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Showing results for tags 'modification'.
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So I recently purchased a 2020 GMC Sierra and I have the jump seat configuration Id like to switch to the jump seat to a center console and I was wondering has anyone done that on a 2019 or a 2020 GM truck already? I feel this is a do-able modification to my vehicle but Im looking to see what I would need to do. If anyone could point me in the right direction that would be greatly appreciated. -
Hello, I have been helped by various posts on this forum for a long time but now joined mainly to ask some questions about upgrading my van. Here is the scenario; my dad purchased the 2000 Chevy Express Conversion Van new from a dealership back in 2001. We used it as a family vehicle for many years but as us 'kids' grew up and married off, the van was left unused. So I purchased it from my dad and have been fixing it up. Whoever did the conversion was an idiot. They took an Express 1500 and made it into a conversion van that weighs 6,800# empty. *The front doors are so heavy we had to reweld the hinges because the factory spot welds were peeling off. *The van had front DRUM brakes which we changed out for a set of Brembo slotted disk brakes. *Changed rear axle ratio from whatever stock was down to 3:73 *I upgraded the wheels from 15" to 17" and the tire size from 26" to 30.5" (yes the front tires rub sometimes, but it is 10X better in snow and rides better.). *I replaced the rear leaf springs with 3/4 ton leaf springs and coil-over heavy duty shocks. *Upgraded the full exhaust system from the manifolds back with 3" pipe and a high flow cat and Thrush muffler. *Replaced the engine after I was a dumbA$$ and never refilled the coolant with coolant after having to add water due to a leak and the block froze and cracked. The replacement engine was taken from a 1999 Chevy Suburban. *The transmission was replaced with a Monster Transmission brand 4L60-E rated up to 600hp and tuned for towing (quick firm shifts) and a heavy duty torque converter. *Replaced all ball-joints and steering bushings. *New "heavy duty" shocks for front suspension - which didn't change anything like I was hoping. Anyway, now I want to upgrade the front suspension because it is SO SOFT that the van struggles to ride flat if the road has any bumps in it. It is 2WD, so no front axle. 1: I want to upgrade the front and rear sway bars, can I just put 3/4-ton or 1-ton sway bars on it? Will they fit? 2: I want to upgrade the front springs and shocks with 3/4 ton springs and shocks. Is this possible? 2b: I would also be happy if anyone new of an air suspension or air-adjustable shocks that might work as well. I can't seem to find anything for front suspension for 2wd Chevy vans or trucks. Thanks for any help. -
I bought a 2017 Tahoe Z71 and found that my iPhone 7 couldn't use the wireless charging station in the center console. When it was time for a new cellphone I decided to get the new iPhone Xs so, among other things, I could use the wireless charger. Imagine my annoyance when I realized that the 2017 GM products wireless charging followed a different standard than the iPhone X QI standard for wireless and charging and I was still SOL. SO...being in Costco one day I found a wireless charging pad (2 pack). For a while I put the wireless pad on the center console and plugged it in to the inverter. This was annoying as it constantly slid off or the kids kicked the plug in the back seat. SO...I resolved to fix it; to replace the wireless charging guts of my GM product with the wireless charging guts of the working charger. This is the story of that replacement. 1) Figure out how to take apart the working wireless charging pad. Not too bad, remove the bottom rubber pad and remove screws and pry it apart. 2) Figure out how to get the bottom of the center console cover off. Much harder. Got special interior tools and pried again. It feels like you're going to break it. But if you start at the bottom; near the hinge, it goes easier and feels less like you'll break something 3) Remove wireless charging box from under console lid. Open the box and remove the guts. They're glued in. You won't be able to use the metal heat sink part, but will need the plastic box. It is wired in with a plug..so just remove the plug. 4) Remove the guts of the working wireless charging pad. 5) The next problem is that the wireless charging pad runs on 9 volts, while the car charging pad runs on, you guessed it, 12 volts. You need a little buck converter or power regulator to get the voltage where it belongs. If the electronics part is beyond you, contact me, I have a few extra I could part with. 6) Wire this all together, fit the parts into the box from the Tahoe, hot glue them into position, connect the power coming into the lid of the console and the concept if complete. But not the build. 7) There are some issues: 1) The new coil must fit VERY closely to the edge of the box. In fact it seems like it has to be pressed into the box. To accomplish this I cut a new top for the box and padded the coil so it was under pressure to contact the top of the box. 2) The rubber pad in the top of the console lid does not position the phone exactly right to get the most reliable charging. I recommend removing the rubber pad and reversing it (so the little reminder not to put metal on the charger is near the back of the console). 3) The coil has an orientation. I had it working flawlessly on the bench but when I installed it realized that I had the coil cross wise to the needed orientation; had to take it all apart and start again.
