asilverblazer

The 10 speed is generally the same as whats found in a Ford - they were developed together. Yes. Non issue. If there was an internet concern I'd be looking at - it would be the main bearing failures. If applicable to this truck, does using a heavier oil, to alleviate potentially bad machining reassure you enough? All noted problems are magnified WAAAAY out of proportion on the internet.

Can anyone find the GM bulletin that stated the carbon build up was normal and does not affect performance? I KNOW there used to be one, but can't find it anymore. Meanwhile, I posted recently about mine having a BUNCH of miles on it and never pulling it, because of the above and no adverse issues otherwise. I probably will at some point just to see...

The cans should be pressurized enough to 'push' refrigerant in, especially when the system is under vacuum where it should 'pull' the refrigerant in. It is a careful sequence of operations to suck down the system and add refrigerant while maintaining the original vacuum and replacing it with only refrigerant. All while not allowing atmospheric air to enter. Having a digital scale handy to measure the refrigerant can before opening it and after to make sure the correct amount of refrigerant entered the system. Proper charge is determined by weight - not volume. Presumably, you are using the proper gauges and vacuum pump necessary.

Just did this on my 2016 Yukon Denali, I had to disconnect the battery to reset it as well. I didn't replace the thermostat - just the sensor.

The relay isn't powering the clutch because the computer is telling it not to. Likely because the refrigerant charge is low and is protecting the compressor. It will need a set of pressure gauges to confirm a low charge. Then the cause of the lost refrigerant would need to be found and repaired. Followed by vacuuming the system down and adding new (correct amount) refrigerant. If you have confirmed the refrigerant charge is correct, the only reason for the relay not to power the compressor is the relay itself is bad or bad wiring. In the case of the latter - you will have to manually trace the wires looking for faults. If you're lucky you might find something obvious like rodent damage. In any case, the likely problem is low charge.

Might consider adding bumpstops/jounce bumpers and upper control arm alignment cams (literally the only parts you aren't replacing and they are cheap). See previous post about lifetime warranty on parts. Moog used to be a good brand mixed opinions in the last 5-10 years. Greaseable parts where you can. Had a new sway bar link break before too. Other items to consider, you're going to be in deep enough that brake pads and rotors are right there, along with wheel bearings and cv-shafts. Any hint that they are worn would be a good time to replace them.

Spacers do not alter the suspensions performance in anyway - UNLESS you have so many installed that they are forcing the upper control arm down against the droop limit/stop/tab/bracket on the frame. If you were at or below 2" lift in the front I would stay OE, really, there is no for sure way to know what is going to work out better. No one has the data necessary. I would recommend parts with a lifetime warranty if you can get it. I don't think the 4600 come in a lift version. I preferred using a lift strut vs. the spacer to eliminate extra parts in the overall system. I wouldn't let that stop me from getting the shock/strut that I want and using the lower spacer if I had to. At least the access should be pretty good to get at the bolts/holes. I'd replace the hardware with stainless if you can get stainless in the proper grade. The bolts on my past truck corroded pretty badly too, they didn't seize in the hole though.

For your reading enjoyment:

The Bilstein 4600, allow more travel and continuous motion than the 5100. I would describe the 4600 as softer. This is contrary to Bilstein saying they are essentially the same. Depending on how the shock is valved determines how it handles impacts (sudden, intense, rapid vertical travel of the wheel) versus undulations or weight transfers (slow, steady motion, cyclical). Further still, sharp impacts do not necessarily equate to large vertical wheel travel, like expansion joints, pavement cracks, etc. If there is no (or little) vertical movement of the tire - the shock has nothing to control. To describe a shock as soft or stiff is a very over simplified description of how it functions, reacts and performs and what that actually does to the ride of a vehicle. For more fun thoughts on the matter, consider dribbling a basketball that is over inflated, under inflated or flat, do the same on concrete, dirt and grass, dribble harder, softer, faster, slower; note the difference in how high the ball bounces. Your tires are just like the basketball. Consider what the springs are doing too, a spring that is infinitely too stiff, no amount of weight or force can compress it - are the shocks helping anything? A spring that easily compresses and rebounds. Compressing and pulling the shock apart over and over again...

Yes. There are no rear shock height settings. No comments, except that I'm surprised you haven't had joint issues, being outside the maximum recommended lift amount on stock components. In any case, aftermarket parts are never as good as the factory.

Interesting, because I too live on a gravel road, and had a set on some Colorado trails and never experienced the tread getting torn up by the gravel or rocks. I also got WAY over 55,000 miles on all my sets. Right now, a truck I sold my dad has well over that many miles with PLENTY of tread and no other concerning issues, like all my others they typically will get replaced due to age more than anything else. I could probably get 100K out of them if I wanted to run 10 year old tires (I might have once).

I've never seen or heard of a BCM failure in any GMT800 and up truck. What do you do that you've come across so many?

