OR VietVet Is Still Throwing $$$ at 2005 Z71

[OR VietVet]

Came back from tacos today and coming down my street and my landlord pointed at the d/s front and said my daytime running light was out. Sure enough, it was. Opened it up and the bulb/socket were both charred and slightly melted on one contact. Had to settle for a Dorman part and I replaced old with new and a new bulb and now, all good.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Came back from tacos today and coming down my street and my landlord pointed at the d/s front and said my daytime running light was out. Sure enough, it was. Opened it up and the bulb/socket were both charred and slightly melted on one contact. Had to settle for a Dorman part and I replaced old with new and a new bulb and now, all good.

View attachment 454027View attachment 454028View attachment 454029

Super common.

 

[OR VietVet]

If you look close enough, you can see the socket got hot enough, that it is no longer round.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

One more reason to convert to LEDs. With the exception of the LED headlights, there are no heat issues with any other LED replacement lights on the truck.

 

[OR VietVet]

One more reason to convert to LEDs. With the exception of the LED headlights, there are no heat issues with any other LED replacement lights on the truck.

In the almost 5 years I have owned this Tahoe, this is only the 2nd bulb to have gone out and had to be replaced. All I ever hear is random problems with LED's. I will stick with my stock bulbs and deal with the consequences.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

In the almost 5 years I have owned this Tahoe, this is only the 2nd bulb to have gone out and had to be replaced. All I ever hear is random problems with LED's. I will stick with my stock bulbs and deal with the consequences.

You are absolutely free to do so. Might want to pick a spare bulb holder or two. I got tired of replacing cooked bulb holders.

 

[Sam Harris]

Definitely agree with using LED's for these (and all but the interior lighting TBH). but to each his own.

 

[OR VietVet]

So....I did get the driver's seat cover/cushion from The Seat Shop, in Texas. My friend is ready for it to start on it tomorrow. Just as he predicted, there is a small crack in the metal seat pan at the driver's side rear. He said he has seen the cracks and/or at least bending, 100's of times. He just drills a hole at each end of the crack and welds it and reshapes if needed. The drilled holes keep the crack from extending. He also will be adding a little foam on the driver's side of seat. See the before pics:

I gotta say that I was gonna pull the whole seat and my friend walked me thru how to remove the two 13mm nuts on the front threaded studs, in pic #3. Then it was just a few connectors to unplug and a harness that runs at the front, that had to pry the attaching clips loose and then just lift it out. My girl, Linda-better known as The Hammer, held the seat up as I unhooked things, so they did not ride on my arms. Got scraped up anyway but would have been worse without her.
I am gonna order a Carhartt light blue shop coat for her with a name tag that says "HAMMER". How many women named HAMMER do you know that are 5'6" and 126 pounds?
She was a flight attendant for American Airlines for 40+ years and could never be over 124 lbs.

 

[Tonyrodz]

So....I did get the driver's seat cover/cushion from The Seat Shop, in Texas. My friend is ready for it to start on it tomorrow. Just as he predicted, there is a small crack in the metal seat pan at the driver's side rear. He said he has seen the cracks and/or at least bending, 100's of times. He just drills a hole at each end of the crack and welds it and reshapes if needed. The drilled holes keep the crack from extending. He also will be adding a little foam on the driver's side of seat. See the before pics:

View attachment 471023View attachment 471025View attachment 471026View attachment 471027View attachment 471028

I gotta say that I was gonna pull the whole seat and my friend walked me thru how to remove the two 13mm nuts on the front threaded studs, in pic #3. Then it was just a few connectors to unplug and a harness that runs at the front, that had to pry the attaching clips loose and then just lift it out. My girl, Linda-better known as The Hammer, held the seat up as I unhooked things, so they did not ride on my arms. Got scraped up anyway but would have been worse without her.
I am gonna order a Carhartt light blue shop coat for her with a name tag that says "HAMMER". How many women named HAMMER do you know that are 5'6" and 126 pounds?
She was a flight attendant for American Airlines for 40+ years and could never be over 124 lbs.

I think that cover has been replaced before. In the 2nd pic that outer bolster looks like it's vinyl. If it was original the entire seating surface should be leather.

EDIT: If original, where your butt goes, along with your thighs will be all leather. The lower sides will be vinyl.

 

[strutaeng]

I took my 99 Silverado to an upholstery guy once for a quote, and he pointed out that only the tops surfaces are leather from the factory, the rest is vinyl (as well, my extended cab rear seat was also all vinyl.)

So it could be that it's all original?

