Ryan's 07 Duramax LBZ build

[RyanPartridge]

Got some progress updates...

Truck got new Powerstop brakes with drilled/slotted rotors. Stops great now with the larger tires.
Original steering box got rebuilt and feels nice and tight. Steering wheel is slightly off center which is getting addressed this week.
Kryptonite weld-in idler support bracket installed.
Also got my Marathon seat bottom covers, custom made in dark grey with added front facing pockets.

Still need to get a full-size spare tire & wheel.
New front shocks are ordered but backordered for another month or more.

 

[Clrussell]

Nice rig. I love the simple setup as well.

I’ve went off the deep end on my lbz..

 

[RyanPartridge]

Nice rig. I love the simple setup as well.

I’ve went off the deep end on my lbz..

Thanks!

 

[Chevrolado]

I like those seat bottom covers.. That's pretty cool! I did the drilled and slotted on mine too.
Rig's looking good man! Good way to go.

 

[RyanPartridge]

I like those seat bottom covers.. That's pretty cool! I did the drilled and slotted on mine too.
Rig's looking good man! Good way to go.

Thanks man!
I’m stoked on the seat covers and brakes. Both feel like major upgrades.

Everything is pretty dialed in...except my CD player is starting to fail me after all these years so I need to start looking at replacements.

Gonna be making some mods to the rear suspension this summer/fall in anticipation of a hard side camper.
Also need to learn how to use my alternator to charge up camper batteries when I can’t get a solar charge since I don’t want to lug a generator around.
I know the 7-pin currently delivers a low trickle charge but I’d like more.
Not sure if it’s just a matter of replacing the wire with a thicker gauge, adding a DC-DC charger, or anything else....I’m totally retarded when it comes to electrical.

 

[Chevrolado]

Same here. Post up your findings for us curious parties that may want to copy and learn from you as you go about it. hah, Cheers

 

[1stDeuce]

Nice build Ryan! I bought my LBZ with about 110k on it back in late 2009. I'm past 290k now and aside from sticking vanes in the turbo when it's cold, it runs like a champ. I fixed the trans cooler lines twice... First time I just put on new lines, but they lasted a year before leaking again. Second time I bought a new set, cut out the soft sections and replace them with Parker hydraulic hose and compression fittings. Not even a bit of weep around any of them ~7 years and ~150k later.

At this moment in time, I own three "classic" GMT800's and a 2009 GMT900, which is the same chassis with an updated body... All great trucks. My LBZ is my keeper for sure though.

Thanks for the feedback on Kennedy's ECM programming. I have a Predator programmer, but I don't really like how all the programs push smoke when I tow, and they don't downshift when they should. Seems like the better engine cals need a TCM update to go along with them, and not many places offer that yet... I ended up back on the stock tune. I don't miss the extra power because I drive like an old man anyway, and I find the shift tables work better with the stock tune than the economy/towing tune that Predator has.

BTW, I find it funny that Jack is looking for an "old man truck" on the previous page. Jack, you had one till you chopped it up.

 

[RyanPartridge]

Nice build Ryan! I bought my LBZ with about 110k on it back in late 2009. I'm past 290k now and aside from sticking vanes in the turbo when it's cold, it runs like a champ. I fixed the trans cooler lines twice... First time I just put on new lines, but they lasted a year before leaking again. Second time I bought a new set, cut out the soft sections and replace them with Parker hydraulic hose and compression fittings. Not even a bit of weep around any of them ~7 years and ~150k later.

At this moment in time, I own three "classic" GMT800's and a 2009 GMT900, which is the same chassis with an updated body... All great trucks. My LBZ is my keeper for sure though.

Thanks for the feedback on Kennedy's ECM programming. I have a Predator programmer, but I don't really like how all the programs push smoke when I tow, and they don't downshift when they should. Seems like the better engine cals need a TCM update to go along with them, and not many places offer that yet... I ended up back on the stock tune. I don't miss the extra power because I drive like an old man anyway, and I find the shift tables work better with the stock tune than the economy/towing tune that Predator has.

BTW, I find it funny that Jack is looking for an "old man truck" on the previous page. Jack, you had one till you chopped it up.

Very cool!
The goodfellas at Copperhead Diesel shop told me that sticky turbo vanes can be common on trucks that putt around grandpa style most their life. It isn't a bad idea to step on it every once in a while to get em spinning. At least that's what I was told.

Yeah I've done one leaky trans cooler line, same as you, cut off the soft sections and replaced with hydraulic hose/compression fittings. I've got replacements for the other two lines ready to go but they haven't started leaking yet, so I just keep an eye on em.

