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  1. The Merva Brothers Founders, GM-Trucks.com February 27th, 2019 When you take delivery of a brand new 2019 Silverado, you'll be faced with a few choices beyond which trim level or options you want. You'll also be asked which accessories you want to be installed on your truck before it rolls off the sales floor. Most GM accessories can even be factored into the sale price and financed. So, we're setting off to try out some of these certified accessories that are available for the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado. Our goal is to let you know if they are worth the cash or if you should take a pass. We've always loved the look of a blacked out bowtie and the idea of one that lights up seemed too cool to pass up. So we headed to our local dealership and ordered the 2019+ Illuminated & Blacked out front bowtie. Here's how it went and what we think. What is it? Chevrolet Illuminated Grille Bowtie Emblem in Black Part Number: 84069488 MSRP: $275.00 Manufacturer Website: https://accessories.chevrolet.com/ Main Features Doesn't effect your factory warranty Direct replacement for the standard gold bowtie Same quality as original parts Wiring harness is plug & play and matches factory wiring Here's the bowtie and grille as it came from the factory. Installation The first step to install the illuminated bowtie (or the non-illuminated black bowtie) is to remove the front grille. The grille on our LTZ was easy to take once we understood how it was fastened to the body. The entire process runs around 30 mintues We'll be covering how to remove the grille on the 2019 Silverado in detail soon. A plastic trim removal set makes this process much easier. After a little bit of pulling and careful prying, the entire front grille section comes off. Note the grille can be removed without having to take off any body panels or reach under the vehicle. This is a huge improvement over past Silverado generations, which required more disassembly to access the grille mounting hardware. The grille is a solid unit. Switching it out with another trim level's grille would be easy at this stage. This is also a good time to clean up the grille. To remove the factory bowtie, release four tab clips on the backside of the grille. One is inside of the support post where you will also run the bowtie's wiring harness. We popped out the bowtie and cleaned behind it before installing the new one. It was filthy underneath! The included wiring harness plugs into the driver's side headlight harness. It then snakes through the radiator opening and clips to the bumper. We found it easier to run the wire through the grille and connect it to bowtie, THEN snap the bowtie to the grille afterwards. Attempting to plug the harness into the bowtie after it is mounted on the grille turns out to be extremely difficult. We tested the bowtie to make sure it lit up properly before we attached the grille back onto the truck. Our Impressions Installation of the illuminated bowtie turned out to be pretty easy provided we used the right tools. Our plastic trim kit was invaluable during the process, allowing us to pry and remove pieces without scratching them. The kit also didn't come with instructions, so make sure to ask your dealer for a set of them when you buy it. They can print it out for you. The quality of the bowtie is on par with other factory parts and matches accordingly. The wiring harness looks similar to those already running under the hood giving the final fit a factory feel. So while the look and feel of the product is excellent the actual performance of the illuminated bowtie left us wanting more. We expected an illumination effect with a similar brightness to our DRL lighting. Instead, the bowtie glows a dull white at light. During the day or bright sunlight the illumination effect disappears completely. We do appreciate that the color temperature of the bowtie matches the headlights and DRLs. The MSRP of $275 is steep for the eventual lackluster performance. Excellent build quality, plug and play performance, a factory look, and no warranty interference offset the price to an extent. If you want a quality replacement for your gold bowtie that adds a little more flare to your 2019 Silverado, the Illuminated Black Bowtie could be right for you. If you're looking for a bright centerpiece that stands out with the same intensity as your other lighting, this may not fit your bill.
