asilverblazer

Makes sense... what else got tore up?

Hmm, hate to say it but you're a dumbass like the rest of us. FYI: Don't open the doors when you're too close to a car and don't open the hood when you're under your garage door opener. ...I'm teasing.

One tire stationary (or sliding on ice) and one spinning would be normal operation of the drivetrain when in park. Use the parking brake and/or engage 4 wheel drive to 'lock' more wheels.

Not relevant, the parking pawl isn't engaged. Depending on the slope its normal.

I'd go for the 6.2, it would be a better candidate than the 6.6 for a performance go fast swap. Overall - you must REALLY like that truck to put that kind of time money and effort in to it.

A 1/2 ton with 5.3 will be basically indestructible, parts are available and cheap at every FLAPS and maintenance will be among the cheapest of any other car or truck. Especially prior to AFM (2007). Diesel will be more to purchase, insure, maintain and fuel. Then don't do something to make them look at you - whether it is driving style or tuning to 'roll coal'. The short commute would warrant at least taking it out once a week and driving it a while (30 minutes) at operating temperature - to help burn off condensation in the engine. Be vigilant, thoroughly inspect any vehicle for prior collisions, poor maintenance, abusive use, fishy deals, etc. Be objective not emotional. Have a mature person accompany you - not your buddy 'who knows cars'.

I ran a set of jumper cables, I cut the clamps off and added terminals so that I could connect it straight to the battery. I added Andersen connectors at the front and rear bumpers to plug the winch in to. I also have a set of jumper cables with clamps on one end and an Andersen connector on the other - I can jumpstart other vehicles off those plugs at the front or rear. Haven't had a problem with any of it yet.

When I got my latest truck with the 2.5" receiver it rendered my plethora of 2" mounts obsolete. I prefer the same style as Another JR but to rebuild a collection of different drops and ball sizes in an appropriate weight class was going to be way too $$$. Same thing on the name brand adjustable mounts. I chose an off brand in the highest capacity I could find and hoped for the best. Its not my preferred MO, I would typically try to go for a brand to help insure a guaranteed level of quality. Sometimes though - I can't (stubbornly) justify the cost. I'm NOT spending $200 for a ball mount.

I'd go with a Bilstein 4600 series shock then. Be very careful you get quality parts on all those suspension components (a lifetime warranty from someplace you know will honor it). I've had mixed results from supposedly good brands (Moog) and even though I bought parts with a good warranty the retailer (Rockauto) wouldn't warranty it. I try to stick with AC Delco or another brand I've personally had good results with and buy them at the FLAPS.

What are your goals? Why are you rebuilding the front end? You should at least include all rubber components and shock absorbers, ball joints if they are loose and tie rods are easy enough since you are in there. If you are upgrading anything maybe a better sway bar to control body roll. If you plan to change the ride height - a new spindle - now is the time to do it. Might as well check the wheel bearings and brakes too, all that stuff will be basically taken apart as part of rebuild. Longer shackles in the rear are a cheap easy way to lower it some and may help improve ride. If you are running on the original shocks any premium shock absorber will be an improvement. Driving habits and loading make any other or specific suggestions difficult.

Paranoid much?

The first pedal push is using up a majority of the vacuum in the reservoir, the second press doesn't have enough, as the vacuum builds it the stuck feeling goes away. The new cam that is probably more aggressive won't develop vacuum like the factory. It has exaggerated the problem. Sounds like you found A problem causing a vacuum leak. Might cause other drivability issues, probably a lean condition in the engine. The cracked plastic will need fixed plus the correct bolt put in. If memory serves there should be a check valve in the vacuum line to the booster, I'd check that too.

gmupfitter has schematics. Who steals one of those anyways - and without tearing up the roof? I wonder if the bolt/clamp thing that holds it down broke and it came off while driving (broke or pulled the plug out of the ceiling too)?

Well most people would take it back to the detail shop (like they could fix it anyways...) and demand them resolve it. However, I wouldn't want them trying to repair it, but a careful discussion of what they did and how they did it might help bring you closer to a solution. Going in guns blazing would likely result in a flat out denial "worked fine for us" or "it was already like that"...

