2005 Update

neoh77 · March 7, 2005

So here is the SH** list for my 2005... 3000 miles in 30 days

-CD player. Disc got stuck in it on my way to new york... crap Doesn't even think there is a cd in it. Can't get it out!

-Transmission did the start in the wrong gear deal once already. That certainly was annoying. Hit the gas, revs up and then BAM into first...ouch.

-Driveline clunk...if I'm rolling though an intersection at say, 10 mph then I get back on the gas lightly it clunks

-Under light acceleration the shift from first to second gear shutters...So I just accelerate faster if possible.

Good stuff:

-Truck has decent power for a 4.8l

-Changed oil at 1000 miles... nothing on the drain plug at all

-I get 17mpg which is what my 4.3l zr2 got previously... that's cool with me

-4WD works pretty well even without weight in the bed. A little more solid than the s-10 in my uphill gravel driveway which is all ice presently. Better tires and I'm set.

-Brakes were a little touchy the first thousand, but feel very nice now. Did one panic stop for a deer and they did the job nicely. Stopping from 75 on the freeway for a short off ramp is fairly effortless.

Just an update for everyone on the '05 versions. I hardly have the time to get it in for warranty work...always working somewhere. No trailering yet. Over all it's a fun ride and fairly comfortable 95% of the time.

-Matt

Oh I almost forgot one.... in 4wd Low range it desensitizes the gas pedal something awful....drive by wire my ass...It sucks. This feels like a by-design type of deal, but it's annoying to have completely different throttle response in low range....

biochemist · March 7, 2005

-Driveline clunk...if I'm rolling though an intersection at say, 10 mph then I get back on the gas lightly it clunks

-Under light acceleration the shift from first to second gear shutters...So I just accelerate faster if possible.

Good stuff:

-4WD works pretty well even without weight in the bed. A little more solid than the s-10 in my uphill gravel driveway which is all ice presently. Better tires and I'm set.

Oh I almost forgot one.... in 4wd Low range it desensitizes the gas pedal something awful....drive by wire my ass...It sucks. This feels like a by-design type of deal, but it's annoying to have completely different throttle response in low range....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Glad you like your 'rado...the clunk is normal, all I have ever driven do this (yes, I went to the dealer and tested a new one from the lot)...just you are unloading the drivetrain and then re-applying the power...you will get a clunk, all cars will do this it is just the long driveshaft in our trucks magnifies the noise... As for the 1-2 shift...the transmission is leaning how you drive. I have seen this on others as well...yes I tested, there have been others report this on the forum as well, normal, it will also will shift differently in cold weather, or if you let someone else drive that gets on it more than you do or less than you do...will adjust shift patterns, which modulates firmness etc...

When you get new tires...look at REVO's they are awsome, read my initial review a couple weeks back in interested... As far as the 4Lo, mine is that was also, the power is great ...you are changing the ratio in the T-case...go drive a truck with 3.42 then one with 3.73...then 4.10...you will notice a difference in throttle response with between those also, 4Lo magnifies this though, a lot...again, yes I have tested a new one from the lot, normal. Is this what you are refering too?...you do not have to push down too far and you are off and running...pretty surprising when you first try 4Lo out...

Gald you like your rig so far, what are you planning as far as mods and accessories...pics and a signature...later,

neoh77 · March 7, 2005

Ahh by 4LO and throttle response... What I meant was that it has NO throttle response in 4lo. What I'm saying is that the drive-by-wire setup and 4LO apparently reduces the throttle opening quite a bit when you hit the gas... You feel like you've got a 4 banger in there when in 4-lo unless you really push the pedal down.

I understand why they'd do this... to make it more drive-able in 4lo so you don't jerk the whole drivetrain around etc. It just feels really odd and takes getting used to. I expected nice torquey slow speed response and got, well, something fairly mundane.

-Matt

biochemist · March 7, 2005

Ahh by 4LO and throttle response... What I meant was that it has NO throttle response in 4lo. What I'm saying is that the drive-by-wire setup and 4LO apparently reduces the throttle opening quite a bit when you hit the gas... You feel like you've got a 4 banger in there when in 4-lo unless you really push the pedal down.

I understand why they'd do this... to make it more drive-able in 4lo so you don't jerk the whole drivetrain around etc. It just feels really odd and takes getting used to. I expected nice torquey slow speed response and got, well, something fairly mundane.

-Matt

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I see what you mean ...I guess that is right, you do have to push down a bit to get going, but I think that may be due to the new ratio...but once you do push down you move right along...I know it may feel different but the power/torque difference is amazing, I would also say this is on purpose...make it easier to use when you need it...sure feels like you can pull a house down with the truck though when in 4Lo ...later,

Ric · March 7, 2005

sorry to hear your troubles. fwiw I have an 05 1500hd 4x4 6.0L and have no driveline clunk YET (3500mi) and no second gear starts. Is it possible I have a different trans than yours? I havent even tried 4L, so I have no comment on the tbw de-sensitization.

I HATE THE WAY THE FRONT LICENSE PLATE MOUNTS! (have I mentioned that?)

Ahh by 4LO and throttle response... What I meant was that it has NO throttle response in 4lo. What I'm saying is that the drive-by-wire setup and 4LO apparently reduces the throttle opening quite a bit when you hit the gas... You feel like you've got a 4 banger in there when in 4-lo unless you really push the pedal down.

