HoosierZ

Done building the box. Added a filler piece between the lids.

When I first saw the Trail Boss, I thought it was a work truck package. My brother’s 2010 Silverado WT has the same cheap looking black grill and bumper. In my opinion, the Trail Boss should have the color matched front end like the RST.

Thanks! No wonder you wanted traction bars. Those lift blocks are huge. I’ll bet you were wishing for a taller garage door. Lol

The lids open forward and the hinges have a quick disconnect feature so the lids can be removed.

Made the brackets out of stainless.

Thanks! Been meaning to build this for a while. Too bad the double cab floor is nowhere near as flat as the crew cab. Got the lids hinged and made brackets to attach it to the seat bolts. I made it with two lids so that either side can be opened without raising the entire seat.

Plan on spraying it with bedliner paint to match the floor mats.

Worked on building an underseat storage box for my 2016 double cab.

Definitely don’t rely on the normal spring compressors that parts stores have. I built my own when I put Bilsteins on my ‘08. The screws on mine are 20mm (nearly 13/16”) and the hooks are high carbon steel. I also added safety pins to make sure the hooks couldn’t slip off the springs. The parts store compressors use 1/2”-5/8” screws and weaker cast or forged hooks.

Looks good! The 72” length was the right choice. The rattle could be from the clearance between the body and swivel of the Heim joints if the nuts are tight. If so, try preloading the bars to put some pressure against the joints. Did the joints feel tight out of the box? My joints are Teflon lined and they’re still tight after several years and they don’t rattle. The frames are definitely thin on these trucks. Hopefully, they don’t rust through like Jeep frames. Time will tell.

Nice! Those Heim joints are massive. Now, hurry up and get them on.

Fuel- Metallica 1000 Horse Power- Godsmack

I would re-use them. I re-used my factory u-bolts and nuts with my traction bars. You could always use some blue loc-tite if you’re worried about the nuts loosening up.

I also added an Airaid Jr air intake with the dry filter. It uses the factory air box. I added it a few days before the programmer and it seemed to help the throttle response a little bit by itself.

I have a Hypertech Max Energy 2.0 for my 2016 Silverado 5.3 6 spd. It has adjustments for throttle response, shift firmness, shift response, max RPM shift points, rev limiter, speed limiter, and AFM on or off or on only above a selectable speed. It also reads and clears trouble codes and TPMS alarm setting can be changed if you’re running tires that require different pressure than the stock tires. The throttle response and shift response settings made the biggest difference in the drive ability of the truck. I no longer have to stomp on the pedal to get it to accelerate or to get it to downshift. It also has the ability to adjust for tire size and gear ratio changes. The shift firmness has 4 different settings and after trying a few different ones, I ended up going with the Tow setting which is one step above stock. With it on the Street or Sport setting, the 2-3 shift around 5,000 Rpm was brutal. The first time it shifted so hard it felt like someone kicked the seat and the traction control light started flashing. Breaking traction around 65mph on dry pavement is a little bit too much for a daily driver. Lol

Check out East Coast Gear Supply. They should be able to tell you everything you need to know. https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/files/PDF Files/gm9-5-12-bolt.pdf

That seems a little low for mileage unless you were towing through the mountains. I’ve got a double cab 5.3, 6 spd with 3.08 gears and 33s. Last winter I pulled my 18’ car trailer 90 miles to haul a 3k lb tractor, 5k lb total weight ( 90 mi empty, 90 loaded). On mostly flat ground at 60-65 mph I averaged 12-13 mpg round trip running in 5th gear.

Replaced the battery. Went with a Duracell since they seem to have good reviews. They’re made by East Penn Battery which also makes Deka. Truck’s been cranking slower lately and this morning, it barely started. Original battery was dated 4/2015 so I guess it was due. My ‘08 Silverado spoiled me because it still had the original battery when I traded it off in 2016.

It’s basically the same as the Readylift 4” kit with adjustable height struts instead of spacers and people seem to like that kit. If I do get it, I’ll probably set the struts to 3” or 3-1/2”. I would assume after 30+ years in the aftermarket suspension business that Belltech knows what they’re doing.

I came across a new 4” lift from Belltech that’s very tempting. I’m wanting to replace my Ranchos, do away with my leveling spacers, and gain a little more height. The Belltech front shocks are adjustable for 3-4” of lift. The kit comes with upper control arms, diff drop spacers, diff skid plate, rear lift blocks and rear shocks. Who wants to be the first to try it out and give a review?

My bars are 45-1/2” long hole to hole.

I have a set of bolt-on bars I built for my truck. Mine only has the stock rear blocks but the bars definitely help. I can only imagine how much axle wrap you have with your 9” lift. I’ll measure mine and let you know how long they are.

Maybe look into these Longhorn Fab Shop bars. They are bolt-on so you won’t have to weld tabs to your axle like the universal Cognito bars and you can custom order them in any length you want. I know the owner of Longhorn and he builds some really nice stuff. https://longhornfabshop.com/custom-chevy-gmc-1500-1-2-ton-traction-bars-2in-diameter-200961/

As I stated, it’s strictly for looks, not function. Several years ago I made and sold several of them for Colorados/Canyons. The one I had on my ‘08 Silverado was actually the one I had on my ‘07 Colorado. The hole pattern was the only difference. This will give me something to work on in the garage this winter.