Why so few GM Builds?

[jeep-N-montero]

Buliwyf has demonstrated over and over again that he has no room in his mind for any opinion that isn't "GM IFS SUCKS". Just let him vent his opinion, and move on.

Meanwhile, I'll just keep driving my 250k mile GM IFS truck that has yet to need a single ball joint replaced. It rides nice, and drives nice. It has plenty of clearance under the front end, with no pumpkin to bang stuff, and it always gets me where I'm going.

My version of overlanding isn't about "ultimate rock crawling off roading", it's about exploring lesser traveled areas and covering miles in relative comfort. If I owned a dodge, I'm sure I'd have been through three sets of ball joints by now. A Ford might have made it farther before ball joints, but it would also have beat me to death.

My GMC with "sucky" IFS hasn't broken a single component, needed any U-joints replaced, or given me any trouble. In fact, in all the offroading I've done with it, the only time I've not been able to get where I wanted to go was when the rear 11.5" diff got hung on a rock in the middle of a greasy trail. I took several runs, and moved that HUGE rock a few inches forward in the mud, but couldn't get over it. A SFA Dodge with a Cummins would have been stopped in the same exact place. Honestly, a Ford might have made it, but only by virtue of the smaller 10.5" rear axle.

To me, an overlanding rig doesn't have to be the best hard core offroad vehicle, it just needs to do what you ask it well enough to get you through, and it needs to provide enough comfort that you don't get sick of driving it and just stay home. Look at the threads again... Plenty of GM builds. What I don't see are any Ford builds, or hardly any Dodge builds these days. Makes sense to me, since real "offroading" as part of overlanding is just about non-existent in the US anyway.

Current count on the "Full Size and other" page is 12 GM builds, ONE Ford build, and two Ram builds. I'd say the title of this thread is entirely bogus at this point...

Very well said, I know I will never go back to a solid front axle rig, been called an ************ and flipped off on several occasions for passing on dirt roads where the solid axle rig was all over the place on washboard and had to slow way down.

 

[upcruiser]

Hee haa! Let's go wheelin in the woods and 'splode some stuff! This thread needs more 'hold my beer!'

 

[zoomad75]

Somebody needs to get some anger management therapy. Holy cow you hate GM IFS rigs. Get over it. You might gain more backing if you wern't telling everybody off that don't agree with you or telling them to "fack off". I'm not a Ford or Dodge guy but I'm not going down the laundry list of normal flaws they have to prove my point that I like GM more. They all have pros and cons. Last I checked all of them are running IFS on 1/2 ton models, truck or SUV. They all have weak points if abused or not maintained well.

I'd vote for the thread to get locked as the whole thing has been derailed with the whole my junk is better than your junk BS.

 

[rayra]

I blame Pirate4x4 for dropping the bottom out of vehicle forum decorum


/but what do I know, I'm a top-seeded Amateur ************

 

[calicamper]

Oh good grief. I'm an attorney who does auto lemon law, and despite being brand loyal - recognize they all have bad cars. I just helped a client with a Toyota that had that exact problem. They couldn't get the differential to stop leaking.... it was also a lemon Toyota Tacoma that got me into lemon law practice. I know this is going to be tough for a fanboy to get but Toyotas can be junk too.

A friend spent a yr fighting with Toyota over a brand new suv went to court. He left with a court issued new Toyota of his choice. LOL. I bet Toyota has been lucrative for you.

 

[superbuickguy]

A friend spent a yr fighting with Toyota over a brand new suv went to court. He left with a court issued new Toyota of his choice. LOL. I bet Toyota has been lucrative for you.

