Project 99 Yukon

[My99Yukon]

Try these links from RICKAFIX on youtube. They are pretty informative and these are what I went by when I did mine. It shows it from the start to finish.

I am almost sure that I tried every permutation including the owners manual directive on changing to 4Lo but I tried this again on your recommendation to make sure I was not in error to no avail.

I will either try to crack the case myself per the youtube...thanks...or have someone take care of it, depending on the cost.

Also, I agree that with the earlier post on the injection. When I have access to a garage, i will change out the spider, cap and rotor and keep you posted. The Yukon runs pretty well right now, but I like the challenge and also knowing that I have common failure points solved before they become an issue. A bit OCD, but I like having confidence in my systems. I appreciate the nudge.

 

[My99Yukon]

Pics of my 3" Magnaflow Catback system and exhaust pipe

attached to my Gibson ceramic headers.

 

[My99Yukon]

Rear Bumper - Swingout - Wavian Authentic NATO Jerry Fuel Can

It seems like a small change but I am excited today to make a visual and actual change from the soccer mom mobile to a more capable off road vehicle. For all the purists out there, don't be a hater because this is a work in progress and I am happy with the improved departure angle, additional fuel and range for SHTF and having the spare tire accessible instead of stuck under the ass end.

I went from this...

and this...

to this...

and this...

Locking gas cap bars, solid DOM tubular steel rear bumper that protects the rear end and doors ( rock sliders welded to frame ) from an inadvertent bounce off a rock, extra fuel, incorporated 2" inch attached to the frame ( I have a hitch mounted D Ring for rescue pulls ) and it looks great.

I got probably an extra 7 or 8 inches on my departure angle and incorporated my backup lights into the tubes for protection. Love it!

 

[bunchz71]

No Soccer Mom Tahoe has bad ass backup lights like that lol. Do they work well ? I never thought about doing lights like that.

 

[My99Yukon]

I was a bit skeptical that only 36W would do what I needed since I have tinted windows but these work pretty well. Bigger is always better but these are great for the price ($35) point. Low amp draw, perfect for what I needed. You can leave these on to light your campground for a while and not worry about drawing down your batteries. I would do them again. If, when, I upgrade to a new head unit that includes a back up camera, this will be perfect to see my ass end n reverse.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IZ9VAOI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[My99Yukon]

Replaced Belt Tensioner Assembly

One of the last times I was under the hood, I noticed that my Belt Tensioner Assembly was wobbling outside my comfort level. Easy replacement. Just relax the tension with a 3/8 ratchet, pull the belt off the assembly, unbolt the old one, drop in the new one, tighten it all back up and back in business.

 

[My99Yukon]

Second / Dual Battery Project & Big Three / Four Upgrade Complete

Parts List:

• 150amp WirthCo Battery Doctor
• 1/0 AWG Premium Extra Flexible Welding Cable 600 VOLT – RED – 25 FEET
  (Black and Red)
• Blue Sea Systems Terminal Fuses
• Blue Sea Systems MRBF Terminal Fuse Blocks
• Blue Sea Systems ST Blade ATO/ATC Fuse Blocks
• Blue Sea Systems Common BusBars (100A-250A)
• Ancor Marine Grade Heavy-duty Lugs
  

After extensive research, I finalized how I wanted to do my second battery to run my accessories. A second battery is a challenge because it demands that

• have a process to recharge your second battery fully
• isolate your batteries when using aux power
• stay inside the limits of your alternator capacity
• prevent discharge from main battery
• monitor the health of your second battery

So my solution is multifaceted but the core is the battery isolator and charger. I chose the 150amp Wirthco Battery Doctor for its low amp draw, isolation and ease of use. I didnt like the solenoid concept so I went with this. The only downside is that if I upgrade to a larger alternator, I will have to find another solution that allows for higher amp input.

I have a deep cycle auxiliary battery. This fit nicely into my existing location. Now the wiring. Since I was going to run quite a bit of new wire, it was also time to do the big three/four upgrade with 1/0g welding cable. Lots of info on this but I felt one of the most important was a negative return from the alternator back casing to the negative terminal on the primary battery.

I upgraded the braided wires in the stock locations (frame-block and frame-body) as well as the other cabling. I can tell you the results were dramatic across the board. Shifting was smoother and the engine simply seemed happier. After nearly 18 years, I suppose it was time to make a few of these upgrades. I need to add a bit more wire loom on some of the short runs but I'll get to that.

I used Blue Sea Systems fuses on the second battery as well as the stock fuse holder for runs to the second battery and primary relay/fuse box. All positive runs have appropriate fuse sizes for what I would be powering off of them. Blue Sea is a bit more expensive but I like their quality and how they fit into my build.

I built a custom mount to hold a Blue Sea fuse block and the relays that will be running off the second battery. Ill post that build in another dedicated post.

I have two (2) KC HiLite Slimlite 130W Spots and Two (2) KC HiLite SlimLite 100W Driving Lights and I power them both directly from feeds coming off the alternator since I will largely only be using them when driving. Backup lights and other aux items are wired to the second battery with toggles.

