BigRedKyle's 2015 Silverado 1500 CCSB Slow Build

[Bigredkyle]

All,

First of all, I'm newer to the GM-Trucks.com Forum, but have read hundreds of posts as a guest. This year I finally broke down and bought a new 2015 Silverado 1500 LT CCSB 4WD. I'm hoping many of the knowledgeable minds on the forum can help guide me as I begin my Silverado modifying adventure. Thanks.

Let me preface by saying I don’t come from a background of extensive automotive work, but I'm pretty handy and know my way around power tools and construction. For my day job, I work in residential construction and split my time between job sites and an office, but like to go to the mountains, beach, hunting, camping, fishing, etc on weekends, so I'd like a truck that rides that line between 50+ highway miles daily and still handles nicely in snow / sand / dirt trails and minor off-road.

My goal is 4” lift or so, 33x12.5 MT and 20-22x10-12 wheels, with mostly white painted accents parts, and either some black or chrome (grille, bumpers, etc).

Mods I’ve done:

• Debadge/demold doors, tailgate (accept the colormatched bowtie – may still be coming off soon)
• 35% tint driver / passenger windows, 5% windshield brow
• Line-X bed liner
• Exxtang Encore tonneau cover
• Quad LED fog light conversion
• Billet shorty antenna
• Remove front valence guard, plastic mud flaps, front license plate holder

Mods I plan to do:

• 4" lift / level – still deciding on the right fit
• 20-22x10-12 wheels – thinking American Force Independence / Burnout, but jury’s still out
• 33x12.5 MT
• AMP / Bestop power running boards / might go with factory style running boards to save a bit of coin in the meantime
• Colormatched tailgate handle, OnStar (shark fin) antenna,
• Pop-n-lock tailgate
• Color matched tow mirrors – either new style 2015 HD’s all white with Klearz clear lenses (if I can get them to powerfold) or old style all white
• Either billet grilles with chrome surround or painted surround with factory black grille and polished billet bowtie
• Aftermarket OEM-style projector lights retrofitted with FXR 6K HIDs, clear marker lenses, white painted housings and chrome accents…I might just clear my factory halogen lights in the meantime.
• Exhaust (TBD)? Thinking Flowmaster 40 or Magnaflow with dual OEM Chevy chrome tips with straight back exit
• Keep chrome bumpers and colormatch plastics possibly with Line-X on rear bumper step (CenCal style) or powdercoat bumpers and keep black rear plastics (High Country style)?

All this being said, please advise on the following:

1) LIFT – 4"

Options are 4.5in Zone lift, 2.5in level and 1.5in Zone body lift, or a stretched level like 4in FTS / TCS / 3.5in RCX. I’ve read the write ups on this forum and GMFS with regards to this and everyone says something different with regards to the best lift. Zone is a “true” lift kit where LCA dropdowns match the differential drops, but from what I know because of the IFS, this also increases the front track width by 1.5in, making it tougher to run a deep wheel (i.e. likely rub with a x12 on a 33in). From what I’ve been told by CST / Rancho, they don’t make a 4in lift for the 2014-15 square body Silverados because the electronic rack and pinion steering is in the way and their engineers didn’t think they could safely drop the differential that little and clear the steering. I know the stretched level kits like FTS / TCS / RCX don’t require a subframe drop and therefore no cutting, but because they don’t provide any upgraded components for the tie rods and LCA, don’t they have accelerated wear? Then there’s the 4in achieved by stacking a level and body lift which I know generally is less popular, but it would retain factory geometry, keep a lower center of gravity, lower cost, etc. I’ve also seen the Performance Accessories version, but I might be able to do it myself for cheaper. I know the body lift will add an unsightly gap, but I plan to put steps on the side which will cover this anyway, and I’m thinking the factory wheel well liners cover any gaps there as well. I’m asking the general audience for guidance on the best way to achieve 4” or so of height while keeping a budget in mind.

 

2) TIRES – 33x12.5 MT

Please advise give your thoughts on Toyo Open Country MT / RT vs. Atturo Trail Blade MT or others that provide good wear life, behave well on paved surfaces etc. I realize many of these will run around $400/tire, but please help with those that will fit the use I need while minimizing the noise (not entirely necessary) and maximizing the longevity and performance.

