2004 6.0 NV4500 Tahoe

Dantheman1540 · May 31, 2026

Got new inner tierod in, pain in the butt of course. I was happy to see the boot still looked new I give Kryptonite major props their boots are fantastic. I don’t feel anything wrong with the old one with it in my hand other than being looser than the new one that’s so tight I can hardly move it. But when I have it jacked up and push on the wheel there’s no more movement so it must have cured it.

Went for a quit rip around a new neighborhood being built that essentially is just a nice figure 8 track. This thing is so fun to just maintain speed through corners and get all 4 tires moaning as they struggle to hold it on the road. The g80 is still garbage and is 96.69% unlocked but that’s okay I’ll get to that eventually.

Dantheman1540 · Jun 1, 2026

I’m blown away how much better my Tahoe feels with the endlinks replaced, tierod replaced, and I almost forgot about probably the biggest thing which was tightening the coilover top mounts back down. I was doing 100 heading home after helping a buddy work on his POS Yukon, and the truck felt planted, stable, and controlled as can be.

Replaced every AC component under the hood and something’s still leaking vacuum . But also did an Efan swap with an Amazon China harness that actually looks pretty darn good. I everything fit great, and worked just like it should after I tuned it. He works for my powder coating buddy who’s moving from automotive to industrial stuff. Kinda neat to see 100 fans being powdered for Epic Universe.

OR VietVet · Jun 1, 2026

Dantheman1540 said:
I’m blown away how much better my Tahoe feels with the endlinks replaced, tierod replaced, and I almost forgot about probably the biggest thing which was tightening the coilover top mounts back down. I was doing 100 heading home after helping a buddy work on his POS Yukon, and the truck felt planted, stable, and controlled as can be.

Replaced every AC component under the hood and something’s still leaking vacuum . But also did an Efan swap with an Amazon China harness that actually looks pretty darn good. I everything fit great, and worked just like it should after I tuned it. He works for my powder coating buddy who’s moving from automotive to industrial stuff. Kinda neat to see 100 fans being powdered for Epic Universe.

When you add up looseness in numerous components, it creates sloppy feel. One component may not be much but 3-4 at the same time, adds up.

Dantheman1540 · Jun 1, 2026

OR VietVet said:
When you add up looseness in numerous components, it creates sloppy feel. One component may not be much but 3-4 at the same time, adds up.

You ain’t lying

Dantheman1540 · Jun 2, 2026

Handicapped buddy of mine recently got this 06 E350 that was 4x4 converted and I’ve had it dang near two months doing stuff to it. Well new wheels and tires came today (used to be on 26s) so I took it for a test drive and tested the 4x4 too. Things pretty cool but it’s got the darn 5.4 so it’s beyond gutless, it barely dug this hole.

OR VietVet · Jun 2, 2026

Dantheman1540 said:
Handicapped buddy of mine recently got this 06 E350 that was 4x4 converted and I’ve had it dang near two months doing stuff to it. Well new wheels and tires came today (used to be on 26s) so I took it for a test drive and tested the 4x4 too. Things pretty cool but it’s got the darn 5.4 so it’s beyond gutless, it barely dug this hole.

If you do engine work for him, get ready for the tensioners to fail and the chain guides to come apart. My neighbor's 2006 F150 5.4 hydraulic tensioners let go and because of the oil flow routing, the p/s cam started to send metal flakes thru the system. The first sign of the tensioner problems is a cold start rattle that goes away as warms up.

If you tear in to it, gonna be a complete chain and tensioners and guides kit, both VVT solenoids, cam sensor and even deeper if an oil pump and pickup screen.

Neighbor chose a new Jasper engine and it runs great.

Another friend's 2010 F150 5.4, same problems and did the complete kit I just laid out. I cannot imagine doing it all on a 4x4 van.

Tonyrodz · Jun 2, 2026

OR VietVet said:
If you do engine work for him, get ready for the tensioners to fail and the chain guides to come apart. My neighbor's 2006 F150 5.4 hydraulic tensioners let go and because of the oil flow routing, the p/s cam started to send metal flakes thru the system. The first sign of the tensioner problems is a cold start rattle that goes away as warms up.

