4down Yuk Build (07 Yukon)

[drastevenson]

For reference, here is the last good looking picture I have of the Yuk.

To properly give an idea of where I am with this, I’ll have to go back to the beginning of the “Yuk” build.

Swapped my parents my 13 Corolla and for their 2007 Yukon SLT RWD. They kept it very clean and it had maybe 150k miles on it. (It was pretty much a gift at the time lol)

My wife and I love the outdoors and usually plan vacations around hiking and camping. So naturally, I started looking at how I could make my Yukon a “super efficient camping vehicle” - this was before I discovered overland builds/rigs.

Here is us hauling our 87 Wrangler out to Big Bend national park



I even went as far as to build a deck that could be used as a table or slide out and folded over the 2nd row seats (when folded down) to make a platform for a bed.

After that trip, I wanted more out of the Yuk. I wanted to build it out to be the ultimate camping rig but modular so I could still daily it and pop the 3rd row seats in. So I started Researching - Enter Overland build
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I had always wanted the lift, bigger tires, bull bar and all that stuff, but always thought it was too expensive. Until I met a (now) good friend of mine who convinced me that I could do some of that stuff myself. So I dove right in.

I bought Supreme Suspensions - 2.5" Front + 2" Rear Lift spacers and tried my hand at that. I definitely got more than I bargained for with that. YouTube videos were great until that one ball joint didn’t separate after tapping on it.. and then beating on it.. and then prying it.. Eventually, I got it and I was really happy with the height.. at first



So I did what anyone would do at this point. Jumped up to 33” tires. (I also got Rough Country 3” UCAs)
Looked great until you saw (or heard) me take a right turn. Or a left. I did some minor cutting and added a small wheel spacer to help the fit.


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I wanted to make the front end look different since I wasn’t necessarily loving the stock grille or headlights. So I started searching for different modified Yukon front ends.

Peter Clark’s (Baseline Overland) build was/is a large inspiration because there aren’t many off road style builds out there for the Yukons. (So I thought until I found the TYF). I wanted something sleek but also aggressive (similar to a Raptor with the LED DRLS and grille lights).



Unfortunately, while I was waiting for the new headlights to come in - we were moving. I was backing into the awkwardly slanted driveway of our new rent house and had to give it a little gas to get the front driver side wheel over the curb and boom. Ruptured several radiator/heater hoses.

Unfortunately, I don’t know how to post videos in here but just imagine “ground - puddle - *camera pans out* - trail of liquid going out into the street and back into the driveway”

Nearly $1,000 later… my upgrade/fun funds were low and with higher rent, my budget build was on hold.
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I was content enough with where I was with the build at that time. I focused on learning maintenance protocols and long term care for the exterior and interior.



And I may have went through a phase where I dropped the muffler and just dumped open exhaust under the cab lol.
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So I’m sure by now you’ve thought at least once “how can you have an overland/offroad rig when you have a RWD?” Yeah, at this point I am living in denial. Just pin that thought and stay with me now.

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This is where things start to really change for me. By now, I have had my fair share of back and forth with local shops in questioning the price of parts, cost of labor, quality of service and overall knowledge in general.

I started hearing the lifter tick become more and more prominent so I was trying to get ahead of it. I had shops quote me close to $3k to fix (which was to do just a standard oem replacement of the DOD lifters.. on one side) and then even one shop gave me a second quote for $8k to drop in a refurbished engine.

There is one performance shop that has done great work on everything I have seen come through there, including my buddy’s CTSV. He walked me through the GM design and fail points of the DOD lifters and then walked me through in great detail how he would fix it and all of the other components associated with that system that should be addressed. Special shout out to Roy of Wragth Motorsports in DFW.

All in all, his quote came out to $7.5k. Parts and labor were reasonable and I knew he was giving me a fair deal. While that’s less than the refurbished engine with me gaining a hell of a lot more… again, budget build. Hard to drop that kind of money at this point.

 

[drastevenson]

Before I could really research and figure out options…. Driving home after an alignment and tire rotation, I felt heavy pulling and rough rolling on the front driver side.

Either the cheap ass spacers I had were causing strain on the lug bolts or Firestone didn’t tighten them to spec after.. Betting both because this would not be the last Hub to go down like this.

(for those of you thinking “go back to Firestone” well there was a class action lawsuit back in the day related to this and pretty much the result is that in the service agreement you sign, it agrees that all liability from the shop does not pertain to putting the wheel back on/securing it).

RockAuto and YouTube to the rescue.
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As a Christmas gift and early birthday gift, I get a couple hundred dollars to go toward an Apple Car Play system. In my excitement, I start looking at how to do it myself (to save money of course) but my friend encourages me to check out CarToys and try them because electrical/wiring can be challenging.

