Bought a 2014 Silverado Z71

[wawajake]

I bought a 2014 GMC Sierra 4 x4 double cab 5.3 litre engine , 3.42 rear end , in late August................no problems with lights , no problems with recalls and it had it's first snow and ice drive this weekend on 14 hr round trip to deep in great white north, large hills and windy snow packed roads...........was excellent on the icy roads and gas mileage was as advertised ( better than my son in laws Ford eco boost). Seating was very comfortable. Oh and I drive with the hitch in (for example in case I need to tow my son in laws Ford) I use a lamaloy receiver bolt tightened with torque wrench and no rattles on the chrome reese hitch. (and no idiots in parking lots or roads damaging my rear)

 

[Panik]

no problems with lights , no problems with recalls and it had it's first snow and ice drive this weekend on 14 hr round trip to deep in great white north, large hills and windy snow packed roads...........was excellent on the icy roads and gas mileage was as advertised ( better than my son in laws Ford eco boost).

Jake out of curiosity do have the Wrangler SR-A's on your truck? This is my first time running wrangler tires and I haven't had much of a chance to drive in heavy rain or ice with my truck.

 

[jejeosborne]

I bought a 2014 GMC Sierra 4 x4 double cab 5.3 litre engine , 3.42 rear end , in late August................no problems with lights , no problems with recalls and it had it's first snow and ice drive this weekend on 14 hr round trip to deep in great white north, large hills and windy snow packed roads...........was excellent on the icy roads and gas mileage was as advertised ( better than my son in laws Ford eco boost). Seating was very comfortable. Oh and I drive with the hitch in (for example in case I need to tow my son in laws Ford) I use a lamaloy receiver bolt tightened with torque wrench and no rattles on the chrome reese hitch. (and no idiots in parking lots or roads damaging my rear)

If I had a semi-permantly installed drawbar, I would rather it be behind the ecoboost with a more masculine rear ratio. I'll give you the better mileage though but you can keep those gears.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I bought a 2014 GMC Sierra 4 x4 double cab 5.3 litre engine , 3.42 rear end , in late August................no problems with lights , no problems with recalls and it had it's first snow and ice drive this weekend on 14 hr round trip to deep in great white north, large hills and windy snow packed roads...........was excellent on the icy roads and gas mileage was as advertised ( better than my son in laws Ford eco boost). Seating was very comfortable. Oh and I drive with the hitch in (for example in case I need to tow my son in laws Ford) I use a lamaloy receiver bolt tightened with torque wrench and no rattles on the chrome reese hitch. (and no idiots in parking lots or roads damaging my rear)

3.42 gears.....lol

Chris

 

[zing]

This is a pic on my 2011 ford F-250 I bought sticker was $53,000 I bought it for $44,000 less discounts.Still crazy prices.I have since sold it and bought a F-150.

I second Topkicker's comments, that is a heckuva guard. I am just waiting for a deer to mess up my front end. With a trailer full of horses on the back, I can't even brake too hard because an injured horse can cost a lot more in vet bills than the deductible on my insurance to repair the truck. Have been considering a solid grill guard with headlight protectors to hopefully take the brunt of the hit if it does happen.

Where did yo uget that, is it a Ford product? If not, can you tell me the brand or manufacturer? Thx.

 

[zing]

I can see the point about having the hitch in for parking lot protection, but I have been rear ended twice and both times they hit the trailer hitch only, since the truck is so much higher than most cars. Hasn't been an issue for me.

I am not worried about needing a receiver when I am on the road because underneath the rear seat of the crew cab on my F-250 there is a large storage area. I have receivers for 2' ball and cleavis hitch, hitch pins, jumper cables, some small straps, a large tow strap, a couple coils of 5/8 rope for tying stuff down, a hammer, pliers, an adjustable wrench, and who knows what else. Why leave a receiver rattling around and rusting when there is so much storage inside the cab?

 

[Haoleguy]

I bought a 2014 GMC Sierra 4 x4 double cab 5.3 litre engine , 3.42 rear end , in late August................no problems with lights , no problems with recalls and it had it's first snow and ice drive this weekend on 14 hr round trip to deep in great white north, large hills and windy snow packed roads...........was excellent on the icy roads and gas mileage was as advertised ( better than my son in laws Ford eco boost). Seating was very comfortable. Oh and I drive with the hitch in (for example in case I need to tow my son in laws Ford) I use a lamaloy receiver bolt tightened with torque wrench and no rattles on the chrome reese hitch. (and no idiots in parking lots or roads damaging my rear)

Thanks for the humor Jake as it might lighten things up around here......

 

[tcartwri]

Jake out of curiosity do have the Wrangler SR-A's on your truck? This is my first time running wrangler tires and I haven't had much of a chance to drive in heavy rain or ice with my truck.

The SR-A's are a decent tire in all conditions when they're new.

