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F8L's 2018 Canyon - Overland / MTB Adventure Rig

175K views 514 replies 64 participants last post by  Its.exit 
#1 · (Edited)
I have never done a build thread before but as the mods add up I thought it would be nice to have a spot to keep track of them in the event someone wants to do something similar.

My intent with this truck is to build it up in such a way that it can get me and my family to all of the wild natual places we enjoy be it camping, mountain biking, fishing or just simple sight seeing. It has to stay reliable enough to get me back and forth to work and not break the bank every time I fill it up. To accomplish these goals I aim to keep the mods as simple as possible with an eye for reliability, comfort and fuel economy. Those are not sexy "Instagram worthy" goals but they are mine and I'm sure I'm not alone. ?

I traded in my 2016 Canyon All-Terrain CCLB for various reasons but I really wanted a shorter wheelbase and the new engine/trans combo. The price was right so in late June I picked up the 2018 Canyon SLE at Thompsons Buick GMC. They let me swap the larger tires off the 2016 and they kept the OEM tires from the 2018. So I guess you could say I started off on the right foot with this build. :grin2:

Specs
Year - 2018
Model/Trim - Canyon SLE 4x4 CrewCab ShortBed V6 8spd
Options - Covenience Package, Forward Collision Alert, Tow Package
Current Height: measured from ground through wheel center cap to bottom of fender
Driver Front - 39.75"
Passenger Front - 39.50"
Driver Rear - 41"
Passenger Rear - 41"
Clearance lowest Point - ? at rear shock mounts


Most current photo 02/2020
387431

387433


Mod List
Suspension
King 2.5 coilovers w/compression adjust at 2.5" on 450lb springs
Icon Vehicle Dynamics 2.0 rear shock
1" Silverado rear lift blocks #15885530
1"-1.50" AutoSprings Add-a-leaf
Prothane 19-419 extended sway bar links
Street Ray's Swaybar Relocation Bracket
1.00" wheel spacers on front
LT285/70/17 Milestar Oatagonia M/T (33")
DV8 887 Bronze/Black Wheels (17x9 +20mm offset 32lbs)

Exterior
Custom Bed Rack
Tepui Kukenam Baja Series RTT
DV8 Off-Road Front Stealth Winch Bumper
DV8 Off-Road Steel Rear Bumper
Rotopax 2ga water containers (2)
Ultimate Linings spray-in bedliner
Tyger Star Armor "running boards"
DV8 Off-Road Front Skid
ZR2 #2 & #3 skid plates
Race Face tailgate pad for mountain bikes
Custom Bed Rail Mounting System

Interior
Midland MXT115 GMRS Radio w/2 handhelds
One Tigris MOLLE seat back organizer
OEM all-weather floor liners
iOttie Wireless Cell Phone Charger/Mount
Scangauge II
OCD Center Console Tray
First Alert 2.5lb fire extinguisher
130pc toolbox (Harbor Freight)

Off-Road and Recovery Equipment
Smittybilt X2O 10K Winch w/Synthetic Rope
MAXSA recovery boards
Motormic Recovery Kit (30'x3" strap, shackles, hitch receiver)
ARB 17,500lb Snatch Strap (30' x 2 3/8)
8'x3" Tree Saver Strap
ARB Snatch Block
Boulder Tool Auto Tire Deflators
Smittybilt 2.54CFM Portable Compressor
5ga Jerry Can - Fuel

Lighting
Morimoto Elite HID low beams 5,500K
JDM LED foglight bulbs (yellow) and reverse lights (white)
LED Bedlighting
NiLight 4" 60w flood/spot ditch lights on CBI hood mounts

Future Mods
ARB or Deaver Full Pack Leaf Springs
King 2.5 Rear Shocks



Driving home from the dealer with the 32" tires


Had to take it off-road to do a little fishing



Had MC Motorsports spray the Ultimate Linings bedliner. It's a lot thicker than the OEM liner


Installed the rack from the 2016


I never removed the air dam on the 2016 but decided this truck wasn't going to have one


Got the RTT on and headed out for our first trip in the the truck. We spent 5 days at an enduro race at China Peak and then some vacation time at Montana De Oro State Park near Morro Bay.



Went out for some adventure to test out the loss of the air dam and my new portable air compressor with auto deflators from Boulder Tools.