  2. Zane & Josh, The Merva Brothers Co-Founders, GM-Trucks.com October 2018 Pickup utility racks have been an option for anyone looking to haul around longer objects for decades. They've gotten the job done when stuff like ladders, wood, and canoes needed moved from one place to another. With the options of bed sizes shrinking over the past few years, a stylish and functional utility rack can add, well , a lot of utility to your full size or midsize truck. Unfortunately, not many racks look as good as they function and take away from the aesthetics of our vehicle. So, when we found a new aluminum utility rack that looked as professional as our truck, we wanted to try it out. In an effort to find a stylish utility rack we're reviewing the Agri-Cover ADARAC Aluminum Series. What is it? Agri-Cover ADARAC Aluminum Series Model Number 4001238 For 2007-2013 Silverado/Sierra 1500 with 6' 6" bed MSRP: $491.30 / $578 MSRP (as of October 2018) Manufacturer Website: https://www.agricover.com/truck-bed-racks/ Installation Time: 1-hour Installation Difficulty: Easy with basic mechanical skills and a helping hand Main Features Rust resistant aluminum construction No drill installation Compact and narrow upright designs Four load dividers included Compatable with Access-Cover bed covers What We Like Modern and stylish brushed aluminum design Thick stamped upright supports are super staunch Modular attachment points and accessories Uprights can be removed or installed with one person 500-lb capacity What We Don’t Like Stamped parts have sharp edges out of the box Can't re-position uprights without tools Rack as a whole can restrict what you put in the bed unless removed Tie-down holes are only barely bigger than a standard hook ADARAC Aluminum Series Unboxing The ADARAC came securely shipped in a long and moderately heavy box. One person can move the packaging around but two would be easier. We started out by unpacking our rack, laying out all of the parts and reading the manual. We found hardware packaging was excellent with no missing parts. The manual was clear and easy to understand. Nothing was scratched or damaged. The stamped aluminum uprights came covered in a protective sheeting/fabric and looking as if they were straight out of the forming machine. We almost cut ourselves on the uprights because no clean up work had been done to remove burrs or sharp edges. A smooth edge would have been a lot better and easier to handle. Once everything was organized and we had familiarized ourselves with the installation manual, we started to get to work. ADARAC Aluminum Series Installation We installed this rack at the same time as our Access-Cover Lorado Roll Up Cover. If you're doing something similar, don't make the same mistake we did and try to install the rack before the cover. It won't work, as the ADARAC blocks the bed-stake holes when installed. The same stake holes you need access to for installing the Lorado, so install your bed cover first. Speaking of...check our our full review of the Access-Cover Lorado here After getting ahead of ourselves, we detoured and installed our cover before coming back to the ADARAC. The first step was to lay down the side rails and secure them to the stake pockets on the bed using compression style fittings. The attachment method is slick, requiring no drilling or cutting. It's also fully reversible and doesn't damage your bed. Best of all, the rails are never going to move. The first step is to drop the compression plates into the stake holds and tighten down the rails with two clamps/bolts per rail. Then we measured the distance between the installed rails on the bed and set the uprights at the same distance on the floor. We used some old shop towels to prevent scratching the pretty aluminum. Next, we attached the crossbars at the measured width making sure to center everything up. We then tightened the assembled front and back racks on the ground before lifting them up to the truck bed. A few bolts and adjustments later... our racks are on the truck. The best part about aluminum racks is that the front and rear sections are light enough for one person to install or remove them without help. The rear upright mounting bolts are in a tight space when installed with a bed cover and we couldn't use a socket wrench to tighten them down. And before we knew it, our Sierra had a new utility rack and bed cover. Total installation time took right around one hour and was easy enough to do with one person but would be quicker with two. ADARAC Aluminum Series Final Thoughts An entire summer has gone by since we first installed our ADARAC Aluminum Series Utility Rack and we've been extremely glad we've had it as a tool on our GMC. We've used the ADARAC to help build a new bathroom, take our canoe to the local lake for a relaxing afternoon, and moved our ladder around to help with projects at home and work. The ADARAC has conquered every task we've thrown at it. It's never bent, felt flimsy, or failed to hold our cargo firmly in place. Basically... exactly what you want from a utility rack. The brushed aluminum finish and sleek stamped uprights also look good too. If the $500 price tag is too much, Agri-Cover offers the standard version of the ADARAC which is constructed with steel instead but uses the same basic design. Or, if you need a little wider load, the ADARAC Aluminum Pro Series is designed for larger objects and capacities. If you're in the market for a good looking, well functioning and indestructible utility rack for your truck, we recommend you look at the Agri-Cover ADARAC Utility Rack. Editor's Note: This product was provided at no cost for the purposes of a review. We only publish our honest opinions and give no consideration for the gratis product. ADARAC Aluminum Series Installation Gallery
