Driving in a blizzard last night

rjgvt · December 31, 2025

8 hours ago, Chuck FB said:

That was a good fortune on your part that you came across those takeoffs, I wanted the same offset wheels as my factory ones but I knew the odds were not good of finding the very same style wheel for the HC as I don't know how long they have been out, maybe since 2024. So I found someone who was selling his 2022 HC wheels privately and had not run them for very long before putting on some aftermarket wheels and was looking to get something out of his factory wheels so I jumped on that as I wasn't hopeful I would find anything better price wise and just wanted to keep the tires within the fenders with all the crap that flies during the winter or for that matter on gravel during the summer. That's why the aftermarket mud flaps all the way around and the keeping the factory running boards on. Anyway what I was not up on at all at the time I had bought the wheels and then had the winter tires mounted up as no sensors came with these wheels as they would have been pulled to install into his new wheels, is that there was anything special about the GM sensors and the person at the tire shop was obviously not up on it either and sold me their brand sensors. Only after did I realize my mistake and never had put the tires on the truck anyway and bought GM sensors and took the tires/wheels back to the tire shop and they swapped them over for no charge and paid me back what they charged me for their sensors. So I had bought the Autel 508 because of wanting to lower the placard pressure but as per the theme of using the tool to reset locations of the tires I have not and didn't require to, which is why I was surprised you made that comment. So this winter when I took my factory wheels/tires combo off and put on this other set of wheels with the winter tires, I just drove down the gravel road although slower yet just to see if the tpms system would figure itself out and it did but just took that extra time and then the pressures jumped to the current tires. This coming spring when I put the factory wheels back on I will rotate the tires and set the pressures accordingly and I'll see if they do their magic as well. I have had an issue this last summer with the rear tire alarms going off if I happened to dip below a certain pressure if it was cooler out but has not made any sense as I lowered the threshold for the rear tires a bit more and pressure up the tires enough to get rid of the warning to turn that green and then lower them back to the exact pressures and still it would seem fine then but get triggered again but always some 15 or more miles down the road and in fact at the same location on the road which was at the top of a hill, the strangest thing. I've not had that problem so far with the sensors in these winter tires but I had also put extra pressure in to compensate for the forthcoming colder weather but have now lowered down the pressure just that little bit toying with it to see if it will trigger the alarm with these sensors.

Back to the used wheels I bought, they are the clear coated aluminum wheels and it so happened that because these were made for the chev although the prior HC style wheel, the hub caps are exactly the same for both wheels so I just took them off before bringing the wheels to the tire shop as there was no need for them to be messing with them and damaging them for no reason, then I popped them back in before I put them on the truck. I personally like these hub caps in how they function vs the lower trim models that have the fake lug nuts that screw onto the ends of the studs, and on a work truck who needs to be messing with all of that, in my mind poorly thought out for those but at least someone grabbed a brain and made these for the upper trim trucks and don't have to touch the cap to remove or install the wheels. I've watched my brother struggling with those big plastic caps on his Ford king ranch dually as they cover the lug nuts and have to take those covers off every time the lug nuts need re torqueing.

I’ve read that the TPMS sensors will learn on their own but I use the Autel just to make sure as part of my routine twice a year.

The shop that I got the GM wheels sells a lot of takeoffs as they sell new aftermarket wheels and tires to guys that upgrade. They also sell aftermarket GM style wheels and list them as such. I watched there website as soon as I ordered my truck. They are in southern Vermont and picked them up. I don’t think they ship.

Wheels from 2011 to now will fit our trucks.

Chuck FB · December 31, 2025

2 hours ago, rjgvt said:

I’ve read that the TPMS sensors will learn on their own but I use the Autel just to make sure as part of my routine twice a year.

The shop that I got the GM wheels sells a lot of takeoffs as they sell new aftermarket wheels and tires to guys that upgrade. They also sell aftermarket GM style wheels and list them as such. I watched there website as soon as I ordered my truck. They are in southern Vermont and picked them up. I don’t think they ship.

Wheels from 2011 to now will fit our trucks.

If you think of it this spring you can give it a try by not touching your autel and make sure you have sufficient air in the summer tires before its driven and can watch the dash with its prior ran numbers that are not changing and then poof the numbers jump to the current mounted wheels. I think its more of a taking a certain amount of minutes rather than any given speed. For someone that does not have a tpms tool it is a nice feature but has to be the proper GM sensors to figure itself out. Same goes for a person who may do a lot of miles a year and does their own rotations, that it shouldn't need any resetting other than any possible tire pressure changes.

