XLDenali06's Build Thread

[XLDenali06]

While I don't plan on any really big modifications, I figured I'd start a build thread before I did too many little things to the nali. If nothing else, it'll be neat for me to look back at and see what all I've done.

I started with a bone stock black 2006 Yukon XL Denali , purchased on April 1st, 2017, with just under 200k miles.



DVD player didn't work. 3rd brake light didn't work. Missing the handle off the 2nd row passenger side seat. Missing the courtesy light on the front passenger door. Missing the reflector on the rear passenger door. CD changer didn't work. No floor mats aside from a Weathertech mat on the front passenger side, and the oem cargo mat. Other than these small things, it was in really great shape. Found out it needed a driver side wheel hub, too. Possibly a sway bar link. Still, not bad for $5800.

 

[05Single]

Alright! this build thread idea is catching on!

 

[XLDenali06]

I already had a seat handle and a couple door reflectors from an 05 Suburban Z71 that I'd just totaled after owning for a whopping 2 weeks. Long story. But anyway, I guess technically the first thing I did too the nali was to put that seat handle and rear door reflector on.

After putting those pieces on, the first thing I did was get online and order a black GMC grille emblem (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002L7ECKY/), a bug shield (https://amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000182ESW/), and vent visors (https://amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000CF8VUE/). They were all delivered a few days later.

In the meantime though, we turned over 200k (2 days after I bought it). I meant to get pics at 199999 & 200k, but 5 kids has made me a scatter brain, so I got one at 199,997 (because I knew I was likely to forget) and 200,004 (because I DID forget, lol).



After the bug shield, vent visors, black gmc emblem, and my Doctor Who front license plate:

 

[XLDenali06]

On the second day of ownership, on Amazon I bought, HID headlights (https://amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0128ZAGL2/), black door edge molding (https://amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00XWEAMAY/), new steering wheel buttons (https://amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009AA9XHC/)!

No pics, because they're mundane changes, so I didn't think to get pics of them. I love all 3 though. The door edge molding has already protected my driver side door edge once when I parked a little too close to a brick wall.

 

[XLDenali06]

The next change was to LED interior lights, which has caused the well-known dim push button lights and vanity lights. But overall I love the white light much better than the stock yellow. And I've ordered some canbus LEDs for the front map lights and second row reading lights. Hopefully that will fix the dim light issue.



Somewhere in week one or two is also when I removed the GMC & Yukon XL badges off the back hatch, and added my own personal badges and decals. I guess personalization counts as a mod. Here she is partway through a taillight change, showing my badges and decals. I've added a Gadsden Flag "Don't Tread on Me" emblem since this pic. Oh, and this pic includes my smoked 3rd brake light. The hitch cover says "Zombie Outbreak Response Team"



Taillights swap done. Looks so much better.



Next up (I think) was a sun visor swap. I like the 2 piece visors from the 00-02 models better than the 1 piece type they went to in 03. Just one more thing GM went cheap on. Driver side swapped and passenger side still stock in this pic:

 

[XLDenali06]

I replaced the GMC center caps with blanks, but no pics that would really show it.

Swapped out the DRL/turn signal housing. Love the smoked look.



Pulled the dead CD changer and put in a pocket (pardon the peeling paint, eventually that will be redone):



Put LEDs in the DRLs and front turn signals. Installed a new blinker module to prevent hyper blink.



Here's a pic of the HID low beams:

 

[05Single]

Black lights look good.

I think the gmc should have a chrome outline to show the letters , otherwise it just looks like a black rectangle in the middle of that beautiful denali grille.

 

[XLDenali06]

Most recent update was putting on esky vent caps. That was just yesterday. I also got the luggage rack (together with the vent caps for just $60!) but it was raining when we got home so they're not on yet. Hopefully I'll get that done today.



Oh, and I deleted my antenna the other day. Found an 03 Esky locally and got the wiper cowl end piece of it. Made an FM dipole antenna out of 2 pieces of wire, both about 28.5" long, one run from the antenna base and up the outside of the a-pillar, under the rubber trim, svc the other run across the base of the windshield, tucked under the wiper cowl. FM reception didn't really suffer much. Lost AM reception completely.

At some point in all this, I put LEDs in the backup lights. In fact, the only lights in the car that are stock, beside the tiny switch bulbs and dash light bulbs, are the rear turn signals/brake lights, the fog lights, and the high beams. Thinking of putting LEDs in the fog lights. Not sure what to do about the brights. May eventually put LEDs in the back, along with load resistors since the new blinker module can only handle 4 LEDs total (from what I've read).

I have purchased a new OEM DVD player to replace mine. Hopefully I'll get that this week and the kids can start enjoying movies. Just yesterday I ordered a NAV-TV interface so I can add a backup camera and front bumper camera to the OEM navigation screen. Now I just need to decide on the cameras and a switch for the front camera.