  3. Zane & Josh, The Merva Brothers Founders, GM-Trucks.com November 23rd, 2018 Earlier this year we installed the Agri-Cover LORADO soft roll-up cover on GM-Trucks.com's 2011 GMC Sierra. Bed covers are one of the best utility to value products you can get for a pickup and we were impressed how useful Agri-Cover's premium soft cover solution was on our Sierra. When we took delivery of our brand new 2019 Silverado a few weeks ago, Agri-Cover couldn't wait to let us know they had a premium hard tri-fold cover, the LOMAX, that would be on sale soon and would fit our brand new bed size. Before we knew it, a brand new LOMAX arrived at our garage. After the LORADO earned its keep over the Summer of 2018, we're ready to subject the LOMAX to the Winter of 2019. We installed the Agri-Cover LOMAX Hard Tri-Fold Bed Cover a few days ago and here's how it went and what we think. What is it? Access Cover LOMAX Hard Tri-Fold Cover Model Number: B1020079 for 2019+ Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 1500 w/ 5’ 8” bed MSRP: $1,039 (as of November 2018) Manufacturer Website: https://www.agricover.com/lomax/ Main Features Low profile - sits ½ inch above bed rails Made of extruded lightweight aluminum Weather tight, water shedding design Designed to remove and reinstall easily Competitive Products WeatherTech AlloyCover B Bak BAKFLIP MX4 Extang Solid Fold 2.0 What We Like Extremely lightweight One of the thinnest hard tri-fold covers available Doesn’t interfere with power up/down tailgate Easily removed to haul larger items What We Don’t Like Fully folded, it still takes up ⅓ of the bed (fortunately, it can be removed if needed) The panels had a few sharp edges out of the box Installation diagrams didn’t match our 2019’s bed design Installation The LOMAX arrived via FedEx just a few days after being shipped. Even though it was a larger and moderately heavy shipment it showed up still securely packaged with no dents or damage to the outside box. Inside, all the components were in perfect shape. There were no missing parts and, surprisingly, very few parts. The LOMAX box contains the tri-fold panel assembly, two side mounting rails and eight under-bed clamps to keep everything secure. With two sets of hands we were able to quickly and easily clamp the side rails in place. Each rail required four clamps, which we reversed for a wider grip as detailed in the installation manual. Super simple and easy to do with limited tools. Our manual’s diagrams and instructions relating to the placement of the clamps were not perfect however. The 2019’s under-bed rail has various thicknesses. You want to make all attempts to clamp only on areas where the sheet-metal is two layers thick. The manual instructs you to clamp in the far corners where there is only one layer of steel at the rail top. We decided to move the outermost clamps slightly inward to make sure they were attached in an area of thicker sheet metal. Aligning and tightening the rail clamps was the most difficult part of the LOMAX install and at most took us 30 minutes. By "most difficult", we actually mean really darn easy. You only need a socket wrench. Once the side rails are securely clamped in place and adjusted to look even, we only had to lift the hard Tri-Fold assembly up onto the front rail. A little adjustment and the LOMAX snaps into place with two spring loaded locks. Two security straps attach at the first fold to prevent accidental flyaway. After opening up the hard cover and snapping the rear panel into place, we were done. No more than 35 minutes later with a lot of stopping for photography. The LOMAX is no doubt the easiest to install bed cover we’ve ever put on a truck. Initial Impressions Despite being an up-level LTZ trim, our 2019 Silverado looked unfinished and bare with a uncovered and painted factory bed. The LOMAX Hard Tri-Fold cover ended up being the finishing piece that really completed the super sleek and ultra modern look of our 2019 Silverado. Being a hard cover, the LOMAX has a thinner design then you could get from a roll up cover. It's also more expensive. That said, the easy installation and single unit cover piece also lends to an easy and quick removal process. Need to haul large items and leave your LOMAX at home? No problem, you can remove it and reinstall later by yourself. There’s also no interference with the power up and down tailgate, which surprised us. Looks good, works great, and doesn't mess up key vehicle features? Awesome! Day to day use of the LOMAX seems as if it will be similar to our LORADO roll up cover. The tri-fold design can be operated by one person and secures at the cab front of the bed, just like the LORADO. Unlike the LORADO, the LOMAX has weather stripping to seal the edges of the cover instead of hook and loop fasteners. We're curious to see how weather tight this actually is and how it compares to the LORADO and the Retrax Pro we've used in the past. Winter is just gearing up here in New Hampshire and we can’t wait to see how the LOMAX Hard Tri-Fold Bed Cover stands up. Snow, ice, and abuse are three things we can promise. We'll leave everything else up to chance. Check back in Spring 2019 for an update on both of our Agri-Cover bed covers. Before LOMAX After LOMAX Agri-Cover LOMAX Hard Tri-Fold Cover Detail Photos Editor's Note: This product was provided at no cost for the purposes of a review. We only publish our honest opinions and give no consideration for the gratis product.
