"HoustonRunner" (houstonrunner)
08/24/2020 at 11:02 • Filed to: None
2
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"HoustonRunner" (houstonrunner)
08/24/2020 at 11:02 • Filed to: None | 2
| 18 |
Relatively busy weekend with car stuff.
Started by helping my brother in law with his 2000 Wrangler Sport. He bought it from a close friend of his about three weeks ago, and it looked like this.
It looks closer to this today.
Yes, he did all the work himself.
I started helping him Friday night put a 4" lift on it from Rough Country. We also swapped the rear axle to a Ford one from a first gen Explorer to get rear discs and a new ratio (can’t recall exactly, but I think it was something like 3.06 and went to 3.6?). Anyway, Jeep near the coast means lots of rust from beach runs.
Then on Saturday went looking at Suburbans. I’ve irrationally decided I want 4WD. Not without logic though, follow me here:
Took the first real road trips with the family this summer (we normally fly)
Suburban is a great road trip vehicle for us
Assuming this COVID thing sticks around for a while, we will probably go on more road trips
If we go somewhere cold in the winter I’d feel a lot more safe in 4WD (or at least AWD), so I would probably rent a 4WD Suburban or Yukon XL
If I do that 2-3 times, that would be at least $2-3 k in expense (generally at last $900 to rent 4WD Suburban for a week)
Still with me? I said there was some logic, I didn’t say it was great.
So, I started looking at ones that are basically mine but with 4WD - 2015/2016 LTZ or Premier trim, second row buckets, around 100k miles. Also Yukon XL Denali, but those are another $2-5k normally.
What I quickly found after two test drives was that mine is in really good shape for 100k miles. I’m going to have to search a lot harder to find one that drives as solid and is as clean on the inside.
That is the good thing - I’m in no hurry, I don’t NEED to do anything, so I can just keep looking. I think I can trade up to one with 4WD and only pay about a $2-4k difference, and if I find one that is in good shape I think it will be worth that to me. And if it isn’t worth it to me, I can just walk away.
After that I also compression tested the E28 . I was very happy - cylinders 1-5 were 122-130psi, and 6 was 142. I did crank on 6 longer than the others, so I may be a bit low on 1-5. Either way, good compression across the board. I didn’t have any concerns going in, but nice to know.
Finished up the weekend yesterday back on the Jeep, trying to get the gears out of the front diff - since the rear was changed he needs to change the gears in front to match. That is where the specter of David Tracy loomed over us - too much rust to get the bolts off. We tried lots of PB Blaster, impact wrench, and heat to no avail. I think he is going to start cutting off bolt heads today.
Now, I didn’t get as much done as Long Voyager does in one evening, but productive overall.
Just Jeepin'
> HoustonRunner
08/24/2020 at 11:10 |
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Holy cow that’s quite the improvement.
Good luck finding a 4wd you like. I was going to suggest swapping in the pieces you’d need from a donor vehicle, but that sounds like a lot of hassle.
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HoustonRunner
> Just Jeepin'
08/24/2020 at 11:16 |
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Yes, my brother in law can get stuff done like Long Voyager if he is motivated.
You are correct - swapping the components needed in this day and age is just too complicated. It is so much more than just diffs and transfer cases.
MUSASHI66
> HoustonRunner
08/24/2020 at 11:36 |
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That is the same Jeep 3 weeks apart? Damn nice job! It is like Wheeler Dealers nice.
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HoustonRunner
> MUSASHI66
08/24/2020 at 11:39 |
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Yes. The bones were good, but my brother in law can do everything from paint to cutting / welding and engine swaps.
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MUSASHI66
> HoustonRunner
08/24/2020 at 11:41 |
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What is the reasoning behind Ford Explorer rear axle, next to bajillion Dana axles from people upgrading their stock Jeeps to Rubicon or better levels?
avalonian
> HoustonRunner
08/24/2020 at 11:47 |
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What I have realized about car shopping is that, I take WAY better care of my car than 95% of people do. And it is honestly staggering folks smoke in them run up on curbs don’t wax and etc.. It is genuinely surprising I’ve got an 05 accord that looks like some folks car from 2016. People just beat on these things. My 2015 GS350 Fsport, absolutely looks better than any of the other used ones in the market.
