in 2019-2023 Silverado & Sierra
.02 Whatever you're happy with.......But.......Only another set on the rear? Each one is shaped that way for a reason.....they have to swap them and do it correctly fronts in front and rears in rear! The Silverados, and ditto the Sierras, come with a small flap on the forward rear wheel well which is designed to provide an aerodynamic flow around the wheel well and save a zillion dollars worth of gas......the larger rear flap in the front will interfere with the air flow......since fronts and rears are designed to work in tandem probably won't make a difference in gas mileage but may cause a noise/whistle/howl at certain speeds and/or the larger flap may trap excess mud/ice buildup in the front of the well. No charge? They already charged you for the job and they should do it correctly.....one look seeing same sized flaps with logos facing forward and rear on the same wheel well screams that it is a half a$$ed install. -
.02 After it meets the lemon law requirements and the procedure begins..........most lemon laws require that after formal notification, the manufacturer be given one final opportunity to repair the defect which could be at the dealer or a different facility. What kind of dealer keeps a vehicle for a month trying to repair a leak? I've had plenty of Avalanche leakers sealed with Silao snot that required resealing of the windshields and sunroofs. Here's how it works....call for appointment....dealer verifies leak and either fixes it or has to order new moldings and a tentative new appointment is made for the next week for the repair........if parts not received by then another tentative appointment is made when the parts will arrive and I continued to use the vehicle.......and the repair is made at the second appointment day. Complete replacement or resealing can't take more than one calendar day. Even with three or four attempts it can't take 30 cumulative days for the process......unless the vehicle is left at the dealership and most of the time is static storage. Brings up another question....Why use a POS loaner and leave a perfectly functioning vehicle at a dealer whose only problem is a leak? Only time I can see leaving it there is for a no drive condition or safety hazard where the replacement component is on nationwide backorder.... They'll leave it out in the lot open to the elements anyway.
-
Sounds like the constant drone from my rich tightwad brother-in-law around in a 175K+ Envoy with the 4WD mode inoperative for the past 10 years ...always unwilling to drive on a trip because he's not sure the Envoy will make it.........told him he right: "Why waste money it's just barely broken in and good for at least another 10 years.....your money will be put to better use by your daughter who will be tooling around in a new red Ferrari less than 24 hours after you take your dirt nap" I have a '19 double cab, more rear room than my previous K2. Bought a double cab with standard bed for one reason only.....lines looks better with the GM lighted sports bar than a crew cab which when equipped with a sportsbar has the lines of a big car with a short trunk. As far as rear seat comfort.....couldn't say because my a$$ has never, and will never sit there......if looking for comfort the 2nd gen Traverse is superior in ride, handling, dead on for speed and comfort and that includes comparison against my former less roomy '11Tahoe..
-
GM Splash Guards installed "backwards"?
Thomcat replied to todd308's topic in 2019-2023 Silverado & Sierra
Been installing the OEMs for the past 7 vehicles and the bowtie logo always faces the rear of the vehicle where it is most visible.. -
Thanks again for the post.saved me at least $75.....just ordered from them and they offer an additional 5% for total order for new customers......ground shipping $39.00 + State tax came to $573.36 best from dealer was $715 and best from Chevy Truck Legends was $618 and I'd have to go to a praticpating dealer in PA to pick it up or I'd have to pay shipping charges.
-
A lot of the leaking posts mention urethane sealant on the window frame. Examination of the excess squeezed out on mine which remains leak free for over a year appears to be flexible black silicone rubber.
-
.02 all depends upon what you want and how it's used........22's ride better, but less performance. Had 17"s, 18"s, 20"s and 22"s on my '07, '11, '12 Avalanches and '16 and '19 Silverados. Granted suspensions differed from coils to leafs. In general the more aggressive the tread more noise, more slippage in turns on wet pavement, the larger the sidewall the smoother but more sloppy the ride especially in sharp hairpins and emergency maneuvers. Very little off roading and very few potholes and road hazards....even thh gravel and crush-and-run roads fairly well maintained......no more crapo NY/NJ traveling. So this time went for the 22"s with less aggressive treads, less noise, smoother on paved roads, but harsher on rough roads and above all better in performance. When new seemed to hop more than my '16 Z71 which had aggressive treads, but with a road force balance and 5K of suspension break in....the harshness disappeared, no more rear axle hopping.....in fact none at all even on the same roads and in peel outs from a turn. And the performance is well worth any detractions from a narrower sidewall......the R22/275 Bridgestone Alenzas give a nice controllable ride, necessary in the '19s with their heavy raking & larger turning radius............no more rear axle breakouts or tire sliding in a fast U-turn......and performance in rain soaked roads is exceptional.
-
GM Splash Guards installed "backwards"?
Thomcat replied to todd308's topic in 2019-2023 Silverado & Sierra
Larggr on the front work well only if you travel faster and for greater distances in Reverse than Drive. Take back and have the dealer install them properly. OEM guards on the Silverados are moron proof, forward mounted rear stone guards come stock so there is only one side to install the mud guards. Reminds me of the time a neighbor came back from a "tire specialty shop" with his 2 new snow tires mounted on the rear wheels of his FWD Toronado.
-
Forum Statistics
242.8k
Total Topics1.4m
Total Posts -
Member Statistics
-
Who's Online 29 Members, 0 Anonymous, 1,346 Guests (See full list)