  4. Thom Cannel: Article & Photos Zane Merva: Photos & Video GM-Trucks.com June 25th, 2019 By now you prospective 2020 Chevrolet Heavy Duty owners are over the Ho-Hum of our 2020 Silverado 3.0-liter story (we are totally Ho-Ho-Ho and Hmmm, can’t wait for a longer test!) and looking at the Alpha Dog, the 35,500-pound tow-rated Silverado Heavy Duty and its over 50 industry firsts including an updated diesel engine and all-new 6.6-liter gas engine. Let’s get to it. Where to start? With its amazing trailer towing features that include 15-view camera and ability to memorize the features of five different trailers? How about the Durabed with its class-leading cargo volume and all-steel construction with a plethora of cargo tie-downs? Maybe you’re gobsmacked by the corner and bed steps with, now, plenty of toe room and 500-pound weigh-holding capacity? Is it the power tailgate that remotely lifts or lowers? An ability to hold first gear while towing maximum weight? Or, is it all of these? Chevrolet states that Heavy Duty trucks are working vehicles, whether towing a gooseneck horse trailer or flatbed and whether gas or diesel-powered. They further tell us that, compared to light duty trucks where 84-percent are retail and 12-percent go to fleets, Heavy Duty buyers are 70-percent retail and 30-percent fleet. Further, Work Truck and Custom trucks make up the volume; LTZ and High Country capture an even larger share of the market for personal and dual use buyers, with mid-trim LT trucks straddling fleet and personal use. Hence the five available trim levels to suit the needs of every buyer. There is no mistaking that the 2500HD and 3500HD is kin to the 1500, yet only roof sheet metal is common. Everything about the new HD trucks was designed to be functional from larger grille to lower side-height bed, to improved box and bed steps. It’s massively bold with strong character lines, huge fender wells and functional hood scoop. Both the 2500HD and 3500HD are distinctive and clearly Chevrolet. For 2020, every frame is boxed and steel, there’s a model with built-in gooseneck cross-body reinforcements and bed holes, 4X4 models can option Autotrac two-speed electronic transfer case, the DEF tank is relocated inside the frame rails with the filler under the fuel door, plus a 10-segment DEF gauge measures content. A statistic to toss off at your microbrewery; within the total HD segment, 54-percent are Crew Cab diesels while within fleets, 62-percent are gas-powered, with 34-percent of fleets buying Crew Cabs and diesel power. And if you’re wondering where the 2020 Silverado HD you’d like to scope out on your dealer’s lot is hiding, Crew Cabs began delivery last week with Regular Cab, Double Cab and Duallies hitting the streets this fall. Restrain yourselves. Let’s now talk about the biggest reasons for owning a Heavy Duty Chevrolet (or GMC). It’s towing. And if you’ve noticed comments to our 15-camera article, there’s some passion about technology. Realistically, as many HD trucks are sold to new truck owners towing large RVs, anything that improves road safety is flat wonderful. If you further read Chevy’s research that says 12-percent of pickup drivers have gotten into a fight with their significant other over trailer hookup, you’ll understand executive chief engineer Tim Herrick’s comment that “We save marriages.” Having driven every truck segment from light duty to tractor-trailers we feel you. So, when research says a majority of drivers are stressed by towing, please offer them a 2020 Silverado sales brochure and a tissue (and save a tissue for yourselves ‘cause you might be exaggerating your tow-cool). So let’s dive deeper into the subject. Everyone has a hitch camera these days, with overlaid guidelines to put you within a few inches, front-to-back, of the ball. Chevy goes further with a selectable view that looks own over the ball. Even those who haven’t set a hitch in years—or never—can get within a quarter-inch of perfect. And an APB or automatic parking brake engages automatically so that when you lift off the brake pedal you don’t roll off the ball. Sticking with the non-pros and semi-pro haulers, there’s a checklist for your trailer, the ability to check the lights after connecting the trailer’s electrical system, a tow-haul reminder and VIN-specific labels for the trailer itself. If you option the smart trailer integration, which is designed to work with ASA Electronics iN∙Command® control system, you have control over trailer features like heat and air conditioning through the infotainment system or the myChevrolet mobile app. And nobody should turn down the ability to monitor trailer tire pressure and temperature. Blowouts are never convenient and most often low-pressure and highly temperature related, according to