I understand why they'd do this... to make it more drive-able in 4lo so you don't jerk the whole drivetrain around etc. It just feels really odd and takes getting used to. I expected nice torquey slow speed response and got, well, something fairly mundane.

-Matt

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I see what you mean ...I guess that is right, you do have to push down a bit to get going, but I think that may be due to the new ratio...but once you do push down you move right along...I know it may feel different but the power/torque difference is amazing, I would also say this is on purpose...make it easier to use when you need it...sure feels like you can pull a house down with the truck though when in 4Lo ...later,

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

bigdogxx · March 7, 2005

Only problem i have so far with my 05 is this garbage xm is trying to pass off as sat. radio!

neoh77 · March 7, 2005

sorry to hear your troubles. fwiw I have an 05 1500hd 4x4 6.0L and have no driveline clunk YET (3500mi) and no second gear starts. Is it possible I have a different trans than yours? I havent even tried 4L, so I have no comment on the tbw de-sensitization.
I HATE THE WAY THE FRONT LICENSE PLATE MOUNTS! (have I mentioned that?)

The front license plate just sits out there bent against the bumper.. yeah what a design!

I don't know what the 1500hd has... I think we have the same 4l60e.

Oh well.... I still got 33,000 miles to work it out.

-Matt

biochemist · March 7, 2005

sorry to hear your troubles. fwiw I have an 05 1500hd 4x4 6.0L and have no driveline clunk YET (3500mi) and no second gear starts. Is it possible I have a different trans than yours? I havent even tried 4L, so I have no comment on the tbw de-sensitization.
I HATE THE WAY THE FRONT LICENSE PLATE MOUNTS! (have I mentioned that?)

The front license plate just sits out there bent against the bumper.. yeah what a design!

I don't know what the 1500hd has... I think we have the same 4l60e.

Oh well.... I still got 33,000 miles to work it out.

-Matt

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yeah...the FLPH, they make a holder but is it 25 bucks or so...I would prefer not to even have a front plate...but MA...they will get you out here...later,

cdmm151 · March 7, 2005

neoh77, I have 2005 siera crew cab z71 and had the same exact problems as you. They fixed the cd player,and had it aligned twice. The trany just today at a stop light felt like I was taking off on icey roads. It only did it once now I am waiting for it again. The clunck has just started in different gears.

If anybody has a solutions let me know.

This is why we need free access to the TSB's.

Ric · March 8, 2005

sorry to hear your troubles. fwiw I have an 05 1500hd 4x4 6.0L and have no driveline clunk YET (3500mi) and no second gear starts. Is it possible I have a different trans than yours? I havent even tried 4L, so I have no comment on the tbw de-sensitization.
I HATE THE WAY THE FRONT LICENSE PLATE MOUNTS! (have I mentioned that?)

The front license plate just sits out there bent against the bumper.. yeah what a design!

I don't know what the 1500hd has... I think we have the same 4l60e.

Oh well.... I still got 33,000 miles to work it out.

-Matt

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yeah...the FLPH, they make a holder but is it 25 bucks or so...I would prefer not to even have a front plate...but MA...they will get you out here...later,

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

what's flph?

GrassHoppa · March 8, 2005

Front License Plate Holder?

biochemist · March 8, 2005

sorry to hear your troubles. fwiw I have an 05 1500hd 4x4 6.0L and have no driveline clunk YET (3500mi) and no second gear starts. Is it possible I have a different trans than yours? I havent even tried 4L, so I have no comment on the tbw de-sensitization.
I HATE THE WAY THE FRONT LICENSE PLATE MOUNTS! (have I mentioned that?)

The front license plate just sits out there bent against the bumper.. yeah what a design!

I don't know what the 1500hd has... I think we have the same 4l60e.

Oh well.... I still got 33,000 miles to work it out.

-Matt

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yeah...the FLPH, they make a holder but is it 25 bucks or so...I would prefer not to even have a front plate...but MA...they will get you out here...later,

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

what's flph?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry...FLPH = Front License Plate Holder , later,

jwhjr · March 8, 2005

This is why we need free access to the TSB's.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

All they do is update the "clunk" TSB every year to include the newest model year. As I'm sure you'll find on a quick search here, the clunk is "normal" according to GM. I haven't had any issues so far with my 04 other than the clunk noise, but I've made sure to have all my tranny complaints documented just in case.

biochemist · March 8, 2005

This is why we need free access to the TSB's.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

All they do is update the "clunk" TSB every year to include the newest model year. As I'm sure you'll find on a quick search here, the clunk is "normal" according to GM. I haven't had any issues so far with my 04 other than the clunk noise, but I've made sure to have all my tranny complaints documented just in case.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is right...I think they all do it on occasion...odd, sometimes it does this and depending on how you drive it does not. Anyway, I have had many conversations with service managers about this issue...one guy even has an 04...his does it too. All say, may not like it but it is normal, one guy explained to me exactly what was happening, but says GM has done longevity studies and there are no problems with this, just a sound...others here say there trucks have done it forever, no issues at all...I think it is the fact that the driveshaft is hollow...makes it sound louder than it really is sometimes. Anyway, hope this helps, later,

highup1500hd · March 8, 2005

sorry to hear your troubles. fwiw I have an 05 1500hd 4x4 6.0L and have no driveline clunk YET (3500mi) and no second gear starts. Is it possible I have a different trans than yours?

we have the 4L80, it is a little stronger, but I too have had that startup problem a few times. It kind of feels like the tires are spinning, but I am not going anywhere!