I think it’s going to be tricky finding a good truck like yours because honestly people just beat on them. Due to it being a GM and being 4wd , and being used as a family vehicle. But try to go for a 16 or something, you'll get apple carplay and blindspot!
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HoustonRunner
> avalonian
08/24/2020 at 12:14 |
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Thanks. CarPlay doesn’t do me much good - I’m and Android guy. I thought ‘16 came with Android Auto also, but the one I looked at this weekend didn’t show Android at all.
MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
> HoustonRunner
08/24/2020 at 12:47 |
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If you swap the AWD transfercase from the Denali, it p ro bably is just the transfer case, front axle, and drive shafts that would be needed since there is no transfer case switch that’s needed.
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HoustonRunner
> MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
08/24/2020 at 12:55 |
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But then it is the knob to switch between modes, and I assume the computer to control the changes and the “auto” mode?
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MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
> HoustonRunner
08/24/2020 at 13:09 |
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No, the Denali uses an always on single speed AWD transfer case. There are no modes to change or switch between. As far as I know there is nothing in the system that the computer has any input on.
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avalonian
> HoustonRunner
08/24/2020 at 13:43 |
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They do, its easier to say carplay than andriod auto for some folks lol. It ca n trigger them, my dad has a 19 Yukon XL and andriod auto is so nice on that car. Maybe try looking down south for a truck with your specifications. It might help!
You gotta plug it up to see if its active but if not, lucky for you, you go to GM and they do the software update! You can get it on a 15 like yours but it cost like 1500 bucks to get it installed.
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HoustonRunner
> MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
08/24/2020 at 13:49 |
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Interesting. Will it work with the 5.3 and 6 speed transnmission ? I drove a ‘15 Denali and it had the same knob as the Suburbans for 2, Auto, 4 Hi and 4 Lo. It also had the 6.2.
Maybe just a whole drivetrain swap.....
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HoustonRunner
> avalonian
08/24/2020 at 13:52 |
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Thanks. Do you have to plug the USB into a certain port?
I tried plugging my Pixel 3 XL into one of the ports under the armrest (‘16 Z71 LT) , but didn’t get any notification on my phone or prompt on the touch screen that it wanted to start android auto.
I did look into adding it to my ‘15 but found the same thing - I’m not dropping $1500 for that. So it might be worth the swap if I can get a ‘16 and 4WD.
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avalonian
> HoustonRunner
08/24/2020 at 14:05 |
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Yes, you do actually! The USB port by the cup holder area, and you do have to download the andriod auto app. For it to work, and make sure all the stuff is activated.
The thing is, is that in 16 andriod auto was an option. So if it wasn’t software updated you can’t and won’t have seen anything regardless of where you plug it in. So if you do get a 16 while you are getting it inspected you can go to the GM website and look up the vin and verify if it is software capable. If not, then pick a different truck lol.
Have you considered escalades? Sometimes because they are used as LIMO you can get them for cheaper with a bit more mileage but optioned out and what not.
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MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
> HoustonRunner
08/24/2020 at 14:14 |
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Maybe they changed it with the latest generation , but the 2007-2014 Denali we have has no switch/knob for the drivetrain. It confused me when we first went and looked at it because I knew it was 4wd, but could not for the life of me find the knob.
I would think the transmissions would be interchangeable for parts compatibility, but you’d have to confirm that as I am just guessing.
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MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
> HoustonRunner
08/24/2020 at 14:19 |
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Sounds like the latest generation can be had with an AWD transfer case or a selectable 4WD one.
Rear-wheel drive is standard, four-wheel drive available. Yukon 4WD models use a single-speed Autotrac system for automatic operation on the highway. If you want 4WD with a low-range for rock crawling or slimy boat ramps, you have to get the HD tow package two-speed transfer case. Denali 4WD comes with it.
The newer 2014+ transfer case may actually have some computer control based on the above description.
I would bet the 2007-2014 transfer case still bolts to the 2014+ transmission though.
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HoustonRunner
> MUSASHI66
08/24/2020 at 16:40 |
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I think because he fou nd it cheap in a junkyard when he happened to be there.
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MUSASHI66
> HoustonRunner
08/24/2020 at 17:00 |
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I guess if it works and it’s cheap, send it!