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Well, seeing as how I can't find much on this subject no matter what forum I go to, why not try to start the discussion here and see what kind of following I can get and see where we end up. If you're reading this thread, chances are you have thought about modifying or swapping out your current transmission in your 2014+ GM truck. In my case, I don't mind my 6L80 in my truck. It does fine for what I do right now and it's holding up just fine, but I think the big issue is when you start to search for big power (like I'm starting to do), that 6L80 is not going to hold very much (or so we think). Now, let's all face it. We've seen posts after posts, comments after comments, photos, videos, etc. of guys with built motors with turbos or prochargers shooting down the quarter mile in search for the best time on these 6L80s. Some say they're completely stock, others have them built, and we all ask ourselves the same question: Reliability. How well are these transmissions going to hold up to the abuse on the track? Especially if you want to make it a fast street/strip truck and drive it back home to the garage afterwords. We know for a fact that 6L90s can hold quite a bit of power. Even though I've mostly seen it in Camaro ZL1 applications, there is a guy on YouTube (GuitarmaggedonZL1) who is running a stock 6L90 on stock converter making 1000HP (give or take on an unloaded dyno) and the transmission hasn't puked all over the ground just yet. (Exaggeration, I know.) So, needless to say, a 6L90 swap sounds nice, at first... After you figure the extra length and weight (and in my case, relocation of the transfer case and getting custom driveshafts made), it starts to look a bit unpromising, but still not out of the ball park yet since it will be able to handle the power some are seeking, but where these newer transmissions lack significantly if you want to do boosted applications at the track (or even just launch control on N/A), no one has developed a transbrake. Very, very few forums are talking about this, and only one video exists of a guy in his BMW testing out a transbrake on a 6L80/6L90, and who knows how reliable it is. So, now, you start to think: Well, gee. What can I do now? How about a TH400 or 4L80e swap? So far, I've seen few posts on that as well. No one is talking about it, and I think the biggest problem people seem to be facing is the new PCM: E92. Also possibly the fact that the TCM on the newer transmissions is inside the transmission and whatnot, but whether that plays a part in this, I don't know yet. Now, adapting a TH400 or 4L80e can be done (most likely with a different bellhousing since the bolt holes are in a slightly different spot), but you run into the issue of getting it to speak/cooperate/communicate with the new E92, which I don't think anyone has tried. The only video I've seen of anything working in this application was on a 1320Videos video with a Nova where they were using an LT4 long block (built motor to 388 C.I.) and twin turbos, and it had a powerglide in it. Don't know if it was a manual valve body or computer-controlled, but what I do know is that they used the factory computer to run the DI injection system and piggybacked the rest to an MS3 Pro. After dealing with some issues, they were able to make that thing boogy to a 9 second pass at 148mph. So, these engines have potential to haul ass, but we just haven't figured out how to crack the system. So, at this point, I'll just leave what I've discussed here and see where the thread goes from here, and I'm hoping people chime in and vendors are watching/listening. Even though the demand isn't hot for it right now, there's going to be a surge for good transmissions when people can buy these trucks/cars/motors/transmissions for pennies on the dollar. Unfortunately, I feel like we'll have to wait that long in order to see results, but oh well. Just to give you guys an example: In the next year or two (2019 or 2020), I'd like to go turbo with my truck. (Doing all the supporting mods before going there minus built bottom end until I see where I can get with stock bottom end before sending a rod through the block or oil pan) Ideally, it'd be best to have a transbrake in that application with 2-step, but can't do it on the new transmissions. So, 4L80 seems to be the option, but I can't do that either because no one supports adapters or harnesses to make them work with the new motors/ECUs. That's the boat I'm in. I like to research everything before I go whole hog into something. Risk assessment, I guess.
