Build advice and guidance

Corey Lance · March 27, 2023

I recently picked up a very clean and well taken care of z71 l83 Silverado, well since nothing I have is stock I’m starting to order a few things just to make it a little more fun. So far it’s has a lift with 35/12.50/20s so it is a bit sluggish. I got dual exhaust ran, violent cai, superchips flashpak, and l86 intake and tb install for now. The guy I got it from said he had the trans built 10,000 mile ago with billet stuff??? Who knows if that’s true or not! Here shortly I’m looking for order long tube headers, catted y pipe, ported heads and either the btr or tsp stage two cam. Which will all be installed at once to get tuned afterwards. I’m not looking to make a race truck or go boost but to have a decent truck that isn’t a slug with 110 lb tires to move around. Is there anything else that could be done that I’m missing in my research to gain a few Eagles or other easy mods that will not hurt drivability to much? And has anyone swap to the 6l90 tc and what are the benefits of doing so?

thanks for any advice or knowledge

Edited March 27, 2023 by Corey Lance

MikeBMW · March 27, 2023

Other than going for a whipple, I can't see what else you should do.
I have a tuned (with the flash paq f5) and 35X12.5X18 tires on the 5.3 and mine is quite quick. Also, Borla cat back touring exhaust still running stock headers.
Seems to me, you are looking for a race truck.

Edited March 27, 2023 by MikeBMW

CamGTP · March 27, 2023

Ported heads would be a waste of money because there is no way you will ever outflow the stock heads with the minimal amount of mods you want to do. You wouldn't even come close to the max CFM even with a 6.2, so put your money somewhere else.

What you really need is gears. Stock gearing with larger oversized tires that are super heavy are slowing you way down. Stock 3.42's aren't your friend with your combo. 3.73's would be better but 4.10's would make a huge difference.

And personally I'd go to a skinnier tire, 12.50 wide are stupid heavy and the huge footprint takes a lot of power to get going. A 11in wide tire is sheds a ton of rolling mass.

MikeBMW · March 28, 2023

22 hours ago, CamGTP said:

What you really need is gears. Stock gearing with larger oversized tires that are super heavy are slowing you way down. Stock 3.42's aren't your friend with your combo. 3.73's would be better but 4.10's would make a huge difference.

I dunno, I'm running 35x12.5 tires on 3.42 gears and a 91+ octane tune with the Flaspaq.
My acceleration is quite good and I don't even feel the weight of the tires.
Mind you, I'm not looking for a race truck but I'm more than satisfied with performance. Heck, I can spin the rear tires on command at "go."

Edited March 28, 2023 by MikeBMW

CamGTP · March 28, 2023

If you drove a truck without those tires you'd notice a difference.

He also has 20's, so that a decent amount more weight to toss around. Tire weight may be similar but the rims could be 10-20lbs heavier per corner for sure.

I tuned a 2016 Tahoe 5.3 with intake/headers that was lifted 4in with roughly 34's on some 20's and it felt real slow compared to my truck with stock sized tires.

Grumpy Bear · March 28, 2023

I'm with Cameron on this one. Gears are the cheapest and most effective offset to tall heavy wheel/tire combos. As a bonus it removes stress for the engine and transmission.

Homewrecker007 · March 28, 2023

X3 on the gear change

MikeBMW · March 28, 2023

Again, I dunno, with my tune on the Flashpaq 91+ Octane, mine seems a bit quicker from stock. Even with the 35x12.5 tires on 18" rims and 3.45 gears.
Still, I suppose, YMMV.
Heck, I gotta put together another video this weekend regarding this once I find a safe spot to do it.
Just my experience and I'll post it up upon first opportunity (I mean other than a public street - already done that too many times much to my regret - I hate giving a lifted truck a bad name - at least mine, anyway.)

MikeBMW · March 28, 2023

Just an aside, I might be quicker, in theory, on smaller tires but all I would do is totally spin the tires into oblivion.
At least the 12.5s offer a bit more surface contact.
Anyway, please keep playing the "gears are the only solution" game and I'll just drive with stock 3.45s which seem to be working remarkably well.

Homewrecker007 · March 28, 2023

50 minutes ago, MikeBMW said:

Just an aside, I might be quicker, in theory, on smaller tires but all I would do is totally spin the tires into oblivion.
At least the 12.5s offer a bit more surface contact.
Anyway, please keep playing the "gears are the only solution" game and I'll just drive with stock 3.45s which seem to be working remarkably well.

Don't you mean 3.42's not a big deal, just asking.

MikeBMW · March 28, 2023

16 hours ago, Homewrecker007 said:

Don't you mean 3.42's not a big deal, just asking.

Yes, you are correct: 3.42s.

AZ_SS · March 30, 2023

I just put the 3 l Whipple on my 5.3 and couldn't be happier. I have to believe with labor, the cost is similar if not less to what you are looking at doing and the drivability hasn't changed a bit. I did heads, cam and intake on my Trailblazer SS and the cam caused drivability issues I did not like on a daily driver and made less HP on the LS2.