My 02 Avalanche NFE

[Stryder106]

Thanks for all of the advice in the other thread wrt putting a snorkel on my Avalanche.

Here are some pics of it along with mods I've done (thus far):

Mounted a Lowrance and CB. My OnStar was useless as it was analog, so I scrapped it and mounted an external CB speaker in the control slot and the Lowrance puck on the roof where the antennae was. I also carry a Delorme InReach SatComm.



Under the hood: Dual Optima batteries with PAC isolator, Doug Thorley headers, MSD wires, S&B CAI, Super Chips Tuner, MagnaFlow muffler, rerouted exhaust (exit under passenger door next to frame rail.





ProComp Rockwell Wheels, ProComp X-Treme AT 285/70-17, Custom Eibach suspension, CST Torsion keys (leveled), Smittybilt X20 12000# winch, Custom bumper and skid plate, LED light bars and pods.



Other stuff: Avalanche specific tent, Defender rack, C02 Tank, Hi-Lift, RotoPax, yada yada yada.

 

[escadventure]

Nice truck, I've always liked the Avalanche. Nice to see one set up like this.

 

[Roody]

Nice truck! Is that the OEM tent? Glad to see an Avalanche being used as it should, done any wheeling with it?

I had an Avalanche that I still regret getting rid of...luckily it's still in the family so there's always a chance of buying it back. My old truck (leveled with 285/70/17 Toyo AT2s):

 

[kojackJKU]

What eibach goodies are on the suspension...sounds interesting! Great rig!

 

[Stryder106]

Nice truck, I've always liked the Avalanche. Nice to see one set up like this.

Thanks a lot - much appreciated.

 

[Stryder106]

Nice truck! Is that the OEM tent? Glad to see an Avalanche being used as it should, done any wheeling with it?

I had an Avalanche that I still regret getting rid of...luckily it's still in the family so there's always a chance of buying it back. My old truck (leveled with 285/70/17 Toyo AT2s):

Nice looking Av. Mine is NOT the OEM tent. I heard bad things about those breaking easily. By the time I decided I wanted one, the OEMs were long gone. This one is an aftermarket tent and we've used it on three different trips now and it seems to be pretty solid - though I am careful when putting it up and taking down simply because of what I heard about the OEM ones breaking.

Yes we have wheeled it - and are doing it more and more as we move up the capability curve. So far, we have done pretty much everything I can fit through in Anza-Borrego and Sedona. We did Racetrack Road in Death Valley (that was the catalyst for all the mods) and are planning a trip back there. We did Boathouse Cove trail in Lake Mead - but I the transmission started slipping really bad so we didn't do any other wheeling that trip (new trans now).

In the immediate future we are planning to do: Mojave Rd and Death Valley. Then setting our sites on North Rim Grand Canyon and Utah.

 

[Stryder106]

What eibach goodies are on the suspension...sounds interesting! Great rig!

Eibach did not make a shock for our truck. I approached my buddy who is an R&D guy there and told him the horror story of Death Valley's Racetrack Road washboard. We discussed what I wanted to do with my rig: daily driver, tow, and wheel. so, he built a really stout shock with 5/8" shafts and twin valved for low and high speed (have to be able to bomb in the desert right?), 46mm Pistons and Nitro-Coated rods. Got my truck approved as a project test bed and the experimentation began. You can now buy these shocks from Eibach: Pro Truck Sport. They perform really well - and work even better offroad as that's when the other valving starts kicking in (as the shock begins to cycle more and more). Pretty cool. Other than those, I have CST torsion keys to level it and extreme duty ball joints.

We are starting to research how much lift I actually need to fit 35" tires. With that in mind, he and a few engineer buddy's from a few other well known companies are looking into making a custom lift for my truck - and then he'll redo the suspension to match it. The goal is to fit the 35"s and be in the middle of the travel arc. Not easy to do with a torsion front end. The lifts for my truck that are currently available still require turning the torsion keys all the way up.

Thanks!!!

 

[HostileJava]

Nice Build! Can you post a link to the thread on the Snorkel? I'd be interesting in adding one to my build.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...es-Avalanche-Build-Thread?highlight=avalanche

 

[kojackJKU]

Eibach is AWESOME gear. I ran it on my integra, and I am setting up my A4 with it now. Its great performing gear.

 

[ZMagic97]

Sweet Avalanche. I always really like them.

 

[HenryJ]

...The goal is to fit the 35"s and be in the middle of the travel arc. Not easy to do with a torsion front end. The lifts for my truck that are currently available still require turning the torsion keys all the way up.

Thanks!!!

Each truck may differ a little in suspension adjustments. Mine started out with the halfshafts in the negative. After swapping to the Ford F150 keys and adjusting the front I am probably an equal distance to the positive side. No where near fully cranked. Still well within the range of suspension travel.

Still just riding the suspension dampeners. Working well with 34" tires (285/75-17) I am not hardcore, but it does still have good articulation without rubbing.

Keeps that CG low. I like that

 

[Stryder106]

Each truck may differ a little in suspension adjustments. Mine started out with the halfshafts in the negative. After swapping to the Ford F150 keys and adjusting the front I am probably an equal distance to the positive side. No where near fully cranked. Still well within the range of suspension travel.

Still just riding the suspension dampeners. Working well with 34" tires (285/75-17) I am not hardcore, but it does still have good articulation without rubbing.

Keeps that CG low. I like that

Your pics just reminded me that I need to order a set of tie rod sleeves.

 

[kojackJKU]

awesome rigs. I have thought about 35s for a couple of my rigs, but the cost vs. return is not worth it. I would leave it as is. it looks great and I bet it performs great now. when you start dropping cross members and stuff, you really don't gain under rig clearance. 1/2" tops. and its more stuff to hang up on. With my JK. I have a 2" lift with 33's and it is perfect. On my F150 I have just cranked the front keys a bit, and 33's and have lots of clearance for most overland type travel. Also keeping 33s keep range better do. The drawbacks of 35s overcomes the 1/2" of clearance you get.

 

[Stryder106]

4WD the clearance issue is always the differential height which tires are the only way to raise that - so you're right - with a 35" tire I would see 1"-1.5" increased clearance from that perspective. A lift would also give me a bit more wiggle room for going through water (and it invading my cab) as well as the improved angles for going over things. We don't rock crawl by any means, but we have been on some trails that had some steps to them.

I am not sold by any means on doing a lift as I see the downsides as well as the upsides. I also know that a 35" tire is a lot more capable offroad than a 33" on a truck my size. A 33" tire on your Jeep would be the equivalent of a 37" tire on my truck with the angles due to the increased wheel base.

Anyway - all advice and input is appreciated as I am thinking this through - you raise a lot of good points and they are appreciated.

 

[chilliwak]

Each truck may differ a little in suspension adjustments. Mine started out with the halfshafts in the negative. After swapping to the Ford F150 keys and adjusting the front I am probably an equal distance to the positive side. No where near fully cranked. Still well within the range of suspension travel.

Still just riding the suspension dampeners. Working well with 34" tires (285/75-17) I am not hardcore, but it does still have good articulation without rubbing.

Keeps that CG low. I like that

Somehow I knew my old friend Hendry would chime in. Cool