SSplaytoy

Still easy to break....you don't know good car thieves

Badass gun! I miss mine

I still can't believe I haven't done this yet after years of talking about it. Thanks for reminding me You can get them from tahoes, yukons, suburbans, and escalades. They have different styles though. I'd look for the same style that's in the SS, just with the lighted vanity mirrors. It's just a matter of running power up the a-pillar and across the inside front of the headliner.

A garage, security lights and cameras, with a few large ferocious dogs will help keep it safe at home. I would rewire and hide the kill switch elsewhere, get an alarm with a two way with all the sensors and backup power too. Mod the hood latch cable, maybe a lojack (not hidden behind the cluster hopefully), and a shotgun for protection to it everywhere else.

All 03's are awd, and my mileage sucks, but the truck isn't stock. Depending how you drive, you should get 14+. Black is the fastest, but it's not my truck

I hope you get her back in good condition and they catch the scum. Sorry to hear your bad news man. I constantly worry about mine after it was broken into once and my aunt caught people coming up on it in the middle of the night once. Best thing to do without a garage is wire up hidden kill switches for the fuel pump and starter or pull the fuel pump and starter relays when you leave it parked.

Congrats on finally finding a SS and welcome to the fam man The brakes on the truck are relatively cheap, but the rear seems to wear out faster than the front. Some do have trans problems and develop the front end growl or whine. So listen for a noise that will get louder with acceleration from the front. You would be able to feel the trans slip when driving and know if something isn't right. Listen for engine noises, check the color and smell of the fluids, and makes sure all the electronic features work. You should also look under the truck for any rust, leaks from anything, and visually inspect suspension components and bushings. Also, check body lines and gaps real good to see if any body work has been done. Off color paint or a different texture will tell you repairs were done. Hope these tips help.

Chances are, it prob got rebuilt with a 13 vane pump. I just know which one mine has after going through a few because of a bad converter and was told by my trans people. The walls in the 13 vane pump are supposedly thinner and more susceptible to breakage. If your pump is gonna fail, you won't really know where and when if it does. If the fluid is higher than it's supposed to be (and you didn't overfill it) when the truck is running in P, the pump isn't working properly. If it's driving just as it was, I wouldn't worry about it for now. If it starts slipping or you lose all gears, then worry about replacing the pump. Hopefully Mike or someone with more knowledge will chime in to tell us why they are prone to failure after fluid loss.

If you plan on keeping the truck for years to come and want to customize and enjoy it as you wish, then no matter how many miles are on it, it is worth it IMO. Say you do put money into it by building up a motor, doing the trans, and doing the cosmetic work, it would be like having a new truck anyway.

Another 2/1.5 and it'll look perfect man.

Some 35"s on the replicas and a 6" lift would look tits too. But lifting 2wds is somewhat taboo in the truck world lol It'll be easier to make a decision once the wheels are on. Waiting for pics later

Sounds good. When do you expect to get them?

Can't leave anything stock can you? Those cars are badass! Congrats on the new ride man!

You'll be happy with the 2/4 for a little while and want to go lower. It happens to most all of us. And since you're 2wd, it'll be easier and more likely for you to slam it. I personally think it would look sweet with a 4/6 or even 5/7. How are the roads where you live and normally drive? I could be wrong, and you really only want a 2/4 and never anything else. In that case, for budget sake, pull a leaf and cut part of the first coil off for about a 2/3.5 drop. Otherwise, maybe look into a flip kit or hangers and leafs for the rear, and springs, spindles, and/or control arms for the front. Tony (NorcalSS), can hook you up with parts and beat any price you may find cheaper.

I switched to a 10 vane and used hardened rings. Why do they fail commonly because of a loss of some fluid?

I want one! I would teach him how to fetch.........people

Should be good. Just put back in what you lost in fluid after you fix the line.

Fix the line and put in the fluid you need and see what happens. You had no fluid going to the pump so you couldn't go anywhere. I doubt anything is permanently fried since you immediately pulled over and just tried to put it in gear. Edit: how hot did the trans get and for how long?

You can do that too. I don't see it as the "proper" way, but even Foose has done it. Just know how much you're cutting and the drop it will give you. I have seen people go and buy springs after cutting their own or even heating them up to shrink them down. Some have ridden good and others like shit. Also, if you cut your springs, you'd have to buy a set of stockers to go back to stock if need be and that's money wasted IMO. What is your ultimate goal to have the truck dropped at? I would just start getting parts that will get you the drop you really want.

Cranking the keys won't lower you a full 2". You would either have to replace them or swap out your stock spindles for drop spindles. LCA's will give you a 3" drop.

So if that's what the valve is for, there really isn't a need for the hole

No problem with a quad or two on occasion. And if you don't like it, you can always put the leafs back in and it all doesn't cost anything except for the beer it takes you to complete the job.

You're missing something Good info to know, especially since my truck likes getting stuck in 3rd. Hopefully this thread will give me better insight into the 4l60. I would think that the hole would cause a decrease in pressure and I'm not sure what that would cause.

It should drop about 1 1/2". Since the rear is so light and you don't tow, the ride will almost be unaffected. You'll notice a slightly softer ride. I've pulled tons of leafs to drop friends' trucks as a "free" drop. Everything from duallys to dimes, and no one ever had any problems. It's easier than doing the hangers too.