Some people feel validated when other people make the same choices they do. Plus, it's a bitter pill to swallow if you spend several hundred (if not thousand) dollars and have to admit you made a poor choice. I continue to regret every tire I've ever bought for my trucks that wasn't the BFG All-Terrain... including my most recent set. I bought the HD Terrain, for a few reasons, more aggressive tread pattern, 'designed/intended/marketed for HD truck applications', wasn't convinced about the less aggressive KO3 compared to the out of production KO2. In hindsight, the HD Terrains are LOUD, and are so aggressive they actually vibrate the truck at low speeds. The tread wear, which was always amazing on the KO2's, is not nearly as good on the HD Terrain. I could overlook many of those negatives for a commiserate increase in off-road traction, but that isn't there either. I'll also say that if I DIDN'T get the HD Terrain, I would be second guessing how much better they might have performed and end up wishing I had got them. Now I know. One plus side, no leaks or punctures so far. Regarding climate, it's warm here, snow maybe once or twice a year. The soil at my house is very loose and sandy and why I went with a more aggressive tread pattern.

I doubt the BCM failed, I've never heard of that. gmupfitter.org has wiring diagrams that might be of use.

I never had that issue with any of the sets that I ran - even at highway speeds in heavy rain.

What do you want to retain with the factory USB ports? My USB ports run off my Android style headunit, but they charge only (I think), I had to add some generic USB A to Mini adapters. Not sure about the RSE system, but I also think the Android Headunit has a RCA video out that could potentially be used to feed the RSE screen. I don't know what it would display. Generally, the Android headunit for me has worked best in Carplay mode, where I never interact with any of the "launcher" apps or functions. A buddy of mine also seems to use Android Auto interfacing with his phone similar to how I am using mine. More information on my experience:

Yes, because I should/would be a lot prettier than I am.

No. Maybe rarely No No No Absolutely No

How is compression and timing?

I have mixed opinions but generally ROADS are the simplest expression of our governments responsibility to provide everyone FREE access and FREE use of. Anyone should be able to walk, ride, drive, etc. along the road. There should be no laws that restrict this in anyway. This does require some careful separations. Sidewalks for pedestrians, bike lanes and motor lanes. All users have to follow the laws appropriate to those lanes. Too much regulation and laws to do with bicycles, mopeds, scooters, etc. The problem is when there isn't a dedicated lane for them, they are too fast for sidewalks (pedestrians) and too slow for cars. Where do they go? The same place a pedestrian goes when there is no sidewalk, stay to the right, don't impede other traffic and continue to follow all other traffic laws. Here there are large 'packs' of cyclist groups of 6-20 that all ride together. They take up the whole lane, do not stop at stop signs, do not signal turns, etc. Also, they aren't bothered to have traffic wait for their entire group to clear an intersection. Most dangerously though is when they use the whole lane, on blind hills in the country. Just as their pack crests the hill they are all barely going walking speed from climbing the hill when a motorist going the speed limit comes over the top behind them and finds an essentially stationary pack of cyclist with insufficient time to stop and nowhere else to go... They should at least ride single file and keep to the right.

I'm curious why water temperature DOESN'T control oil temperature, alternatively, what IS the driving factor of oil temperature? Ambient I understand from a starting temperature, but I would expect that to have less effect over operating (run) time. (Ignoring any eternal oil coolers) RPM makes sense, as "work" being put into the oil, friction the oil is experiencing and the result is heat. I have mixed opinions for 'load': The only effect load should have is that it takes more fuel and air to move the piston the same amount. I guess given that, then the increased air and fuel makes a bigger combustion, resulting in more heat. Though I don't see that directly effecting the oil temperature any more than it effects water temperature (by appearances, it effects water temperature so indirectly - literally by the warming the metal around the water jackets - that I've never seen water temperature spikes on the gauge, regardless of load, rpm ambient or any combination of). Other thoughts, the volume of water in the cooling system is different/larger. The cooling system and oiling system serve fundamentally different purposes... BUT! What if the oiling system served the purpose of the cooling system? With a few adjustments, larger capacity/flow to control the effect of 'spikes in load/rpm'. Presumably then being able to eliminate an entire sub system in the vehicle (cooling) and accomplishing it with a more robust oil cooling system.

This was easier for me than fixing the original.

I had put new plug wires on one time and one of them was bad out of the box. Careful throwing parts at it, just more variables that could complicate matters. As noted above, try to pinpoint a specific cylinder.

Every tire I've tried other than BFG All-Terrain has been a let down at best and disaster at worst. Actually, every tire other than BFG has been that way. I know they (BFG) are owned by Michelin - but every Michelin tire I've had has been a disaster of one form or other. I won't buy them and tell everyone I know the same.

Need to confirm spark first. Spark test lights aren't that hard to come by. Alternatively, pull a plug wire at night - you should see spark coming off it. Once spark is confirmed - check fuel pressure. Without a significant obvious failure, I doubt timing.