I've also bought a Timken hub assembly, which would have already been swapped out, but the bolts are seized and the guy was afraid of breaking them. So I'm going to get some PB Blaster and see if we can't get that swapped out ourselves. A set of Moog sway bar end links are waiting to be swapped in, too. Oh, and a TPMS for the front driver side tire. The current one works intermittently. I'm tired of seeing the message pop up on my DIC. Same dang tire that it was happening with on my Suburban.

I think that's about it for now. I plan to do a complete fluid change soon. I'm sure my husband will be happy when I slow down on buying stuff for the car. Lol!

 

[XLDenali06]

Black lights look good.

I think the gmc should have a chrome outline to show the letters , otherwise it just looks like a black rectangle in the middle of that beautiful denali grille.

I agree. The complete black look worked for the bowtie on the Z71 Suburban I had right before this one, but the letters get lost in this setup. I'll probably end up swapping that out sooner rather than later ;-)

 

[kwOH]

Looks good!


Sent from iPhone 7 plus using Tapatalk Pro

 

[adventurenali92]

Looks good friend! Keep up the good work! Can't wait to see the esky racks up there! Not sure your plan on the headunit/cameras. But you will love having a backup cam. The front cam is a good idea and I'm still wanting to do that also. But that backup cam is gold! I went with a clarion nx405 unit that came bundled with a clarion cam and it's awesome!

 

[XLDenali06]

So, this just happened today, despite the rain. I still need to adjust the cross bars and lock em in place, but I was pretty soaked by the tone I got everything else done, so figured those could wait until tomorrow. Lol. Love, love, love the way the Esky racks look on the Nali!

 

[adventurenali92]

YEAH BUDDY!! Nali is lookin sharp!! Now you need to do the esky third tail light mod to tie the look together!! Haha.

 

[XLDenali06]

YEAH BUDDY!! Nali is lookin sharp!! Now you need to do the esky third tail light mod to tie the look together!! Haha.

Thanks. I've been thinking about doing the 3rd brake light mod, but I actually like it how it is though, so I'll probably leave it. Until I get ready for a change, anyway. Lol.

 

[adventurenali92]

Thanks. I've been thinking about doing the 3rd brake light mod, but I actually like it how it is though, so I'll probably leave it. Until I get ready for a change, anyway. Lol.

I wasn't surr I wanted to do it either. And I took alot of work because I'm ocd and everything has to be done perfectly, haha. But once I did I'm glad I did. I hate non painted plastic and my 2006 had the exact same plastic trim piece above the rear glass like yours. I love the light and color matched base that holds it in there. Much cleaner look in my opinion. But to each there own! Either way your truck looks very classy the way it is with those racks!!

 

[XLDenali06]

It's been raining ever since I got home yesterday with the vent caps and luggage rack, so the black plastic looks better than when it's dry. I may not be nearly as okay with it once it stops raining. Haha!

 

[adventurenali92]

It's been raining ever since I got home yesterday with the vent caps and luggage rack, so the black plastic looks better than when it's dry. I may not be nearly as okay with it once it stops raining. Haha!

Mine was still black. But that fact that it didn't mesh with everything else color matched drove me insane! Haha.

 

[Fosscore]

Nice work so far. Looking good.

 

[Tahoe_SJ]

While I don't plan on any really big modifications, I figured I'd start a build thread before I did too many little things to the nali. If nothing else, it'll be neat for me to look back at and see what all I've done.

I started with a bone stock black 2006 Yukon XL Denali , purchased on April 1st, 2017, with just under 200k miles.

View attachment 80073

DVD player didn't work. 3rd brake light didn't work. Missing the handle off the 2nd row passenger side seat. Missing the courtesy light on the front passenger door. Missing the reflector on the rear passenger door. CD changer didn't work. No floor mats aside from a Weathertech mat on the front passenger side, and the oem cargo mat. Other than these small things, it was in really great shape. Found out it needed a driver side wheel hub, too. Possibly a sway bar link. Still, not bad for $5800.

$5800 with that many miles? I was thinking of selling/trading my '06 Denali XL, more like 135k and runs like a top. My sunroof doesn't open (likely needs a new motor if anyone cares) and a couple of the dash/wheel backlights are out. One speaker also, but other than that, still strong. Where did you shop and buy? Thanks and good luck

 

[XLDenali06]

$5800 with that many miles? I was thinking of selling/trading my '06 Denali XL, more like 135k and runs like a top. My sunroof doesn't open (likely needs a new motor if anyone cares) and a couple of the dash/wheel backlights are out. One speaker also, but other than that, still strong. Where did you shop and buy? Thanks and good luck

Yeah, around here that was a pretty good deal. The 2005 Z71 Suburban I'd bought right before this one I paid $4900 for and it had 256k miles. When I totaled it a whopping 2 weeks later, insurance valued it at $6350. It didn't run anywhere near as good as this one. I looked around Georgia, Florida, Alabama, the Carolinas, and southern Kentucky. Nearly all of the Suburbans and Yukon XLs around here have close to or over 200k miles, and most of those are in the $4k-$6k price range. Private party sales being a bit lower than dealer prices, of course, and lower miles fetching higher prices. Around here it's not uncommon for ones with under 150k miles to have a price tag of $7k-$8k or more.