Michelin Tire Company. We found the 15-view system difficult to get used to during the first five minutes, particularly when backing; our mirror habits are embedded. Yet, simulating tight turns where we could see along both the tight and far side, pulling forward into a tight box, or backing (after a few tries), we really came to appreciate what the system could do. Then, on the highway with an 18,000-pound box trailer behind us, mirrors just didn’t cut it compared to the high-tech camera system. We were driving on twisting two-lane blacktop in mountain foothills. Using the entire camera tech set, particularly the ability to look out the back of the trailer, we could easily pick places to pull aside to let faster cars pass us. It took less than an hour to become a must-have feature. Later we towed a smaller skid-steer on a flatbed without the system and truly missed it despite using our slide-out mirrors fully extended. This naturally leads to the two engines offered in the 2020 Heavy Duty, first the 6.6-liter V-8 purpose-built gas engine that delivers 22-percent more torque than its predecessor. Now it delivers 401 horsepower and 464 lb-ft of torque. It’s mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The 6.6L isn’t a just a 6-mm stroked 6.0L, rather it takes advantage of the Gen5 small block architecture and has a unique cast iron block with forged powdered-metal connecting rods and forged crankshaft. The most significant change is the addition of Direct Injection. It’s all new, an industry first for the heavy-duty market and new to GM trucks. Direct Injection allows a compression ratio of 10.8:1 Quoting Mike Kociba, a GM engineer and part of the Small Block team, “Our suite of changes allows us to hit class-leading gasoline engine torque, at 464 foot-pounds at a lower engine speed than the outgoing six-liter was optimized for. I'm proud of its 401 horsepower, which is SAE Certified; no games, it’s legitimate. Customers can have confidence they're going to tow whatever trailer they need.” Don’t forget the larger cooling fan and newly designed water pump. The pump drives the fan through a one-inch shaft with unique bearing design to handle greatly increased thrust loads. Plus, the oil pump is now has variable output, so there’s less parasitic losses. The 6.6L engine features an aluminum oil pan, nylon 6-6 air intake, and stainless steel exhaust manifolds unique for the Heavy Duty market. Like related light duty Gen 5 motors, this motor has variable dual-equal valve actuation, massive Gen5 valves and uses an actuator that’s mounted to the front cover to control intake and exhaust valves. The new block features inter-bore cooling, that is, coolant flows through Siamesed bores, notably in the upper bores where there’s a tendency to generate higher temperatures. “Small engines with turbochargers allow them peak torque off idle,” Mike told us, “but for heavy duty we don't want that complexity. For the Heavy Duty segment we (General Motors) have durability requirements—Global Engine Durability—that are unique stringent. We know our customers and why we focus on durability. If they can't use their truck today, they might not get paid.” When towing a heavy load, we loved the diesel’s engine braking capability. What about the gas engine? In Tow-Haul, up-speeds caused by downhill driving—together with intelligence based on throttle position—the powertrain produced seamless downshifts. It’s not quite the same as engine braking, but the trailer was “only” 12,000 pounds. Regardless, it was a comforting addition to stress-free towing. The six-speed transmission used for 2020 Heavy Duty GM trucks is an updated 6L90 with an uprated torque converter and clutch pack. According to GM engineer Rich Mardeusz those changes were simple. When it came to the torque converter, things changed. “We looked at the components from a heavy-duty diesel torque converter and a high-output gas torque converter and then took the torque-carrying components from the diesel and married them to the spring and damping components from the gasoline torque converter. That’s what was needed to accommodate the approximate 22 percent across-the-board torque increase.” Those changes also damp out firing frequencies from the gasoline V-8 engine, making the powertrain smoother. Since a majority of buyers opt for the diesel engine, let’s look at that. Also displacing 6.6-liters, the Duramax turbo-diesel makes 445 horsepower and 910 lb-ft of torque. It’s coupled to a 10-speed Allison transmission. There were minimal changes to the engine for 2020. They include a 28-inch fan for cooling; upgraded oil cooler—now 19 plates instead of 14 and the cylinder head gasket was improved. Engine brake capacity is greater by 14-percent and while there’s a button for manual