That shop must pay the owners of those wheels enough to make it enticing to hand over their factory wheels and must not be interested in hanging onto them for the purpose we are which is having two sets of tires mounted up for seasonal use. The price of new factory wheels is insane, I would have had to pay about 6 grand to get a set and goes back to the issue of hardly any aftermarket wheels out there have nearly as much positive offset that I was after. Initially I called a wrecking company here whom I bought GM takeoff wheels years ago from and they brought them in through their system ( the wheels he said came from California and they were just like brand new ) but they had diddly squat for wheels for the newer trucks, hardly anything in an 18" and nothing in a 20". I also did come across some company in Saskatchewan after I had already found my wheels that was marketing used wheels but their price was considerably more than what I paid which was 900.00 for the set and came with the hub caps.

rjgvt · December 31, 2025

37 minutes ago, Chuck FB said:

If you think of it this spring you can give it a try by not touching your autel and make sure you have sufficient air in the summer tires before its driven and can watch the dash with its prior ran numbers that are not changing and then poof the numbers jump to the current mounted wheels. I think its more of a taking a certain amount of minutes rather than any given speed. For someone that does not have a tpms tool it is a nice feature but has to be the proper GM sensors to figure itself out. Same goes for a person who may do a lot of miles a year and does their own rotations, that it shouldn't need any resetting other than any possible tire pressure changes.

That shop must pay the owners of those wheels enough to make it enticing to hand over their factory wheels and must not be interested in hanging onto them for the purpose we are which is having two sets of tires mounted up for seasonal use. The price of new factory wheels is insane, I would have had to pay about 6 grand to get a set and goes back to the issue of hardly any aftermarket wheels out there have nearly as much positive offset that I was after. Initially I called a wrecking company here whom I bought GM takeoff wheels years ago from and they brought them in through their system ( the wheels he said came from California and they were just like brand new ) but they had diddly squat for wheels for the newer trucks, hardly anything in an 18" and nothing in a 20". I also did come across some company in Saskatchewan after I had already found my wheels that was marketing used wheels but their price was considerably more than what I paid which was 900.00 for the set and came with the hub caps.

If I remember I’ll see if my tire pressures update on their own.

My winter wheels were $1400, snow tires were $1580 at local tire and automotive shop (included mounting, balancing, tax, etc) and the TPMS sensors were $220 at GMC dealer.

Chuck FB · December 31, 2025

15 minutes ago, rjgvt said:

If I remember I’ll see if my tire pressures update on their own.

My winter wheels were $1400, snow tires were $1580 at local tire and automotive shop (included mounting, balancing, tax, etc) and the TPMS sensors were $220 at GMC dealer.

Since I own the autel tool I end up using it to guide me to adjusting the pressures since those are the pressures I will see reflected on the dash and yes I have checked with the stick style tire gauge and while close its not able to adjust as precise as the sensor, that way my pressures as as close as I can make them to match on each axle.

The weird thing about buying Nokian brand tires in Canada is that somehow one tire chain store got the rights to sell that brand of tire, there may be a couple of other stores in Ontario but otherwise it seems to be Canada wide from what I have seen on Nokians own website. That means zero competition for that brand of tire for almost everyone in Canada so if I wanted to try Nokians, there were no choices of tire shops as otherwise some shops sell various brands for quite a bit less than another tire store chain. I would have to dig up my receipt to be exact but as I look on the tire stores website they list the tires at 508.00 and then on top of that would be installation and a 5% tax. My total bill was somewhere around 2500.00 as I had bought the sensors from them initially ( so around 2250.00 for the tires and installation and tax I think ). Then after the fact in buying the GM sensors I believe they were around 55.00 a piece before tax as they were giving me a break on the price as per the theme of discounting 10% or so for a customer that had bought the vehicle at that dealership. The tire shop assumed that the GM sensors would be insanely expensive as they have had to go to Toyota or what have you for sensors that were exclusive to the vehicle and not aftermarket and talked about how insanely expensive whatever brand vehicle the sensors cost. So you can see that tires here due to our crappy dollar are always more and with this brand of tire there is that lack of competition as well. By the way the BFG KO3 is the same price at that same tire shop as the LT3 as a price comparison between the two tires.

And on a note about winter tires, if one wants the summer tires to match the winter tires for tire size, there are far fewer winter tire sizes to choose from as some may not realize that but the companies try to make them for the popular OEM tire sizes and otherwise its slim pickings if anything at all in some brands.

rjgvt · December 31, 2025

3 hours ago, Chuck FB said:

Since I own the autel tool I end up using it to guide me to adjusting the pressures since those are the pressures I will see reflected on the dash and yes I have checked with the stick style tire gauge and while close its not able to adjust as precise as the sensor, that way my pressures as as close as I can make them to match on each axle.

The weird thing about buying Nokian brand tires in Canada is that somehow one tire chain store got the rights to sell that brand of tire, there may be a couple of other stores in Ontario but otherwise it seems to be Canada wide from what I have seen on Nokians own website. That means zero competition for that brand of tire for almost everyone in Canada so if I wanted to try Nokians, there were no choices of tire shops as otherwise some shops sell various brands for quite a bit less than another tire store chain. I would have to dig up my receipt to be exact but as I look on the tire stores website they list the tires at 508.00 and then on top of that would be installation and a 5% tax. My total bill was somewhere around 2500.00 as I had bought the sensors from them initially ( so around 2250.00 for the tires and installation and tax I think ). Then after the fact in buying the GM sensors I believe they were around 55.00 a piece before tax as they were giving me a break on the price as per the theme of discounting 10% or so for a customer that had bought the vehicle at that dealership. The tire shop assumed that the GM sensors would be insanely expensive as they have had to go to Toyota or what have you for sensors that were exclusive to the vehicle and not aftermarket and talked about how insanely expensive whatever brand vehicle the sensors cost. So you can see that tires here due to our crappy dollar are always more and with this brand of tire there is that lack of competition as well. By the way the BFG KO3 is the same price at that same tire shop as the LT3 as a price comparison between the two tires.

