Favorite Mod for under $500

DanY · May 6, 2015

Man those look awesome, if you have them on your truck, could you please post picts? How do you get around the DRL? As far as I can tell, the DRL is simply the main headlight at a reduced voltage and HID's only like 1 flavor of voltage - 12! I've seen a lot of bad HID conversions and used to be that guy going down the road with spaceship lights so I'm really hesitant to change out the halogens, but damn it Chevrolet $45,000 and you're still using 100 year old light technology!

The DRLs operate by pulsing the headlights rapidly on and off to create a dimmer output. The good HID kits come with a capacitor to keep the 12V constant and eliminate the pulsing. This signal is then used to turn on the new headlight relays which power the HID ballasts. Bottom line is you now have full bright headlights on whenever the DRL signal is present. So full low beams all the time, unless you manually turn on your parking lights during the day.

Never buy an HID kit without the capacitor and relays to power the ballasts.

Mike1220 · May 6, 2015

Man those look awesome, if you have them on your truck, could you please post picts? How do you get around the DRL? As far as I can tell, the DRL is simply the main headlight at a reduced voltage and HID's only like 1 flavor of voltage - 12! I've seen a lot of bad HID conversions and used to be that guy going down the road with spaceship lights so I'm really hesitant to change out the halogens, but damn it Chevrolet $45,000 and you're still using 100 year old light technology!

I have a Sierra so my DRLs are the LED strips, a few people have done an FXR retrofit on the HID thread, one of the first pages you'll find at least 1 retrofit in a Silverado

If you have the LTZ headlights then you will have projectors already, making a retrofit so much easier, or you can even just put in HIDs since the projector will keep from blinding others. But an FXR retrofit is still so much better than just HIDs in the OEM projectors

RobZ71LM7 · May 7, 2015

Bilstein HD shocks. If I could only keep one mod it would be these. I removed my stock shocks at 8000 miles earlier this week. I'll be towing with them Friday for the first time.

SoonerDPT · May 9, 2015

The day I bought the truck I drove to my custom exhaust shop and told him I wanted a Magnaflow muffler and a stainless steel dual outlet side exit tip. He told me it would be about 1 1/2 hours and $280.

He put on a 22" Magnaflow and the tip I picked out. Paid and drove the truck home. As soon as I got back home I called him back. I asked him if he did anything to the truck! The 22" Magnaflow was less than 5% louder and that's being generous!

He had me bring the truck back in and he removed the flapper valve and the resonator. I drove the truck home. Called him back. Still as quiet at a brand new Impala! Not what I wanted. He told me it would get a little louder with some miles. Asked me if I would be willing to give it 3-4000 miles and see how I like it then.

4000 miles later. I walk back into the muffler shop and tell him: "This truck sounds like a PRIUS!"

He laughs and says... "Let's put on a 14" Magnaflow, no charge.".

30 minutes later I was a happy camper. Finally got a little muscle car sound out of that V8 engine!

Super Loud? No

Nice rumble? Yes

Loud on hard acceleration? Yes

Drone in V4 mode? Yes

Do I like drone? Yes

But.... Keep this in mind. Everyone's taste in exhaust sound is different!

I have friend that told me that the 22" Magnaflow was too loud! I couldn't even hear it!

I have another friend who tells me the 14" is WAY too quiet. Needs headers and muffler delete!

Can't win.

I love it.

Haha! Thanks for the reply. Not sure how I missed it before now. Still up in the air on what I will do. I don't even have my new truck yet... I'm getting the 6.2, so I'll probably listen to stock for a little while and decide. I love the exhaust sound of the previous gen Denali stock exhaust. Would love to match that sound.

Thinking about a tune and/or Airaid CAI as well. Too many fun costly things you can do to these trucks.

Luster · May 10, 2015

Too many fun costly things you can do to these trucks.

I was reading an article that stated that there are more mods for Chevy/GMC trucks than any other vehicles in the world! I believe it! ANYTHING you want... somebody's got it!