DanY

From my old Program Manager (Ford nut): Lockwashers

Installed a storage box from a 99 Tahoe/Suburban. I bought it off of Ebay. It took a couple of new holes in the bottom of the box to mount it.

The truck is not like a smartphone. It comes with the apps that GM installs and you cannot install other apps onto the truck. Where would you get new apps from? The truck does not run Android or IOS operating systems like a phone does.

On one of the threads, someone had the bright idea to cut a sheet of thin plastic the size of the filter and then slid this under the filter before they removed it. All of the crap on top of the filter then fell onto the plastic instead of down into the fan. I'm going to try this when it comes time to change my filter again.

Not sure if you are aware or not, but GM doesn't want you re-using the axle U-bolts and nuts. Something about deforming the threads to help lock the nuts on. I had mine in for the dreaded rear clunk and the TSB says to replace the U-bolts and nuts once removed.

My 2015 High Country with 6.2L already had the studs installed from the factory. I just needed the cover and emblem.

When doing the TSB for rear end clunk on my truck, the dealer replaced both the U-bolts and nuts. I have the part numbers if anyone needs them. BTW, this did not fix my clunk, which seems to be getting better as the weather warms up. It seems that lifting the truck, ie unloading the springs, tends to help with the clunk.

I've had the rear end clunk for the last couple of months. Started when it got cold but still did it on days when it warmed to 60 degrees. Mostly a single or double clunk when backing out of the driveway or pulling out from a stop with the wheels turned sharp right. I really think it's the right spring binding and unloading with a clunk. I took it in for state inspection a couple of weeks back and had the dealer look for the source. They heard it but couldn't figure out where it was coming from. It went back in last week for them to try to find it and they did not hear the noise that day. They found the TSB that told them to torque all the spring fasteners and had to order new shackle nuts. Back in today to install the shackle nuts. They called an hour after I dropped it off and said that there is an aftermarket rear sway bar installed and spring clamps installed. Can they disconnect them to check if these are making the noise? Funny it's the third time they have had the truck and they finally found the sway bar and clamps. Did they even look underneath it on the first two visits? Now I'm waiting for the call that with the aftermarket parts installed, they cannot fix the problem under warranty.

Yep. That's why I run the bolt in before the install to tap the holes. They are a bit tough cranking them in, also tend to get a bit warm from the friction. Assembly line uses power tools to drive them.

These are GM bolts that are tapered a bit. They use them on a lot of attachments to the frame without having to tap the holes. The tapered tip allows the threads to bite when you start turning it in. These bolts are 10mm x 1.5 thread. You can use regular bolts if you tap the holes with a tap and die set. The GM part number for these bolts is 11518341. They are listed as M10x1.5x25. Retail for 4 is $37.40 with tax.

You do have to install the rear 2 self tapping bolts for the front plate. There are 2 holes in the front a-arm cross member. They are sort of punched inward, not a simple drill hole, this gives them some depth for the threads to cut into. From what people here say, they are present on the cross member for the 2014-2016 models. If you want to convince yourself, take 10 minutes and pull off the plastic splash guard. You will see the holes directly in front of where the 2 steel brackets bolt to the front a-arm cross member.

I haven't decided yet. I'll probably keep it for now. Now the 10 leftover self tapping bolts may be another story. I'll keep 4 for the transfer case plate. I paid the dealer over $8 a bolt when I bought my original transfer case plate.

The black steel plate goes under the transfer case with 4 self tapping bolts. The other 2 plates are aluminum. Check my post back on page 3 for the eBay link to get the kit for $183 shipped.

Finished the install. Should take only 15-20 minutes. You need a 10mm socket and 15mm socket. Remove the plastic guard by removing the 2 15mm bolts from the radiator support. Then remove the 4 10mm bolts from under the engine. Remove the 2 brackets by removing the 4 15mm bolts from the front and rear A-frame crossmembers. Install the rear skid plate using the same 4 15mm bolts in the same position as the brackets. There are 2 holes in the front crossmember just in front of the new rear plate that need tapped with 2 of the new self-tapping bolts. Then install the front plate using these 2 new holes and the 2 existing holes in the radiator support. I'm adding the link to my new imgur.com album, hopefully your can see them. Sorry about the crappy installed pics. Can't get a good shot without the truck being on a lift. http://imgur.com/a/YzATY

Just a little progress. Truck made it in the garage and is up on the 3" corvette pre-jack ramps. Letting it drip off for a while. I measured the aluminum plates, 0.163" each. The aluminum plates have part numbers stamped on them. Front. 23135960 Rear 23135959 Did a quick check at gmpartdirect.com. Plates are listed at $70.56 each. Shipping to PA for both plates is $20.64.