And on a note about winter tires, if one wants the summer tires to match the winter tires for tire size, there are far fewer winter tire sizes to choose from as some may not realize that but the companies try to make them for the popular OEM tire sizes and otherwise its slim pickings if anything at all in some brands.

The BFG KO3's were a $0 option when I ordered my truck. Now they are a $295 option.

I originally wanted the non-studded LT3's and the local tire shop that I use could get 3 of them in LT275/65R20. That's are there were in the country at the time. I already had the wheels and TPMS sensors.

I called the US and Canada 800 number for Nokian Tyres to find out about the availability of the tire that I needed. A guy in Vermont answered the phone. He explained that some of the tires were made in Russia. The LT3's I had on my last 1500 were made in Russia and they could no longer get them from there. They had to revamp a factory somewhere. I asked his opinion on studded vs non-studded. He told me that his whole family ran studded Nokian tires. For my size tires, they had 75 studded ones in stock at the local Nokian warehouse. I had the tire shop send the 3 non-studded tires back and got the studded tires. Local Nokian guy knows the owners of the tire shop. I've known the shop owners for over 30 years. First time with studded tires and have no regrets.

Chuck FB · December 31, 2025

30 minutes ago, rjgvt said:

The BFG KO3's were a $0 option when I ordered my truck. Now they are a $295 option.

I originally wanted the non-studded LT3's and the local tire shop that I use could get 3 of them in LT275/65R20. That's are there were in the country at the time. I already had the wheels and TPMS sensors.

I called the US and Canada 800 number for Nokian Tyres to find out about the availability of the tire that I needed. A guy in Vermont answered the phone. He explained that some of the tires were made in Russia. The LT3's I had on my last 1500 were made in Russia and they could no longer get them from there. They had to revamp a factory somewhere. I asked his opinion on studded vs non-studded. He told me that his whole family ran studded Nokian tires. For my size tires, they had 75 studded ones in stock at the local Nokian warehouse. I had the tire shop send the 3 non-studded tires back and got the studded tires. Local Nokian guy knows the owners of the tire shop. I've known the shop owners for over 30 years. First time with studded tires and have no regrets.

That KO3 option on the trucks, that still pisses me off some as I had asked the sales guy and after all he was their top experienced sales guy but he thought for sure it was a mud tire and not the KO3 and also within the Chev website it had a horrible explanation about the tire calling it an off road tire to even figure out what it was and no photo of the tread to figure it out. It was only after I had put my order in and was beyond the time frame of changing the order that I did find out it was indeed the KO3 after all. So I have the wonderful good for maybe a year tires with the impressive 13/32 tread depth and as I read about some horror stories with photos of the tires blowing up and taking the box/fender with it in the case of the rear tires failing. Not sure if that is a Goodyear theme for that tire or the special ones they make for the OEM. I doubt I will be wearing them down too low before deciding on something else but will admit they are quiet on the highway.

When I got my Nokian ( and your right, it is "Tyres", first time I have run Tyres before LOL ) I was asking about what they had in stock and that was middle of Oct of a year ago and they said they had some LT3 studded and that they don't even bring in the non studded of this size to that store which really isn't a surprise due to our studded tire laws. So I bought them on the spot as there was no snow and able to haul them home in a truck that has not been used on salt roads for years and just have them ready to put on when I got the new truck, and the fact that once "silly season" starts up typically in late Oct and most of November the shops are flat out and also run out of product and so on. Unfortunately my tires were a year old build date wise when I bought them and did not realize that until after, then since I didn't make use of them last winter they were now two years old by the time then went onto my truck ... what do you do !.

Some of the guys around that have pickups with larger tires and either work in the oil patch and its their transportation to the middle of hell all year around or work their pickup in the oil patch or forestry ... welders, mechanics etc, some have lifts on them and run larger mud tires and have a shop drill holes to install studs in the lugs in an effort to keep from crashing as they can't get a winter tire that big anyway.

rjgvt · December 31, 2025

12 minutes ago, Chuck FB said:

That KO3 option on the trucks, that still pisses me off some as I had asked the sales guy and after all he was their top experienced sales guy but he thought for sure it was a mud tire and not the KO3 and also within the Chev website it had a horrible explanation about the tire calling it an off road tire to even figure out what it was and no photo of the tread to figure it out. It was only after I had put my order in and was beyond the time frame of changing the order that I did find out it was indeed the KO3 after all. So I have the wonderful good for maybe a year tires with the impressive 13/32 tread depth and as I read about some horror stories with photos of the tires blowing up and taking the box/fender with it in the case of the rear tires failing. Not sure if that is a Goodyear theme for that tire or the special ones they make for the OEM. I doubt I will be wearing them down too low before deciding on something else but will admit they are quiet on the highway.