If you tear in to it, gonna be a complete chain and tensioners and guides kit, both VVT solenoids, cam sensor and even deeper if an oil pump and pickup screen.

Neighbor chose a new jasper engine and it runs great.

Another friend's 2010 F150 5.4, same problems and did the complete kit I just laid out. I cannot imagine doing it all on a 4x4 van.

LS swap it.

Dantheman1540 · Jun 2, 2026

OR VietVet said:
If you do engine work for him, get ready for the tensioners to fail and the chain guides to come apart. My neighbor's 2006 F150 5.4 hydraulic tensioners let go and because of the oil flow routing, the p/s cam started to send metal flakes thru the system. The first sign of the tensioner problems is a cold start rattle that goes away as warms up.

If you tear in to it, gonna be a complete chain and tensioners and guides kit, both VVT solenoids, cam sensor and even deeper if an oil pump and pickup screen.

Neighbor chose a new jasper engine and it runs great.

Another friend's 2010 F150 5.4, same problems and did the complete kit I just laid out. I cannot imagine doing it all on a 4x4 van.

You know I’m not a 5.4 fan at all, but his current van another 06 5.4 has over 250k and just pathetic level of maintenance to the motor yet it still runs and he tows stuff all the dang time. Makes no sense to me. This one only has 73k on it and it’s in great shape so I have begged him to please let me maintain it instead of his ratchet homeless helpers.

Tonyrodz said:
LS swap it.

Wouldnt be hard, I was really hoping it was the V10 I’ve always wanted to play around with one of those. I know they are similar to the 5.4 but atleast it has more power and sounds cool.

Dantheman1540 · Jun 3, 2026

Ok KYB steering stabilizer wasn’t too bad, although the bracket that mounts to the frame was still there from my first one and that’s the tedious part drilling through the frame and stuff. It’s in, I’ll see how it feels tomorrow, pretty excited it’s been moving dailying the Tahoe again.

Did the first of possibly many steering upgrades for buddies van. He’s a quadriplegic so he needs zero effort steering and the van currently takes 7# of force to steer. (I measured with a 1980s fish scale). Today I installed a custom ported red head gear box which should be exactly what he has in his other van. The instal was sooo easy in the van I was shocked it was one hour start to finish other than bleeding because I ran out of fluid.

Anyway happy with everything on the redhead box so far, I have yet to be disappointed by them and the excellent customer service they gave my buddy on the phone makes me want to give them a hug. He can be frustrating to deal with because he’s soooo OCD and they called him every step of the way and answered many many questions from him. So thanks Redhead!

Tonyrodz · Jun 3, 2026

Dantheman1540 said:
Ok KYB steering stabilizer wasn’t too bad, although the bracket that mounts to the frame was still there from my first one and that’s the tedious part drilling through the frame and stuff. It’s in, I’ll see how it feels tomorrow, pretty excited it’s been moving dailying the Tahoe again.

Did the first of possibly many steering upgrades for buddies van. He’s a quadriplegic so he needs zero effort steering and the van currently takes 7# of force to steer. (I measured with a 1980s fish scale). Today I installed a custom ported red head gear box which should be exactly what he has in his other van. The instal was sooo easy in the van I was shocked it was one hour start to finish other than bleeding because I ran out of fluid.

Anyway happy with everything on the redhead box so far, I have yet to be disappointed by them and the excellent customer service they gave my buddy on the phone makes me want to give them a hug. He can be frustrating to deal with because he’s soooo OCD and they called him every step of the way and answered many many questions from him. So thanks Redhead!

Could you post a pic of your stabilizer installed. I've never installed one before and it would help if I could see it installed. Thanks @Dantheman1540 .

Dantheman1540 · Jun 3, 2026

Tonyrodz said:
Could you post a pic of your stabilizer installed. I've never installed one before and it would help if I could see it installed. Thanks @Dantheman1540 .

Man your trying to make me take the hard to take picture that I clearly didn’t do today because I was lazy? .

Yeah man I’ll take some good ones tomorrow. The instructions with the kit really aren’t bad but a good quality pic def worth having.

Fless · Jun 3, 2026

Dantheman1540 said:
Man your trying to make me take the hard to take picture that I clearly didn’t do today because I was lazy? .