Added a One Tigris MOLLE seat back organizer. Holds 2 large waterbottles, my tablet, first aid kit and a bunch of other crap plus I can add more pouches as needed. photo is from my 2016 Canyon all-terrain


Installed the 1" rear lift blocks in preparation for the Eibach front lift.


Then added the Eibach Pro-Truck front lift set at 2.7"


Had to do little more off-road adventuring and use the portable inflator. I love this thing!


Installed Tyger Star Armor steps

 
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19
#2 · (Edited)
Inspired by a recent thread in the off-road forum I thought it might be helpful for some members if I listed all of the gear I keep in the truck and the stuff I only bring when planning to go off-road or on long trips.

Gear I always have in the truck
First Aid kit - REI Backpacker size
3-Day Emergency Survival Kit - includes emergency rations+waterpackets, flashlight, poncho, batteries, 20hr body warmers, thermal blanket, 12hr light sticks, whistle, am/fm radio, N-95 face mask, more first aid etc.
Tool kit- Pliers, hammer, screwdrivers, mini hacksaw, extra headlight bulb, electrical connectors, wire cutters, knife, zip ties, etc.
Folding Hand Saw - Gomboy
10' stout rope
Gorilla Tape
Extra Fuses
2.5lb fire extinguisher - First Alert ABC
Tire Plugs, patches etc - Victor 22-5-00126-8A Tire Repair Toolbox- 30 pc kit
2 medium duty ratchet straps
Small roll of "baling wire"
Small flannel blanket
Toilet paper in a Ziplock
Work gloves (3pr)
Safety Glasses
4 Microfiber towels
4 Bungee cords
Cargo Net for truck bed
Bicycle hand pump
Tire Deflators - Boulder Tools

When going off-road or long road trips
Maxsa Escaper Buddy traction boards
Smittybilt 2780 2.54CFM portable air compressor
Tool Kit - 130p from Harbor Freight
Motormic Basic Recovery Kit
REI First Aid Kit - Large
Shovel, Axe and sometimes a Chainsaw (40v electric or gas)

Wish List
3/4 x 30' Kinetic Rope - Bubba Rope or Slingshot
Soft Shackles
Tree Saver
HiLift Jack or 4-ton come along (more for winching than lifting)

The actual off-road recovery gear


3-Day Emergency Survival Kit


Contents


It fits behind the rear seat on drivers side


Other gear stored under rear seat


Another view so you can see previously hidden fire extinguisher and pump


More gear like tire plugs, patches, tire deflators, 2nd tire gauge, binoculars, maps, knife, paper, 2 large water bottles, etc. are stored in the Molle seatback organizer.
 
#4 ·
Thanks man! It doesn't take much for these trucks to get us out where we yearn to go. Go explore and keep a notepad handy so you can list the things that really would have made the adventure easier, safer, more comfortable or enabled you to go further. Even if you never get half the things on that list you can be sure you had fun while figuring out what to put on it. :grin2:
 
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#6 ·
#7 ·
I'm experiencing some front end clunking with the diff drop spacer installed and frankly I don't like how cockeyed the diff and mounting parts look. I tried to measure the before and after angle of the axle and best I could read with my phone's bubble level app was 11.5deg before and 7.5deg after. I'm thinking of hitting the hardware store for some hardened washers that are 1/2 or 1/3 the thickness of this spacer or just putting it back to stock altogether. The angles are not that bad without spacers and I'm not sure which is worse, the increased CV angle or the output shaft angle. What do you guys think?

Here is the spacer installed. It was a total b%$#^ to get the bolts lined up because it's so thick.


Axle angle before the diff drop


Axle angle after the diff drop
 
#8 ·
Will those LT285/70/17 tires fit with the Eibach lift? Not due for tires yet but I would like to go up a size or two from my 265's but trying to figure out what I can go up to without trimming. I've got the Eibach lift on the same settings front and rear.
 
#10 ·
Not without trimming the front and rear of the front wheel wells from what I understand. That includes bending or cutting some of the pinch weld. It doesn't look like it's too difficult and I'd like the extra ground clearance. I was happy with the way the truck sits until I climbed under the rear end and noticed how low the shock mounts and rear diff were. :serious: I have at least a year before I'll need new tires so I have plenty of time to decide what I want to do. There are not a lot of good C-Load tire options in that size and I don't want Es. So the KO2 is at the top of the list right now. Once you get up to that size the price gap between various brands seems to narrow some otherwise I wouldn't even consider the KO2 due to price. Or I could go all crazy and do a LT255/80/17 Cooper ST Max. The extra sidewall height could help reduce the stiffness of the E-load rating amd there would be less to trim. But there goes fuel economy. lol
 
#9 ·
If your old red CCLB was anything to go by, I'm guessing I should expect a lot of exciting pics. :grin: The new CCSB is a real looker!