When I got my Nokian ( and your right, it is "Tyres", first time I have run Tyres before LOL ) I was asking about what they had in stock and that was middle of Oct of a year ago and they said they had some LT3 studded and that they don't even bring in the non studded of this size to that store which really isn't a surprise due to our studded tire laws. So I bought them on the spot as there was no snow and able to haul them home in a truck that has not been used on salt roads for years and just have them ready to put on when I got the new truck, and the fact that once "silly season" starts up typically in late Oct and most of November the shops are flat out and also run out of product and so on. Unfortunately my tires were a year old build date wise when I bought them and did not realize that until after, then since I didn't make use of them last winter they were now two years old by the time then went onto my truck ... what do you do !.

Some of the guys around that have pickups with larger tires and either work in the oil patch and its their transportation to the middle of hell all year around or work their pickup in the oil patch or forestry ... welders, mechanics etc, some have lifts on them and run larger mud tires and have a shop drill holes to install studs in the lugs in an effort to keep from crashing as they can't get a winter tire that big anyway.

I just built a Chevy High Country on Chevy’s website. The BFG KO3 is an option on the 20” polished wheels and 20” high gloss black painted wheels but not the other two 20” wheel options.

Before I ordered my truck, I saw that the dealers here ordered the AT4HD’s with the KO3’s. I printed out the summary from GMC’s website after building one and made sure I was getting them. They make a good late Spring and early Fall tire for hunting in case the weather sucks before putting on the LT3’s. I’d get them again even if I had to pay extra.

Chuck FB · January 1

2 hours ago, rjgvt said:

I just built a Chevy High Country on Chevy’s website. The BFG KO3 is an option on the 20” polished wheels and 20” high gloss black painted wheels but not the other two 20” wheel options.

Before I ordered my truck, I saw that the dealers here ordered the AT4HD’s with the KO3’s. I printed out the summary from GMC’s website after building one and made sure I was getting them. They make a good late Spring and early Fall tire for hunting in case the weather sucks before putting on the LT3’s. I’d get them again even if I had to pay extra.

I have not looked now to see what they picture or how they word the tire but yes over a year ago when I was going through this process and I had a suspicion it was the KO3 but I had no proof and he's telling me when I asked that question that no no it can't be, its something else. But your right, as I was choosing items within the online format I could choose that optional tire with the standard wheels that comes with the HC trim. You had better information from your dealership and noted they were brining in that tire on on the AT4. Also I found it frustrating that the online choice system was vastly different from the dealerships system and I had to go through what he printed out at home and then add or make changes to finally get the order correct.

It just donned on me to ask, because you have the AT4, do you have the black high clearance off road running boards that are a cast aluminum I believe. I never did have a chance to step into a truck that had those boards on it so never did figure out if it was a running board that stuck out far enough to actually get ones foot onto it properly or if it would e a lost cause and have to get in or out without the running board. I liked the idea of the high clearance and the brackets are tucked up higher, that is the downside of the factory boards on a HC or all the others that use that same chrome looking board, low brackets. But otherwise the board works good to get in and not have to slide sideways damaging the seat like so many GM trucks seem to have had issues with over the years. I actually tried to see if they would swap boards if I so chose and nope, the running boards come standard on a HC so no option other than the electric board and they just spell trouble up here, and they would not give me anything on trade for boards so I said screw it and would figure out after if I wanted the different boards ... but never have come back to that theme since of looking at a truck that had them on.

I've run all terrains for many many years on pickups or mud tires for some vehicles and while a true highway tire may be ideal for some, I can't see myself doing that and was why I would have chosen the KO3 for the bit extra charged. Of course they call ( or should say Goodyear has the balls to call these stock 20" tires ) them all terrain tires, they are sure on the low end of what I think of as an all terrain and that sad tread depth of what a P rated tire is on an LT tire, perhaps I am being too hard on that tire but it doesn't inspire me. Unless I have different thoughts when I do replace these Goodyears I may go for a set of Falken AT4W

rjgvt · January 1

26 minutes ago, Chuck FB said:

I have not looked now to see what they picture or how they word the tire but yes over a year ago when I was going through this process and I had a suspicion it was the KO3 but I had no proof and he's telling me when I asked that question that no no it can't be, its something else. But your right, as I was choosing items within the online format I could choose that optional tire with the standard wheels that comes with the HC trim. You had better information from your dealership and noted they were brining in that tire on on the AT4. Also I found it frustrating that the online choice system was vastly different from the dealerships system and I had to go through what he printed out at home and then add or make changes to finally get the order correct.

