2004 Silverado 1500 crew build

[rallygabe]

Quick Door County recap

So I go this far with google maps and Garmin GPS and google earth softwares combined:
So the embedded map did work at all. Here is a link https://www.google.com/maps/ms?msid=214544715000405509794.0004fbea317195e22604d&msa=0&ll=45.151538,-87.338562&spn=0.431461,0.891953

A couple snapshots from the trip:
me and the $30 bike carrier arrangement. It worked OK.

Roughing it, as always. Why yes, that IS a chocolate croissant.

Our site at Newport State Park. Cozy, and bikes are allowed on the VERY rough main trail that links all the sites and public areas.
This was our first, totally not planned, attempt and bicycle camping. It worked out okay since this is a small park. We took at least 2 rides to get everything in or out the 1.5 miles, which was okay.
Our site at Peninsula State Park was much more...civilized? and very typical of Tourist parks I have stayed in.

The author, contemplating life. And fedoras.
There is some very interesting history here, if you can find the billboard about it. This was once a small timber village and the beaches were amazing. Now-a-days all the beaches are grown over with grass since you are not supposed to walk on them.

 

[rallygabe]

Colorado or Bust!

Just returned from a week in Colorado, mostly the high rockies. Not sure if i will post a write-up here or on my blog. I'll link to it eventually either way!

here are some teaser bits:


GoogleMaps-
https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=z3unfO80qkXg.kccuS-t-e0Iw
Fuel Log-
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1L-9pQ8mX6hLK6NrbMl9-swNVpRlreVilecGjPiBvcE8/edit?usp=sharing

Pictures to come...eventually!:ylsmoke:

 

[rallygabe]

Finally got around to writing up some of our Colorado trip. I decided to put it on my Blog rather than here.

http://dtmracerx.blogspot.com/2014/09/colorado-bound.html

 

[rallygabe]

not much happening around here...

Well winter has decended to our fine northern home here In Minnesota. This means truck changes are up on hold for another 4-6 months :/
The upside, of course, is that it is now dream and shop time for those same 4-6 months! I did aquire another BMW project car though so the truck has to share wallet space with that!

my buddy Shawn is a big ford guy and is taking his Raptor on the SnoBall 500 rally in January and I might build some bed organizing gear for him. I got some good ideas at SEMA this year so who knows what we will come up with!
Cheers,

 

[rallygabe]

Wow, talk about a worthless OP. sorry EP readers.

So as of this typing I still have the truck but it is on the chopping block just waiting for a replacement.

I would like to add some observations though for people that might be interested:

Right now the truck has just shy of 190k miles. It gets driven to work by one of us 5 days a week and it continues to do so with very little trouble.

It is consuming oil and coolant now. very slowly, but still have to top off maybe once between oil changes which rates as poor in my opinion.

A front wheel bearing is going out again. Not the most difficult job in the world; just annoying to have something like that on the annual maintenance list. At least the truck tells you its failing by not letting you use 4wd any more ("service 4wd system" message on the DIC)
Related would be a failing front differential. I have talked with a GM mechanic who told me this is fairly common and the best thing to do is to buy a used front diff from a scrap yard, have it rebuilt, and then swap units. what a pain in the weiner. and nearly $1000.

I had the dash cluster rebuilt so I have a temp gauge again. only $75 through the internet but again an odd inconvenience. Our BMW 325 has 220k and the only interior failure it has had was a window switch, which arguably gets less use than a dash gauge.

So...I would not recommend one of these trucks without some serious considerations for the vehicle particulars like mileage, year, maintenance. What engine does it have? I have a 5.3 vortec...but it is the 5.3 vortec that has a sealed fuel system (ie- more $$) not the same as the HO model. you have to do so much homework on all of these minute details that it makes me not interested in trying to buy another one.

okay now i am rambling again. If/when I replace this truck i will be sure to link it here so you can all enjoy laughing about my sorrows there instead.

cheers!