2002 Tahoe Z71

[Tonyrodz]

Where was that located? Perhaps before my time or recollection lol. My parents had a summer home 5 minutes away from stokes in the mid through late 90's but I was 10.

It's been a few years since I've been there, but you drive up the road right off 206(I think it's maybe 517 or 502?), right next to the Pa bridge. When I was there one out of the 2 was already closed. We had like 10 work details that left during the day from there. There's a big ball field there too. You really can't see it from the road--for obvious reasons. Last time I worked there was around 2004-2005.

 

[zraffz]

I recieved 6 cans of Eastwood internal frame paint, MasterCoat primer and paint, the new polyurethane body mounts and 3" body lift blocks today; I'll be buying M12x1.75 180mm bolts and designing my own brackets. I have removed 8 body mount bolts so far, all very easily which shocked me. The remaining 4 are going to be loosened and removed one side at a time.

Bumpers are off. I need a new rear bumper but I am in the process of cleaning out the frame rails. I tried snaking a hose into the rails and flushed a lot of crap out but it failed to remove a lot. I am going to create a cable/chain/drill powered rust scaler that I saw on YouTube, followed by my backpack blower and then compressed air.

 

[zraffz]

I've used bridge primer and paint on the body mount brackets and metal cups. Half the body lift is bolted in, the other half has to come out for primer/paint.

35's are looking small now...

10.5" total lift (plus 2.5" in tires) next to me at 6'4

 

[Tonyrodz]

I've used bridge primer and paint on the body mount brackets and metal cups. Half the body lift is bolted in, the other half has to come out for primer/paint.
View attachment 220576
View attachment 220577


35's are looking small now...
View attachment 220578

10.5" total lift (plus 2.5" in tires) next to me at 6'4
View attachment 220579

Someone play tic tac toe on your door? I'd be PISSED!!

 

[Chrismnj]

I have used Eastwood internal frame paint on my frame in and out about 3-4 years ago stuff is simply amazing, my truck get exposed to salt sand a lot.

 

[zraffz]

I have used Eastwood internal frame paint on my frame in and out about 3-4 years ago stuff is simply amazing, my truck get exposed to salt sand a lot.

Awesome news. I am going to spend a lot of time internally prepping what I can with chains, air and a pressure washer beforehand. I don't ever want to touch the frame again.

 

[zraffz]

Someone play tic tac toe on your door? I'd be PISSED!!

Yup... I'll fix it while the truck is off the road. I have a few spots I need to cut out and patch first. Truck needs a new fender and that door.

I'll finish the body lift this week and start tackling the motor over the weekend. I want to needle scale, wire wheel, prime and paint the front portion of the frame while the motor is out.

 

[Chrismnj]

Awesome news. I am going to spend a lot of time internally prepping what I can with chains, air and a pressure washer beforehand. I don't ever want to touch the frame again.

what ever you can get out it will definitely benefit, they say you can spray on rust, but better of prepping

 

[zraffz]

what ever you can get out it will definitely benefit, they say you can spray on rust, but better of prepping

I watched a video on YouTube. The guy takes a long stretch of cable and inserts it into a piece of 1/2" conduit. He hooks a drill to one end and the other end has a washer and chains. When the cable spins, it scales the frame with the chains. Very clever. It will also help break up any rust chunks that might be in the frame.

 

[zraffz]

I took the day off work to work on the truck for a few hours and hang out with the wife and son.
I have looked at diagrams showing the side skirts but wanted to know exactly how they were attached; since I need to do rockers anyway, I figured I'd take one side off to give me more room to clean up the frame. Those brackets didn't want to come off; all the bolts were rounded off and rotten. I had to cut out the inner rockers around them to get them off. I think I will be spot welding them onto the new panels when the time comes because I don't have a template of where to tack weld the nuts to the inside of the inner rockers.

Inner and outer rockers won't be bad too bad to do. I fear getting the pillars to line back up without sagging but I'll figure it out. I think I can clean up these side skirt brackets/plate and reuse them. Now that I see how the steps attach, I'm comfortable keeping the steps mounted factory style (I was going to build brackets and bolt them to the frame rails).

I cleaned up a few body mount cups and frame mounts but didn't get anything primed because of the humidity today. I also decided I want to cut out the lower inner rear wheel wells and build new ones. I see a major GM design flaw with them that I don't like; that seam is bad but the inside is foam filled along the seam and retains moisture. It will also allow me to prime and paint these inner panel areas too.