It just donned on me to ask, because you have the AT4, do you have the black high clearance off road running boards that are a cast aluminum I believe. I never did have a chance to step into a truck that had those boards on it so never did figure out if it was a running board that stuck out far enough to actually get ones foot onto it properly or if it would e a lost cause and have to get in or out without the running board. I liked the idea of the high clearance and the brackets are tucked up higher, that is the downside of the factory boards on a HC or all the others that use that same chrome looking board, low brackets. But otherwise the board works good to get in and not have to slide sideways damaging the seat like so many GM trucks seem to have had issues with over the years. I actually tried to see if they would swap boards if I so chose and nope, the running boards come standard on a HC so no option other than the electric board and they just spell trouble up here, and they would not give me anything on trade for boards so I said screw it and would figure out after if I wanted the different boards ... but never have come back to that theme since of looking at a truck that had them on.

I've run all terrains for many many years on pickups or mud tires for some vehicles and while a true highway tire may be ideal for some, I can't see myself doing that and was why I would have chosen the KO3 for the bit extra charged. Of course they call ( or should say Goodyear has the balls to call these stock 20" tires ) them all terrain tires, they are sure on the low end of what I think of as an all terrain and that sad tread depth of what a P rated tire is on an LT tire, perhaps I am being too hard on that tire but it doesn't inspire me. Unless I have different thoughts when I do replace these Goodyears I may go for a set of Falken AT4W

I checked out a truck at a different dealer before ordering my truck that had the high clearance narrow high running boards on an AT4. I thought they were to high and narrow to get in and out of the truck. GF had an issue with them too. They looked like I would be hitting the truck with my hunting boots every time getting in the truck. I remember the first time I checked out an HD truck at my dealer that had no running boards. It was a struggle to get in and out and I'm 6' 2". I didn't have running boards on my 1500's.

I ordered a pair of the lower all black running boards and had the service department put them on when they prepped the truck. I've seen other running boards like mine that have chrome on them with black ends and where you step on them.

Chuck FB · January 1

1 hour ago, rjgvt said:

I checked out a truck at a different dealer before ordering my truck that had the high clearance narrow high running boards on an AT4. I thought they were to high and narrow to get in and out of the truck. GF had an issue with them too. They looked like I would be hitting the truck with my hunting boots every time getting in the truck. I remember the first time I checked out an HD truck at my dealer that had no running boards. It was a struggle to get in and out and I'm 6' 2". I didn't have running boards on my 1500's.

I ordered a pair of the lower all black running boards and had the service department put them on when they prepped the truck. I've seen other running boards like mine that have chrome on them with black ends and where you step on them.

I was somewhat afraid of that being the situation with those running boards, never having stepped into a truck that had them it was hard to know what it would feel like until experiencing it but I knew from my half ton that has a running board that is really tucked up and in and they are skimpy to try and step on but because of that I always step beyond them. Being a half ton its not as high and I have no issues with doing that and the reason I had them put on was for helping to control the flying gravel and slop. I can't recall now if I have hopped into one of these new HD trucks without running boards, I must have though at some point. Having running boards like I do on mine, its really awkward to get in or out without using them because they are in the way and if they are dirty its going to get rubbed onto my pants if I would not use them, again that was part of the reason for having them was for the control of crap flying. Of course I am not getting any younger ( just a fact ) and at some point would need them anyway. I am 6'4" and typically don't have too much issue getting into vehicles, its fitting in vehicles that I have the most issue with as per head room and why I wanted the power seats so I could lower them and also no sun roof as that took up a bit more room on the rim of the hole.

I had seen a comment somewhere and not sure if it was on here or some where else online that mentioned how easy it was to dent the rocker panel area under the door by hitting it with ones feet depending on how one was getting into the truck and of course running board position would play into that as well. As heavy as these HD trucks are, there steel panels are not thick at all.

I am not sure what my running boards are even made out of, if its an aluminum with chrome or what it is but yes they have the black plastic end caps and the black plastic pad area's for a crew cab. I don't mind them, at least they are double sided as a lot of the aftermarket ones are hollow underneath but with partial curled under lower edges which end up allowing a ledge trapping mud and snow so it locks in like cement, plus those that have the holes punched through them and crap can fly up from underneath and through the holes. Some turn up their nose at these factory running boards but I've seen some pretty sad chincy crap in aftermarket truck supply stores and I know some of that stuff is steel and the finish isn't good enough to keep them from rusting up and looking awful in a very short period of time as this isn't southern Cali or Arizona.

Your shell ... cap, or whichever other favorite name you choose, that looks very sleek on your truck as they made it to ingegrate very well with the rear of the cab. Although I don't know how one gets at the cab and front of the shell windows to wash them !.

rjgvt · January 1

10 minutes ago, Chuck FB said:

I was somewhat afraid of that being the situation with those running boards, never having stepped into a truck that had them it was hard to know what it would feel like until experiencing it but I knew from my half ton that has a running board that is really tucked up and in and they are skimpy to try and step on but because of that I always step beyond them. Being a half ton its not as high and I have no issues with doing that and the reason I had them put on was for helping to control the flying gravel and slop. I can't recall now if I have hopped into one of these new HD trucks without running boards, I must have though at some point. Having running boards like I do on mine, its really awkward to get in or out without using them because they are in the way and if they are dirty its going to get rubbed onto my pants if I would not use them, again that was part of the reason for having them was for the control of crap flying. Of course I am not getting any younger ( just a fact ) and at some point would need them anyway. I am 6'4" and typically don't have too much issue getting into vehicles, its fitting in vehicles that I have the most issue with as per head room and why I wanted the power seats so I could lower them and also no sun roof as that took up a bit more room on the rim of the hole.

