SmalltownSS

I made a huge mistake and sold my 367K SSS and am attempting to build an SS replica out of a 6.2L 2015 LTZ 4x4 I am hoping someone may have been down this road. I have 3 questions I still have yet to fill in for this build 1. has anyone seen in person or purchased the street scene SS style bumper cover for the 2014-2015 trucks? 2. has anyone heard if it is possible to put the transfer case out of an SSS TBSS, Denali etc in the newer trucks (2015) That is the end game wondering if someone has blazed the trail ahead of me. 3. has anyone ever put linear valved shocks in their street truck? (kings, fox 2.5, etc) and something that was to be expected.....I am also looking for a heavily built AWD SSS with less than 150K on it boosted or NA....... Thanks for the help guys!

I had my mechanic install my built transmission for me, and they lost one of the front u joint needle bearing and decided to just omit the driveshaft for the test drive. They brought it up o highway speed and made sure it shifted trough all the gears. Would this be enough to smoke the viscous coupling in the transfer case? I have done a load of reading about pulling the shaft for burn outs and 2x4 dynos.... And they all say it's catastrophic. Has anyone been through this? What symptoms should a guy look for?

What about reliability? Do they generally last a long time or do they explode like the G80 that comes stock in these trucks? Has anyone used one in the snow and ice? Will they turn both tires even if it is really slippery?

I put a 160 stat in my truck this summer and was worried that my heater would not blow hot enough.... I wasn't able to find a solid answer online so I decided to leave it in to see if it would work. We have had 3-4 weeks of -30 to -38C (-22 to -36F) and the heater worked fine, just kept it cranked up, was comfortable in a t-shirt cruising Down the highway! Hopefully this information will be useful to somebody in the northern states or Canada thinking about doing a stat.

The G80 finically have up and It didn't take long to get sick of having only 1 rear tire spinning.... Up here we get 5+ months of winter and do alot of drifting, anyone have any experience with a tru-Trac playing in the snow/reliability? Any other ideas or thoughts?

I was just wondering if anyone knew what temperature the 4l65 should be run at to avoid damage or premature wear. Just got back from a road trip, pulling the new 18ft enclosed trailer 5000lbs average temp was 185-190 199 on long hills. This is from the factory temp sender, I have an edge insight cts hooked up to my obd-2 port that shows transmission temp.

My SS is still at the transmission shop, they still aren't sure what is causing the input shafts to break, there has been some progress though. A sonnax super hold billet 2nd gear servo was used instead of the common "vette servo" From what I have been told by another builder is that the super hold servo is alot more aggressive than the vette servo and that could be what is breaking the shafts while shifting into 3rd gear. Lots of guys run the super hold, but generally with high stall converters, and or high horsepower with billet input and output shafts/ drums. The shop has used super hold 2nd gear servos in builds for 2 wheel drive trucks before and have not had any problems but they say "it just chirps the tires when shifting" has anyone else run a super hold 2nd gear servo w/stock input shaft and stock converter with all wheel drive?

Custom tune by zippy, but tuned to be a reliable daily driver, no change to shift pressures or force motor amperage, only changed shift points to match sonnax shift improver Kit. I don't thin it is the tune, the tranission shop was blaming the tune originally but has not mentioned it since they took the truck for a test drive.

They took it apart and it broke the input drum where it connects to the collar and input shaft, which is a very thick piece of metal. Probably because it had a reinforced collar this time, something else had to break! They had the test gauges on it driving down the road and all of a sudden the line pressure went to 200psi and stayed there, it also flipped a "ratio code"? They cleared the code and it has been on 3 test drives since with no high pressure or codes. Anyone heard of this, or have any thoughts?

It looks like the spline where the input shaft slides in is broke on the drum side. Here is a picture

Is it a common failure with N/A stock motors? How come it never broke in 121,000 miles with the stock transmission? I agree the shops transmission horsepower ratings are probably bogus! I think its strange that a truck that makes 300-315 rwhp (if its lucky) would be able to break an input shaft unless there was an internal problem in the tranny.