I’ll be dammed if it wasn’t one of the worst experiences I’ve ever had. First they installed the wrong system and the wrong controller so none of my steering wheel buttons worked. I took it back and the swapped it out… and then $1,100 later..


They cracked my perfectly mint dash. The clips that hold my AC/Thermostat controls on the right side was completely broken off so it no longer sits flush… Dash peice around the radio was cracked and then a massive crack going from above the left passenger vent all the way up until the windshield vents where the grates were cracked and rattling.

Another company who, when you sign the agreement for the services to be performed, you waive their liability for anything but what they are installing. They said “nothing we can do about that”

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Moving on for the sake of my own sanity.

There’s an oil leak from somewhere that I can’t diagnose. The shop I took it too said “oh that’s what those GM’s do man” so no help there. A friend of mine said it was probably “rear main seal leak” - At this point, I’m willing to try to do anything myself because I’m over paying someone else for sub par work.

First real big repair I had ever done. Aside from the two times I was under there bench pressing the transmission up, it went pretty smoothly. Everything went back together like it should and I had no leftover bolts and screws lol.

From here, I started to become more confident in just trying to do something myself before taking it to a shop. If I’m going to pay someone, I want to atleast try and then be able to understand what it is they are telling me.
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Coming off of that win, I decided to fix the lifter issue myself and order a Texas Speed DOD delete kit with a stage 2 BTR cam and upgraded valve springs.

In hindsight, I should have forgone the springs and when with an upgraded oil pump but.. you live and you learn.

 

[drastevenson]

While I was waiting for those.. I managed to secure a Baseline Overland roof rack (shoutout Peter Clark #2) and some GGLighting GP20 pods as ditch lights.

I put the roof rack to use immediately and went on a couple trips.

May not have a roof top tent or a bunch gear, but I threw a lot on there and man does it hold up well. Plenty of tabs and tie down locations.

I also had discovered some of the downsides to using spacer lifts. The geometry is so thrown off and a lift causes strain on oem suspension/steering parts but a spacer lift (by itself) multiplies that. I had also been told that one of my UCAs was shot. So, I went ahead and scooped dobinsons rear coils and airlift bags from Baseline (plug #3… but who’s counting)

Again, I’m sure you’re still thinking “dude RWD, chill out” yeah hang onto that because I’m gonna have you feeling that way for a minute. I’m still in denial here, making plans for full overland, 4x4, rock crawling suspension, etc. just straight Delusional.

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On the way back from the last of the trips post roof rack and rear spring upgrade, I finally had lifters fail. Trouble codes were up for two cylinders so I had to get the Yuk the rest of the way home and get started on the repair.

During teardown, I inspected everything to look for wear or damage but, surprisingly, I only had one (yes really) bent push rod.


How nothing else was damaged, I don’t know man.. just counting my blessings and moving on.

Overall, the job was rough.. took me a whole weekend and 5 days after work. Was over 100 degrees those days too but, since the jeep had no AC and couldn’t go faster than 55mph downhill… I had to do it.

That wasn’t the rough part though. I finally get it all back together and I had a good old fashioned humbling. Came here and posted for help for the first time because I was convinced I was gonna be in for more repairs. When I tried to crank it up, there was this horrid rattling sound.

Clattering noise on startup

Turns out, I had put the camshaft in wrong. So… another week of teardown and putting it back together.

Thankfully, there are some good folks here in the forums that gave good advice and there was NO damage done.

Again.. counting blessings and moving on.

After two weeks of just hating myself, everything was good. Yuk started up except I had forgot about the really important part. Tuning out the DOD.

Went to BlackBear and got sorted out. Within a few days I got my files sent in and back, uploaded the tune and boom. All good and purring.
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[drastevenson]

Now the engine is good. Back to fun mods. Well, it would’ve been nice to say that but I had to reel it in because I splurged on roof rack, springs, bags, and then the necessary DOD (of course the MUST have stage 2 cam because I might as well right?) and tune.

Budget build. Not a “damn, I need to find a way to claim this thing on my taxes” build.

I had been experiencing some serious rubbing on the front side of the wheel well at full turn. Couldn’t justify and too impatient to save the money for a new bumper so.. I cut mine.



The cut came out pretty nice. Almost a “prerunner” look.

The new look along with my buddy (who has a 1st gen RWD Colorado) really started to get me thinking about a prerunner build since this Yuk was not 4WD. Still in denial.. I started researching a hybrid set ups. “Prelanders”

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Here is where I started looking at “RWD to 4WD” conversions. There’s a lot out there. My personal opinion, if I had the money and skills, I would’ve done TahOverlanding’s solid axle swap. Just seems like it opens a new realm of possibilities. Right, wrong, whatever - it didn’t happen.

From here I went through different random repairs, failed starter, alternator, battery, oil leaks, ANOTHER HUB WITH BROKEN LUGS. All fixed.

