Airbus27's 2014 Sierra SLT build thread

Airbus27 · March 16, 2016

Alright fella's new user with a new truck. I just posted an introduction in the new member forum FWIW. Any who... just picked up a lightly used 2014 Sierra SLT dbl cab and can't wait to get my hands dirty making it my own.

This is not my first GMC full-size, but it is the first one I really plan on modding out. So without further ado I'll share my road map for customizing the beast. (This will be a slow process as I have an extremely demanding job at which I put in a ton of overtime, all to help pay for the truck mod )

First up is a complete overhaul of the factory sound system.

My plan is replace the front factory door speakers with Infinity Kappa 693.11i 6x9s, the rear doors with Infinity Kappa 62.11i (left over from a planned but never completed mod to my '06 Sierra), and put Kappa 462.11cfp 4x6 plate speakers under the dash if I can find a creative way to mount them. My plan is to power the doors off of a Infinity reference 475a 4-channel amp left over from the uncompleted 06 Sierra mod, which will be fed by by the factory head unit using an AudioControl LC7i (which I'm hoping will fit above the CD player).

Additionally I'll likely be putting down DynaMat from the windows down as part of this phase of construction.

Phase two will be adding a mono channel amp to power 1 or 2 Infinity Kappa 100.9w subwoofers under the rear seat.

After that (or maybe before) Ill be taking it to my local exhaust guy to get a cat-back system put on.

Then will be a 2.5 inch RC level kit and 34" BFGoodrich T/A KO2.

I'm hoping for input from you guys about other great mods I can make. The truck might see some light off roading but there really aren't too many trails that i know of outside of Philadelphia. As an aircraft mechanic by trade I intend to do as much work as I can by my self.

Standby for updates and any any suggestions you can shoot me are much appreciated.

Airbus27 · March 16, 2016

pre-build pics

Airbus27 · March 16, 2016

last pic, and yeah I know it needs a bath really bad.

upgradde · March 18, 2016

Nice looking truck, looking forward to see the progress!

Daryl LBZ · March 19, 2016

Sharp truck.

BigDs_DenaliHD · March 19, 2016

Nice truck Airbus... I'm in the same boat as you pretty much. Picked up a 2014 Z71 Silverado about a month ago, it's been soaking up my $$ ever since. Lol

Nice PW4000 in your avatar too... I see a few of them from time to time. I'm a Lead AMT at Delta in Eng Mtc.

D

Airbus27 · March 21, 2016

Nice truck Airbus... I'm in the same boat as you pretty much. Picked up a 2014 Z71 Silverado about a month ago, it's been soaking up my $$ ever since. Lol

Nice PW4000 in your avatar too... I see a few of them from time to time. I'm a Lead AMT at Delta in Eng Mtc.

D

I'm impressed recognizing the PW4000. I'm a line supervisor for American in PHL but I got a couple buddies with Delta (who all tell me how great it is...)

Airbus27 · March 22, 2016

The goodies are starting to come in. I will likely have to amend the subwoofers going under the rear seats though. Likely end up with Alpine SWT-10s2 wired down to 1ohm hooked up to the pioneer GM-D 8601 I have on order.

Airbus27 · March 23, 2016

Got the LC7i in this afternoon!

Tony Bianco · March 25, 2016

Looking good!

Airbus27 · April 20, 2016

well t's been a while while since i had the opportunity to update the build thread mostly due to the fact that i was pinned down at work, and then got into the mods neck deep. but since the project is mostly done, its time to display the work. While I was waiting for all the sound equipment to come in, I started a vinyl wrap to cover up the faux wood which I thought was really ugly. Used the 3M 1080 Anthracite carbon fiber vinyl film. Im really happy with the way it came out. IMO it looks way better than the factory wood.

Its clearly a very high quality product and 3M did a really nice job of adding some texture to better mimic the carbon fiber. Fake carbon fiber looks really bad pretty easily but I think this is the best fake CF I've ever seen.

Airbus27 · April 20, 2016

The trim pieces on the doors come off easily enough but the center console took a little while for me to figure it out. The key is to open the armrest, remove the cup holder and get your finger between a strip of rubber moulding and the top section and pull straight up and the whole piece will start to unclip. Then the faux wood trim can be slipped off (some clips that are integrated to the upper console get squeezed to release the trim. I think the below pics are out of order.

Airbus27 · April 20, 2016

With the trim work finished, I started on the audio mods. First i pulled the center console to ensure my plan to fit the amps under it would work. Which it did. Special thanks to OBrien19 for the help on measuring the console so i had an idea if it would work before I pulled mine. With the console out, I stripped the rest of the interior down to the sheet metal to install Noico Mat. Same thing as DynaMat without the name. I did everything from the windows down in 80mil mat. I ordered the 72q ft kit for $120 from Ebay, and had about 4 ½ of the 18 sheets left over. Maybe ill put it somewhere else.

I was concerned about if i notice a difference with the noico mat considering the truck was already so quiet but I definitely did. Totally worth the work in my opinion. My other concern was cooling for the amps in such a constricted compartment. So far no issues but Ill continue to monitor. If it does become a problem, ill cut the bottom of the deepest bin out and make a false floor with some cooling fans, in this case the tight space should actually help as it will create a wind tunnel effect around the amps.

Airbus27 · April 21, 2016

As the build progressed it started taking so long i slacked on pictures. Sorry... Anyway i Ran 0 gauge wire through the fire wall at the common location to a 0-4 gauge distribution block, and a 14 gauge wire to the LC7i which i unfortunately had to mount on the rear wall (where the actuator for the sliding rear window would have been if it was installed (actually the cut out for it in the sound deadener provided a nice access panel.) I made to wood stand offs which i glued to the truck (same with the amp racks) so I didn't have to make any holes in the sheet metal. I made a t harness with the metra harnesses and ended up rewiring all the sound output from the amps in 14 gauge speaker wire.

The LC7i Line out converter is really nice because it has a signal sense remote on, with a remote out which save me having to find a 12v turn on, and running an extra remote wire. Below are the amp rack.

I failed to realize the lack of mounting depth on the front doors. In a pinch i tried to make a mounting bracket out to the old 6x9 which worked but i didn't trust it so I ended up replacing it with aftermarket, purpose made brackets.

I hooked up the 2 10" Alpine subwoofers to test them but have not yet built a box for them. Due to the very geometrically complex floor on the double cab, and the tight space that needs to be maximized I will be making a custom molded fiberglass box. Ill do a better job of documenting that work.

After adjusting all the sound levels I'm very happy with the performance of the system. LC7i outputs are at half, and the amp inputs are at ⅓ and the system will blow the windows out with the master volume only half way up!!!

Airbus27 · April 21, 2016

Next up i think will be an exhaust system comments experience in deciding are welcome. I had a Flowmaster 10 series on my 06 RCSB which was awesome but I think i want a little more refinement for this truck. Then will be a lift or level. Debating the 2.5" RC kit, the 3.5" RC kit with new UCA, or Bilstein 5100's at all four corners. Leaning towards the billies, just wish they gave me a little more height.