First time I've seen anyone push their Canyon this hard before a level and skid plates. Debating which mods I should in advance for my 5000km road trip in October... I guess you'd tell me I won't need any lol

I think most diff drop spacers are for 2"? Maybe that's why they look funky at 2.7"? That's one thing about mid-sizers that makes me grimace - while our "safe and without a worry" zone is 0-2", the full-sizers only start even hearing the word "diff drop" at 3"+........
 
#11 ·
Thanks! LOL

Unlike some of our friends in here I actually play it pretty safe. As a mountain biker I have a good eye for terrain and I usually err on the side of not doing damage to the truck so I don't get the hero photos or badges those guys do. :grin2:

If the road trip involved lots of off-road then my vote would be:
Air dam removal
Larger tires
Air compressor and tire deflators (much better traction, comfort and tire durability)
Tire patch and plug kit
Maxtrax or equivilent recovery boards
Recovery strap
Good GPS setup with downloaded maps
Skid plates if you have the money
And stay off super remote trails with little traffic in case things really go bad

A lift would be nice but I wouldn't let the lack of one keep me from going on an adventure. I would just pick good safe lines when the going got rough.
 
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#16 ·
I removed the Street Ray's diff drop kit today. I was experiencing noise which seemed like it was a direct result of the kit. I think the extreme tilt angle of the diff was causing the diff bushings to bind. I didn't like the way the attachment angles looked anyway (see photos above) so I was going to try using some thick washers instead so I could dial in the drop such that I find a happy medium between CV axle angles and the diff mount. Unfortunately the hardware store didn't have anymore of these specific washers so I bought the 4 they had hoping 2 per side would be enough but alas, 2 washers wasn't enough for the aftermarket bolt and it was too much for the OEM bolt. So I'll check back next week to see if they have more washers and try 3 per side which I think will be ideal.

Here is what the washers look like next to the Street Ray's kit 1" billet spacer
 
#17 ·
Yikes! I was actually considering the StreetRays kit cause the billet looks nice lol.

Do you think I should just build my own with the right size bolt and washers? It seems most of the kits out there are geared for >2", which I don't want.
 
#18 ·
I would. Just get the thick hardened washer and at least grade 8 bolts. If you don't want to deal with making your own then get the Autosprings kit. I think that kit uses 2 thick washers per side.

I may have the Street Ray blocks cut in half and give the other halves away. lol
 
#21 ·
The OEM ZR2 Rear Skid and transfer case skid @ssm1tty sent me showed up so I got those installed. The ZR2 rear skid replaces the smaller OEM steering rack skid. Because the ZR2 rear skid doesn't have welded nuts on the plate like the OEM steering rack skid does I removed the OEM front plastic "skid" until I can find a deal on a real front skid (ZR2, GM non-ZR2 or Superskidz). Stoked to have some protection and all it cost me was a beer for the homie. :)

The ZR2 rear skid and the transfer case skid bolted up directly to factory predrilled holes in the crossmember but there are not welded nuts on the back side of the holes. There didn't appear to be threads in the crossmember either but with a little pressure the bolts "thread" into place and feel pretty secure. For added security I would recommend adding 3/8" nuts on the end of the bolts despite the original "armor" on my Canyon not having any. The OEM steering rack skid bolted into the crossmember with no nuts on the backside so maybe that's good enough? *shrug*

Frontal view of the ZR2 rear skid installed without the factory front plastic skid in place.



I finally got around to mounting the Maxsa Escaper Buddy traction boards. These are very similar to the popular Maxsa boards but cost half as much. I couldn't make up my mind on a mounting design so I said screw it (literally). I bought some basic hardware: (2) 3/8"x6" bolts, (4) washers, (4) lock washers, (2) 3/8 nuts and (2) plastic star knobs. I drilled 2 holes through the side bar on my rack and 2 holes trough the Maxsa boards. It's sturdy enough but I am concerned about the star knobs backing off so I added a lock nut on each end until I can find nicer black bolts and lock nut. Ghetto for sure but it works for now. I'll add a Python lock to make them less enticing for opportunistic thieves.