My Kennedy tune is a very mild economy tow/haul tune, maybe 40hp. It actually smokes less now than it did stock if I were to step on it. In fact, I haven't even seen any smoke at all. It is nice having the truck computer programmed to think my tire size and fuel tank size is stock. Plus, my thingamabob is possibly disabled, so when I check my oil it's clear/clean instead of black. I like that.

 

[1stDeuce]

Yeah, too much grandpa plus a cal that pushed more smoke when the trans wouldn't downshift plus lots of sitting in the last couple of years because I bought a gas truck to use around town/the property... I'll deal with it when we're done building our house.

I'll probably just buck up for a Kennedy tune too... I dream of EFI Live, but who am I kidding? I don't have time to mess with it. I'd like to get rid of limp mode when the fuel rail pressure gets low too, and shutting off thingamabob is also not a bad idea, though at 290k miles, it's hard to believe it hasn't more or less shut itself off... I suppose I do get an insufficient flow error once in a while, but I clear it and it stays off for months before I see it again. I still wish I could re-cal the trans. I don't like that it won't downshift till the engine is pretty much at 100% power... I know they tuned it so it wasn't "busy", but that's taking it too far IMO. I'd also like it to default to 6th gear when I accidentally shift to M from a stop, instead of 1st gear...

I'll be curious to know how those tie rods do for you. I've been running the stock ones without issue, but I don't rock crawl the truck... I figured I'd put sleeves on when I do tie rod ends, but so far they're not sloppy at all, so I haven't messed with them since I changed them at 130k or so. Still on original lower ball joints too. So much for "weak IFS" the Dodge guys like to talk about. I'd have replaced them like 5 times by now if I owned a dodge, and probably 3 or 4 times if it was a Ford.

One of my back burner projects was to make a higher clearance trans crossmember... The GMT400 trucks had one that was flush with the bottom of the frame, but it had a pretty low profile, and I think the Allison and heavier t-case would bend it like a jump rope... I had one designed using square tube that would have worked on the gassers, but the Allison needed the mount to be different IIRC. Evidently I found other things to do before I figured it out...

 

[locrwln]

BTW, I find it funny that Jack is looking for an "old man truck" on the previous page. Jack, you had one till you chopped it up.

Yeah, but it does exactly what I want it to do. My truck got used to tow livestock trailers, hence the 70k in three years before I bought it. It was not a garage queen by any stretch. The “grandpa” truck I’m looking for is like my ex-neighbor’s fully loaded garage kept 03 Dodge Cummins with 20k miles on it. That’s the truck I’m looking for only in a GM LBZ. ?

Jack

 

[RyanPartridge]

Yeah, but it does exactly what I want it to do. My truck got used to tow livestock trailers, hence the 70k in three years before I bought it. It was not a garage queen by any stretch. The “grandpa” truck I’m looking for is like my ex-neighbor’s fully loaded garage kept 03 Dodge Cummins with 20k miles on it. That’s the truck I’m looking for only in a GM LBZ. ?

Jack

Would ya go for another Ext Cab/Standard Bed or different setup?

 

[locrwln]

Would ya go for another Ext Cab/Standard Bed or different setup?

That or I would do a crew cab shortbed as well. ?

Jack

 

[RyanPartridge]

That or I would do a crew cab shortbed as well. ?

Jack

My old man has the CC/SB, 170k miles, bone stock.
I kind of like the idea of an extended cab long bed for a camper setup.
Then again...what you did was pretty trick...adding that little length to the rear but maintaining the shorter wheelbase.

 

[1stDeuce]

FWIW, I have a CCSB and an ECLB. The CCSB is noticeably more maneuverable than the ECLB. I am forever curbing the long box... This was a surprise to me when I first got it, as I thought the wheelbases were similar or the same, but they're not and it does make a difference. I run an 8.5' camper in my short box with no issues. I actually like how well it balances out. In other words, I'd go CCSB vs. ECLB unless you want to run a 10' camper...

I would agree that what Jack did is pretty awesome. It was my plan too when I was going to put an 8' flatbed on my short box, but the bed didn't fall apart like I thought it would, and I kinda like the lines of my now almost "classic" truck.

Oh, and if you have dogs the CC GMT800's have the best seats because they fold completely flat, which has been a nice place for our dogs to ride, sleep, and hang out. Ours have all considered the back of my truck their home away from home. Being able to comfortably haul normal size humans for longer trips is nice too.

 

[RyanPartridge]

FWIW, I have a CCSB and an ECLB. The CCSB is noticeably more maneuverable than the ECLB. I am forever curbing the long box... This was a surprise to me when I first got it, as I thought the wheelbases were similar or the same, but they're not and it does make a difference. I run an 8.5' camper in my short box with no issues. I actually like how well it balances out. In other words, I'd go CCSB vs. ECLB unless you want to run a 10' camper...

I didn’t realize those two trucks had different wheelbases!
Do they both have the same size fuel tanks?