I bought a replacement from AutoSeatReplacement on Amazon. They were cheaper than the seat shop.

If it is a vacuum leak - try hooking up a gauge - I'd go back and review the replacement of the booster and lines. You're not feeling warped rotors are you?

It is recommended NOT to reuse u-bolts. Not being familiar with the lift - but it might already include some amount of height gain through spacing in the strut assembly. Adding an additional spacer might over extend suspension geometry angles either ball joints or CV's.

Good idea, I've just taken mine off, I can get in the garage and go through car washes (shh) without worry... but no FM reception.

Probably not enough suspension droop. The upper control arms are probably right at or close to their limit stops. Lowering the coil over shock and putting a block in its place will do the same thing. Edit: Just saw you have different UCA's not sure if it gives more travel or not.

Doesn't seem likely that stock tires and wheels would correct it. Unless they are able to mask it enough to not be noticeable. Try, keeping three factory tires and wheels on and put 1 of the MRR set ups on one at a time to try and see if there is one or more of the MRR's causing the problem. Inspect the hub mating surfaces for debris or manufacturing defect preventing the MRR from mounting properly. Make sure the lug nuts aren't bottoming out on the studs before tightening to the wheel.

I don't remember what plan I'm on... I think it is the lowest level that make the remote app on my phone work. Same reason I keep XM, I use the weather and traffic apps.

I hope nobody misses that the 1/2 ton trucks have three bed sizes: Short, Standard, Long 3/4 ton and up have two: Standard, Long. Crew cab, STANDARD bed trucks are the same length +/- regardless of truck rating. The standard bed USED to be called the short bed and some might still call it the short bed...

Meh - just trying to have a friendly debate. Fixing 'hops' and 'bounces' requires everyone to agree what is a 'hop' vs. 'bounce' is all. I THINK we actually are in agreement that the shocks are good idea... I'm saying there is no silver bullet; there are ride quality conditions that shocks won't help.

Not sure what you're wanting from ME, I'm trying to make INFORMED recommendations to the OP... "Are you seriously gonna say the Silverado doesn't have extreme lateral roll and longitudinal bounce?" No and not more than any other pick up truck, but there are many, many, many characteristics that are part of handling. We have no idea which of those characteristics the OP is trying to improve. You assume lateral roll and longitudinal bounce, however the OP specifically mentioned that separately. If you correctly guess that its roll he is trying to fix a stiffer set of springs is one solution; I'd recommend a different sway bar. Adding a stiffer spring like the Eibach you recommend in the front may lessen body roll, but will have other impacts on ride quality that the OP might not find desirable (the greater spring rate won't compress the same amount from the same input forces, less or no compression of the spring gives the shock little to nothing to work with, as Grumpy says... no amount of shock valving will fix too much spring rate). "The back end hops over bumpy roads and kicks the back end out." That is YOUR interpretation of the OPs concern. Interpreting that the "hop" is referring to the rear, it is induced from the over sprung rear axle. That isn't entirely corrected by different shocks, however they can help by lessening the initial bumps impact on suspension compression. They will also help lessen bounce (repeated compression/rebound cycles) of the SPRINGS because of the more aggressive valving. However, when unloaded especially, the rear springs are so stiff that the rear suspension is compressing very little and the shock is only able to work with a small amount of that motion. Rather, when unloaded much of the bounce and hop is caused from the TIRES/TIRE PRESSURE (just like dribbling basketballs of varying pressures). If that bounce does not translate to spring compression, shocks won't have any impact at all. How a suspension FEELS to a user is entirely subjective. Presenting the 'facts' of what GM does to alter a set of characteristics is irrelevant if the OP is trying to alter an entirely different set. Side note: I would like to see your documentation of GM's suspension tuning changes. "I'd bet neither products are going to produce significantly different results from EACH OTHER." In other words, comparable premium shocks probably won't be different enough for a general user to tell much subjective difference between them.

Your point? You have leather seats just like I do. I was dissatisfied with the color integrity of mine too. Thank GAWD i didn't spend $85K or I'd be really livid... Good thing paying that much gets you out of the plebian problem bracket. I'd watch out though - that truck was painted in the same line as the lowly WT, sure hope none of the overspray got on it.