I built a monitoring system and switch/toggle platform in the cabin that I will post later. The beauty of this is that I have room to expand, the auxiliary power items are on the second battery fused on a separate box and I can shut off the aux amp draw at the flick of a toggle switch.

 

[My99Yukon]

Auxiliary Fuse Block

To avoid having several nests of wires scattered around the engine bay, I wanted to consolidate my wires, relays, fuses and power cable coming off the second battery of the dual battery system.

Here is the basic starting point:

I used a 12x12 sheet of ABS supported by a rigid aluminum sheet that I tied some angle brackets into. I put a second sheet of ABS across the top of the bolt heads to make it look a bit cleaner and also get rid of the large metal heads that would otherwise be right by the relays. This bolts directly to an existing support off the OEM fuse block.

When it is bolted down and the Blue Sea fuse block installed, I ran the 4g positive and ground wires back to the second battery. I chose this block so I could have a common ground point for the relays and also a jump off point to run a 10g ground wire into the cabin where I installed a ground bus bar.

Jumping inside the cabin:

 

[My99Yukon]

Instrument Cluster LED Conversion

Partsam T10 194 LED Cluster

Since I was tearing into the dash to install my auxiliary toggle switch plate, it seemed like the perfect time to swap out the instrument cluster lights. It is strange that with a 50/50 shot at getting the polarity right, I got ZERO right on the first attempt. I thought maybe I had broken something in the process but I flipped them all around and they all worked.

I knew the LED's would not dim like the stock lamps but I figured I would try them and see if it was obtrusive. I chose red and I could not be happier.

They look great, it looks way more modern and they are easier on the eyes. And yes, with the Big Four and upgraded grounds all around, the primary battery is getting a great charge off my alternator.

I would definitely make this upgrade!

 

[My99Yukon]

Dash Console Auxiliary Switch Panel

Parts List:
BlueSea Systems 12v Monitor
BlueSea Systems Dual USB 4.8A 12V Charger
ACDelco 15-72547 GM Original Equipment Heating and Air Conditioning Control Panel with Rear Window Defogger Switch
Chevy Tahoe Radio Stereo CD Replacement Pocket

I wanted to clean up the ugly installation for the existing aux light switches and reclaim some of the space from the long broken and unused CD Player...

So I fabbed a custom platform out of some ABS and prewired a bunch of 20amp toggle switches. I realized later that I might need to use a 30amp switch at some point so rather than ordering new expensive switches, I just wired the 20amp toggles that I had with 10g wire so I can swap the toggles out when I need a higher load capacity.

The KC lights came with 30amp switches so I used these for the driving and spot lights. I ordered a third switch from KC so I could use that for my backup lights and they would all look uniform.

I kept the lower right toggle switch to turn on/off my Blue Sea 12v Battery Monitor so it would not draw any power when I am parked for extended periods.

I run 10g wires directly from the Blue Sea 12v monitor to my custom fuse block which is tied to the second battery by 4g to try to get the most accurate reading possible. I removed the three hole 12V panel and cut some ABS to size, drilled holes, wired it up and screwed the panel into the interior plastic lip. It fit perfectly and the interior lip had just enough width to allow for a solid hold.

The last part of this dash makeover and wiring project was to get rid of the old CD player and fix the fan control switch which oddly enough had just started to fail in the last few weeks.

I bought a switch to just replace this failing part for $20 but by plastic on the 18 year old panel just fell apart when I started to work on it so I ended up having to buy the $140 OEM AC Delco 15-72547 Heating and AC Control cluster. Not thrilled about that but at least I know that I will be reliable for a very long time.

I replaced the old CD with the Chevy Stereo CD Replacement holder. It fits perfectly and gives me a place to put my cell phone when driving.

It is hard to see the numbers on the 12v monitor but it is fun to see the WirthCo 20092 Battery Doctor 125 Amp/150 Amp Battery Isolator doing its job really well. I added a single 12v 4.2amp dual USB port which is on the same switch as the battery monitor so I can shut them off at the same time and reduce any parasitic draw when I am stationary.

I feel like I am back in the cockpit of a fighter jet.

 

[My99Yukon]

Four (4) KC HiLite Slimlite Install

I included the Amazon Links for more information if needed:

Two (2) KC HiLite Slimlite 130W Spots and
Two (2) KC HiLite Slimlite 100W Driving Lights
30Amp KC Rocker Switch

I had a single pair of the SlimLite 130W spots and when I was doing some of this engine and electrical work I discovered that some of the wires had nearly melted through. This was because the original wiring harness from KC HiLite had a tiny wire coming off the pigtail and the junction of the wires created resistance and heat and melting.

I contacted KC HiLite and they warrantied the lights and harness even though I had them on the Yukon for several years. I have no idea when it melted but I was thrilled that the manufacturer was so responsive with no questions asked. I pulled out the lights and wiring harness and switch, sent it back and had a brand new set of 130W spots with a re-engineered wiring harness and pigtails.