I had seen a comment somewhere and not sure if it was on here or some where else online that mentioned how easy it was to dent the rocker panel area under the door by hitting it with ones feet depending on how one was getting into the truck and of course running board position would play into that as well. As heavy as these HD trucks are, there steel panels are not thick at all.

I am not sure what my running boards are even made out of, if its an aluminum with chrome or what it is but yes they have the black plastic end caps and the black plastic pad area's for a crew cab. I don't mind them, at least they are double sided as a lot of the aftermarket ones are hollow underneath but with partial curled under lower edges which end up allowing a ledge trapping mud and snow so it locks in like cement, plus those that have the holes punched through them and crap can fly up from underneath and through the holes. Some turn up their nose at these factory running boards but I've seen some pretty sad chincy crap in aftermarket truck supply stores and I know some of that stuff is steel and the finish isn't good enough to keep them from rusting up and looking awful in a very short period of time as this isn't southern Cali or Arizona.

Your shell ... cap, or whichever other favorite name you choose, that looks very sleek on your truck as they made it to ingegrate very well with the rear of the cab. Although I don't know how one gets at the cab and front of the shell windows to wash them !.

The cap is made by ARE. It’s the 6th ARE cap I’ve had on my trucks, all ordered from a local mom and pop business. I get the same model each time. The window in the front of the cap opens inward to clean the windows but I never do it. Going through the car wash takes care of it.

It sounds like your running boards are like mine except with some chrome. I got the AT4HD as I liked the lack of chrome. The sterling metallic color was new for 2024 and I only saw a couple in our area when I got mine. Now I see more. There is a new color this year that I like, Coastal Dune. If my cap will fit my next truck, I’ll get sterling metallic. If they change the truck forcing a new cap purchase, I’ll get a different color.

Chuck FB · January 1

10 hours ago, rjgvt said:

The cap is made by ARE. It’s the 6th ARE cap I’ve had on my trucks, all ordered from a local mom and pop business. I get the same model each time. The window in the front of the cap opens inward to clean the windows but I never do it. Going through the car wash takes care of it.

It sounds like your running boards are like mine except with some chrome. I got the AT4HD as I liked the lack of chrome. The sterling metallic color was new for 2024 and I only saw a couple in our area when I got mine. Now I see more. There is a new color this year that I like, Coastal Dune. If my cap will fit my next truck, I’ll get sterling metallic. If they change the truck forcing a new cap purchase, I’ll get a different color.

I looked up the ARE caps and I guess that was on their site, it listed all the options as one went down the choices of what to choose. Since you said you get the same model each time I gather you have never owned the mid rise model which would give more height for storing taller items and if one was using it as a basic type of camping shelter as a friend of mine in Colorado has done that for years on her Toyota pickups with making some form of platform and then storing her mineral finds in trays as shes right into the rock club scene etc ( hunting, just not for live animals ). Makes for a light unit to travel on gravel roads and basically four wheel drive trails to access old mines etc on a small/mid sized truck. And that would be where having sliding windows with screens would be ideal for times when its warmer out and to keep cooler but hold the bugs out. I have never had a pickup with a cap but had thought of it for this truck but decided off the start to try a bak flip instead of my solid fiberglass box cover on my other truck so I can flip it back if I want and put bulky items into it. Not that it would relay well to prices we would pay in Canada for your cover but what are covers like yours running these days ?

My running boards probably are much the same as yours, just chrome instead of black. My truck is radiant red and while that was a color that the GM AT4 also could be had in 2025 ( they dropped that color for 2025 for the Denali ) , while I liked the AT4 interior and came with the upscale dash layout like yours would have, I happened to be one that likes a bit of chrome over a blacked out theme. Mind you I do find the Denali grill to be a little too in your face, some hate the design of the Chev front end but I don't mind it after the change they made going away from the big bar across the front with the word CHEVEROLET. Keep in mind my truck does not have chrome bumpers so its missing all that chrome and I was initially going to get a LTZ. I liked some aspects of the GM better than the Chev for sure though but price was also a factor and my local GM dealer whom I wanted to deal with was not in a dealing mood over a year ago so I ended up with a Chev instead.

rjgvt · January 1

1 hour ago, Chuck FB said:

I looked up the ARE caps and I guess that was on their site, it listed all the options as one went down the choices of what to choose. Since you said you get the same model each time I gather you have never owned the mid rise model which would give more height for storing taller items and if one was using it as a basic type of camping shelter as a friend of mine in Colorado has done that for years on her Toyota pickups with making some form of platform and then storing her mineral finds in trays as shes right into the rock club scene etc ( hunting, just not for live animals ). Makes for a light unit to travel on gravel roads and basically four wheel drive trails to access old mines etc on a small/mid sized truck. And that would be where having sliding windows with screens would be ideal for times when its warmer out and to keep cooler but hold the bugs out. I have never had a pickup with a cap but had thought of it for this truck but decided off the start to try a bak flip instead of my solid fiberglass box cover on my other truck so I can flip it back if I want and put bulky items into it. Not that it would relay well to prices we would pay in Canada for your cover but what are covers like yours running these days ?

