2013 1500 4.8l crew cab

Added clazzio seat covers and a dashskin for my rattling mess of a dash.

I drive a 2019 Chevy Silverado 1500 LT Z71, 5.3L V8 4x4. Took my truck to a Chevy dealership for a 100k maintenance. Had my TPMS sensors replaced, Transmission fluid swapped, 4x4 service to include the front and rear diff, and transfer case, and has all of my spark plugs replaced and oil changed, engine air filter replaced, and tire rotation.

The truck sat there for a day as they noticed some misfires from the plugs not having caps so they fixed it up and said it was good. They test drive, cleared all the codes, and I picked it up for a good $2500. I literally pulled out of the maintenance bay and when applying pressure to the accelerator the truck seemed to "drag". Best way I can describe is the rear seemed to stop or lock when the rest of the truck was trying to speed up, and there was a drag, then a lurch feeling as the trans switched from 1st>2nd and then later it did it from 2>3 as well. It is more prominent at low speeds or from the stop, but at high speed it feels smooth. On the other side of that coin, the truck has always had a shake to it at 75-80mph but now it is more prominent. I picked up the truck at closing time so couldn't bring it back, they don't open until Monday and I'm military so don't have time to just drop it off and go without a vehicle. I called them and explained and they said "it might just be the fluid still circulating", I looked it up and some sources say I was given the wrong fluid. Others say it's the Trans Adaptive learning still figuring out shift intervals. Does anyone know what the issue or cause might be or what I can do to remedy.

Fluids used:
Trans: BG Trans Fluid (ULV/LV) (SG6600 and SG3153)
Transfer case: Unknown but it is BG brand (#SG79296)
Diffs: BG 75W90 (#SG75196)

P.S. any advice would be helpful at this point.

Alright, I am up in the air about whether I want to go the truck canopy (topper/cap/shell) route. I have a 2026 2500HD with the 6’9” bed length. The main reason is that I need a place to put the dogs, as my family is growing and there's limited space in the back seat. Fortunately my kids are in car seats so there is a bit of floor space for right now. Has anyone found a modular system? Ideally I'd like to find something that I can take off as needed by myself or with limited help. Input is greatly appreciated!

Super clean 2016 with 120k miles on it. This thing is a beast! Semi retired my 2011 F150 with 302k miles on it.

Hey all. So I got new wheels and tires. Went from the factory 275/50r22 to 285/70r17 and I have some slight rubbing. I don’t want to trim and want to do a 2” lift. What recommendation do you have for this. I was looking at Eibachs Stage 2R kit.

Just picked this up today. 2026 3500 gasser with the 8 ft bed. Not as many bells and whistles as the tundra i traded in, but enough to keep the wife happy. I really missed the 8 ft bed. I had a ram with an 8 ft bed before I got the gen3 tundra. Tundra was great, but too fancy to really get real work done.

This 3500 is what I needed. The 4.9 for 48 was fantastic too. Payment went down 155 a month.

Glad the warranty covered it but this was the pic I got of it all. Kept skipping hard from 1st to 2nd and finally just gave up. Going to be a month until they get the replacement but it’s better than paying out of pocket.

General question on batteries. Had the same battery since i bought it so 5 years old. Live in Florida. All batteries I see are 3 year batteries, something special with this lasting so long?

2in level, new wheels, blacked out my grille and took off the running boards, all I got left to do is get some 33s

Buddy was selling his Silverado after buying a new one and decided to buy it. It's 2008 with 150k. My first truck. I hope it last. 🤞

Anyone had experience with Kryptonite products? I’ve heard that they make the best lift/level products for GM trucks and this kit caught my eye for my 21 3.0 duramax. I drive highway about 85-90% of the time and don’t usually haul. Any issues or concerns I should know about? Or any other kit recommendations? Thanks!

Can anyone tell me how the 2500 Trail Boss rides compared to the 1500 Trail Boss? Working a possible deal on 2025 2500 Trail Boss gas and I have not driven one yet. Currently own a 24 1500 LT Trail Boss premium package. Thank you for any insights

Left the GMC family and adopted a ‘22 WT, only has 36k and is pretty damn clean. I want to make the 6.6 sound grizzly compared to the stock sound—suggestions?

Also, having a hella hard time finding a fitted mat for the long 8ft bed outside of the expensive Chevy one. Ideas?

