Back Pain

Scyry · September 21, 2005

Well, it has been about two months since I sold the truck and got a GTO. For the last 4 years I have had dull, lower back pain when I sit for 30 minute plus. I had also pulled a back muscle at random times, three times during that time period; once walking down the street, once after playing volleyball for 3 hours when I went to jump, and the other pushing the lawn mower. I was going to the chiropractor (sp) atleast once a month. My bottom vertebrae keep getting out of aling was the problem from one of my muscles being too tight.

Well, about a week after I sold my truck my back pain has gone away, completely. I drove 3+ hours last weekend without any pain. I am beginning to think the problem was the offset steering wheel in the truck. I was always leaning towards/on the center console when driving. Seemed to do it to line up with the steering wheel. I had noticed it was an inch plus off but never really thought about it. Has anyone else noticed this? I never had back pain before the truck, was only 20 when I bought it. I never hurt my back until about a year or two after purchasing it, but had pain when sitting for a while prior to hurting my back. Does anyone else have similar problems with their backs?

Hope GM did a better job linging up the seats and steering wheels on the new trucks. I chock this up to more GM cost cutting. Being an engineer, you can't tell me there was no way to line up the steering wheel with the seat. I always thought the seat was comfy, but I was always leaning in it. These seats in the GTO are like Lazy Boy comfortable though. If you haven't checked out the GTO, you should atleast go sit in one to see how comfy it is.

Mark_in_Tulsa · September 21, 2005

Brother I know exactly what you mean. I kept noticing that I am always sitting in my seat cockeyed, and I couldn't figure out why. Then one day I noticed the whole steering wheel is off thing.

But the days that I don't drive my back feels great. And its because I always sit crooked in the seat. I try to always sit strait, but it never fails that I aways end up crooked to fit the steering wheel. I can totally tell that my lower back is out of line due to this, and its only getting worse. I'm always leaning up and over on the arm rest....which has cause my armrest to be all squeaking now.

I really hope the new trucks aren't like this, because this is ridiculous.

kc5deb · September 21, 2005

Glad your back's better. Sorry to hear you sold your truck, but, I really have to know how you're liking your GTO. Are they as awesome as they should be?

chevy4x4trucks · September 21, 2005

yeah, that can do it, the bench is almost nicer since you can sit a lil' more to the center, but i know exactly what you're talking about. Also, on my avalanche the lumbar in it was always too much pressure... the passenger seat was fine, but the drivers seat would kill my back.

there's a lot to be said for stretching every morning though, when i do that my back is usually good during the day.

Scyry · September 21, 2005

Glad your back's better. Sorry to hear you sold your truck, but, I really have to know how you're liking your GTO. Are they as awesome as they should be?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I love the car. It rides really nice for a sports car, doesn't beat you up, and doesn't have much body roll. I really think it is impossible to bet the price for what you get. The interior is almost all leather, the color matching gauges look very nice, and there is not a squeak or rattle in it. I am getting around 22 mpg right now, with about 70% highway driving around 75 mph. I still get on it on the on ramps, starting out at a stop light if I am at the front, or on the back roads. If I babied the thing, 65 mph or less, use the skip shift (1st to 4th) and didn't get on it, I bet I could average 25-27 mpg, but that not be fun and I should of just bought a Honda at that point.

The exhaust is the best stock exhaust I have ever heard, I have absolutely no plans to change it out, it has that nice V8 babble at idle, then roars when you give it some gas. The car at idle, gets the shake from the engine, you know what I mean about old big V8's and how the car would shake side to side every few seconds? I mean between the exhaust and that, it just screams old style, american muscle; even if it is an Aussie in American dress.

My only complaints are, the power seats move too slow for letting people in and out of the back (could be fixed with a manual release), the trunk is tiny due to the location of the gas tank, and I wish it came with meaty tires. The back seat has almost as much room as my truck did, but the seats are more comfortable. The tires are 235/35/R18's, and from what I read you can only go up to about a 275/30/R18 on them. If you could get a little more meat on them, atleast the backs, it could hook up a lot better. Right now people claim to drop their 1/4 mile times about 0.5 seconds must switching to a meatier tire, or a drag radial; they come with winter tires on them.

The most annoying thing is all the idiots I attract. People wanting me to race them on a crowded street or freeway, or a fart can looking for an ass whooping. Then all the stupid questions/comments:

"Nice sounding Grand Prix! Does it have a V6?"

"My Civic will kick it ass! My fart can and stickers get me to a 10 sec 1/4 mile!"

"Is that the new Mustang?" or "Nice Ford!"

Only things about my truck are the cargo area, jump doors, and being able to see farther ahead on the freeway. Still wouldn't take that Lemon back though, feel sorry for the poor sucker that got it; Black HD2500 at John Elway Pontiac/GMC in Golden, CO. Hopefully sometime this winter I can pick up a Mid-ninties Chevy K1500 for the winter days. Go test drive one, a lot of the dealers will let you, and you will see how nice of a car it is; even if you ust sat in one, you would understand. I tested one out last march and was just dying waiting to pay off my truck so I could get one. When the truck kept acting up I said "WTH? I only live a mile from work, if it snows I can just hoof it."

Wingnut · September 22, 2005

I'd be willing to bet that 1/2 the cars and trucks on the road have an offset steering wheel.

Try a mid '80s fullsize Ford van...That sucker was about 2.5" off.

I can see how it might bug some folks, but it doesn't really bother me.

mmmikkke · September 23, 2005

It bothers me because it's an imposition. Some a-hole engineer or bean counter decided to offset the steering wheel, rather than put a u-joint in it.

And by the way, it's not just off center, it's cock-eyed. It doesn't even come straight out of the dash. One side of the wheel is closer to you than the other!