Renewbie

[loulyn147602]

What's a "renewbie" you wonder? (So does spell check!) We've been Cross Roads owners off and on for eight years, and I was pretty active on this site before as Louie2037, but it's been so long, I forgot my password; plus this is the third computer since I first joined!
We have a 2010 Cruiser Patriot, but haven't used it much in the past few years due to illnesses. My wife will be having a hip replacement this month, but she's have a newer process that's showing almost total rehab in six to seven weeks, so we're really hoping to hit the road this summer.
Our tow vehicle is a 2003 Chevy Duramax, which is in the shop right now being completely restored. A new one would have been nice but, with only 80,000 miles, we decided the cost of the restoration was a lot less expensive than a new truck.
At any rate, I can't move the trailer until the yard firms up some because of the thaw we've been having. We still have 3 1/2 feet of snow on the sides and rear of the trailer, but I've kept it clear in the front...but now I have mud instead of snow!
Hopefully, when I get the truck back next week, it'll either be refrozen, or dry enough to pull it from the yard, back into the driveway, but after this winter, it's anyone's guess!
All for now, I'll be checking in more often now that I', back.

[Chateau Duke To Go]

Welcome back. All the best to your wife

[sleepyT]

I'll second that, welcome back, and hope your DW's hip replacement goes well...

[Stan]

All the best to your wife and welcome back. Hope you get o use the RV more and more.

Just curious as to the "restoration" of the truck. With only 80K what went wrong?

[mark5w]

Welcome back and I hope you get out camping this year.

[Lloyd]

Welcome back Lou.
Believe it or not, I was just thinking about you the other day, wondering what had become of you. (plus a few more of the older members).

If you would like your old username back, just contact the help desk and explain the situation to them and they will fix you up.

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[drcook]

Yep, welcome back.

I too am curious as to what you are having done to your Duramax ? Body work ? Injectors ? The '03 is part of that first generation that had the injector issues. Have you considered having an extra fuel filter and lift pump, and or combo of same to help protect the injectors ?

[loulyn147602]

Just curious as to the "restoration" of the truck. With only 80K what went wrong?[/QUOTE]

The engine is fine, I even paid for a pressure test of the injectors, rail, pump, etc, and its in good shape. However, living in the Northern tier of America we get our share of road salt for snow and ice, so the body was in pretty bad shape.
I had the inner and outter rocker panels; rear, outter body panel, and rear wheel well quarter panels, replaces. I had the box removed, of course, then had the entire truck "stripped" down to the original metal and repainted to its original color, and clear coated.
Honestly, I could have financed a new truck; but I can pay cash for the restoration, so when it done, I'll have the "new" truck, but I won't owe anything for it.
I'm going to put in a new stereo, and a few other goodies for comfort creature when I get it back. I don't own a garage, so that work will have to wait for warmer weather...when it finally gets here. This has been the worst winter in years; in fact, it's snowing right now!
Thanks for asking, thanks to everyone else for the welcome.
Louie

[drcook]

If you have the money, have the body mounts replaced, and the front A-arms rebushed and the springs repacked with new eye bushings. The bushings, get hard from use and ozone. These are what are responsible for that "new truck feel".

I feel your pain about the NE part of the US. It is a constant battle to keep our 2004 free from rust. Every year I get under the truck and scrape any loose rust coating loose and treat with OsPho to kill the rust. Then I paint with Rustoleum and have new undercoating shot.

Last year, after I scraped everything loose, we had Ziebart hit it twice with their rust killer and then do the undercoating again. It has been worth it though.

The other issue you will face, unless you already did it, is the brake lines. Our trucks are part of the years that had issues with the brake lines, especially the one running to the back. There are a couple metal on metal clips that provide a spot for the rust to get going and most trucks that I have heard of that lost the brake lines were from rust getting going at the clips.

There are a couple manufacturers of replacement stainless steel brake lines. I have done mine and replaced the flexible lines with stainless braided ones.

Having all new stainless lines, with the braided ends made the brake system even better than when new. The braided flex lines do not expand from the pressure.

If you ever do have the brake lines all replaced, you will end up taking the truck to a dealership to have the brakes bled. The anti-lock unit used in the Duramax trucks (well probably all the pickup trucks) requires a GM Tech 2 unit to actuate the valves to release all the air from the system. I went through 2 quarts to get ours to the point of being able to get it to the dealership, and then even with the Tech2, they had to use another 2 quarts.

[loulyn147602]

Dave,
Good idea. Did the entire brake system last summer; rotors, calipers, lines, cables, etc.; front to back, nothing overlooked, except I lost a cCenter Cap someplace, but that's just cosmetic, and I just ordered new ones.
I'm already planning on new shocks this springs, front and rear, and I think I'll add the new bushings to the A-frames this spring, and I'll look into the body mounts at the same time.
I do almost everything mechanical to my own vehicles, (I grew up in a repair shop), and our son is an Army Mechanic only five hours away, so I go up there for his help and expertise sometimes.
Louie

[drcook]

Bilsteins are probably the best, at least that is my opinion. I also added Hellwig sway bars front and back. The front is heavier than the OEM one and ours didn't have a back from the factory.

The combination of Bilsteins and Hellwig sway bars changed the driving characteristics of my truck. It absolutely feels like a pig without the rear on. (I had to swap some decayed bushings once). As big as a crew cab is, ours handles like a car.

When I was still in high school (40 yrs ago) I studied how to make vehicles handle while my compadres studied how to jack theirs up in the back. I can't stand a sloppy handling ride.

[Tim D]

[QUOTE
The other issue you will face, unless you already did it, is the brake lines. Our trucks are part of the years that had issues with the brake lines, especially the one running to the back. There are a couple metal on metal clips that provide a spot for the rust to get going and most trucks that I have heard of that lost the brake lines were from rust getting going at the clips.

There are a couple manufacturers of replacement stainless steel brake lines. I have done mine and replaced the flexible lines with stainless braided ones.

Having all new stainless lines, with the braided ends made the brake system even better than when new. The braided flex lines do not expand from the pressure.

[/QUOTE]

I had one on the back blow on my 03 Silverado. Blew right at the clip. I think the all stainless would be a great idea. I never did like the long brake pedal stroke/spongy feel. It had good brakes just the long throw of the pedal probably due to the expansion as described.

[drcook]

The best place to buy the braided lines is from Summit Racing. Get the Russell brand. I took the existing hoses and cut the attachment sheet metal brackets off right before the hose and then drilled a hole in the end. I used a Dremel with an abrasive cutting blade. Then the rubber lined clips Russell supplies bolt to the existing brackets using stainless bolts from the hardware store instead of how the directions say to do it.

Looks factory !

My pedal is very firm now.