Sup fellas!

[Tranz Zam]

How's it going guys?

 

I picked up an 03 SSS about 2 months ago. The poor thing was sitting in a driveway under a tree for over a year before I got to it. Surprisingly the paint and body held up great! The bumpers were scuffed and cracked from being bumped and backed into while it was in Boston for a few years. Ended up picking the truck up for next to nothing.

 

I got the bumpers fixed and painted, installed new lower vents in the front bumper, ran new stainless steel brake lines and installed a new master cylinder. I also had the cluster rebuilt, as the gauges decided to have a mind of their own. Also installed some clear corner headlights.

 

I currently have some long tube headers, a catless Y-pipe, and a Flowmaster exhaust waiting in the wings for the truck. I'm waiting to install them after I install my camshaft.

 

I thought I had more pics, but I only have these two so far. I'll grab some more, but you've all seen a black SSS before lol.

 

 

[someotherguy]

Looking good.

 

If your original lights are in good shape, hang onto 'em. The clears I bought didn't hold up one year before the signals started leaking and the coating peeled off the headlights.

 

Richard

[SuperStock]

Looks great man! Welcome to the site. Keep up the SSS revival.

[houston05tx]

Welcome to the site! Truck looks good!

[Tranz Zam]

Looking good.

 

If your original lights are in good shape, hang onto 'em. The clears I bought didn't hold up one year before the signals started leaking and the coating peeled off the headlights.

 

Richard

 

The originals are fogged up and look terrible, but I'll hang onto them just because they're original to the truck.

 

I'm trying to track down a clunk in the front end right now. The tie rods, ball joints, and hubs seem to be tight. There's an obvious clunk when turning slowly, and you can feel it. It happens when you turn the wheel slightly in either direction, and doesn't need to be a good turn for it to do it.

 

Any ideas where to start looking?

[LilEz02]

Congrats on the deal and welcome! There is info on this site to keep you reading for ages. Hide your wallet ASAP!!! Lol. Sounds like your pretty familiar with the LQ9 already tho, with the parts you have already collected. Gonna be a fun truck and you'll love it no doubt. You ever have a SS before or this your first one?

 

There was a pretty common issue (was a big recall also) on the steering shaft clunk. There is some great write ups with all info you'll need on here if you look around a bit. Should be at top of one section I think. I'd start there since it does it so common and no matter the condition.

 

Can move on after that to bigger things if need too. Hopefully you won't have to trace anything to a front diff issue. I have a 2wd and all the clones or other Chevy performance trucks I had were 2wd so I can't speak on the diff issues that we'll so if you get there (hopefully you don't) I'm sure another awd owner will chime in.

[Tranz Zam]

Congrats on the deal and welcome! There is info on this site to keep you reading for ages. Hide your wallet ASAP!!! Lol. Sounds like your pretty familiar with the LQ9 already tho, with the parts you have already collected. Gonna be a fun truck and you'll love it no doubt. You ever have a SS before or this your first one?

 

There was a pretty common issue (was a big recall also) on the steering shaft clunk. There is some great write ups with all info you'll need on here if you look around a bit. Should be at top of one section I think. I'd start there since it does it so common and no matter the condition.

 

Can move on after that to bigger things if need too. Hopefully you won't have to trace anything to a front diff issue. I have a 2wd and all the clones or other Chevy performance trucks I had were 2wd so I can't speak on the diff issues that we'll so if you get there (hopefully you don't) I'm sure another awd owner will chime in.

 

My first personal SS, but my Dad owned an identical truck a few years before I picked this one up. It's definitely not the first time playing with LS based stuff. I actually have completed 3 LS swaps on other cars, including my 71 Trans Am, my Dads 69 Camaro, and my old 73 K10 truck.

 

After I posted the other day, I looked up the mystery clunk. I immediately found info on the steering column, so that's where I'll look into first. I've owned two other GMT800 trucks, but they were both 99s, and as I understand it this clunk happens on 03+ trucks.

[EXGM]

 

The originals are fogged up and look terrible, but I'll hang onto them just because they're original to the truck.

 

I'm trying to track down a clunk in the front end right now. The tie rods, ball joints, and hubs seem to be tight. There's an obvious clunk when turning slowly, and you can feel it. It happens when you turn the wheel slightly in either direction, and doesn't need to be a good turn for it to do it.

 

Any ideas where to start looking?

Welcome..... your problem is the intermediate steering shaft. Super common problem on these gen trucks. Edited December 25, 2017 by BigRed06 (see edit history)