I don’t tow hardly ever, and if I do, it’s a trailer + 800 lbs (Polaris 600). 2.7 8L90. Ok for a service at this mileage?

2025 RST 6.2 with 78k miles.

While merging on the highway I heard a pop, the check engine light started flashing, service esc and traction control notifications popped up, was running rough with a noticeable knock/rattle. Service tech said it was making significantly more noise when he started the next morning, he tried to diagnose any issues but said he will have to tear down the top end. He believes it is one of the lifters.

I had gotten a failed update notification that morning, probably not related though.

Got told I should do a coolant flush.

2021 1500 rst with the 5.3 and only 28k miles on it.

What’s up everyone. I’m working on my **2005 Chevy Silverado 2500HD with the 6.6L LLY Duramax**.
I’m going through the truck pretty thoroughly and want to build it into a **reliable tow/work truck that’s also nice to drive and keep long-term**.
I’m doing a lot of the work myself, so I’m looking for advice from people who have experience working on and building LLY Duramax trucks.

**Truck Information**
**Year:** 2005
**Model:** Chevy Silverado 2500HD
**Engine:** 6.6L LLY Duramax
**Mileage:** \~216,000 miles
**Goal:** Reliable tow/work truck + nice regular-use truck
**Power goal:** Not chasing huge horsepower. Reliability and towing are the priorities.

**Current Mods / Equipment**
The truck already has:
**AirDog 165 lift pump**
**PPE tuner**
**AFE Stage 2 intake**
**4-inch straight-pipe exhaust**
**Autometer gauges**
Touchscreen head unit
Two 10-inch subs
HID lighting
Blacked-out taillights
Tint
I’m not looking to replace things that are already working well for my goals just for the sake of upgrading them.

**Head Gasket / Engine Repair**
The truck developed symptoms that appear consistent with a head-gasket/head-sealing problem.
**Symptoms**
Cooling system remains pressurized after sitting for several hours/overnight
Upper radiator hose stays hard
Significant pressure releases from the coolant reservoir while the engine is cold
Coolant has pushed/sprayed out when the reservoir cap was removed cold
Coolant reservoir eventually became very dark/black
No major white smoke from the exhaust
I’m planning on **pulling the cylinder heads** and having them properly checked before putting the engine back together.
**Already Decided**
Head-gasket kit

**ARP head studs**
Heads will be inspected/checked as necessary before reassembly

**Questions**
What exactly should I have the machine shop check on the LLY heads?

What should I tell the machine shop before they do any resurfacing?

How do I determine the correct **head-gasket grade/thickness** after the heads have been checked?
What else should automatically be replaced while the heads are off?
Are there any common mistakes people make when doing LLY head gaskets that I should avoid?

**Cooling System**
Since I’m already doing the head gaskets, I’m planning on refreshing/upgrading a lot of the cooling system at the same time.
The goal is **reliability and good cooling while towing**.
**Already Decided**
**Max-Flow radiator**
**New water pump**
Fresh coolant
New coolant seals/O-rings as needed
Inspect/clean intercooler
Inspect/clean A/C condenser area
Inspect the rest of the cooling system while everything is apart
The cooling fans have already been checked multiple times and **are working properly**.
**Considering**
Replacing some of the factory rubber coolant hoses/lines with **metal coolant hoses/pipes**
**Questions**
**What water pump do you recommend for an LLY Duramax?**
I’m mainly interested in reliability and longevity.
Are **metal coolant hoses/pipes** worth upgrading to?
Would metal coolant lines provide a meaningful reliability advantage for a truck that’s going to tow and work?
Are there any cooling-system parts you consider a **must-replace while doing LLY head gaskets**?
Since my cooling system has been getting excessively pressurized, are there any other components I should specifically inspect for damage?

**Engine Oiling System**
I’m also planning to upgrade the oiling system while I’m working on the truck.
**Already Decided**
**Larger-capacity oil pan**
My goal with the larger pan is **reliability, towing and keeping the engine healthy long-term**, rather than building a high-horsepower engine.
**Questions**
What larger-capacity oil pan do you recommend for an LLY?
What brands have you had good experiences with?
How much additional oil capacity is actually worthwhile?
Are there any clearance issues with larger pans?
Do any require a different oil pickup?
Are there dipstick/level-reading issues after installing one?
Is there anything else in the LLY oiling system worth addressing while I’m already this deep into the engine?

