Recent content by drsmonkey

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    The great white fun hog (another white GM awd build)

    During the peak of van mania I got some ridiculous offers on mine, which is very similar to yours. Had someone offer me $25k at a gas station in SW Utah about a year ago, but I think that reality is setting in. These vans are hard to price because they are an oddity (AWD 1/2 ton), within a niche...
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    GM fullsize AWD Van Info thread

    I don't think those UCA's will work on our vans, you need the previous generation (99-06) Silverado UCA's. I good way to check this is to use either a GM parts catalog or Rockauto to compare part numbers between your van and the possible "donor" vehicle
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    GM fullsize AWD Van Info thread

    I installed mine about 35k miles ago, and I think I am still on those same ball joints now. The only change that I experienced in handling from them was the ability to get enough positive caster to be in spec and get good return to center. You do have to use a limit strap because the tubular...
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    GM fullsize AWD Van Info thread

    I have been considering these as well and don't see any reason why the would not work. The actual front suspension travel does not change with the type of lift most of us are doing. The only thing you are changing is where in the travel range the van sits at rest. Any shock that will mount and...
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    GM fullsize AWD Van Info thread

    kntr, That looks really good. I have been contemplating 285's with a 1" body lift when my current tires need to be replaced. What offset are your wheels and how much clearance does your slider have? Any clearance issues up front when the suspension is flexed?
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    GM fullsize AWD Van Info thread

    Got back from first long trip with the new gearing...huge improvement both on and off road. I have around 2200 miles on the gears now, and so far so good. Here's a pic all packed up and rolling home, see if you can figure out the spot. I was able to cruise comfortably at 75mph at 2100rpm...
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    GM fullsize AWD Van Info thread

    I must have mistyped, sorry about that, changed my previous post with correct number; 732501, thanks. When I looked it up I was only looking at my year (2008) it never occurred to me that it might be any different for a newer one. On the Hypertech site that one is listed only for up to 2009...
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    GM fullsize AWD Van Info thread

    You will need longer u-bolts. I don't remember what length I got, but I do remember I cut them shorter after installing. I just measured mine and they are 9" long. For custom bolts you will also need the type of bend, diameter, and the inside length which will all match your existing bolts.
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    GM fullsize AWD Van Info thread

    I'm 500 miles into the 4.11's now, fluids changed and everything still working great. The viscous coupler is still working correctly so far. At worst right now I'm thinking that maybe the coupler might just wear a little bit faster. I hope there is a certain amount of leeway is built in to...
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    The Double down AWD cargo build

    My van came with a hitch and a 7-pin under the back bumper. I don't like how most hitches decrease departure angle, and my trailer tongue height was about 6" higher than the receiver, even after the lift. Plus it seems like the wiring connection is always the first thing to hit and get...
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    The Double down AWD cargo build

    As I did the suspension I also replaced all of the drivetrain fluids. Since buying this van I have done a lot of replacing parts and maintenance on it. For the most part I plan to just note it without much detail here unless I ran into something that is unique to our vans or is not easily found...
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    The Double down AWD cargo build

    At this point in the build I had a baby on the way and sold my Tacoma, so I needed to get the van road worthy with a backseat fast. Before installing the seats I needed to get the wiring cleaned up and the floor and walls insulated so I wouldn't have to tear things out to fix everything. First...
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    The Double down AWD cargo build

    What follows will be based on old pics, my punchlist of repairs and my memory of the last 3-4 years. My build style on this has been to make some improvements or prototypes, go on a trip to test, then fix and build before the next trip. I have also replaced a lot of parts along the way because I...
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    Fox shocks for 2008 chevy express van awd 5.3l v8

    Head over to the AWD info thread to find a ton of info about these vans. Caution, it's a long read. https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/gm-fullsize-awd-van-info-thread.137390/
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    GM fullsize AWD Van Info thread

    Short answer. (but you should read the long answer) UCA part number is UCAK100009. Straps are LSAK13. Our vans use the same UCAs' as 1999-2006 1500 pickups so any aftermarket UCAs' for that application will fit. For pics see the late December post from NWExpress in this thread. I am running...
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