aseibel

Is this your first 4WD truck? I agree that it sounds normal and you likely were transitioning between slippery and less slippery pavement. If you can see the pavement, 4 auto or 2HI would probably suffice. You only need 4HI if driving on unplowed roads. And remember 4HI does not improve handling, steering or braking. It only helps you accelerate faster. No need to out-drive conditions if the roads are actually bad.

I'd still guess it had to do with the temperature. You said it was 6 degrees. Likely it never triggered the system that it was in the "ok to operate" range. If you had the Heater on full blast and defrosters and heated seats, it may have just been struggling to manage all the electrical systems while cold.

Cylinder deactivation may be inhibited for many reasons including the following: • Engine coolant temperature out of range for cylinder activation • Engine vacuum out of range • Brake booster vacuum out of range • Transmission gear incorrect or shift in progress • Accelerator pedal out of range or rate of pedal application to fast • Engine oil pressure and temperature out of range • Engine speed out of range • Vehicle speed out of range • Minimum time in V8 mode not met • Maximum V4 mode time exceeded • Decel fuel cutoff active • Reduced engine power active • Torque management active • Catalytic converter over temperature protection active • Piston protection active, knock detected • Cylinder deactivation solenoid driver circuit faults borrowed from this post:

Everything you said is true. I said nothing about trusting bean counters, only that there are people with more data than I have who have determined it's not worth it for them to install a catch can. Unfortunately in this "throw away" society, no auto maker cares about making their engine last 4-5 times longer than the warranty period since the majority of customers sell the vehicle or wreck it well before then. All they care about is "being cheap" to save a few bucks to throw in the pension fund. Like any other mod, if you want one on your truck, have at it.

Have you looked into the PPV brake pads? (Police Pursuit Vehicle) I was under the impression that they perform better than OEM. Though I have no personal review, and can't verify if they are out for T1's yet.

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S are excellent in snow. They have the coveted "three-peak mountain snowflake" symbol. You can get them in 275/60R20, which are 33" dia. but just under 11" wide. As already discussed, wide tires are the opposite of good driving in snow. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Are you looking at the hole to stick the crank in, to lower the spare tire?

I think I've seen people on here say the shocks we get OEM are a lesser version of the shocks you can buy directly from Rancho. Like GM worked out a deal with them for some bargain parts.

I'm not sure what you want from us. You will know if it engages because you can hear/feel the clunk. One time I got stuck because I high centered my plow mount on the pile and I had all 4 wheels spinning on the ice. I needed to dump a bunch of sand to re-gain traction. The G80 locker isn't a be-all end-all. It just helps when you have 1 wheel slipping.

My unbiased opinion is that my 2015 version of Tenneco Ranchos provide the best ride I've ever had in a truck. Can you get a different feel with new shocks? sure. It all depends on what you expect it to feel like. I expect my truck to carry almost 2,000 lbs when I want, and ride decent both loaded and unloaded. My expectations are met or exceeded.

I'm pretty sure you can get both rear wheels spinning without engaging the locker if you are on ice/mud/snow. I can clearly hear & feel when mine grabs. I often drive around in the snow in 2HI and fishtail for fun and it does not grab most of the time on the road. Its more for when you are stuck and one wheel is not moving, while the other spins freely. It operates all by itself and there isn't much you need to worry about. If you are stuck and both rear wheels are spinning, then you need 4HI.

Attention IA, MN and WI people! Its that time of year again. Buy 3 get 1 free Cooper Tires through this Saturday 11/16. https://www.fleetfarm.com/promotion/p5614615/_/N-2028862685

think about it this way: If catch cans worked so well and prevented all catastrophic failure of engines still under the powertrain warranty- wouldn't GM put the $200 part on the truck to begin with? Since they (GM's bean counters) don't believe catch cans are needed to get the truck through the warranty period, then I'm fine without it. Maybe adding one will increase your engine's life span from 200k to 300k. I doubt my frame will last that long anyway so it doesn't make me lose any sleep.

But his build sheet lists both of them: M5X - 8 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GU4 - REAR AXLE 3.08 RATIO

no problem. I'm guessing it was omitted because it does not make a difference. You are limited by your axle ratio. I have a 4WD with the 3.42. My max trailer is 9,200 lbs. I only have 6 spd tranny.