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Bless me! A new 2005 Z71

lrymal

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lrymal Senior Enthusiast

lrymal

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Ok, the rebates and discounts have been significant. I've been needing a crew cab to join the fleet of GM trucks on the farm, so picked one up. The discount was simply amazing but the dealer lots in this area are literally bloated with unsold vehicles: Ford, Dodges, and GMs. Doesn't bode well for the American dealers, but I surely benefited.

 

I'll get some photos up later, but it looks like any other silver/gold type Z71 (forget the color name) and has the smallish 5'8'' bed. Ok, y'all have seen these before and know the rest of the story. Ok, some features and impressions.

 

  • The ride. This is the smoothest riding one yet. I have no idea why. Was there more tweaking on the suspension design? Or is it the poorly-respected Bridgestone Duelers (not Revos) with perhaps a soft sidewall???? Not sure. This truck does't even pogo-bounce in the back when hitting an abrupt bump. Our others do.
  • New truck smell--has only 11 miles on it as of this typing.
  • The brakes! OM-Y-GOSH! Where have these been?????? Drums in the back and maybe other adjusting has finally given the General some simply awesome brakes. The difference was so profound that I was startled. Should have been done years ago.
  • ELECTRIC FANS!!!!!! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Twin fans. Finally, at least for this model.

 

All in all, this truck has some amazing tweaks on it over my other daily driver which is in the .sig below. Today's assignment will be to 4-way the headlights, and install the 3157NALL amber day lights.

 

Debating with myself on whether to install a brush guard. It offers good protection, but seems that every other "hick" around here has one. And, NO.... I'm NOT adjusting the torsion bars. Never.... The ride on this truck is simply too sweet.

lrymal Senior Enthusiast

lrymal

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Congrats!!  Go break her in on the track!!  Just kidding.

 

 

 

HEH...... the local kids say to break her in at Misery Hill. Ain't gonna....

Truckman031 Senior Enthusiast

Truckman031

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Congrats on the new truck. I think your color is silver birch. Can't wait to see some pics. You kept the 03 right? I would get the brush guard. They protect the front alot and look good IMO.

WyRam Enthusiast

WyRam

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I drove mine 400 miles before I turned up the bars,very little ride difference............did you go with 4.10s?

dogzapper Enthusiast

dogzapper

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Irymal,

 

First of all, no heartfelt congratulations. You have a gorgeous truck and I just know you are going to totally love it.

 

Second, and this is important, I have learned SO MUCH from your participation in this forum. I know that most folks just go through life accepting things and never quite saying what they feel, but I wanted to sincerely thank you for all the help.

 

Enjoy the truck, my friend.

 

Steve

WyRam Enthusiast

WyRam

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:dupe: Cool deal on the new rig.

 

BUT, tell me you got this one WITH steering wheel controls!?!?

 

 

 

Can the steering wheel controls be retrofited,I had a hard time finding a 1/2ton crew with 4.10s and had to settle without the controls............

lrymal Senior Enthusiast

lrymal

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Steve, thanks for the compliments... this is a marvelous board and I have learned so much from the others here. Definitely symbiotic.

 

This crew cab will be the freeway cruiser---didn't go with the 4.10s. The truck also came with the G80 option. One slightly puzzled reaction on my part---this is a green motor, yet it really is "faster" at all ranges than the well-seasoned "Old Silver".. I've been driving GM for decades. The General's motors usually don't loosen up until several miles have been logged in. I really think this is a quicker motor than the 2003's. Wishful thinking? HEH... We'll see. But, it sure feels like it.

 

Did I already say the brakes were amazing?

 

The amber light was "old school"---3157NALLs. Nothing was changed on the headlamp/parking lamp assemblies, so that was easy. Put bulb grease in the sockets, installed the bulbs---amber lights shining.

 

The four-way high-beams were obviously easy. No change was done on the fuse box assembly for the 2005. Was going to install the diode by the BCM, but wasn't in the mood to research that and further. So, popped the lo-beam / high-beam relays, soldered the diode to pins 85, covered the work with heat-shrink tubing, plugged everything back---all is good.

 

Also installed a low-profile toolbox. Yawn.... toolbox is a toolbox.

 

That grill guard.... ok. I'll probably install it tomorrow. Somehow, not in the mood to put 80 pounds on the front-end of this truck, although Old Silver doesn't seem to mind. Oh yeah, the color is "sandstone metallic".

 

Internal debate I have going now is the tires. I don't think any of us like the Bridgestone Dueler A/T tires. My preference has always been the Revos so I'll be talking to the Firestone Bridgestone guy tomorrow to find out if the upgrade would be workable. Honestly, though, these tires surprised me. They aren't the tires that I whined and griped about several years ago. Not sure why the improved ride and performance. Is this supposed improved suspension compensating? I dunno.

 

Well, the fun part is already knowing how to "doctor" the truck up from what I have learned here. Thanks.........

lrymal Senior Enthusiast

lrymal

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whats misery hill?

 

 

 

Misery Hill........... it is a very long and steep clay/sand hill with gullys and logging roads. It has decimated 4 X 4 trucks for half a century. It is private oil lease property, but kids have been sneaking in with their rigs since WWII jeeps became available to the public in the late 40s. No rocks, but lots of messy clay. I've been on it with a tractor.

 

Anyway, the kids around here always joke how they are going to try out their 4-wheel rigs on Misery Hill.

lrymal Senior Enthusiast

lrymal

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Can the steering wheel controls be retrofited,I had a hard time finding a 1/2ton crew with 4.10s and had to settle without the controls............

 

 

 

I'm cursed to not have factory controls. You MIGHT have to jump up to a higher trim. So, here we go AGAIN. I know what to do about getting the fully-working DIC to wake up. I'll fool around with that in a few weeks. grrrrrrrrrrr I also don't have the folding power mirrors. Fortunately, the mirrors heat to get rid of the frost, but don't have the arrow LEDs in them. So, anyway, no power-fold mirrors on this truck. sniff!

lrymal Senior Enthusiast

lrymal

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But, hey and oh YEAH! Electric cooling fans!!!!!! Still gloating over that. :dupe::seeya:

WyRam Enthusiast

WyRam

Posted
Posted
Can the steering wheel controls be retrofited,I had a hard time finding a 1/2ton crew with 4.10s and had to settle without the controls............

 

 

 

I'm cursed to not have factory controls. You MIGHT have to jump up to a higher trim. So, here we go AGAIN. I know what to do about getting the fully-working DIC to wake up. I'll fool around with that in a few weeks. grrrrrrrrrrr I also don't have the folding power mirrors. Fortunately, the mirrors heat to get rid of the frost, but don't have the arrow LEDs in them. So, anyway, no power-fold mirrors on this truck. sniff!

 

 

 

 

What gets me is my truck was dealer ordered with the AutoTrac transfer case which is a signifigant upgrade and not the $100 steering wheel controls.......keep me updated,I'd be very interested in get the full DIC working!I'm also impressed with the power,coming from a Ram 5.7 with 3.92 gears ,stock was good and now with the HyperTech 87 octane tune it's has alittle more grunt without hurting mpg,even helped the mpg towing.

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