Thinking about doing some aftermarket upgrades and wanted some thoughts and opinions

[FriendlyMan]

PICS: https://imgur.com/a/lhf18Ei

So I needed ball joints re-done and after doing some researching I found that control arms & other front end components weren't so much more on Amazon... OK, so since I did brakes, rotors, and wheel bearings recently (past few years). I looked at new spindles, coil springs, and shocks this time too. Supposedly, GM recommends replacing these every 100k miles or so? I never did it in my 275k on the odo so I decided to do them all but with a modest leveling/lift kit as well. See the pics above. 

I also installed new front and rear speakers with a new chinese android head unit. My 20+ year old stereo was really passing out. It was relatively cheap but for what you get bang for buck I went for it. It's not bad at all, basically an android tablet for the truck with auto controls. I chose this particular model so my passenger could rotate the screen to watch whatever they wanted on netflix during a road trip or whatever.

I enjoy riding around with these updates in this old truck. I know the 2021's are looking super sweet. My friends and family have them and I've test driven them myself. I just don't want to let go of this truck because it has been such a good ride. It has had it's faulty moments but overall I recognize it has been a solid ride and will probably last me at the very least another 2-5 years. I don't like to finance stuff so that's another angle about my choice.

Now I am debating doing a 3" body lift on top of the 5" front / 3" rear lift so I can fit 35 inch wheels with minimal modifications. Probably all-terrains. And a box with 3 sub woofers in the rear under the seats.

Think I should go for it? Truck is paid off. I have another backup truck and car to myself on the side.

 

[04z71crew]

Nice truck Sir. Its amazing how little things can make an older truck more enjoyable. Its personal preference on the lift stuff. Personally not a fan of body lifts and the bigger the tires you go the worse fuel economy and towing performance you get per mile. Also tires, those big boys aint cheap. In the end if you are going to enjoy the truck more the way you want it? The heck with anyone else you are the captain and that bowtie is yours. 

 

My 04 blew a head gasket last year and one of the lovely castech heads failed. Of course everyone told me to scrap it. No thanks I had already replaced half the parts on the truck. So I went even further 799 heads decked and milled 0.30 with new lifters and brian tooley pushrods. On a stock 5.3? yea why not, better to beef up whats there than have to fix something later lol. I then upgraded the factory radiator to a 34in did an 05 and up OEM efan swap. All new cooling hoses, upgraded to a 145 amp alternator, did all gaskets seals, new intake gaskets, new belts, new plugs and wires. New LT wildpeak all terrains. You get the idea. I am with you the truck hasnt asked for much and hasn’t given me one bit of trouble until the castech heads. That was a known manufacturing flaw that should have been a recall. My stock alternator halfway failed an hour and a half from home on a middle of nowhere turnpike. Lights were flickering and battery not charging message came on. It was 26 degrees and I was with the wife. I just told the truck we just needed to make it home. It did. Its been to houston and back from central oklahoma. 

 

It fires up everytime, holds really good oil pressure and has just been too good to let go of. Sometimes you buy something brand new and it gives you problems right away. I have worked in sales and as a service writer and believe me all the new

stuff aint problem free either. 

 

Enjoy your paid for truck I absolutely hate financing stuff too. Anything can happen in this economy and anything you dont owe on is an asset. You got the right idea but I still respect anyone who disagrees because everyone’s situation is different. Most new trucks wont make it to 275k and thats a fact. 

Edited October 28, 2020 by 04z71crew