The mounting bolts secured to the steel side bar of my rack. I noticed when shutting my door the boards rattle against the rack which means the side bar is flexing too much. I'll get some support welded in to reduce flex and stop the rattle.


Backside view with boards mounted


Front view of boards mounted


 
#22 ·
Got the tent mounted up for some camping trips/races coming up. We ran over to Mammoth Lakes, CA this weekend so my fiance' could get some practice runs in before next weekend's race. The kid, the dog and I went exploring while she rode the park. The lift helped a little with the heavy load but the back still sags more than I would like so I'll likely order the Autospring add-a-leaf kit to bring the rear up another inch or inch and a half.


These photos were taken with the bed empty and the rear still sits too low for my liking.






A couple shots from Sunday's wheeling trip on Signal Peak Trail, CA




Dented and scratched the Tyger step bars a little but they are still attached and no body damage occurred.



Why I won't buy expensive wheels for my trucks. :)
 
#23 ·
We have a few trips coming up so I reinstalled the air dam with reversed clips. It's super easy to install/remove once the clips are reversed. It takes a couple of minutes at most.

I also reinstalled the OEM front plastic "skid". I have the ZR2 oil pan skid installed right now and there are no holes for the front skid to bolt to so I added two rivnuts (Harbor Freight tool) to the ZR2 skid and bolted the front skid into place. Pretty simple really. I spent most of the time trying to figure out which size drill bit I needed to use to make holes for the 1/4" rivnuts.... I'm not sure if this will help aerodynamics or cooling but it was easy to install and looks better than without it. Eventually I'll get a steel front skid to replace it.

Two 1/4 rivnuts installed in the ZR2 oil pan or "rear" plate.


OEM front "skid" reinstalled
 
#24 ·
We have a few trips coming up so I reinstalled the air dam with reversed clips. It's super easy to install/remove once the clips are reversed. It takes a couple of minutes at most.

I also reinstalled the OEM front plastic "skid". I have the ZR2 oil pan skid installed right now and there are no holes for the front skid to bolt to so I added two rivnuts (Harbor Freight tool) to the ZR2 skid and bolted the front skid into place. Pretty simple really. I spent most of the time trying to figure out which size drill bit I needed to use to make holes for the 1/4" rivnuts.... I'm not sure if this will help aerodynamics or cooling but it was easy to install and looks better than without it. Eventually I'll get a steel front skid to replace it.

Two 1/4 rivnuts installed in the ZR2 oil pan or "rear" plate.


OEM front plastic "skid" reinstalled
 
#26 ·
Thanks Mike!

I got the boards off Amazon.

A lot of people run the X-Bull boards and haven't had any problems. They can be found for as little as $65 sometimes. I usually see them for $89.

[ame]https://www.amazon.com/Escaper-Traction-Off-Road-Extraction-20333/dp/B00AV2HONS[/ame]
 
#27 ·
Nice. I realize that everyone's "perfect" setup is different than everyone else's and also that not everything can be on top and in front in storage.

One thing I've done differently than you is location of the fire extinguisher. I've emptied a couple of them over the years on others' vehicles, not mine. I put mine on the driver's side of the rear seat in the cubby where you have gloves stashed. My figuring is that a fire extinguisher that requires raising the seat to access will undoubtedly be under a rear seat piled with stuff or people when I want to get to it.

Just a thought.

I'll continue watching your progress and adventures.
 
#28 ·
Thanks and good tip. I would need to make a mount of some sort I think. The extinguisher seems too long for that cubby but I'll check. That would be a much better spot for it. When on the trail I simply place it in one of the water bottle pouches on the seat back but I don't like that because it cause the whole unit to bow outward. Besides, you never know when it will be needed on or off-road so better to have it within easy reach at all times.
 
#29 · (Edited)
I installed the AutoSprings add-a-leafs (1" to 1.5") today. It's pretty straightforward. I had a little trouble getting the new longer bolts in place and managed to punch myself in the face HARD when a wrench slipped off the shock bolt. My nose didn't bleed because I was already lying down so #winning . I somehow ended up with a blood blister under my thumbnail as a result of some other part that didn't want to play nicely. :)

My main reason for this mod was to reduce the amount of rear sag when fully loaded for camping. Besides making the truck appear unbalanced I hate having to re-aim my headlights every time I want to load the truck up and I certainly don't like blinding oncoming drivers if I don't re-aim them.