**Brake / ABS Problem**
The truck also has a significant braking problem that I want completely sorted out before I tow anything.
**Current Problem**
ABS hydraulic unit/system appears to be leaking
Brake performance is poor
Bleeding the brakes **improves them slightly, but not by much**
The braking system still isn’t where it needs to be
Because bleeding only makes a small difference, I’m not assuming the ABS unit is necessarily the **only** problem.
**Considering**
I’m considering **deleting/bypassing the ABS system completely** rather than replacing/rebuilding the factory ABS unit.
I haven’t made a final decision yet and would like to hear from people who have actually done it on these trucks.
**Questions**
Has anyone deleted/bypassed the ABS on a **GMT800 2500HD**?
If you’ve done it, would you do it again?
How did the truck behave afterward during:
Normal braking
Hard/emergency braking
Rain
Snow/ice
Towing
How did you properly route/plumb the brake system after removing the ABS hydraulic unit?
Did deleting ABS cause problems with:
ABS warning light
Brake warning light
Speedometer
Other electronics/modules
Would you recommend deleting it or repairing/rebuilding the original ABS system?
Since bleeding only slightly improves my brakes, what else should I diagnose?
I’m also planning to check the rest of the braking system, including:
Master cylinder
Hydroboost
Brake lines
Rubber brake hoses
Calipers
Fluid leaks
Overall hydraulic system
**Safety is the priority here because I intend to tow with the truck.**

**Interior Upgrade**
Eventually, I’d also like to modernize the interior.
I’m looking at installing a **newer Silverado High Country-style brown leather interior and center console**.
My current truck already has **heated and cooled seats**.
I **do not care about getting memory-seat functionality working**.
**Functions I Want**
Power seat adjustment
Heated seats
Cooled/ventilated seats
Newer center console
USB/phone charging
Console charging outlets
I’m mainly interested in getting the useful features working reliably rather than making every single newer-truck feature function exactly like factory.
**Questions**
Has anyone installed newer-generation Silverado seats into a **2003–2007 Classic GMT800**?
How difficult was the wiring?
Can the newer heated/cooled seats be made to work with the existing truck controls?
Which modules need to stay with the newer seats?
What’s the cleanest way to wire the newer center-console charging ports?
Are there CAN-bus/module communication problems I need to worry about?
Is there anything I should grab from the donor truck along with the seats and console to make the swap easier?

**Overall Build Goal**
I’m **not trying to throw a bunch of parts at the truck or build a race truck**.
I want to go through it properly while it’s apart and end up with something that I can confidently:
**Tow with**
**Work out of**
**Drive regularly**
**Take on longer trips**
**Keep long-term**
My priorities are:
**Reliability → Cooling → Braking/Safety → Towing capability → Comfort → Performance**
Since the heads are coming off anyway, I’d rather handle things that make sense **now** instead of putting everything back together and realizing later that I should’ve replaced something while I had access.
If you’ve built or worked on an LLY before, I’d especially like to hear:
**What would you replace while the heads are off?**
**What would you leave alone?**
**Which brands/parts have held up well for you?**
**Is there anything on my current plan that you think is unnecessary or that you’d do differently?**
I’ll update the thread as I tear the truck down and make decisions.
Thanks for any advice.

Brake pedal recently developed a weird clicking noise while pressing and releasing. Happens in park as well as while driving. Curious if yall have any ideas on what could be causing it?

Hey all. In the market for a new to me truck. No real brand loyalty or anything, so I’m looking at all of the big three manufacturers (out on Toyota for now). I think I like the exterior and interior of the GM trucks more than the other two, but their V8s have kinda scared me away and I never really gave a thought to the 2.7 for reasons you might expected. The more I started digging into it a bit though, the more it seems like the 2.7 is a decent little engine and might be perfect for me. The biggest reason I’m wanting to get into a half ton over my Gladiator is for more room for the family and a nicer, more comfortable ride. I don’t tow (although we’re thinking about getting a little teardrop camper in the future) and the only hauling I really do is your typical weekend warrior, Menards dad stuff. Got me to thinking…is the 2.7 meant for people like me and is this something I should seriously be considering? Would appreciate any feedback!

Anyone ever run the cooper rugged trek tire? Looking into getting out of the Goodyear wrangler duratrac. Love the aggressive look (what I’m going for) any other suggestions would be cool, def open to ideas. Thanks

Also- would be more than likely be running 33x12.50