New GMC need ideas

[blackdmax15]

Hi guys i just picked up my new GMC duramax two weeks ago and am pumped to start building it up. It's a 2011 regular cab 2500hd 4wd duramax diesel. Current plans are to get an A.R.E. Z-series cap with a bed rug and use that to camp in. Going to measure out the center seat/console to see if i can remove it and mount a 50qt ARB fridge in it's place. There are a few odds and ends i need to gather like step bars/rock sliders and figure out how to mount my Warn 9.5xp in the rear of the truck but i'll figure it out eventually. Let me know what you think. I liked the rear winch mount like offroad unlimited did on a few of their trucks but it's kind of pricey. May talk with some local guys and see what they can cook up. Here are some pics:



Once i move back east in december i'm going to level it and run either the BFG Km2 255/80-17 or the Toyo MT 285/75 17. I like the wheels that came on the truck and don't really want to do a lift kit or kill my mpgs. Took it on a forrest service trail yesterday and was impressed. With the travel to the trail and return back home was a little over 240 miles. Still had 2/3 of a tank left and DIC was reading 18.7 mpg. WAYYYY better than my JK i just sold.

 

[Larry]

Nice truck! You can’t beat long bed standard cabs. White is the perfect color too. 2011 brought pretty significant upgrades to the chassis on the GM HD trucks. Still not a fan of IFS but they did greatly improve the strength of it with the new chassis and increased the size of pretty much everything on the front axle.

Unlike most people, I would rather have more room in the bed than in the cab. Sounds like you already have some great plans in the hopper for it. Bedrugs are great for toppers! I wouldn’t mind getting a topper and a bedrug for my 2001 Silverado.

You’ll have to come back and let us know how much you still like that diesel after a few years and tens of thousands of miles of dealing with a DPF and DEF. You can buy a lot of gas for the hassle of owning a 2007+ diesel let alone a 2011 running DEF. Diesels make big power but also take big money to keep running. When they break you go broke and unfortunately the newer the diesel engine the more things often go wrong. I have work with new diesels every day. I would not own a new emissions compliant diesel anything, even if one was available in a Jeep Rubicon.

 

[blackdmax15]

Yeah Larry i agree with you on the cost to maintain the newer diesels. I had a 2008 LMM duramax before this and ended up deleting the emissions equipment. Helped with the mpg's on the hwy but around town stayed the same. This one is going to stay stock until after the 100k warranty is up. But a lot of the way i cut costs on the new trucks is with synthetic fluids and oil analysis. I still change the fluids before the 25k amsoil says to do but doing the maintenance myself and using synthetics really does cut costs. And for me i'm currently in the military and will be so for a long long time to come so i need dependable transportation. Plus i have a 24ft car hauler that i move all of my household goods in so the grunt is somewhat needed. I'll keep you posted on how this one does but it's my family's 8th duramax and we honestly haven't had a single problem with any of them. I've personally had 3 and while i would love a solid front axle, i'll just settle with the IFS for now.

And i forgot to add to my build list a warn airpower VTC compressor. Still not sure if i'll leave the bed open in the back or still have a tool chest inside the camper shell to store fluids, etc. My wife and i are short so 6 and a half feet will be plenty to sleep in haha.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

I like your plan except for the winch. I have always used a come-a-long, never had a problem... but your's is a heavy beast...lol

 

[blackdmax15]

Yeah i believe the truck is around 7k. That's before i add camper shell or anything else. The 9.5xp will go in the rear (mostly because i already have it) and eventually once i ding up the front bumper i'll get a prerunner bumper made and add a warn 16.5ti in the front. I really don't plan on offroad this truck hard so may never add a winch up front. I did drag the front bumper on the trail the other day and wife got mad but realized it didn't even scratch it. She says i'm the only person she knows that will take a truck with 500 miles on it offroading haha.

Goal is to make this a good dd/expo/tow truck and in a few years after a deployment or two pay cash for my dream jeep/buggy. That way i can sleep in the truck and take the jeep in the ruff stuff.

 

[Warn Industries]

Assuming you've got a rear hitch, a WARN Multi-Mount would be a great way to mount your winch on the rear. Just buy the winch carrier and wiring. You can insert the carrier into the receiver when you need to.
http://www.warn.com/truck/mounting-systems/multi_mount.shtml
-Andy

 

[Buliwyf]

Nice looking truck.

I agree, a Warn Mutimount will be the easiest way to mount a winch to the rear of your truck. Just keep in mind that a 9.5ti may exceed the strength limits of your hitch mount.

But I haven't seen anyone actually tear one up yet. Especially since it's easier to winch backwards out of a hole, than forwards through the mud/resistance that caused you to get stuck in the first place. Ratings and real world are often two different things.

A hilift, shovel, some 4x4 wood, and a locking rear diff would be nice. Maybe a shim or key to add some preload to the front torsion springs to raise the front another inch. Then add slightly beefier tires. I like the GY Duratacs and Silent Armors.

 

[blackdmax15]

Thanks for the ideas. I figured the multimount would be easiest. That way I could get a front 2" receiver mounted and use the winch up front too. And the wire extensions I would run to the rear could also power the VTC compressor.

 

[barnstormer]

I've always thought Larry's truck looked great. Simple and effective. I loves me some pizza cutters! (255/85/16, I'm pretty sure)

 

[blackdmax15]

That's exactly what I'm going for but with a camper shell. That's a good looking truck.

 

[Larry]

Thanks for the compliments. I actually sold that truck last month...ARB bumper and all. It now lives in Colorado Springs where the new owner is making a motorcycle tow truck out of it. Think of a miniature roll back wrecker where the entire flat bed will fit inside the long bed box then slide out to scoop up motorcycles. Loved the truck but since I had the Phoenix camper built for the ’78 K10, I didn’t need this one anymore. I figured it was easier to upgrade the ’78 to an over drive trans than sink $3,000 into the front of this truck to strengthen up the IFS or replace it with a SFA. I love GM but despise their IFS in a HD 4x4 truck.