Cut my fun stuff savings down but the irresponsible me was itching so.. drawing inspiration from this dude was a sick obs Silverado on Instagram (@logan__william) - I got a rough country light bar and Baseline Overland rack light bar brackets.



Loving where I was at this time.

We also scooped my wife a 4th gen 4Runner that was actually 4WD. So naturally I had to get my hands dirty with that. I turned my project savings to that one for some time.

 

[drastevenson]

My wife and I found out we were having a kid shortly after this so we took one last camping trip to Big Bend National Park (we took the 4Runner.. I know..)

I took a break from messing with the Yuk for about 6 months, until my son was born and then another few months after that.

Toward the end of the “break” from looking a future mods or next steps with the build, I start to have this realization of “I drive a RWD. How the hell can I build a ‘Overland rig’ or ‘prelander’ without 4WD”- I fall into the rabbit hole of Copart and TahOverlanding again.

Then the “How much longer does this Yuk really have?”

I’m fully bought in on this generation Yukon. I feel like I know more about it than I’ll ever know about any other vehicle I’ll have. I’ll go as far to say that I’d rebuild the engine, rebuild the transmission, or redo the harness/wiring, before I’ll let it go and own something else.

I even started looking through Facebook marketplace for my same generation Yukon but a newer year or one that I could pull parts from.

I couldn’t find anything that made sense so I turned my focus back to the Yuk.

The engine had been kinda noisy lately and I thought I’d try to diagnose it. I did an open valve clearance adjustment with the valve covers off while running the motor. It worked pretty well and allowed me to tighten a few valves up that weren’t “loose” but they weren’t snug or quite torqued to spec.

I added an oil catch can as well. Going back and looking at all the things I should have done, this and an oil pump should’ve been done with the DOD delete.

After I made the adjustments, I was on my way to work and felt something strange so I rolled the windows down and heard some small/light clattering from the engine bay. Coasted into the parking lot at work and saved it for 5pm.

I was afraid I didn’t plug the fuel injectors in correctly so I referred to the diagram, made changes and had a coworker start it up while I looked in the engine bay.

Before turning over, I could hear something like suction and then a “pop” as the engine turned over. Then heavy clattering coming from what sounded like the right side of the engine.


Mind went to the worst (with my limited knowledge) and I thought timing chain or something fell into the open head and got sucked into a valve and… and…

Got it towed home and started looking for another Yukons again.

Found a solid deal on one that was 4WD and the motor was completely rebuilt from the block up and included the DOD delete and tune.

So I started the buy process.

BUT WAIT - while going back and forth with seller… I took another look at the Yuk. Popped the valve cover off and had my mechanic’s stethoscope out and sure enough, I found the issue.

One of the rocker arm bolts had just popped out. So it was clattering around as the push rod moved. After inspection, nothing was stripped so I ratcheted it back down. Torqued it to spec (plus a quarter turn). And all was well.

Except, I was already committed to this other Yukon.


I found out that the mechanic who did the work on this actually did it while he owned it.

• 799 Heads
• New crank
• New Injectors
• New Cap
• DOD delete with BTR Stage 2 cam
• Tuned

And it’s a 4WD.. which the seller just serviced the whole system last year. Did all the researched and verified what I was told.


So I went and picked it up. Hello, Yuk 2.0.

 

[drastevenson]

And so that’s where I am today. Starting over with the Yuk 2.0. (For those of you who, through most of this, were screaming “WAKE UP - ITS A RWD” - You are welcome).

I can say though.. If I could go back and do it over again. I would ALMOST do it all the same. I’ve learned a lot and have a much deeper appreciation for this. And by this I mean the vehicles, the work, the builds, the community. All of it.
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If you’re still reading, thank you. It’s members like you that help mfers like me, stumbling around without a clue, and get me to where I am today. And if you aren’t part of TYF and just stumbled into this from Google or a link, I hope you have a place or people like this to go to.

Cant post this in the “Under construction” without laying out what’s up next.

The plan is to pull the goodies from the old and put it on the new. I might sell the old but we will see.

In Progress Pics:




Upgrades Wish List:

• Upgraded cooling (Alloy works Radiator, trans cooler)
• Mid Travel kit (very excited about this one but I won’t share too many details yet)
• Bump Stops (Carbon Shocks)
• Rear Shocks (also Carbon Shocks)
• Body lift? (Is that wise with everything else I have? No clue - open to comments on this one)
• HD Denali Front End Swap (maybe?)
• Prerunner style front bumper (maybe I’ll try my hand at welding)

My build is still “Prelander” inspired. Something between Peter Clark’s (Baseline Overland) and this sick in-progress Tahoe prerunner build from another guy on Instagram (who I am sure is in these forums somewhere) @tahoeprerunner.

I’ll update my progress once I’ve got all the existing stuff swapped over.