My 02 Avalanche NFE

Burb One

Adventurer
Also the fuel pump was probably me. I did replace one that way but it's way too difficult for the field(soldering and pucker moment for cracking the assembly plastic) Now I just carry an extra eBay assembly that would get me home in a pinch/don't care if it gets banged up a bit in the spare parts box
 
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rayra

Expedition Leader
I posted some time ago about the access hatch idea in the Hey Vortec Guys topic, linked the vids of the guy showing where to cut the hole.
Speaking of that topic, I’m farting around in there fabbing new torsion crossmember bushings out of hockey pucks
 

Stryder106

Explorer
Also the fuel pump was probably me. I did replace one that way but it's way too difficult for the field(soldering and pucker moment for cracking the assembly plastic) Now I just carry an extra eBay assembly that would get me home in a pinch/don't care if it gets banged up a bit in the spare parts box
Good to know - I knew I had read that somewhere.
 

Burb One

Adventurer
Good to know - I knew I had read that somewhere.

PM'd on the console.

On the fuel pump- There's some people on some other GM forums who have put in a fuel pump inline from the tank (where your 02 fuel filter is along the frame). Apparently, the two pumps work great in series. Also, a proper inline pump is able to pull fuel through the in- tank pump if it ever goes out in a pinch (which should be never because it would be very low stress)

My 04 doesn't have an inline fuel filter like the earlier models, and when my fuel pump starts whining again (my first lasted 200k before it started whining) I'll go that route by adding a filter and another pump.

I really like your execution on the hatch. It's been on my list for ages. I figure when I figure out skid plates for the tank, I'll do it in one go...
 

Stryder106

Explorer
PM'd on the console.

On the fuel pump- There's some people on some other GM forums who have put in a fuel pump inline from the tank (where your 02 fuel filter is along the frame). Apparently, the two pumps work great in series. Also, a proper inline pump is able to pull fuel through the in- tank pump if it ever goes out in a pinch (which should be never because it would be very low stress)

My 04 doesn't have an inline fuel filter like the earlier models, and when my fuel pump starts whining again (my first lasted 200k before it started whining) I'll go that route by adding a filter and another pump.

I really like your execution on the hatch. It's been on my list for ages. I figure when I figure out skid plates for the tank, I'll do it in one go...
Interesting..........I have often wondered if I could eliminate the in tank pump and plumb in an inline. Seems like those guys have just done both. I'll need to look into that.
 

WVI

Adventurer
There used to be a mod some guys did on Dodge CRD systems. Taking a "draw straw" and plumbing it into the tank in place of the pump, then had a inline pump that would pull from it to feed the filters.
There was also a similar thing done with a modded Jeep Liberty tank assembly.

I'd like to do the same with my Ford E350, but not sure if the system can take continuous feed of fuel by bypassing the fuel pump modulator.
 

Stryder106

Explorer
Hey Gang - some more updates. Just back from wandering about in the Yucatan (highly recommend it), but before I left, I took my Avalanche to my buddy and spec'd out a new front bumper design. The new design would be a bit more to my liking, drastically improve the approach angle, and make room for the new Warn Zeon 12-S winch. Pics below.
512703
 

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rayra

Expedition Leader
Looks really good. Definitely about as 'high and tight' as it can get. I've plowed enough shrubbery in the high desert over the decades that I'm concerned about the exposure of the CV boots. I'm finally getting around to replacing my lower control arms, this weekend. And farting around with some cardboard to see if I can figure out a plate design that can be attached to the lower arm and shield the outer boots from stray branches.

Chichen Itza ? Talum?

went digging for my pix and ouch it's been 20yrs
 

Overlandtowater

Well-known member
oh yeah.....looks great what did you do with the washer fluid reservoir? I'm thinking about a bumper like this on my sub and with the dual pumps I don't know what to do., Rayra the A arm skids are a great idea the hardest part will be figuring out how to mount them. I thought about u bolts. I come from the Toyota crowd and I see them on a lot of toys....
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
yes, u-bolts. But also thinking to form the plate so it wraps around the triangular cross-section of the leading part of the arm and put a carriage bolt thru the face so it bolts to itself. I got bogged down with yard work today, but the Sub is waiting in the driveway, 1st thing on the 'To Do' list tomorrow.
'Unsprung weight is Bad' but I figure ~13"x6"x3/16" plate and bolts will only add about a pound and a half.
As I fiddled with some paper cutouts it seems a plate could be bent to sort of clip onto the bottom of the control arm forging and fit at an upward slope with the swingarm shape and a wide triangle tab could extend along the top of the control arm with a hole in the end that aligns with the sway bar end link bolt hole. That end link stack could hold the plate in place.

lowerarmplate01.jpg
lowerarmplate02.jpg
lowerarmplate03.jpg


Just a very rough start. The steerign linkage will pass right thru at least half or more of the upper half of that paper area.

I'm thinking that tomorrow after I dismantle the sway bar, shock and torsion bar connections and can move the suspension freely without load, I'll use some double stick tape on the old lower arm and stick some card stock to it and start cutting it down for clearances to all the moving parts. Put the suspension and steering thru the full range of motion and trim off anything that makes contact or comes close.

Side benefit - I think such a plate will also act as a wind diverter, pushing air onto the brake rotor. The lower arm does angle towards the rear.

There's also a slight angle in the control arm, so a flat plate is a little tougher to do. Simplest would probably be two flat plates, one the shield, with clearance cuts and a slight bend up the middle. And then the anchoring tab triangle, with the point end over the end link hole and the other end with a 1" wide bent flange positioned to be attached to the shield plate. But that's a pretty weak design, an actual spearing by a branch would bend the thing. So a plate mounted to the bottom of the arm and bent up in the front would be a little stronger but take 3-4x more material.

The other design option is covering the whole bottom of the lower control arm but with its leading edge turned up and high. And it can be clamped to the control arm with some carriage bolts and some sort of clamp fitting designed to fit the top surface of the control arm, a la a coil spring / strut compressor clamp

/spitballing and ironically in stryder's topic as IIRC he's got aftermarket control arms, totally different shapes.
 

Stryder106

Explorer
Rayra - we did just under 1000 miles - rented a Jeep. Flew into Cancun (but didn't go there). Xpu-Ha, Akumal, then to Coba and Valladolid. Then to Chichen Itza, Merida, Uxmal, and to Almaplena and Xcalak (very southern most point - so south was looking northwest to Belize, dead west to Guatamala, and just across the water to the south was Honduras). Lots of jungle. Then we went up to Tulum and down to Punta Allen, then up to Puerto Morelos. Avoided as much tourist crap as we could and a few places we stayed were 50km from any village.
 

Stryder106

Explorer
Those guards are sweet and would definitely help the bellowed boots (I finally got sick of tearing them). But - why not just make them out of a stiff plastic? All you really need is something that would deflect it and that wouldn't add any weight at all.
 

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