Try this link http://www.ebay.com/itm/161605419485?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT This is the link in my purchased list. The seller has no active listings but this link has a "Buy another" which may allow you to order one for the $182.71 price.

The GM skid plate kit arrived on Monday. All I did was open the box. It looks exactly like the pics on the Ebay kit listed earlier in the thread. 2 large aluminum plates to replace the one piece plastic splash guard and the small steel plate for the transfer case. 12 self-tapping bolts are included, 4 for each plate. I forgot to measure the thickness of the aluminum plates. They are pretty scratched up coming out of the box, but they will probably see worse on the truck. I will use the existing bolts so when I am done I should have 12 bolts and the transfer case skid plate leftover. I won't get a chance to install until next week. Crazy warm here but rain every day. I can pull it into the garage but I hate working on a dripping truck. I need to start pulling bolts on the plastic shield and see where the reinforcement brackets are. I assume these are removed for the aluminum plates. The ebay seller had them for $182. Hopefully they are still on sale. Took about a week to get here from Oregon. Seller is a Chevy dealership. I'll post pics when I get them installed. Pre and post install and side by side with the plastic splash guard. BTW anyone have a preference for a photo hosting site to use. I don't have one currently and need to get one to host pics to post here. Thanks.

UPS shipping says the plate kit is supposed to arrive on Monday Dec 21st.

I ordered the kit off of EBay. It should be here in about a week. I probably won't get to put it on until Christmas break.

I just crawled under the truck. The EBay kit comes with 2 aluminum plates that replace the large plastic splash shield. One plate goes from the radiator support to the front crossmember. The second plate goes from the crossmember and extends back under the oil pan. The pics of the aluminum plates match the shape of the plastic shield. The small black plate is the transfer case skid plate. Looks like a decent kit. Makes me sad that I already bought the transfer case plate. I'm tempted to buy the kit and sell the transfer case plate and bolts that come with it. If you just want the plastic splash plate and brackets, I saw a takeoff listed on EBay. Just found another EBay seller that has the kit GM# 23176881 listed for $182.71 with free shipping.

If you google the part number shown in the Ebay posting, it returns a GM kit underbody kit which shows a pic of the plastic splash guard installed. Not sure what the Ebay kit is. I recognize the small black rectangular transfer case plate, but I'm not sure if the aluminum pieces replace the plastic splash guard or not. If so the pics of the GM accessory kit seem to imply that it just includes the plastic splash guard (and probably the transfer case plate) and not real metal plates for the front guard.

My High Country 4x4 came with the front skid plate, if you can call it that. It is just a plastic shield from the radiator support to the front cross member. I think the brackets listed in your parts list are the reinforcing that is under the plastic shield. You can't see the brackets with the plate installed. I think you have all the parts for the front plate. I can crawl under the truck tonight and try to see if there are any other parts. The other skid plate on the Z71 is the aluminum one that goes under the transfer case. I bought the transfer case skid plate off of Ebay for around $30. The transfer case plate needs mounted with 4 self tapping bolts, I think the same bots as the last item on your parts list. I was in a hurry and couldn't find them online at a good price so I purchased them from the dealer. The 4 bolts cost more than the skid plate.

One question about the Blendmount on the truck. Is there still room on the mirror stalk to hang my hangtag parking pass for work? I have on on the C6 Corvette and the mount covers the entire mirror stalk. I need to stick the pass into the Passport Max mounting tab and it kind of lays on top of the detector.

It's going to be a bitch to drive when you turn on that bar.

I've always used ScothLoks with limited success. I'll have to check out posi-taps. If you decide to solder go with a cheap Weller pencil iron or a Weller gun kit from Lowes, Sears, or Home Depot. Get some smaller diameter rosin core solder and you are all set. I think the gun kits come with some solder. I have a Weller gun which I usually use for automotive soldering but it has a messed up tip and I used a pencil iron for this install. Gun is almost instant heat where the pencil needs to heat up and you need someplace to sit it down where it won't melt anything including it's own power cord.