Here it is with the RTT, Maxsa boards and a full tank of gas on level ground.

Suspension Mods: Eibach 2.7" front, 1" Silverado blocks and AutoSpring Add-a-leafs with 32" tires.

Passenger Rear: 39 1/2"
Driver Rear: 39 1/4"

*Measured from ground through center of wheel to bottom of fender


It doesn't appear quite so raked in person but if it looks out of control without the added weight of the rack-mounted gear then I can easily remove the 1" blocks to tame it a bit. :) I anticipate the rear to pop up another 1" when I remove the rack and tent which is how it sits for 1/2 the year.
 
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#30 ·
I've been driving around with all of the gear removed from the bed as well as fully loaded down with camping gear and bikes. The AALs really help with reducing rear squat and on road the ride quality hasn't suffered. However, the off-road ride quality took a dive. I was pretty sure it would so it's not really a surprise. The biggest issue stems from running the OEM rear shocks with a 2"+ lift. The shocks are overextending when a rear wheel drops into a hole or off even small ledges which results in a loud bang and a rough ride. Again, I expected this so...

I'm deciding which rear shock I want to run to fix this problem and provide a softer and more controlled ride. I'm considering sticking with Eibach or going with Fox 2.0 but using the Silverado shock which is longer so it work with my lift and offers more dampening to handle the extra weight I carry.


 
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#31 ·
How about an Icon kit? And maybe some UCAs too since you've been rocking 2"+ for some time now......dunno but anything over 2" makes me queasy about the uppers. ****'s expensive here but down there the price difference is smaller.

The Icons will get you that 2-3" lift and a better 2.5" coilover too right out the gate. And even the 2.0 rears are 0-2", no need for Silvie rears (Fox's web designers really need to get their **** together, the website is a mess, conflicting information everywhere, blank pages for our twins, our install guide is missing, etc.).
 
#32 ·
Icons cost too much. I don't need reservoirs and the front actually feels ok for a budget kit so I'll rock the Eibachs for a while. The rear is where I need help and I'd prefer a more linear shock to help reduce low speed and small bump roughness which is why I was looking at Fox. The Icons are digressive sorta and that scares me. :)
 
#36 · (Edited)
Having the rack, tent, and 4 bikes and sitting level is impressive! Are you on stock rear shocks or the eibachs? It’s a shame to hear the ride dipped with the AAL, just did 100+ fire rd miles on Bilstein’s/block and current set it rides so great but installing the auto springs aal this week.. If you are on the stock shocks for the bang/buck the Bilstein or eibach rear could be worth a shock.
 
#39 ·
I called up Wayne at RealTruck.com and he gave me the CF member price. With the price break it was worth it to get the Icons over the Fox and Eibachs. I eventually want to buy the Icon VS 2.5 Coilovers as well and have the matching tuned package. Thanks to @nubbins for the reminder to look at the Icons and thank to @Chris@RealTruck for his contributions to the forum.

Here's what I bought: ICON 2.0 ALUMINUM SMOOTH BODY SHOCK 76550
 
#40 · (Edited)
The Icon 2.0 rears showed up today and it didn't take long to get them on.




I had planned on measuring droop before and after but my jackstands are not tall enough to let the axle droop much with the wheels on and I'm too exhausted to remove and reinstall them. What I did find is the OEM shocks are near maxed out with the truck sitting on the ground. No wonder the ride was rough whenever the rear wheels wanted to drop. Note, I have 1" Silverado lift blocks and AutoSpring AALs so I have around 2" of lift in the rear.

This is the OEM shock with the truck on jackstands but the tires are resting on the ground lightly.


Same as above but with the Icon shock


OEM vs. Icon 2.0 shock length comparison. The Icons are designed for 0"-2" of lift. Most other shocks are only 0"-1".


Installed


I'm a little concerned about their comment in the instructions about needing a crush washer or sleeve if the OEM shock uses a through bolt. Does this look right?



After I buttoned things up and took it for a test drive I fully expected the ride to be harsh after reading all the posts from anti-Icon folks but the shocks felt great. The ride felt more solid and damped in the rear. Small bumps could still be felt but they were more muted, less sharp and the axle didn't feel like it was ready to explode upwards when the rear tire dropped off bumps. This was a very short test drive so I'm not sure if all of this will remain true but for now I am impressed and happy with the purchase.
 