I have been having a hell of a time with my rebuilt trans. The stock transmission was slipping at 121,000 miles so i sent it to a local performance shop in Manitoba to be rebuilt before it got worse. They did a performance rebuild with what appeared to be all the right parts (alto red band, kolene clutch plates etc) and said it would be good to 550 RWHP which would be more than good enough for my worn out stock silverado motor with headers, custom tune and a cat back. I put 165 miles on the truck and heard a bang when it downshifted from 4th to 3rd during a pass on the highway...... no power to any of the gears. Got the transmission sent in again to be fixed on warranty, it was the input shaft that broke apparently (i have the shaft and drum they sent it to me, it busted the collar where the splined shaft is inserted . I was just driving it around again yesterday and it made it to 70 miles when yet again, passing a mini van at 45 mph it downshifted to 3rd from 4th and went "bang" no power in any gear and making the same "zinging" noise as the first time, so im going to guess its another broken input shaft!! Has anyone else had trouble with this with a N/A stock motor and a 4l60? what is causing this problem? It must be something wrong and I cant afford to have this truck off the road for this much time!! Any advice would be good. Thanks

I just put the newly tuned PCM back in the truck, I have installed factory E-fans and a built transmission as well. I fired the truck up and it seems to run good, but all the interior lights and headlights are flickering seems to go with the RPM of the motor (and this is with the fans off and no other electrical really running). I have done a bit of reading about this, apparently it could be caused by the alternator or the voltage regulator. That being said is there anything anyone can think of that I could have screwed up in the fan install or with the pcm that would cause this instead? It seems kind of odd that this could just be a coincidence that the alternator decided to fail at this exact time. Stock headlights stock stereo

There used to be a how to on here or at least some information about how to install the stock fans out of a 05+ silverado using the stockharness robbed from the donor truck, i cant seem to find it does anyone have it or know where to find it, i am currently getting ready to install the fans and have entire stock wiring harness from the donor and need to take it apart and keep the right wires to pin it into the main plug on my SS thanks

Seems that everyone on here goes with the tru cool max 40k, is that necessary for these transmissions or would one of the smaller ones work (30k or 24k). Also with the large surface area wouldn't the tru cool block the airflow to the condenser and radiator has anyone mounted one behind the air scoop in the front bumper? Also when installed have you guys kept the fluid running through the transmission cooler portion of the radiator or used it as a stand alone cooler. (no transmission failure with debris to worry about int rad cooler) I was thinking if it doesn't increase the line pressure too much it would be great to have it in the radiator to bring the temps closer to operating in the winter. Thanks!

Sounds like there prices are pretty close to bang on if it was 2500 installed in florida! (stuff seems to be a little more expensive up here) Ill call the guys at ptcinc and see what they can do for me. Thanks for the warning on the install, I have talked it over with the transmission builder, I have a registered mechanic buddy helping me so it will all be done properly and will not void my warranty. Should be ready to get this done in the next couple weeks, then its a long slippery slope from there...... built tranny...... hmmm why not a Radix!

Most of the members are from the US on SSS.com so i converted to Fahrenheit, temperature ranges from 20F to -40F (-5c to -40) in the winter here (yah I know that sucks) Block heater is absolutely necessary! I'm thinking if Downeast Johnny had to crank he heat to stay warm in the low 40's then its probably gonna be cold

I am currently getting ready to install E-fans on my SS and will be sending out my PCM for a tune in the next couple weeks. I have done alot of reading on here about the 160 stat, seems like a win win idea (with a tune to advance timing)...... in places with mild winters. Where I live a good part of the winter will be below -15F. It seems that lots of people here are saying that it doesn't create a noticeable affect on the heater, and there are others that say it does?! Also Mr. P talked about an arctic heater core or something along those lines to keep the heater efficient, that being said are the gains from the advanced timing and a cooler running engine worth the hassle of installing that? Thanks

