Rocket Man's 02 Denali Build Thread AKA "THE BEAST"

[Rocket Man]

Did you notice a difference with the 92 tune?

Well looks like I may not have noticed last time I had the 91+ tune in it for whatever reason but it definitely has more power. I just commuted to work and I was definitely flying more than usual on the freeways. The SC is gonna make this thing sick.

 

[67RS427]

Thats what I like to hear... It could be your ECU needed some time to recalculate and adjust fuel trims to compensate for the higher octane. The Whipple will be an entirely different monster. Exciting indeed...

 

[05Single]

When finished will be one if the top build threads of tyf, definitely build thread of the year for 2017

 

[Rocket Man]

Today I got off early so I decided to replace my front hubs. It wasn't too bad, and I would have been done in about 2 1/2 hours but I found a swaybar bushing that was torn so I turned it around and reinstalled it while I wait for some new Energy Suspension poly ones. This was replaced less than a year ago when I installed my DJM swaybar so I'm not sure what went wrong. Here's some pictures during the hub install. traffic on the freeways is gridlock right now so I'll have to wait until later tonight to see if this helped the shimmying that's been happening. I'm not so sure; I couldn't really feel much play in the hubs but they had 150,000 miles on them so it was time. BTW my axle nut was 35mm; seems some are 35 and some are 36mm.

 

[Rocket Man]

Here's the swaybar bushing. It looks way better after turning it around and reinstalling it but it will be replaced.

 

[HiHoeSilver]

Today I got off early so I decided to replace my front hubs. It wasn't too bad, and I would have been done in about 2 1/2 hours but I found a swaybar bushing that was torn so I turned it around and reinstalled it while I wait for some new Energy Suspension poly ones. This was replaced less than a year ago when I installed my DJM swaybar so I'm not sure what went wrong. Here's some pictures during the hub install.

View attachment 79861

View attachment 79862

View attachment 79863

View attachment 79864

That pipe trick looks familiar...... Nice job!



But... You didn't repaint the rotors while you had them off?!?!?!?!

 

[67RS427]

Here's the swaybar bushing. It looks way better after turning it around and reinstalling it but it will be replaced.

View attachment 79865

View attachment 79866

View attachment 79867

View attachment 79868

View attachment 79869

Is that the bushing that came with the DJM bars or stock? Just curious, waiting on my DJM bars for my 07... Perhaps I should upgrade to energy suspension right out of the gate. 1 year isn't that great of life for a sway bar bushing.

 

[Rocket Man]

That pipe trick looks familiar...... Nice job!



But... You didn't repaint the rotors while you had them off?!?!?!?!

Thanks for the pipe trick idea! No I didn't repaint the rotors but I did clean the calipers...damn you now I feel like I need to go tear it apart again. But I'll resist. The pads will need to be replaced soon enough, I'll do it then. Just trying to get some of these damn parts out of my living room and on the truck!

 

[Rocket Man]

Is that the bushing that came with the DJM bars or stock? Just curious, waiting on my DJM bars for my 07... Perhaps I should upgrade to energy suspension right out of the gate. 1 year isn't that great of life for a sway bar bushing.

It's the DJM one, the swaybar is way thicker than stock so the bushing is bigger. I think they should have included poly ones myself.

 

[67RS427]

It's the DJM one, the swaybar is way thicker than stock so the bushing is bigger. I think they should have included poly ones myself.

Damn, didn't know they weren't poly... Thanks for they info. As cheap as they are I think I'll order a set and do it right the first time. I drive my truck hard into corners, I know it will be an issue.

 

[HiHoeSilver]

Thanks for the pipe trick idea! No I didn't repaint the rotors but I did clean the calipers...damn you now I feel like I need to go tear it apart again. But I'll resist. The pads will need to be replaced soon enough, I'll do it then. Just trying to get some of these damn parts out of my living room and on the truck!

Just giving you a hard time. On a serious note, how are those rotors holding up? I'm considering the same setup. Looks like the powder coat on the calipers is still good. Are you pleased overall?

 

[Rocket Man]

I ordered these Energy Suspension swaybar bushings just now so it looks like I'm getting parts installed but adding more to the pile lol.

 

[Rocket Man]

Just giving you a hard time. On a serious note, how are those rotors holding up? I'm considering the same setup. Looks like the powder coat on the calipers is still good. Are you pleased overall?

The rotors seem to be doing fine. I painted the calipers and brackets with caliper paint when they were new. They're the AC Delco's.

 

[Rocket Man]

Damn, didn't know they weren't poly... Thanks for they info. As cheap as they are I think I'll order a set and do it right the first time. I drive my truck hard into corners, I know it will be an issue.

If your DJM are 1.375" (1 3/8") like mine, the ES bushing sets are p/n 9.5173R for reds.

 

[HiHoeSilver]

The rotors seem to be doing fine. I painted the calipers and brackets with caliper paint when they were new. They're the AC Delco's.

Oh yeah, that's right. I have been doing was away too much reading in the brake upgrade figuring out what to get. I got yours confused with @ScottyBoy.

 

[Rocket Man]

The hubs didn't help with the shimmy. Damn. I think its the wheels not balanced right. The shop said their new machine didn't like my 26's and they were having a hard time. I think I'll have them rotate them and see if anything changes. As it is, the steering wheel shakes about an inch back and forth. It's pretty bad and it seems like it just started doing this after I reinstalled the 26's after Winter (including a brand new right front wheel). They're directional so they'll just swap them front-to-back.

 

[Tonyrodz]

The hubs didn't help with the shimmy. Damn. I think its the wheels not balanced right. The shop said their new machine didn't like my 26's and they were having a hard time. I think I'll have them rotate them and see if anything changes. As it is, the steering wheel shakes about an inch back and forth. It's pretty bad and it seems like it just started doing this after I reinstalled the 26's after Winter (including a brand new right front wheel). They're directional so they'll just swap them front-to-back.

I also have a little shake from my 22's. Not as much as you have, but still annoying. Are these bigger wheels hard to balance? I'm thinking about taking them somewhere else to rebalance them. Gonna cost me around $60 tho to do it.

 

[Rocket Man]

I also have a little shake from my 22's. Not as much as you have, but still annoying. Are these bigger wheels hard to balance? I'm thinking about taking them somewhere else to rebalance them. Gonna cost me around $60 tho to do it.

I'm sure the bigger they are the harder to balance they are. I've had good luck though until now. I'm also considering finding someone else to balance mine.

 

[Tonyrodz]

I'm sure the bigger they are the harder to balance they are. I've had good luck though until now. I'm also considering finding someone else to balance mine.

What do they charge to balance in your neck of the woods?

 

[Rocket Man]

I'm not sure. It's free where I bought my tires and wheels but you see how that's going. I'm gonna call a couple places tomorrow.