#43 ·
.....after reading all the posts from anti-Icon folks but the shocks felt great.
Who's that? lol. Don't believe the haters. Icons are nice. I wish they had more spring rate options but oh well!
 
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#42 ·
Not yet. I'm thinking it's not directly realated to the suspension.

Speaking of suspension, flying down fire/logging roads at 35mph+ is awesome! Haha
 
#44 ·
Nice build thread. I like it.
 
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#45 ·
Now throw those Eibachs away and get a set of Icon 2.5s for the front. >:) I can't wait until my Fox kit arrives; saw a JKU heading back on I-605 today, with piggyback Fox 2.5s and a fat Fox sticker on the rear axle, as if to say "hey, you should go nag TDot for an update on your order".

I like that the pics are always nice and crisp in here.
 
#49 · (Edited)
In preparation for mounting 285/70/17s tomorrow I did a little wheel well trimming and liner modification. I'm not sure if I made enough room but it should allow me to drive home. I'm bringing an angle grinder and tools with me just in case....

Instead of cutting out the waffle in front of the tire I decided to make new holes in the bumper cover sorta like @White016 did except I just drilled my pilot hole from the top down instead of possibly branding myself with a hot hire, which is a genious idea btw. I didn't want to cut the waffle and use zip ties if I don't have to.

I botched the driver side pinch weld cut. The pinch weld cut is clean but I tried yo cut the plastic trim piece with a razor and slipped so I cut waaay too much off and now a good 1"+ of the pinch weld is showing. I also broke one of the little white clips that holds the trim tight aginst the body *sigh*. On the passenger side I just used the angle grinder to cut it all off without removing the trim piece. It came at super clean and was very fast. If the tire clears I'll add the actual procedure and more photos to my build page for reference. Anyone happen to know the part numbers for those plastic clips and the plastic trim covers? lol

A view from underneath so you can see how far forward I was able to move the waffle.


To get the waffle that far forward you need to trim a small pice off the waffle. It pushes against the bumper cover and stops forward movement.


And a small piece of the inner bumper cover. Allows clearance for that bump on the waffle.


Once those pieces are trimmed you can push the waffle forward and drill new mounting holes into the lower part of the bumper cover. This is where I kinda just guessed really well and drilled the first hole in the right place. Once you get one side screwed in to hold the waffle in place you can drill the others from the top, through the metal clips. I'm sure there is a much better way to do this but I'm kinda of a hack and it would be out of character for me to do it a logical way. :)


I added around 1" to 1 1/4 of clearance I think.


The passenger side trimmed pinch weld - Good


The driver's side trimmed pinch weld - WTF???
 
#86 ·
In preparation for mounting 285/70/17s tomorrow I did a little wheel well trimming and liner modification. I'm not sure if I made enough room but it should allow me to drive home. I'm bringing an angle grinder and tools with me just in case....

Instead of cutting out the waffle in front of the tire I decided to make new holes in the bumper cover sorta like @White016 did except I just drilled my pilot hole from the top down instead of possibly branding myself with a hot hire, which is a genious idea btw. I didn't want to cut the waffle and use zip ties if I don't have to.

I botched the driver side pinch weld cut. The pinch weld cut is clean but I tried yo cut the plastic trim piece with a razor and slipped so I cut waaay too much off and now a good 1"+ of the pinch weld is showing. I also broke one of the little white clips that holds the trim tight aginst the body *sigh*. On the passenger side I just used the angle grinder to cut it all off without removing the trim piece. It came at super clean and was very fast. If the tire clears I'll add the actual procedure and more photos to my build page for reference. Anyone happen to know the part numbers for those plastic clips and the plastic trim covers? lol

A view from underneath so you can see how far forward I was able to move the waffle.


To get the waffle that far forward you need to trim a small pice off the waffle. It pushes against the bumper cover and stops forward movement.


And a small piece of the inner bumper cover. Allows clearance for that bump on the waffle.


Once those pieces are trimmed you can push the waffle forward and drill new mounting holes into the lower part of the bumper cover. This is where I kinda just guessed really well and drilled the first hole in the right place. Once you get one side screwed in to hold the waffle in place you can drill the others from the top, through the metal clips. I'm sure there is a much better way to do this but I'm kinda of a hack and it would be out of character for me to do it a logical way. ?