 

3) TOW MIRRORS

I would like to get the 2015 HD tow mirrors, but so far I’ve been told by every dealer I’ve talked to that they can’t program the LT computer to operate a powerfold mirror, despite the harnesses they use. I really like the look of the newer style mirrors as well to keep from dating the look of the rest of the truck. That said, if I can’t get them to function except as manual fold nice looking $1,000 dollar mirrors, my budget might lead me to my old ones. Has anyone had success with an LT model truck and the new mirrors yet?

 

4) LINE-X PLASTICS

Considering keeping the rear bumper chrome and Line-Xing the rear bumper plastics white to match my truck…has anyone tried this, had success. I would like something a bit more durable and user friendly than typical automotive paint with a clear coat as my truck gets used as a truck plenty. If I can’t get this to work, then I’ll probably just color match the tailgate handle and powdercoat the bumper and call it a day.

 

Any other thoughts / comments are welcome. Sorry for such a long post, and thanks for viewing. I look forward to feedback to help get my truck started. Thanks again.

 

KG

 

[Bigredkyle]

Quad LED fog lights

[SteveBBB]

Welcome to the group, beautiful truck!!

[BassOverflow]

Quad LED project 1-SMALL.jpg

Quad LED fog lights

 

What housing are those?

[slj2008]

welcome . fog lights - 4 lights to one switch or two switch's , also how was the install ? good looking truck

[Bigredkyle]

 

What housing are those?

They are the factory LT housings, trimmed to fit the quad LED cubes and painted white to match.

 

welcome . fog lights - 4 lights to one switch or two switch's , also how was the install ? good looking truck

Thanks! Fog lights are wired to the existing switch/wiring with adapters, so all four (two flood outside, two spot inside) wire up to the same switch. The install wasn't too difficult, but I would've been able to do it a lot faster if I was more familiar with this truck. I've since taken the front end apart and goes much quicker now. There's a write up here that is helpful, just make sure not to take the bumper mounting plates completely apart, loosen as needed, but if you do you've got a bit of time wasted to get them put back together right.

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topic/166644-silverado-dual-fog-light-mod/

 

Welcome to the group, beautiful truck!!

Thanks!

[BassOverflow]

They are the factory LT housings, trimmed to fit the quad LED cubes and painted white to match.

 

 

Very clean looking! Awesome job!

[Bigredkyle]

Added Gm factory chrome skid plate and tow hooks over the weekend...it makes the front end look more finished than the cutout in the chrome bumper to me.

 

[Jus Cruisin]

Ok..... So where is the Big Red Truck?

[Bigredkyle]

I am THE big red if that's what you're asking Jus Cruisin...

[Bigredkyle]

I am planning to do upper and lower billet grilles and keeping the chrome surround for grille and headlights.

 

Planning on clearing my LT heads...curious what everyone's opinion is at this point...options are:

1) Keeping black factory inner headlight trim and either removing amber reflector (filling reflector holes and painting black) or replacing with klearz marker lens

2) Painting inner headlight trim white and either removing amber reflector (filling holes before paint) or replacing with klearz marker lens

3) Painting inner headlight trim silver / Ebay style all chrome LT heads with clear corner lens

 

Thoughts?

[Daryl LBZ]

I think it looks good. Gives it a really clean look.

[Bigredkyle]

Some updates to the truck...

• 2.5in level, 1.5in Zone BL
• 20x10 AF Liberty polished wheels
• 33x12.5R20 Toyo Open Country MT tires
• Painted front and back bumpers
• billet bowtie grille emblem
• cleared headlights
• PTM tow mirrors w/clear marker lights

[Sean Neilan]

Do those mirrors power fold?

[Bigredkyle]

These ones do not...they make ones that do, but you need an additional harness and need to reprogram the computer since I have an LT and the powerfold is stock on LTZ's. I was originally going to but all that effort plus cutting an OEM rocker switch into the dash cleanly and $1000 extra later wasn't sure how much I'd use them...Now I'm almost wishing I did, but live and learn.

 

Do those mirrors power fold?