activation, while in Tow-Haul mode engine braking is automatically activated at certain RPMs. It’s Chevrolet keeping you safe. Thus, under the new control system the powertrain will recognize any need for the engine brake and activate automatically. For instance in driving down hill and forgetting to shift, the higher RPM means automatic activation. We did experience this with the18,000 pound box trailer and it is amazingly transparent and surprisingly quiet. You don’t have to downshift on modest hills, as the system will totally keep you at, or near your desired speed. Of course you may have to use a bit of smooth brake application if the grade is longer, or steeper. For really steep downhilling Plus-Minus buttons on the column-mounted shifter initiate gear changes. We’re not huge fans of the buttons as the steering wheel obscures their location and make it a bit fumbly to slide your thumb into position. A really important feature for 2020, diesel models add an engine after-run feature. Should you tow up a grade and park for dinner without a cool-down, the truck will do it for you. Run time is limited by temperature and shutdown is equally automatic. Because of the Allison/GM 10-speed transmission used for 2020, the powertrain required a complete recalibration. There are several positive results, according to David Ames, GM assistant chief engineer and Allison liaison. “Emissions have been improved and fine-tuned to maintain the best efficiency the transmission can offer to our customers.” It also has a fully warranted chain-driven engine-speed PTO available from the factory. The new 10-speed’s torque converter has a lock-up clutch that is unique as it will lock up in first gear, even under max loads. So, if you're pulling 35,500 pounds, you can do a first gear launch and lock up right away, which helps get rid of heat. We asked David why this is important. “Normally in first gear you're under high torque and generating a lot of heat, which puts a lot of demand on the cooling system. Locking up gets rid of that heat. Also, the new transmission has a lower 4.5:1 first gear with four planetary gear sets and six clutches. We noticed the low gear and ten speeds on launches and while pulling the box trailer on the highway. Often in hilly driving you're downshifting to save brakes; with ten gears we held the right speed and best RPM, particularly with automatic engine braking. We did drive a Silverado 3500HD dually at max capacity; 35,500 pounds on a closed course: our US Army CDL permit has lapsed. The claim of off-the-line torque is spot on. What was most interesting was the 3500’s ability to resist being pushed about on turns and we did several random serpentine loops to see if we could find any significant push? Nope. Later, with “only” 17,000 pounds behind us we finally found a bit of trailer push, which required a deeply rutted dirt road and an off camber turn. Nothing the truck couldn’t handle, even with a journalist behind the wheel. Many of us wondered why the different transmissions for Heavy Duty trucks, why not just the Allison ten? We asked and, while suspecting that plant capacity utilization and raw costs have something to do with it, were told by Vincenzo Verino, the 3.0L Duramax global chief engineer “It’s really about what the transmission brings to the engine itself. With a wider torque band, the gas engine is well-matched to a six-speed, while the narrower torque band of the Duramax is better suited to a 10-speed.” In the battle for Heavy Duty supremacy, big numbers are thrown around to convince potential buyers of worth and value. We found these slides from Chevrolet’s presentation compelling, showing Chevrolet doesn’t always have the biggest power numbers, yet can deliver more real world competency than competitors. Faster to 60 with better towing capability, we’ll take that over a bigger number any day. And Chevrolet says every diesel dually will tow more than 30,000 pounds the 2500HD with 6.6L gas engine has a tow capacity of 17,400 pounds, up 18-percent, that’s good regardless altitude. There is much, much more to tell in future stories, like the no-cut removable fascia for winter snow plow installation and the covered fender-mounted engine heater outlet, use reports of the up-down power tailgate and the bed’s 12 fixed and 9 moveable tie-downs. There’s details on improved axles, locking rear differential, beefed-up prop shaft and 12-inch ring gear, stronger U-joints, class-exclusive SLA front suspension (“mandating a solid front axle for HD trucks isn’t a thing” according to the chief engineer Tim Herrick) and the list goes on. We expect to write several more stories about the new trucks, each specific to how you’d use the truck and with even more details. We have only scratched the surface.