I added around 1" to 1 1/4 of clearance I think.


The passenger side trimmed pinch weld - Good


The driver's side trimmed pinch weld - WTF???
I’m sure this has already been talked about at some point on this site. If you were going to put an after market front bumper on (fab fours vengeance or n-fab prerunner), do you think you would have any rubbing? It looks like from pictures I have seen it looks like the point where rubbing happens on the oem bumper is eliminated. Just curious what your thoughts are.
 
#50 · (Edited)
Got the 33s put on today at America's Tire. I bought them during the Discount Tire Direct eBay $100-$200 sale for $592 shipped. They look pretty rad but you can definitely feel the weight in the steering wheel and the way the suspension behaves. It's not as spritely off the line either. It's all about tradeoffs though. My fender clearancing work made them fit perfectly but the OEM wheel offset is what's hurting me right now in the form of tire rub on the swaybar and the frame. So now I'm combing through the forum looking for an easy fix that doesn't involve new wheels or thick wheel spacers. :)

For anyone following my build for ideas, plans or inspiration I just want to say for a hassle-free build I would stop at the 265/70/17 or 255/75/17 tire size. The 31.7"-32.1" diameter and 10" (255-265) and under width will fit easily and not cause any problems that require other mods/parts to correct. They also don't cause a big change in shifting patterns nor do you suffer big loss in acceleration, suspension feel, braking etc.. I'm not saying I dislike my new 33s but off all the tires I've owned this is where I noticed the biggest difference in how the truck behaves and it's a not in a good way. So for those who want a cool looking truck minus headaches stay at 32" and below in a 255 or 265 width. If you don't mind the extra work required to fit larger tires, plan on new wheels with less offset (or spacers) and are open to getting a custom tune to fix any driveability issues then by all means, mod on!

She finally looks the way I want though! I may not even need the fender flares. I have all the bed-mounted gear off for furniture hauling duties.




I chose to mount them with the raised lettering facing out. Looks more aggressive to me although most people mount them smooth side out.
 
#55 · (Edited)
Got the 33s put on today. They look pretty rad but you can definitely feel the weight in the steering wheel and the way the suspension behaves. It's not as spritely off the line either. It's all about tradeoffs though. My fender clearancing work made them fit perfectly but the OEM wheel offset is what's hurting me right now in the form of tire rub on the swaybar and the frame. So now I'm combing through the forum looking for an easy fix that doesn't involve new wheels or thick wheel spacers. :)

For anyone following my build for ideas, plans or inspiration I just want to say for a hassle-free build I would stop at the 265/70/17 or 255/75/17 tire size. The 31.7"-32.1" diameter and 10" (255-265) and under width will fit easily and not cause any problems that require other mods/parts to correct. They also don't cause a big change in shifting patterns nor do you suffer big loss in acceleration, suspension feel, braking etc.. I'm not saying I dislike my new 33s but off all the tires I've owned this is where I noticed the biggest difference in how the truck behaves and it's a not in a good way. So for those who want a cool looking truck minus headaches stay at 32" and below in a 255 or 265 width. If you don't mind the extra work required to fit larger tires, plan on new wheels with less offset (or spacers) and are open to getting a custom tune to fix any driveability issues then by all means, mod on!

She finally looks the way I want though! I may not even need the fender flares. I have all the bed-mounted gear off for furniture hauling duties.




I chose to mount them with the raised lettering facing out. Looks more aggressive to me although most people mount them smooth side out.
Looks awesome man! Try and keep the stock wheels makes the trucks look better. IMO

Oh my god, those 285s look sick. And I thought you swore off AT3Ws? Or was that just LT-size.

Talking about coincidences, I just picked up my 265/75R16 AT3Ws from the shop today and brought them home in anticipation of RFBing them next Friday. Man, the sidewalls are crazy......and that's coming from someone who used to rock LT265/70R17E Duratracs.

Hauled them in the Silverado, no less. The asshats really need to give my truck back, makes me hurt just thinking about it sitting out in the PNW rain for the last month. My service advisor left and the current guy had the audacity to tell me that the parts were all sitting in a pile on the bench......which I knew, as 0.00 actual work had been done over the last 14 days.

Now, to hold my breath and hope that blurple was right saying that 265/75R16 won't rub at stock height.
You will be fine. The LT Duratracs are a way more aggressive tread then the AT3Ws.
 
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