Since I was knee deep in wiring and I have never been able to see the sides of the road that well (even with the spots pointed slightly outward...deer and elk in AZ and CO scare the sh*t out of me when I'm rolling down the highway at 70 plus)...I decided to get some 100W driving lights, also SlimLite so they look identical, tuck nicely onto the bumper and were on sale so relatively inexpensive.

I had already fabbed some brackets and bolted directly to the bumper. I didn't want to drill any more holes so I bought some flat stock (L shaped), drilled some holes, painted and bolted back onto the bumper brackets. This actually made the brackets much stronger and more rigid so less vibration and eye fatigue. You can see the bar in the picture above.

I just installed and aimed and it is quite a wall of light. I will post a few pictures of the various combinations later. They are all on the toggle switch and the driving lights are only hot when the brights are on. That allows me to just have my OEM high beams and then toggle on the driving lights when I want.

The 130W spots are tied directly into the power coming off the alternator (fused, of course) so I can turn this on even when the main lights are off. Lots of lighting flexibility.

Center left is driving; center right is spot.; bottom left is backup; I will label them at some point but that is for another day.

 

[My99Yukon]

Fixed: Vibrating Mirror

One can only take a driver side rear view mirror for so long... I noticed that when I folded them in to the side, it appeared that the forward part of the mirror assembly was a bit loose.

I opened the door, popped off the plastic cover (single plastic rivet at the top with two tabs at the bottom. Brittle so be careful), pulled out the sound insulation and found the culprit.

The forward stud was missing the washer entirely. Replaced with a flanged M6x1.00 and problem solved. The new one is steel and on the right of the picture.

The tricky part of this repair was starting the nut and getting a final tighten, especially on the nut on the left. A 10mm ratchet was good for the forward nut but the rear nut did not have enough room for either a socket wrench or the ratchet so I had to work the nut with the 10mm wrench as tight as I could make it.

The hero in this vibrating mirror repair was the magnetic holder. If you dont have one, get one. It saved me from having to take the door apart to remove a rattling nut more than a few times when the nut didn't want to start. Be patient and you will have no problems.

 

[My99Yukon]

KC HiLite SlimLite Aftermarket Lights: 230W of additional total lighting

Here are some pictures of the offroad lights installed and compared to the low beams. The camera highlighted some of the hotspots a bit aggressively. The lights need a slight adjustment but they are close. I pointed the 100W driving lights slightly to the outside and the spots downrange.

 

[My99Yukon]

Jounce / Bump stop replacement

I did this earlier when I was working on my suspension overhaul, but I thought I'd post a before and after. I don't have a picture of the front jounces but there were in equally sad shape. I had to buy them from the dealer because I couldnt find any online that fit (or said the would fit). This was early in the build process so perhaps I might be a better shopper for parts now.

 

[Creese99]

Man your truck looks awesome! I have a similar restoration goin with my 99hoe. Ive wrenched and replaced things on it every other day for the past year. It was actually given to me, and I've turned into a very reliable ride. Runs very strong and sound now. I really enjoy working on it and like to see your project goin so great. Keep up the good work man. I've been getting ideas from you on what to do next all the time!

 

[My99Yukon]

Thanks for the props Creese99. Glad to hear you are wrenching everyday. Slow and steady to a reliable, fun ride. I look forward to hearing about your daily journey.

 

[jiggie]

Instrument Cluster LED Conversion

Since I was tearing into the dash to install my auxiliary toggle switch plate, it seemed like the perfect time to swap out the instrument cluster lights. It is strange that with a 50/50 shot at getting the polarity right, I got ZERO right on the first attempt. I thought maybe I had broken something in the process but I flipped them all around and they all worked.

I knew the LED's would not dim like the stock lamps but I figured I would try them and see if it was obtrusive. I chose red and I could not be happier. They look great, it looks way more modern and they are easier on the eyes. And yes, with the Big Four and upgraded grounds all around, the primary battery is getting a great charge off my alternator.

View attachment 85433

What leds did you use? I also did red in mine but they seem dim and yours seem much brighter. I got the ones from superbright led with the 120 angle and also did the clear needles. Any advice?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[My99Yukon]

What leds did you use? I also did red in mine but they seem dim and yours seem much brighter. I got the ones from superbright led with the 120 angle and also did the clear needles. Any advice?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hey Jiggie, so for the slow reply. I bought the Partsam LED's and they are great. Like all LED's, you cant dim them like usual lamps but they dim enough to not be a problem at night. Here is a link

http://amzn.to/2ucmTs6

 

[jiggie]

Hey Jiggie, so for the slow reply. I bought the Partsam LED's and they are great. Like all LED's, you cant dim them like usual lamps but they dim enough to not be a problem at night. Here is a link

http://amzn.to/2ucmTs6

Yea those are way different than the ones i have. Hell for 10 bucks i cant go wrong. Ima have to order a nee cluster soon so ill have a second chance to try this lol. Here is a pic of mine. They look brighter in the pic than they are. And the ones i got for my hvac are almost so dim you cant tell their on.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[My99Yukon]

yeah I am really happy with this little upgrade as was my date. She said "something is different" lol. And then she said...it looks so modern! Too funny. I guess it is the little things that make a big impact sometimes.