 

[Tonyrodz]

I took the day off work to work on the truck for a few hours and hang out with the wife and son.
I have looked at diagrams showing the side skirts but wanted to know exactly how they were attached; since I need to do rockers anyway, I figured I'd take one side off to give me more room to clean up the frame. Those brackets didn't want to come off; all the bolts were rounded off and rotten. I had to cut out the inner rockers around them to get them off. I think I will be spot welding them onto the new panels when the time comes because I don't have a template of where to tack weld the nuts to the inside of the inner rockers.
View attachment 220622

Inner and outer rockers won't be bad too bad to do. I fear getting the pillars to line back up without sagging but I'll figure it out. I think I can clean up these side skirt brackets/plate and reuse them. Now that I see how the steps attach, I'm comfortable keeping the steps mounted factory style (I was going to build brackets and bolt them to the frame rails).
View attachment 220623

I cleaned up a few body mount cups and frame mounts but didn't get anything primed because of the humidity today. I also decided I want to cut out the lower inner rear wheel wells and build new ones. I see a major GM design flaw with them that I don't like; that seam is bad but the inside is foam filled along the seam and retains moisture. It will also allow me to prime and paint these inner panel areas too.

That's why the rear dog legs always rust and rot, that damn foam.

 

[zraffz]

That's why the rear dog legs always rust and rot, that damn foam.

I can't buy that portion of the inner wheel well that butts up against the dog leg, can I? I know I can make it myself if I absolutely have to.

 

[Tonyrodz]

I can't buy that portion of the inner wheel well that butts up against the dog leg, can I? I know I can make it myself if I absolutely have to.

Not really sure. Mine was bubbling, body shop fixed it, came back less then a month later.

Came back worse. Should've left it alone.

 

[zraffz]

Not really sure. Mine was bubbling, body shop fixed it, came back less then a month later.View attachment 220653
Came back worse. Should've left it alone.

They used body filler over bare (sanded) rusted metal. Their are ways to make that work for a few years but it's a no-no.

I'm not much of a body guy. I've done a few cab corners, outer rockers, patches and lower quarters but the mechanic at my job worked on classic cars for 10+ years prior to working with us - so I am learning even more.

 

[Tonyrodz]

They used body filler over bare (sanded) rusted metal. Their are ways to make that work for a few years but it's a no-no.

I'm not much of a body guy. I've done a few cab corners, outer rockers, patches and lower quarters but the mechanic at my job worked on classic cars for 10+ years prior to working with us - so I am learning even more.

Actually they cut a piece of metal out, maybe 1 1/2× 2", welded it, filled around it. Got it to bare metal. I actually saw it just after he welded the piece of metal in. I don't know what he didn't do for it to come back so quick. I'm not a body guy.

 

[zraffz]

I've been trying to time priming and painting the remaining 3 body mount cups and frame sections in between rain; it hasn't happened yet so I removed the motor. I originally tried taking it out the top but chickened out lifting it that high on my hoist so I ended up removing the radiator support... not bad, I can wire wheel and paint the brackets holding the core support on now.

I'm just going to freshen this old 5.3 up and store it for now. I have a 6.0 I'll be dropping in shortly...

 

[Tonyrodz]

I've been trying to time priming and painting the remaining 3 body mount cups and frame sections in between rain; it hasn't happened yet so I removed the motor. I originally tried taking it out the top but chickened out lifting it that high on my hoist so I ended up removing the radiator support... not bad, I can wire wheel and paint the brackets holding the core support on now.
View attachment 221212

I'm just going to freshen this old 5.3 up and store it for now. I have a 6.0 I'll be dropping in shortly...
View attachment 221213

Awesome idea pulling it through the front.

 

[ncalvo]

Good looking tahoe, I joined the forum because of this thread.
My 03 z71 driver side rocker is in rough shape, when I was leveling it and replacing the shocks I noticed one spot I could touch with my fingers to expose a fist size hole on the inside.
My truck lived half its life in CT, now I am in FL and don't like the idea of driving it on the beach after all it's already been through =(
I plan to clean it up underneath and take care of it as best as I can thanks for posting your work.

 

[SUBURBIAN]

Sub'd.