I relish making people who stake an unreasonable claim eat their words. It's better than a Costco hot dog. Toyota and their "our cars don't break" claim coupled with their victim blaming attitude makes for a lot of fun on my side of the aisle. Of course, GM seems to run counter to this - everyone seems to think that if you say 'boo' to GM that GM will roll over and do whatever you want them to do.... smh ... usually that type of person saying that has already poisoned the well and are aghast that they were told to pound sand. VW was fun, because it seemed like it was a national affront that anyone would call them on their BS - that said, that train wreck was a long time in coming and both VW and Toyota got caught up in trying to make the number at the expense of engineering. The trend now is most manufacturers are willing to listen to a reasoned argument. Before the VW fiasco, it was different.... but knocking the Germans and the Japanese down a couple pegs really helped the consumer when they get a lemon... even Toyota.

 

[thezentree]

Somebody needs to get some anger management therapy. Holy cow you hate GM IFS rigs. Get over it. You might gain more backing if you wern't telling everybody off that don't agree with you or telling them to "fack off". I'm not a Ford or Dodge guy but I'm not going down the laundry list of normal flaws they have to prove my point that I like GM more. They all have pros and cons. Last I checked all of them are running IFS on 1/2 ton models, truck or SUV. They all have weak points if abused or not maintained well.

I'd vote for the thread to get locked as the whole thing has been derailed with the whole my junk is better than your junk BS.

No don't lock it, this is more entertaining than the Olympics!

 

[tinbasher]

my "gm build" involved a $100 2"+1" lift, removing the front valence and adding stock sized "E" rated AT's. its just the way I like it now. my old 03 ram 1500 was "done up" very similar.

 

[Smileyshaun]

 

[Kingsize24]

That's an easy one to answer. GM makes JUNK! :wings:

 

[Old Griz]

Not snobby enough for most in this lifestyle. These vehicles really are just as easy to upgrade as any of the rest. Get rid of the torsion bars and go with a spring over set up. The aftermarket parts available for them is plentiful and diverse. I started looking for another vehicle to fashion into an expedition /overland vehicle. I was nearly suckered into buy an import but they none impressed me enough for the money. I now have a 2001 3/4 ton 4×4 suburban 8.1L 4l80e and G80 locker in the rear. It's give and take on what it's great at and no so good at. I have some big plans for it which most can be done with the money I don't have to spend on a rooftop tent and trailer.

 

[Old Griz]

Why do you prefer the GMT400 over the 800?

 

[vintageracer]

G I sure did get everyone "Hot and Excited" by starting this thread about GM builds.

I think it's time that I now start a "Why So Few Ford Builds" thread to let the Ford guys have some a little defensive fun!!!!!

 

[nitro_rat]

Why do you prefer the GMT400 over the 800?

If you’re gonna work with *******, better to start with cheap ******* than expensive *******!!!

 

[rayra]

$3k vs $6k? big whoop. The 800s have really got most of the kinks worked out and are dead simple to work on, especially the engines. And parts are dirt cheap right now. I've been putting a lot of related info in my 'Hey Vortec Guys' topic, for anyone that wants to read more than nitro's s-talking about them. Their fuel injection is certainly much better than the TBI and spider setups of the 400s.
I've owned a carb-equipped SBC C-10 for over 30yrs, had a '99 Tahoe new thru '05, the '05 Tahoe since new and now about to cross 200k mi, and the '02 for just over 3yrs. I changed the oil pan gaskets and pickup tube o-rings on both last year and the guts of that Tahoe motor looked. I've driven a lot of miles in the southwest deserts, but not at high speeds and I dont bash my vehicles around rock-crawling. But have driven a lot of washes, fire roads, things that were fire roads in the Sierras. I've never broken anything but tires. So when someone comes along braying that IFS is crap, I have to wonder wth they are smoking. Or how they drive or abuse their vehicles.

And too, I have to wonder how their interpretation or assignment of 'lack' has anything to do with the vehicles in question. You can TRY to do a lot of things in these vehicles, well outside their design parameters. Put your foot in it hard or jump a 6000-lb+ vehicle. And that's why there's an aftermarket rife with beefed up parts. And you get a topic like CrazyDrei's