IDK

 

[Joseph Garcia]

So....I did get the driver's seat cover/cushion from The Seat Shop, in Texas. My friend is ready for it to start on it tomorrow. Just as he predicted, there is a small crack in the metal seat pan at the driver's side rear. He said he has seen the cracks and/or at least bending, 100's of times. He just drills a hole at each end of the crack and welds it and reshapes if needed. The drilled holes keep the crack from extending. He also will be adding a little foam on the driver's side of seat. See the before pics:

View attachment 471023View attachment 471025View attachment 471026View attachment 471027View attachment 471028

I gotta say that I was gonna pull the whole seat and my friend walked me thru how to remove the two 13mm nuts on the front threaded studs, in pic #3. Then it was just a few connectors to unplug and a harness that runs at the front, that had to pry the attaching clips loose and then just lift it out. My girl, Linda-better known as The Hammer, held the seat up as I unhooked things, so they did not ride on my arms. Got scraped up anyway but would have been worse without her.
I am gonna order a Carhartt light blue shop coat for her with a name tag that says "HAMMER". How many women named HAMMER do you know that are 5'6" and 126 pounds?
She was a flight attendant for American Airlines for 40+ years and could never be over 124 lbs.

I'm really interested to see how that replacement goes for you. I've got a driver's seat cover and a foam piece from the Seat Shop in my garage for 8+ months, but I've not yet been motivated to install it.

 

[OR VietVet]

I think that cover has been replaced before. In the 2nd pic that outer bolster looks like it's vinyl. If it was original the entire seating surface should be leather.

I took my 99 Silverado to an upholstery guy once for a quote, and he pointed out that only the tops surfaces are leather from the factory, the rest is vinyl (as well, my extended cab rear seat was also all vinyl.)

So it could be that it's all original?

IDK

I will ask my upholstery guy friend. He will know for sure. I think he told me what @strutaeng said, when I asked about that on a 2002 Tahoe LT, I had several years back.

 

[OR VietVet]

I'm really interested to see how that replacement goes for you. I've got a driver's seat cover and a foam piece from the Seat Shop in my garage for 8+ months, but I've not yet been motivated to install it.

He had originally told me that most of the GMT800's come apart, just like he told me. Remove the two 13mm nuts on the studs at front of rails and lift up and disconnect any connectors that allow for complete removal. He also said to remove the side panel for seat control switches connectors access and unplug. How it works on a GMT900, I am unsure. I will ask my guy what the steps are for yours.

 

[OR VietVet]

I know, in the 3rd pic, that about 3"-4" down from the threaded stud, it looks like there is a second crack just below the stud riser. I saw that in the pic and went to look and is just a sratch/scrape in the metal. No crack there. The only crack is the one in the 4th pic.

 

[OR VietVet]

When you look at the 5th pic, you will see two round holes at the front of the rails and that is where the 2 threaded studs drop in at when reinstall seat cushion. At the back of the rails you will see two "keyhole shaped" holes. There is supposed to be 2 clips that drop in the frame rail holes and then slide along the runner slots of the frame rails. The stud clip would then stick up and when install the seat cushion there is 2 round holes that just drop down on the stud clips and would just be a "locator" spot for the rear of the seat cushion. One of the clips was completely gone and the other was broken but still sitting in the rail. I called local Chevy dealer and he sent me a very detailed pic of that seat rail area and it shows no clips. My upholstery guy said that they are always broke or gone and that the threaded studs at the front hold the seat in place and the back of the seat cushion tucks tightly under the bottom of the seat back. I have a clip assortment here at home and will attempt to install but if a big enough PITA, I will leave them out.

 

[OR VietVet]

I think that cover has been replaced before. In the 2nd pic that outer bolster looks like it's vinyl. If it was original the entire seating surface should be leather.

EDIT: If original, where your butt goes, along with your thighs will be all leather. The lower sides will be vinyl.

I asked my upholstery friend and he said they are leather top and vinyl sides.

 

[OR VietVet]

I'm really interested to see how that replacement goes for you. I've got a driver's seat cover and a foam piece from the Seat Shop in my garage for 8+ months, but I've not yet been motivated to install it.

I asked my upholstery friend and he said he is not 100% for sure but does believe that yours likely comes apart approx the same way. It's a "look and see" thing.

 

[OR VietVet]

In pic #3, there is a bottom right corner of the seat cushion that has a section of foam under covering some of the metal seat frame. He knew it was there and peeled that foam back and showed me another larger crack. He knows his stuff.

 

[Tonyrodz]

In pic #3, there is a bottom right corner of the seat cushion that has a section of foam under covering some of the metal seat frame. He knew it was there and peeled that foam back and showed me another larger crack. He knows his stuff.

View attachment 471073

I guess those cracks contribute to the sagging. I'm curious if those cracks just happen over time just from fatigue, or if the person is a "bigger individual " causes it.

 

[OR VietVet]

I guess those cracks contribute to the sagging. I'm curious if those cracks just happen over time just from fatigue, or if the person is a "bigger individual " causes it.

He said, both. Big guy like me and even a 125 lb. person can do it over a long enough period of time.