Pete's (Now Nate's) 2003 Denali Budget Build thread

[Fosscore]

Yep. Delete that wiper. Even with plugs, it makes a huge difference in looks.

Sure a true shave would be awesome, but that costs a bit extra.

You won’t regret ditching that tree branch.

 

[Sevenevez]

Yep. Delete that wiper. Even with plugs, it makes a huge difference in looks.

Sure a true shave would be awesome, but that costs a bit extra.

You won’t regret ditching that tree branch.

haha, tree branch! did you get yours filled?

 

[Fosscore]

No I did not. @05Single is all over me to fill it. Lol

Quoted cost was $500 to weld, grind, prime and paint the lift gate.

Not really in the cards at the moment. Oil change and rotation was priority and tint has been on the list for a long time.

Lift gate is a wish list item at the moment. Plugs working just fine for me and still looking great.

 

[05Single]

No I did not. @05Single is all over me to fill it. Lol

Quoted cost was $500 to weld, grind, prime and paint the lift gate.

Not really in the cards at the moment. Oil change and rotation was priority and tint has been on the list for a long time.

Lift gate is a wish list item at the moment. Plugs working just fine for me and still looking great.

But you're a baller!!!
Lol i cant talk, I still got plugs too. Still plugs are 1000x better than that wiper

 

[adventurenali92]

I need to get on pulling my rear wiper. I bought a handful of assorted sizes of plugs so I need to do it. Every time I’m wiping down my truck the towel catches the end of the damn wiper and drives me nuts! Lol

 

[MadDogDelpho]

Needs an HD hood

 

[BigDaddy13440]

Needs an HD hood

View attachment 184374

I might be the only one, but I don't care for the HD hood. I think it looks like the nose "got stung by a bee", and is swollen, if you ask me....

Now a cowl induction hood, me likey.

 

[MadDogDelpho]

To each his own, I guess. Looks better with the bigger GMC or HD grill, compared to the regular Chevy grill.

 

[adventurenali92]

I think the suburbans and Tahoes look really killer with the HD hood. But I think on the gmc, especially the denalis, it just looks odd. Lol

 

[about20ninj45]

Needs an HD hood

View attachment 184374

I link the tinted windshield

 

[Sevenevez]

Needs an HD hood

View attachment 184374

i never really fell in love with the whole HD hood thing. It almost just felt like a fad that everyone started doing. Like if all our trucks came with the HD hood, everyone would be installing the low profile ones instead just to be different. To each his own. I think the HD hood looks cool, but it's nothing that made my list of things to do.

 

[MadDogDelpho]

I understand that, yeah.

 

[Sevenevez]

Rear Wiper Delete

This was actually a pretty easy one to do. Granted i took the cheap route and just got some plugs from the local hardware store. The most expensive one was .50 cents. the others were .15. Had some pewter metallic leftover from painting the front clip and plenty of clear.

Before

After removing the wiper

Used rubbing compound to remove the old residue/marks

sanded them all down, degreased and alcohol prepped
poked holes in a box lid to hold them in place so i could spray with the can vertical (works best)

obviously, up close, they just look like oddly placed buttons that are color coded. But once you get about 10 feet away they kinda just disappear into the gate. So much better than that metal arm that i never even used.

 

[Fosscore]

Winning, cheap and looks 100% better.

 

[Sevenevez]

Winning, cheap and looks 100% better.

thanks, Foss!

 

[95escahoe]

Rear Wiper Delete

This was actually a pretty easy one to do. Granted i took the cheap route and just got some plugs from the local hardware store. The most expensive one was .50 cents. the others were .15. Had some pewter metallic leftover from painting the front clip and plenty of clear.

Before

After removing the wiper

Used rubbing compound to remove the old residue/marks

sanded them all down, degreased and alcohol prepped
poked holes in a box lid to hold them in place so i could spray with the can vertical (works best)

obviously, up close, they just look like oddly placed buttons that are color coded. But once you get about 10 feet away they kinda just disappear into the gate. So much better than that metal arm that i never even used.

I was gonna use those body plugs to do this but like what you did instead, even the big one is threaded or that's a body plug?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sevenevez]

I was gonna use those body plugs to do this but like what you did instead, even the big one is threaded or that's a body plug?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

that big one is the only one that didnt snap in perfectly because the hole was so big. So its basically just stuck on.
whereas all the other ones pushed in nice and snug! i used a silicone sealant/glue on all of them just so water wouldnt get in.

 

[TheAutumnWind]

Could've sworn that's what I read on here somewhere. I guess it acts in a similar way as when you use the rear shock relocation brackets. Kind of. Sorry if I gave wrong information, but I swear I read that on the forum. Am I wrong?

I know this is a reasonably old post but I just read through this whole thread and felt compelled to answer this question.

The people that are talking about "spacers" and lowering the rear have purchased a kit that is a 3-4/5. Its a 5inch drop spring with a 1" spacer for 4" drop. There is a very popular vendor on here that sells them that way =). You can choose to not use the spacer and end up with a 5" rear drop. A lot of people installed it with the spacer and decided that another inch would be preferred and those are the people that "remove the spacer" to gain another inch drop.

To the OP:
Sweet ride and thread!

You can remove dead coils on your aftermarket springs to bring the rear down a little more without affecting the ride. But do NOT heat them. You will totally change the spring rate.

I ran cut MOOG z71 springs on my old air ride deleted denali, those are not variable rate springs so the ride was not hugely affected.

 

[Sevenevez]

I know this is a reasonably old post but I just read through this whole thread and felt compelled to answer this question.

The people that are talking about "spacers" and lowering the rear have purchased a kit that is a 3-4/5. Its a 5inch drop spring with a 1" spacer for 4" drop. There is a very popular vendor on here that sells them that way =). You can choose to not use the spacer and end up with a 5" rear drop. A lot of people installed it with the spacer and decided that another inch would be preferred and those are the people that "remove the spacer" to gain another inch drop.

To the OP:
Sweet ride and thread!

You can remove dead coils on your aftermarket springs to bring the rear down a little more without affecting the ride. But do NOT heat them. You will totally change the spring rate.

I ran cut MOOG z71 springs on my old air ride deleted denali, those are not variable rate springs so the ride was not hugely affected.

nice! thanks for chiming in with some info. i was curious about that. i am kinda cool with my ride height and the feel now. i will probably just leave it. and thanks for the kind words

 

[Sevenevez]

my Dad got stuck in the dunes on the mexico border.Lowered Denali to the rescue!
My front lip was like a snow plow through that sand though! haha