Yeah man I’ll take some good ones tomorrow. The instructions with the kit really aren’t bad but a good quality pic def worth having.

@Tonyrodz might be having trouble reading words...and you know that a picture is worth 1k of those.

Dantheman1540 · Jun 3, 2026

You know I think I removed the old one not because of a leak in the cylinder but because the bushings wore out. When I was installing it that memory kinda came back to me. The bushings look fine but they take a beating, I wonder if anyone makes a poly replacement.

Tonyrodz · Jun 4, 2026

Fless said:
@Tonyrodz might be having trouble reading words...and you know that a picture is worth 1k of those.

I'm definitely a visual guy, always been. You can explain things to me, but a pic really lacks it in for me.

Dantheman1540 said:
You know I think I removed the old one not because of a leak in the cylinder but because the bushings wore out. When I was installing it that memory kinda came back to me. The bushings look fine but they take a beating, I wonder if anyone makes a poly replacement.

I'm sure you could match a poly bushing made for something else that looks similar.

Dantheman1540 · Jun 4, 2026

Tonyrodz said:
I'm definitely a visual guy, always been. You can explain things to me, but a pic really lacks it in for me.

I'm sure you could match a poly bushing made for something else that looks similar.

I bet the poly endlink bushings I just installed would work. But I’ll wait till they need replacing maybe my first batch was a fluke.

Dantheman1540 · Jun 4, 2026

Alright @Tonyrodz I hope these help make sense, I can take more next time I jack it up too. It’s a tight squeeze with it on the ground. The picture with my finger is pointing at the bracket you have to install in the passenger side and on the other side it’s just a bracket that U bolts onto the center link and both ends of the damper are stud top so you sandwhich it with bushings.

Dantheman1540 · Jun 4, 2026

Figured I’d do a quick yearly update on it with the mileage and what I think it needs.

297344 miles as of today. Currently running Rotella T4 15/40 and hot file OP is in the teens still according to the sensor but no engine noise so I’m not overly concerned. Just concerned enough to do a Blackstone sample at next oil change which might be around Christmas unless I start driving more.

-Another thing to note is when headlights are on the left the signal light on the dash stay immuminated. Not sure why possibly faulty turn signal led bulb.
-G80 still not very cash mullah baby.
-Brakes have near zero wear somehow.
-Tires have a ton of life left and I really dig the continentals from the 2022 gmc takeoff wheels.
-New sway bar endlinks are a tad shorter and might be contacting sway bar.
-Needs alignment
-Still really like it although I wish I had 10k to dump into the supercharger and some paint and body work.

Tonyrodz · Jun 4, 2026

Dantheman1540 said:
Alright @Tonyrodz I hope these help make sense, I can take more next time I jack it up too. It’s a tight squeeze with it on the ground. The picture with my finger is pointing at the bracket you have to install in the passenger side and on the other side it’s just a bracket that U bolts onto the center link and both ends of the damper are stud top so you sandwhich it with bushings.

Thanks for the pics @Dantheman1540 . Now i just need to get to it, unfortunately my Mustang took a dump so I need to figure that out 1st.

Dantheman1540 · Jun 4, 2026

Tonyrodz said:
Thanks for the pics @Dantheman1540 . Now i just need to get to it, unfortunately my Mustang took a dump so I need to figure that out 1st.

Ewww ford! Jk mustangs are a pretty good platform. The 90s-early 2k ones are dirt cheap too!

Tonyrodz · Jun 5, 2026

Dantheman1540 said:
Ewww ford! Jk mustangs are a pretty good platform. The 90s-early 2k ones are dirt cheap too!

Only the 80's-90's hatches and convertibles are cheap, I have a couple. Everyone who gets one tries to make a race car out of it.

2004 6.0 NV4500 Tahoe

Full Access Member

Attachments

Full Access Member

Attachments

GMT800 2005 Tahoe Z71

Full Access Member

Full Access Member

Attachments

GMT800 2005 Tahoe Z71

Resident Resident

Full Access Member

Full Access Member

Attachments

Resident Resident

Full Access Member

Full Access Member

Resident Resident

Full Access Member

Full Access Member

Attachments

Full Access Member

Attachments

Resident Resident

Full Access Member

Resident Resident

Similar threads

Forum statistics