 

[Panik]

The SR-A's are a decent tire in all conditions when they're new.

Thanks for the response. A lot of folks over on the gm-trucks forum are knocking on them, but then a lot of them are hardcore enthusiast and are able to drop 1200.00+ on the tires they want rather than wearing out SR-A's.

Thanks for the humor Jake as it might lighten things up around here......

Agreed :thumbsup:

 

[timswi]

3.42 gears.....lol

Chris

3:42's in a GM 6 speed do just fine. I can easily pull 10k with mine, no strain or gear hunting. 60 MPH up the mountain hills (ie rt 62 Franklin Pa if anyone is familiar with that straight up hill) no problem, not even close to floored.

 

[tcartwri]

Thanks for the response. A lot of folks over on the gm-trucks forum are knocking on them, but then a lot of them are hardcore enthusiast and are able to drop 1200.00+ on the tires they want rather than wearing out SR-A's.

I only scared myself once last winter and that's because I was driving way too fast for the conditions. Came over a rise only to find a large drift across the road and cars coming the other way... I don't think any tire would have solved that problem though.

 

[Fordman1981]

3:42's in a GM 6 speed do just fine. I can easily pull 10k with mine, no strain or gear hunting. 60 MPH up the mountain hills (ie rt 62 Franklin Pa if anyone is familiar with that straight up hill) no problem, not even close to floored.

Agreed 3.42 gears with these new ultra low gears in the 6 speed autos do surprisingly well. The I need 4.10s or lower days are over unless you have a need for really big loads. I recently bought a ram 5500 with 4.55s and 4.88s were an option. I am very glad I didn't get the 4.88s at 70 I think it's running 2200 rpms if I remember right.

 

[Panik]

Came over a rise only to find a large drift across the road and cars coming the other way... I don't think any tire would have solved that problem though.

LOL! Yup, last time I did something like that I had a dodge dakota with BFG land terrains..... didn't work out so well. I ended up using the back of an subaru outback to stop. Had nothing to do with the tires and everything to do with my own personal stupidity.

 

[jejeosborne]

Agreed 3.42 gears with these new ultra low gears in the 6 speed autos do surprisingly well. The I need 4.10s or lower days are over unless you have a need for really big loads. I recently bought a ram 5500 with 4.55s and 4.88s were an option. I am very glad I didn't get the 4.88s at 70 I think it's running 2200 rpms if I remember right.

Same could be said with having at least two overdrive gears on the top end. I'd rather have my transmission hold an overdrive gear and downshift less on the highway.

 

[zing]

Came over a rise only to find a large drift across the road and cars coming the other way... I don't think any tire would have solved that problem though.

LOL! Yup, last time I did something like that I had a dodge dakota with BFG land terrains..... didn't work out so well. I ended up using the back of an subaru outback to stop. Had nothing to do with the tires and everything to do with my own personal stupidity.

May also have had something to do with the Subaru because those things are rock solid in the snow. If you were following anything else hitting that drift might have sent the owner off picking blueberries somewhere, but since since it was a Subaru when you got to the drift, there it was still on the road in front of you :laughing:

 

[wawajake]

Jake out of curiosity do have the Wrangler SR-A's on your truck? This is my first time running wrangler tires and I haven't had much of a chance to drive in heavy rain or ice with my truck.

Panik mine came with Bridgestone Dueller AT tires...........and agressive tread similar to Wranglers , so far I like them.

As for sense of humour.....need one around here when the D Pilot exaggerations start.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Panik mine came with Bridgestone Dueller AT tires...........and agressive tread similar to Wranglers , so far I like them. As for sense of humour.....need one around here when the D Pilot exaggerations start.

I have no reason to exaggerate. I have owned them all and know what works and don't, like 3.73 gears!

Chris

 

[ruffdog]

Spoken like a oil change guy I once knew. All he did was change oil at the shop but he was the self-proclaimed expert on EVERYTHING>

 

[wawajake]

Amen Ruffdog Amen !!!

Some people think that the way they use their truck (and hitches etc) is then the same way as the rest of North America has to.

 

[jwstewar]

I have no reason to exaggerate. I have owned them all and know what works and don't, like 3.73 gears!

Chris

Yeah, those 3.73 gears in my '99 Silverado 1500 with the 5.3 don't pull my 36' almost 10k camper around along with the 35 gallons of water in the bed along with firewood and/or hay/straw in the bed - depending upon if we are going camping or to a goat show. Nope, it doesn't move that camper at all down the road at 60 - 65 MPH and getting 9.5 MPG while doing it and 19 empty. Nope, 3.73 gears and Chevy's can't do any work at all.

Finally had my first major repair at 15 years old about 6 weeks ago. Water pump went out and left me stranded. $230 bucks later including labor, I was hooked back on to the camper towing it again. Not bad for a truck that can't do any work.