My running boards probably are much the same as yours, just chrome instead of black. My truck is radiant red and while that was a color that the GM AT4 also could be had in 2025 ( they dropped that color for 2025 for the Denali ) , while I liked the AT4 interior and came with the upscale dash layout like yours would have, I happened to be one that likes a bit of chrome over a blacked out theme. Mind you I do find the Denali grill to be a little too in your face, some hate the design of the Chev front end but I don't mind it after the change they made going away from the big bar across the front with the word CHEVEROLET. Keep in mind my truck does not have chrome bumpers so its missing all that chrome and I was initially going to get a LTZ. I liked some aspects of the GM better than the Chev for sure though but price was also a factor and my local GM dealer whom I wanted to deal with was not in a dealing mood over a year ago so I ended up with a Chev instead.

I order my caps with side windows that open out, it makes it easier to get to stuff in the bed of the truck. I keep a small fold up stool to get some stuff easier, one on each side. I added LED lights to the inside roof of the cap. Also cut some boards for 2nd tier loading for just in case. With the MultiPro tailgate, it's possible to load 8' lumber, etc. No offense to Chevy owners but I like the looks of the GMC's better. Not sure if there is a price difference when comparing similar models.

I added the Weigh Safe hitch that I recently got yesterday and removed the other hitches. It's the red box on the right. I keep a bunch of stuff in my truck as I travel back and forth to my camp and out of state. I like having tools and stuff. The piece of plywood is for having a flat surface for gas cans, water jugs, etc. It slides out to cover the tailgate when breasting out a turkey.

Chuck FB · January 2

4 hours ago, rjgvt said:

I order my caps with side windows that open out, it makes it easier to get to stuff in the bed of the truck. I keep a small fold up stool to get some stuff easier, one on each side. I added LED lights to the inside roof of the cap. Also cut some boards for 2nd tier loading for just in case. With the MultiPro tailgate, it's possible to load 8' lumber, etc. No offense to Chevy owners but I like the looks of the GMC's better. Not sure if there is a price difference when comparing similar models.

I added the Weigh Safe hitch that I recently got yesterday and removed the other hitches. It's the red box on the right. I keep a bunch of stuff in my truck as I travel back and forth to my camp and out of state. I like having tools and stuff. The piece of plywood is for having a flat surface for gas cans, water jugs, etc. It slides out to cover the tailgate when breasting out a turkey.

I looked over the photos and write ups that you had done prior about your cap and that makes sense with what you are doing with it that you have flip out side windows, same idea as the aluminum cap work truck theme but in a non utilitarian looking package. You might have to get yourself a long box next time as your running out of room ! LOL. I know all too well how that goes, pack this and pack that and pretty soon the space that one thought was plentiful is getting used up quick. With my half ton I had a nice 3/4 good one side fir plywood box liner custom built and he put steel inserts into the inner wheel well to retain over a 48" wheel well width and plywood on the tailgate as well ( heavy tailgate as a result but makes for a nice flat table surface ), and then that low fiberglass cover, a plywood box I made to contain tools, fuel, tow ropes and hitches etc slid to the front and so I weighed well in excess of 1000 lb more than the truck was originally. I had to put another leaf spring and air bags in as the factory leaf packs were sad even with an almost empty truck. That's why years ago I said to myself that when I bought another so called personal/farm truck that I would probably go for a 2/4 or 1 ton and not have to worry about taxing the factory suspension.

When I looked at the ARE options I thought maybe that was a dark paint on the white fiberglass but now that makes sense, its that covering material to dress it up. Also those strip lights sure light up that box, makes the factory box lights pretty darned pathetic !. Oh and that brings up the question about your trucks configuration, do you have the one battery or the two battery option as I think with the two battery system on the gas it would draw power from the secondary battery for that live power at all times wire on the 7 pin, however if its a single battery it would have to draw from the main battery.

I understand where your coming from with the GM/Chevy looks theme, each has its own look in some respects and depends what fender edging shape one likes, interior colors and which interior and only GM has that option. The exterior color was the one item I could no longer get in the GM on the trim I was after and my second choice color would have been the blue, I like the taillights a lot better on the GM, still haven't figured out which is the better tow hook orientation but sure find it strange that they had to reinvent the wheel on that between the two. Oh and I prefer the dark roof interior and of the ones I was looking at only the HC had that as the lower trims were light as as the GM Denali for some reason. Price wise the Denali if priced out now and I "think" all the same options other than the upscale shape interior of the Denali, its about 1800.00 more for the Denali over the HC. However that was not what swayed me. It was the fact that the GM dealer ( and I only wanted to deal in the town I go to and have some sort of dealer connection ) did an about face over a year ago and put market adjustment pricing on all their HD trucks and the higher the trim the higher the adjustment and would have been 4000.00 over msrp. I was so pissed off that I never even walked in the door to give them a chance to explain their bs actions and to see what deal I could make as putting up prices like that meant they were in no way interested in selling anything. So in my mind as I never dug into it to know for sure but just based on what it seemed at the time, that I was possibly to the tune of over 17000.00 better off buying the HC. Those same trucks in stock according to the GM dealer website just sat there, nothing was moving and then in the beginning of Feb they did a complete about face and took the market adjustments off and put factory discounts on.