That is just the price for them to rebuild my transmission I will be bringing it to them out of the truck and re-installing it myself. They charge $800 for removal and re-installation.... I have access to a lift so i figured that i would save myself the $$$..... that will also give me time to install the e-fans and 160 stat at the same time and send out the PCM.....the list seems to be adding up haha

I am going to get my 4l60e (2003 SSS)? rebuilt, it is starting to slip a little during shifts and i figure this will be a good time to get it built. I only have basic mods done at this time, LT's high flow exhaust, volant tune etc eventually "FI"... could be a while, but in the meantime I will need to tow a 6500lb trailer with the truck and would like it to have nice crisp shifts and reliability. Unfortunately I am in the middle of nowhere in northwestern Ontario Canada and shipping in and out of the US would cost an arm and a leg with duty, if anyone knows of any reputable builders in Thunder bay Ontario or Manitoba that would be great. I talked to a company called "Trans Tech" in winnipeg Manitoba they would install the following for $1850. -Billet sonnax servos for 2nd and 4th -Sonnax shift kit -Sonnax smartshell sunshell -Clutches alto redline w/ kolene -Wide alto kevlar band -Sonnax updates - reaming and upgrade to pistons? -Epc and shift solenoids -Dual cage sprag -Anti shuttder spring- -New transgo separator plate -Aluminum accumulator pistons -Replacement sonnax separator plate -All new bearings and bushings -new factory pump Is there anything missing from that list or anything that will cause problem in the future? Thanks!

I've been doing ALOT of reading on here and elsewhere on headers, I had it in my head that bigger primaries and collector the better, (more flow, less restriction) but after reading a bunch on the actually science behind headers, the larger primaries can actually be detrimental if the motor isn't moving enough exhaust gas, and will not make good power at low to mid RPM. It has to do with the way the exhaust scavenging works, (and that is where ill leave that as i am not an expert) I was wondering if there are any exhaust/ motor building experts that would be able to shed some light on that topic. I am trying to make the decision between the Doug Thorley tri-Y headers (310y-1-c) w/ 1 5/8" primaries and 2.5" collectors and the ceramic pacesetters (long tube 1 3/4" primaries and 3" collector. The truck is a 2003 SS has Volant intake, stock exhaust piping w/ dual 3" si/so flowmonsters with a 3" X pipe and will have high flow cats welded on after the pacesetters retaining o2 sensors and will have a custom tune done. If there is anyone that knows if these trucks have the volume, NA to make power with the 1 3/4 /2.5 or if a I should bite the bullet and buy the thorleys. ( haha and yes i know a set of bellangers, or dynatechs would probably be best..... but i unfortunately dont make that much money) haha thanks

i will be towing once and a while, so you did notice a difference in the ride when you had the air let out of the bags and not hauling anything?

i will be towing once and a while, so you did notice a difference in the ride when you had the air let out of the bags and not hauling anything?

My SSS is a daily driver, and that being said it is used to haul stuff all the time. I don't want to damage my truck and i noticed with an atv in the box it bottoms out often. I was looking into helper air bags for it. Has anyone installed them on their truck if so what brand and model, i was looking into the firestone sport rite kit http://www.suspensionconnection.com/cgi-bin/suscon/2320C.html or the air lift ride control bags http://www.suspensionconnection.com/cgi-bin/suscon/59501-silverado-air.html . My truck is stock height but im not sure if the 3rd option would be the best, the slam air, helper bags that are designed for a silverado 1500 with a 2-4" drop. http://www.suspensionconnection.com/cgi-bin/suscon/59103-silverado-slam-air.html If anyone has any info on helper bags let me know. Thanks

Has anyone ran the kit from Hellwig it looks pretty good too, same diameter solid..... http://www.suspensionconnection.com/cgi-bin/suscon/7634K4.html just curious trying to decide between hellwig and DJM