Brand new '07 GMC Yukon owner, and new to the car world

[TheJewishHammer]

If you're willing to learn, members here are willing to teach. Welcome from NJ.

always willing to learn! thanks for the welcome

 

[TheJewishHammer]

Gonna have to stay on top of everything when in a rust state. If has none now, get it undercoated. Also, when you start building tool collection, if you haven't already, let us know what you are thinking of getting and brand and exactly what is your mechanical knowledge base?

Definitely. Do you have any recommendations for some must haves for beginner tools? and ive been looking at some rust prevention stuff but honestly i have no idea what to get.

 

[TheJewishHammer]

Welcome to the forum from Iowa.

As has already been mentioned, folks here are willing to help. Not sure what your situation is with your father, but today is a new day.

As for tools, I have had good luck getting tools on the cheap by hitting up garage sales and even 2nd hand stores. Get the basics first and then add on as budget and need dictate.

When asking for help here, please understand that folks will be trying to explain stuff via words so be patient and understand that if something comes across as rude or mean, that is generally not going to be what’s meant. Sometimes we forget what we didn’t know coming out of the gate when we were starting out so we may skip over some things that we think are basics.

Youtube is a good source, but watch three or four different videos on a topic. You will soon find that some guys really know their stuff while others are like “hey, hold my beer while I make a video quick!” The time a guy was smoking a cigarette and not using non-sparking tools to remove a fuel pump was classic. Was waiting to see the video end in a fireball.

my bad didn't mean to be serious about my dad at all that was just a joke, but honestly i have had no one teach my mechanical stuff at all, so all my knowledge currently comes from chrisfix on youtube. but thank you for the welcome, and i love you suburban!

 

[Doubeleive]

 

[TheJewishHammer]

Welcome to the Forum from NH.

Lots of knowledgeable folks here who freely share their knowledge, experiences, and perspectives. Knowledge is power.

I hope that you will become a participating member in the Forum's discussions.

More pics, please.

more pics definitely coming, thanks for the welcome!

 

[Tonyrodz]

Definitely. Do you have any recommendations for some must haves for beginner tools? and ive been looking at some rust prevention stuff but honestly i have no idea what to get.

I'd start with a metric socket set for sure. Something decent--doesn't need to be uber expensive. If you have a Harbor Freight nearby they have some DECENT hand tools--Do it yourself/Shade tree quality stuff. That'll hold you over for some basic fix it stuff---Some jack stands, a decently rated floor jack, hammer, set of screw drivers, pliers, channel locks, oil filter wrench, so you can change your own oil--and a small/medium sized tool box to hold your tools. Should be set for awhile.

 

[wjburken]

my bad didn't mean to be serious about my dad at all that was just a joke, but honestly i have had no one teach my mechanical stuff at all, so all my knowledge currently comes from chrisfix on youtube. but thank you for the welcome, and i love you suburban!

No worries. I made no assumptions one way or another about your relationship with your dad. I was very fortunate to have a dad that taught me a lot about build and fix things. I also know that not everyone had that opportunity. What I meant by it’s a new day is you can start learning how to work on your vehicles now. I’ve been working with tools since I was very young and am still learning new things from the guys here.

I look forward to watching and helping you learn.

 

[OR VietVet]

Did you get the jack stands at Harbor Freight by any chance? There is a safety recall on some Harbor freight jack stands that some members here also had and had to turn back in. Someone here will remember which ones and hopefully chime in. Also, what floor jack and what weight rating? Good idea to ALWAYS have at least one jack stand set under where you may be crawling and the weight set down on it and not just suspended above a jack stand on the floor jack. Get a good flashlight and may want to start out with a mechanics stethoscope because they are inexpensive and great for tracking noises down.

 

[iamdub]

Guess we will find out soon enough. You have a young man with no knowledge of cars that just purchased a used vehicle. Need to be patient and walk him through issues as they come up.

Absolutely. I'm kinda anxious to get the details. Could've just been a nice family or friend deal.

 

[George B]

Welcome from WI!

For rust preventative I can tell you to see about having a shop spray it inside the fenders and rocker panels. You can use Fluidfilm for the frame and underbody. Either spray it or brush it on. Just buy a cheap tyvek suit you can toss after getting all covered in that stinky stuff.

Best advice I can give is to use this forum to your advantage. Lots of good advice here. And, before you run down looking a modifications you should make sure it is up To date on any basic maintenance needs.