rjgvt · January 2

2 hours ago, Chuck FB said:

I looked over the photos and write ups that you had done prior about your cap and that makes sense with what you are doing with it that you have flip out side windows, same idea as the aluminum cap work truck theme but in a non utilitarian looking package. You might have to get yourself a long box next time as your running out of room ! LOL. I know all too well how that goes, pack this and pack that and pretty soon the space that one thought was plentiful is getting used up quick. With my half ton I had a nice 3/4 good one side fir plywood box liner custom built and he put steel inserts into the inner wheel well to retain over a 48" wheel well width and plywood on the tailgate as well ( heavy tailgate as a result but makes for a nice flat table surface ), and then that low fiberglass cover, a plywood box I made to contain tools, fuel, tow ropes and hitches etc slid to the front and so I weighed well in excess of 1000 lb more than the truck was originally. I had to put another leaf spring and air bags in as the factory leaf packs were sad even with an almost empty truck. That's why years ago I said to myself that when I bought another so called personal/farm truck that I would probably go for a 2/4 or 1 ton and not have to worry about taxing the factory suspension.

When I looked at the ARE options I thought maybe that was a dark paint on the white fiberglass but now that makes sense, its that covering material to dress it up. Also those strip lights sure light up that box, makes the factory box lights pretty darned pathetic !. Oh and that brings up the question about your trucks configuration, do you have the one battery or the two battery option as I think with the two battery system on the gas it would draw power from the secondary battery for that live power at all times wire on the 7 pin, however if its a single battery it would have to draw from the main battery.

I understand where your coming from with the GM/Chevy looks theme, each has its own look in some respects and depends what fender edging shape one likes, interior colors and which interior and only GM has that option. The exterior color was the one item I could no longer get in the GM on the trim I was after and my second choice color would have been the blue, I like the taillights a lot better on the GM, still haven't figured out which is the better tow hook orientation but sure find it strange that they had to reinvent the wheel on that between the two. Oh and I prefer the dark roof interior and of the ones I was looking at only the HC had that as the lower trims were light as as the GM Denali for some reason. Price wise the Denali if priced out now and I "think" all the same options other than the upscale shape interior of the Denali, its about 1800.00 more for the Denali over the HC. However that was not what swayed me. It was the fact that the GM dealer ( and I only wanted to deal in the town I go to and have some sort of dealer connection ) did an about face over a year ago and put market adjustment pricing on all their HD trucks and the higher the trim the higher the adjustment and would have been 4000.00 over msrp. I was so pissed off that I never even walked in the door to give them a chance to explain their bs actions and to see what deal I could make as putting up prices like that meant they were in no way interested in selling anything. So in my mind as I never dug into it to know for sure but just based on what it seemed at the time, that I was possibly to the tune of over 17000.00 better off buying the HC. Those same trucks in stock according to the GM dealer website just sat there, nothing was moving and then in the beginning of Feb they did a complete about face and took the market adjustments off and put factory discounts on.

The HD truck box at 6’ 10” is already way better than the half ton 6.5’ bed. Any longer and it won’t fit in my detached pole barn type garage. My 1/2 ton double cab trucks with a 6.5’ bed had room to walk around front and back in the garage. The AT4HD just fits with no room to walk around, have to open the garage door to get around in the garage.

I ordered my truck with the plow prep/camper package and 5th wheel/gooseneck option. I figured when I get rid of this truck, someone might want to plow or tow a 5th wheel. Dealer added the aux battery option because of the plow package and I left it on the order. The aux battery supplies 12v to the 7 way trailer connections. It also powers the lights in the cap that I wired to the 7 way trailer connection in the bed. I’d get the aux battery again along with the other options.

I added a 12v socket to my truck since GM decided to eliminate it for my truck. I wired it to the aux battery and it’s hot all of the time. I have a Garmin satellite communicator that I carry hunting as I’m by myself in the woods. I charge it at the end of the day with the 12v socket. I’d order the aux battery again.

The upfitter option wasn’t available for my truck but it is on the newer trucks. I’m going to get that option on my next truck.

When I had my last 1/2 ton truck, I had all of the stuff I normally carry and took some firewood to camp for the fire pit. I had 2 jet sleds loaded, a smaller plastic container loaded plus the back of the truck. I’m pretty sure I was overloaded. My current truck has over 2k pounds left in the payload for stuff. I don’t need an HD truck for my daily driver but I like it!

My truck is like a Denali without the chrome and came with black wheels and KO3’s.

Edited January 2 by rjgvt