  5. I’m shopping lifts for my 2015 Silverado Z71. Yes I know BDS is the best, and everyone loves Zone, and most people hate RC.... but what about Pro Comp? 4wheelparts suggested their 6” Pro Comp with new struts, upgraded shocks, improved ride quality etc (they own pro comp so I’m not surprised). Seems like a good price and 4wheelparts is a reputable installer with their own warranty on labor/workmanship, which is a nice piece of mind. the kit looks good and I have yet to find aNy bad reviews about pro comp on the web...but that’s the problem.. I can’t find ANY reviews about 2014-2018 GM Pro Comp 6” lift. here is a link to the kit I’m considering. Thanks in advance. I’m planning on running 35s https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/pro-comp-6-inch-lift-kit-with-pro-runner-shocks-k1171bps/_/R-DFCW-K1171BPS
  6. Well guys, I finally broke 30,000 miles yesterday. It has been an amazing experience so far and I am very blessed to own this truck. Background: I special ordered my LT Trail Boss back in May 2018 and picked it up in September 2018. I have almost every option that you can order on it except the sunroof (would have delayed my production at the time). My truck was built the very first week of production (7/09/2018) and is one of only a small handful of Red Silverados, if not the only one, to receive the Gideon/Dark Atmosphere leather interior as that color was changed to not an option for Red Silverados on the second week of production. Within the first week or two of receiving it, I installed a custom Electronic Cutout System for my exhaust, Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ 33.5x12.5R20 mud tires, an Undercover Ultra Flex tonneau cover, and vinyl wrapped the scoop portion of my hood. Later on, I installed some cosmetic hood vents. Then, about two weeks ago, I installed the Trail Boss / AT4 specific ReadyLift +2” lift kit, giving me a total of 4” inches of lift. This allowed me to run 35x12.5s and I am loving the new taller stance of my truck more and more every day. Review: I have driven my Trail Boss all over the place, in a wide variety of conditions and never had any major issues. From -15 degree weather to over 100 degrees, this truck has performed excellent. The only two problems I have ever had (which are resolved) was a Bluetooth sync issue very early on for a few months and a random, once-in-a-blue-moon appearance of the ESC light only to have it go away at next start up. Both of these issues have been long gone now and I couldn’t be happier with the truck. If I had to make a list of my favorite options, it would be the Trail Boss trim level, Safety Package I, and Convenience Package II. In my opinion, the Trail Boss trim gives this Silverado a unique look and a tough image. The blacked-out appearance along with the “Trail Boss” name just emphasizes that this is one bad truck (in a good way). The Safety Package I has saved my skin so many times and in my opinion it is a must have. The Rear Cross Traffic Alert gives you advanced warning of vehicles/pedestrians that may cross your path as you reverse, and the Side Blind Spot detectors are a huge plus in giving you peace of mind when making a lane change. Furthermore, the Convenience Package II adds some nice creature comforts that I can’t really live without. The Bose stereo w/ subwoofer hits loud and crystal clear. The rear sliding window provides nice airflow in the summer months and the garage door HomeLink buttons are a nice touch. The one thing that I do not have because it was not available in 2019 on the Trail Boss is the 6.2 L. This is now an option for 2020 Trail Boss trims, and I am kind of upset that it wasn’t offered in 2019. I would not trade in my truck over this, but I really wanted the bigger motor. That being said, the 5.3 L in this new gen T1 truck is much quicker and more responsive than the 2018 and prior trucks. It may have to do with the weigh savings this new gen truck has, in addition to the new Dynamic Fuel Management system, which is seamless and unnoticeable. Whatever the reason, this truck has a lot of pep, even in 5.3 L form. Overall, I am very happy with this truck and the way it has performed, and I look forward to another 30,000 miles. Any questions just ask. Disclaimer: No one pressured me to write this review, nor did GM have any contact with me about it. This is my honest opinion on how I feel about the truck and I hope this review helps anyone thinking about buying one to make the right decision for them.