 

[TheJewishHammer]

okay i guess ill share the story on how i got the thing. I bought the Yukon from my best friends mother. Shes owned the truck for as long as I've known her so at least 4 years, but if i recall correctly i think she bought it in 13' or 14'. I've always loved this truck and its picked me up from many wrestling practices and brought me to school early in the morning many times thought the years. so now ive graduated and working and have been saving up for a car and i had saved up around 5k to look for a good used car. about the same time i started seriously looking for a car, my Friends parents Yukon threw a check engine light. These are also the kind of people who would never work on there own cars and when something goes wrong, they can just trade it in for a new one. so, one day while over my friends house for whatever reason we started talking about the truck. she had told me that she didn't like the fact that the dash was cracked, and the glass in the gauge cluster was cracked, but because the truck threw a check engine light she was gonna go trade it in for a new Tahoe. i jokingly said i would give her everything in my saving account for truck today, which was about 5000 dollars. to my complete surprise she said yes and that is basically how i got the Yukon. I love it and have some really good memories with it, and i know ill make more.

 

[TheJewishHammer]

Did you get the jack stands at Harbor Freight by any chance? There is a safety recall on some Harbor freight jack stands that some members here also had and had to turn back in. Someone here will remember which ones and hopefully chime in. Also, what floor jack and what weight rating? Good idea to ALWAYS have at least one jack stand set under where you may be crawling and the weight set down on it and not just suspended above a jack stand on the floor jack. Get a good flashlight and may want to start out with a mechanics stethoscope because they are inexpensive and great for tracking noises down.

i got the jackstands from amazon, they seem pretty well made, and my floor jack is something that definitely will need an upgrade in the future, its a 2 ton weighted jack but its pretty tiny and seems cheaply made, i rushed to put that a jack stand while using it i dont trust it at all, but i revived the floor jack for free so it was nice.

 

[iamdub]

okay i guess ill share the story on how i got the thing. I bought the Yukon from my best friends mother. Shes owned the truck for as long as I've known her so at least 4 years, but if i recall correctly i think she bought it in 13' or 14'. I've always loved this truck and its picked me up from many wrestling practices and brought me to school early in the morning many times thought the years. so now ive graduated and working and have been saving up for a car and i had saved up around 5k to look for a good used car. about the same time i started seriously looking for a car, my Friends parents Yukon threw a check engine light. These are also the kind of people who would never work on there own cars and when something goes wrong, they can just trade it in for a new one. so, one day while over my friends house for whatever reason we started talking about the truck. she had told me that she didn't like the fact that the dash was cracked, and the glass in the gauge cluster was cracked, but because the truck threw a check engine light she was gonna go trade it in for a new Tahoe. i jokingly said i would give her everything in my saving account for truck today, which was about 5000 dollars. to my complete surprise she said yes and that is basically how i got the Yukon. I love it and have some really good memories with it, and i know ill make more.

Great score and bless her!

 

[iamdub]

i got the jackstands from amazon, they seem pretty well made, and my floor jack is something that definitely will need an upgrade in the future, its a 2 ton weighted jack but its pretty tiny and seems cheaply made, i rushed to put that a jack stand while using it i dont trust it at all, but i revived the floor jack for free so it was nice.

This is a 3-ton SUV. Yes, you're lifting less than half that, but it's still a lot on a 2-ton jack. For a good budget jack, it's tough to beat the 3-ton floor jacks from Harbor Freight.

 

[George B]

If you did in fact spend all your savings start saving again. You should have a fund for regular service and surprise repairs that you don’t touch for any other purchase.

 

[OR VietVet]

Very good get on that rig for $5000. You scored big time. Depends on the jack stands that you got, post pics and name and what the weight rating is. I agree about the 3 ton jack for the future and some decent buys at Harbor freight for them. The thing about a floor jack is that you never ever want to crawl under with just the floor jack holding the rig up. Use it to lift, set the stand and let the weight down. I would have 4 of those jack stands as well. Setting the weight down on just 2 leaves the rig at an angle and if stand is not set just right, with proper knowledge and experience like I have and many here do, that weight can shift and slide on jack stand. Get yourself a couple of large solid rubber wheel chocks to set at the tires that are not lifted when you lower the rig down on the 2 stands. That way the rig stands much less chance of shifting when lowering the rig to the 2 stands. Is always a good idea to use the chocks again when you have 4 stands and you take 2 out to lower the rig and the chocks keep the rig from moving as you set the rig back down at that one end.

 

[wjburken]

I agree with what has been shared/suggested already.

the truck threw a check engine light

Did you ever look into the check engine light issue? Is it still on?

 

[OR VietVet]

You can also get an inexpensive scanner for the code(s) and post those here or go to an auto parts store and they will pull the codes for you. When you do that make a complete list of those codes and post them here and we will dig in to track down the possibilities of what could be going on. Have them then clear the code(s) and drive to see if the light comes back and if it does, get them to pull codes again to see if the same code came back. I have seen a rig run fine and a momentary glitch caused a code, cleared the code and that code never came back. Do you have any driveability problems when that light is on? Is the light on solid all the time? Does it go out and then back on again later? You may have said all this but I am old enough that I want new info. LOL!

 

[TheJewishHammer]

alright here are some more pictures with some close ups of cosmetic stuff i need to fix

 

[TheJewishHammer]

continuation of my last post