Rocket Man's 02 Denali Build Thread AKA "THE BEAST"

[Tonyrodz]

Got this email from Elite Engineering just now:

Hey Mark,



The Red Catch Can looks great. I dropped it off at the laser etching shop today during lunch. We should have it back in a few days.



Steve

Red, and engraved with “THE BEAST”- I sure hope it looks good!

No teaser pics??

 

[Rocket Man]

No teaser pics??

Nope. It was his lunch break, man...

 

[adventurenali92]

I buy the same clearcoat from the store in the high desert that carries the valspar paint that matches my factory paint code. I like this particular clear! I think I like t more than the gloss clearcoat from automotive touchup.

 

[iamdub]

Is that Spray Max clear the stuff that has to be used in 48 hours after you activate it?

I've been trying to find more of the U-POL #1 clear I've had such great results with. According to many reviews, they changed their formula along with the can colors and what's in the current black and orange can isn't anything like the old orange and silver can.

 

[Rocket Man]

Is that Spray Max clear the stuff that has to be used in 48 hours after you activate it?

I've been trying to find more of the U-POL #1 clear I've had such great results with. According to many reviews, they changed their formula along with the can colors and what's in the current black and orange can isn't anything like the old orange and silver can.

Oh I hope not. I didn’t read the directions yet. I have the U-Pol #1 also, that’s what I used the first time I painted it. It’s the orange can and it worked awesome. Not even sure why I tried buying something new. Never satisfied I guess.

 

[adventurenali92]

Is that Spray Max clear the stuff that has to be used in 48 hours after you activate it?

I've been trying to find more of the U-POL #1 clear I've had such great results with. According to many reviews, they changed their formula along with the can colors and what's in the current black and orange can isn't anything like the old orange and silver can.

Not that I know of. I bought mine and used it like 4 days later to do my grill and it worked perfectly fine.

 

[HiHoeSilver]

Any 2K clear will have a limited life once you break the inner cartridge. As soon as you smash that red thing into the bottom, you've released the hardener into the paint. I have always heard 48 hours-ish as well, but I'm sure that's not carved in stone. That spraymax is highly regarded, from what I've read.

 

[iamdub]

Oh I hope not. I didn’t read the directions yet. I have the U-Pol #1 also, that’s what I used the first time I painted it. It’s the orange can and it worked awesome. Not even sure why I tried buying something new. Never satisfied I guess.

Did you buy that orange can U-Pol recently and where from? The can I used was bought in 2014. It didn't jive with whatever crappy paint I tried it with so I put it on a shelf and forgot about it until last November. It worked great with good paint. Now I'm needing more but I can't find the "old" stuff. Plenty of ebay listings showing the older can but all the sellers I questioned said they actually have the newer black and orange can.

That 2K stuff with the ~48 hour shelf life is as legit as what they spray in a booth at a shop. My experience with the 1K stuff has been good enough/great and I need the 4+ YEAR shelf life. lol

 

[SteveB]

The 2k stuff is good , but not as good as what I spray in booth. It does have it's place though. I used a 2k single stage spray bomb on my front bumper the results are livable , getting the metallic to lay out for my liking was a bit of pain.

 

[Rocket Man]

Any 2K clear will have a limited life once you break the inner cartridge. As soon as you smash that red thing into the bottom, you've released the hardener into the paint. I have always heard 48 hours-ish as well, but I'm sure that's not carved in stone. That spraymax is highly regarded, from what I've read.

I just read the directions- 24 hours is it after it’s activated. I’m not going to use it on the emblem, but Ill have it in case I do something more worthy of a whole can.

Did you buy that orange can U-Pol recently and where from? The can I used was bought in 2014. It didn't jive with whatever crappy paint I tried it with so I put it on a shelf and forgot about it until last November. It worked great with good paint. Now I'm needing more but I can't find the "old" stuff. Plenty of ebay listings showing the older can but all the sellers I questioned said they actually have the newer black and orange can.

That 2K stuff with the ~48 hour shelf life is as legit as what they spray in a booth at a shop. My experience with the 1K stuff has been good enough/great and I need the 4+ YEAR shelf life. lol

I bought the orange and silver can on Amazon for around $16.50. They still have it, I looked. That’s what I’ll use on the emblem again.

 

[iamdub]

I bought the orange and silver can on Amazon for around $16.50. They still have it, I looked. That’s what I’ll use on the emblem again.

Awesome! Headed to Amazon...

 

[Rocket Man]

I started on replacing the screw clamps on my CAI with T-bolt clamps. I'm doing this to both trucks but I need a few of a different size so I ordered some more. Just one left to go on The Beast but a few more than that on The Machine. Between the two, there's a pile of clamps that I'm replacing.

 

[Doubeleive]

I started on replacing the screw clamps on my CAI with bar clamps. I'm doing this to both trucks but I need a few of a different size so I ordered some more. Just one left to go on The Beast but a few more than that on The Machine. BView attachment 229611 View attachment 229612 View attachment 229613 View attachment 229614 etween the two, there's a pile of clamps that I'm replacing.

where did you order those from?

 

[Rocket Man]

where did you order those from?

Amazon. They come in a lot of sizes and be sure to check the clamp range. These are for my smaller ones but you can choose any size.
3.25" T-Bolt Hose Clamp - Working Range 89mm - 97mm for 3.25" Hose ID, Stainless Steel Bolt, Stainless Steel Band Floating Bridge and Nylon Insert Locknut (89mm - 97mm, 2 pack) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M8TNT7D/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_xbBADbTH2J6GR

 

[89Suburban]

Amazon. They come in a lot of sizes and be sure to check the clamp range. These are for my smaller ones but you can choose any size.
3.25" T-Bolt Hose Clamp - Working Range 89mm - 97mm for 3.25" Hose ID, Stainless Steel Bolt, Stainless Steel Band Floating Bridge and Nylon Insert Locknut (89mm - 97mm, 2 pack) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M8TNT7D/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_xbBADbTH2J6GR

They use the same style ones on big rigs but they have a spring on the adjustment bolt.

 

[Rocket Man]

They use the same style ones on big rigs but they have a spring on the adjustment bolt.



View attachment 229645

Yeah I’ve seen those too, constant tension t bolt clamps. They’re twice as expensive. They would have cost me $130 just to do both CAI’s.

 

[Rocket Man]

The clamps are being a PIA as far as sizes go. I needed 10 clamps between both trucks. I originally bought 4 pair of 4” hoping I could buy 2 more of a different size but I could only use 6 of those but measured and thought I could use the 3.25” for the rest so I ordered 2 pair but it turns out I could only use 2 of them and had to order a pair of 3.5”. Whew.

 

[Rocket Man]

I did get the front emblem stripped and repainted and also painted the hole plugs in the front bumper.

 

[PG01]

The clamps are being a PIA as far as sizes go. I needed 10 clamps between both trucks. I originally bought 4 pair of 4” hoping I could buy 2 more of a different size but I could only use 6 of those but measured and thought I could use the 3.25” for the rest so I ordered 2 pair but it turns out I could only use 2 of them and had to order a pair of 3.5”. Whew.

Say that 10x fast

 

[Sam Harris]

I did get the front emblem stripped and repainted and also painted the hole plugs in the front bumper.

View attachment 229668 View attachment 229669 View attachment 229670 View attachment 229671

Looking ****!