  7. Having just passed 10k miles this week, I thought I would offer my opinion on how I feel about the truck so far. Background: I special ordered my LT Trail Boss back in May 2018 and picked it up in September 2018. I have almost every option that you can order on it except the sunroof (would have delayed my production at the time). My truck was built the very first week of production (7/09/2018) and is one of only a small handful of Red Silverados, if not the only one, to receive the Gideon/Dark Atmosphere leather interior as that color was changed to not an option for Red Silverados on the second week of production. Within the first week or two of receiving it, I installed a custom Electronic Cutout System for my exhaust, Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ 33.5x12.5R20 mud tires, an Undercover Ultra Flex tonneau cover, and vinyl wrapped the scoop portion of my hood. Review: Honestly, I can't believe its been 10k miles already and those miles have flown by without any major issues. I will start with the few issues I have experienced. For the first two months, I had Bluetooth connectivity issues where my phone would randomly disconnect and reconnect multiple times a day. This was fixed in November by software update V507 and has not reoccurred, knock on wood. I also have had Service ESC and Service Parking Brake lights (not at the same time) come up randomly a couple of times but they went away on their own the next time I started the car. Other than these two issues, the truck has been great. It has 110% met and exceeded my expectations. It drives great, its quiet (when the exhaust cutout is closed), its smoother than my K2 was, and it turns a lot of heads. The interior is beautiful and well laid-out, with tons of room in the back seat (Crew Cab) and very comfortable seats for long trips. The Bose surround sound with subwoofer kicks butt and delivers crystal clear, crisp sound. The Blind Spot monitors and Rear Traffic Alert (Safety Package I) work great and have saved my butt many times already. The 5.3 is much quicker and more agile than my K2 was and the 8 speed is a definite improvement. The new Dynamic Fuel Management is seamless and unnoticeable. I am averaging 14-16 mpg city and 16-18 mpg highway, with an all-time high of 21 mpg on a specific highway trip I took and that's pretty good in my book for a lifted brick with mud tires. This past weekend I went on a ski trip in Up North Michigan (Harbor Spring, MI) and we received 10-12 inches of snow in the 3 days I was there on top of the 2 ft that was already there. The Trail Boss handled it with no issue and made it up the steep, winding, snow-covered road to our hill-side cabin like it was driving on straight, dry pavement. I have yet to do any major offroading but during the light offroading that I have done here and there, it performed excellently. I did punch the gas on one little hill and got some air (about 1-2 ft off the ground) and the suspension absorbed the landing nicely. I look forward to testing its capabilities more this summer. The short bed is much bigger in this generation and I honestly haven't noticed any reduced space issues when loading my truck (my K2 had the standard 6.4 ft bed). Also, the oil is much easier to change since they freed up the space around the filter and plug, making oil changes a breeze. Overall, I am very blessed to have this great truck and couldn't be happier. No one pressured me to write this review, nor did GM have any contact with me about it. This is my honest opinion on how I feel about the truck and I hope this review helps anyone thinking about buying one to make the right decision for them. If anyone has any specific questions at all, please feel free to ask.
  8. Yesterday on GM Authority (they had a story about vehicle-mounted keyless entry key pads (not fobs) http://gmauthority.com/blog/2019/10/keyless-entry-keypad-offered-as-gm-accessory-for-buick-chevy-and-gmc/. After a little more research and reading I have found that you can buy it as a kit and have the dealer or someone else install it. So I have a couple of questions. 1. Can I get it for my 2014 Silverado LT? 2. Does the installer need to be a dealership technician? 3. What is the general quality review of the new system? Thanks! Tim Kroeker Keyless Entry Keypad GM Accessory For Buick, Chevy, GMC _ GM Authority.html
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