Audio controls - steering wheel - TrailBoss

Andy Dill · November 8, 2020

I wanted the trail boss so the only LT trail bosses they had or any others had were 6-12k more than what I paid. I tried 12 different dealerships that I found online and none of them had the trucks they were advertising.

Dunn · November 8, 2020

7 hours ago, Robert S said:

I added a steering wheel with all the options on my Trail Boss Custom last night and the audio controls did not work. However, I might keep it because of the leather wrap.

another dude last year tried same thing with same result........there is a thread on this somewhere, its been a big topic

Dunn · November 8, 2020

35 minutes ago, Andy Dill said:

I wanted the trail boss so the only LT trail bosses they had or any others had were 6-12k more than what I paid. I tried 12 different dealerships that I found online and none of them had the trucks they were advertising.

GM sells the Trail boss lift kit for 1k....you can install it on any base model silverado and there is your trail boss.....i bought my 19 RST for this very same reason and was going to do this conversion but went to 2500 HD instead....was going to sell my new stock wheels for $1600 and buy new TB wheels for 2k...i would have had an LT TB and saved 10k in process

TB is just a simple rancho lift and wheels

Edited November 8, 2020 by Dunn

John Rich · December 17, 2020

On 2/19/2020 at 9:34 PM, Jaydel29 said:

I have swapped the steering wheel on my 2020 custom for a wheel from a 2020 LTZ. The wiring does not exist in the custom or WT trim trucks.

to make the radio/phone controls work here are the things that are needed: 1. A replacement steering wheel with controls, 2. Replaced wire harness in the column, and to the DIC and Headunit. (Possibly the clockspring, but I cannot conform that), 3. A replacement gauge cluster with the upgraded DIC, 4. A replacement head unit that allows for the steering wheel control input.

on top of that.... most likely going to need some programming for the ECU/DIC ..... at this time (2/19/2020) I don't believe anyone has actually completed a full swap of all these components to make it all work.

I really just wanted the leather wrapped wheel and used all the "guts/wiring" from my existing wheel to put into the leather wrapped shell.

I Also just did the same on my 2020 Custom. I got a LT wheel at a junkyard and took both wheels apart and swapped the guts into the leather wheel, I call it the hybrid wheel. You would never know the difference. I agree a 40k truck should at least have a leather wheel.

josephmartin · January 30, 2021

I absolutely love my new 2021 silverado 1500 custom in the cherry red tint coat. First thing I quickly noticed: I need my radio controls! This threat has not made me happier about that. Maybe soon. Reguardless, I smile every time I see my new truck!

Casevaccorpsman · May 13, 2021

I can attest that you will definitely need to upgrade your wiring harnesses as well. I replaced the steering wheel and gauge cluster. Now I need to upgrade or wire in the steering wheel because the controls arent connected to the cluster or the radio. Harnessdr hasnt upgraded the nee models so we dont know what will work yet.

John Hitchcock · June 16, 2021

My trail boss custom doesn't maintain the base, treble or equalizer settings once the truck is shut off. This is a real pain in the butt, you have to readjust them everytime I drive the truck. I've looked on YouTube and nobody addresses this.

c0ld29 · June 17, 2021

On 1/30/2021 at 5:49 PM, josephmartin said:

I absolutely love my new 2021 silverado 1500 custom in the cherry red tint coat. First thing I quickly noticed: I need my radio controls! This threat has not made me happier about that. Maybe soon. Reguardless, I smile every time I see my new truck!

On 5/13/2021 at 10:20 AM, Casevaccorpsman said:

I can attest that you will definitely need to upgrade your wiring harnesses as well. I replaced the steering wheel and gauge cluster. Now I need to upgrade or wire in the steering wheel because the controls arent connected to the cluster or the radio. Harnessdr hasnt upgraded the nee models so we dont know what will work yet.

There is hope for us Customs yet. Cluster upgrade + steering wheel. No custom harness either just one jumper wire. See this thread:

Ckatz · July 11, 2021

I’m curious on this issue too. Just purchased a 2021 Silverado Custom and the cruise controls are on the left side but the right side is just the plastic cover. I definitely would like to insert the audio controls there since I’m used to it from previous vehicles. Thanks in advance!

Jeremiah Levy · July 12, 2021

Newer to Chevy but I've been swapping radios on my cars/trucks for the last 15 years. I had a sony xav-ax5000 as my last head unit and there was a 3.5mm that came off my harness in my Ford escape that just sent simple analog signals from the steering wheel. Chevy complicates this because my dash screen shows the volume up/down and what music is currently playing however I have the lt trim with the 8" hd radio. It seems completely insane that gm would make a head unit specifically designed to not work with steering controls for lower level trims if they are all 7" stock. Crutchfield has nothing for aftermarket radio/harness on our trucks. Has anyone traced back a wiring diagram from steering wheel to radio?

Chak You · July 22, 2021

On 3/11/2019 at 2:07 PM, Ravenwood said:

I will prob give this a try.

I bought the volume controls from the dealership. I also bought the harness. What I am missing is someone willing to pop that cover and see if it works. I am willing to donate what I have for the cause. They are not too expensive. I have a 2020 Trail boss custom.

I have been told you need to be mindful of the air bag.

I got the parts, do you have the talent.

Who wants to try it out?