First, it's the Alavanche because that's what my son has called it since he was 2 when i got it. He'll be 4 in a month and still calls it that, and if anyone corrects him I'll kill them because it's just too cute.
2005 Av, 140k. Z71, LT, loaded with everything from heated leather to sunroof, roof rack, Navigation, factory tow pack, 4.10's. Bought to be my daily driver which consists of being able to work as a home remodeling contractor and be a dad, safely carrying 2 kids to whichever grandma's house they are going to before work. And support my car hobby carting cars and stuff around, going on vacation with the family so that we can tow a car home if we find one, and otherwise all around do-it-all machine.
So, a few weeks ago the rear diff exploded. I tow a cargo trailer for work on average 4 days a week with it. Of course, what better time to upgrade when a rebuilt stock rear costs $1800. Unlike pickups though, 1/2 ton Av's have coil spring rears, like the suburbans/tahoes. 3/4 ton versions get leaf springs, so that option is out. Then i hear that there is a 6 lug 14 bolt rear from 07+ escalades that will bolt in, but none of them are 4.10 like my truck. Then i find some internet hearsay about some guy on a forum somewhere that swapped an H2 14 bolt into a tahoe only having to relocate the shock brackets. Based on looking at some pictures, I bought a 4.10 2006 H2 rear axle from a recycler in Alabama and had it shipped up here. Also, H2 are 8 lugs and I have 6, soooo. Ordered some of the USA made 6-->8 adapters on ebay for the front, which are 2" thick. H2 rear happens to be 2" wider per side than stock rear, so this will push the fronts out to match. But...now I need 8 lug 17's as the internets proclaim no 16" will clear the rear calipers of an h2. So order some wheels, and the new tires I was going to order anyway. Then, being sick of paying shops $75-180 a set to mount and balance my tires(yes, a local shop charged me $180 to mount and balance my corvette tires), I ordered up tire changer/balancer combo off ebay.
Here's my big middle finger to ebay, realizing after spending right around 4 grand with them, that they do not do ebay bucks on any ebay motors purchases. Suck on that, ebay.
Stuff starts showing up. tires, first, then wheels and adapters, lots of lug nuts, the full assortment of wheel weights. Rear axle comes and I pick it up at freight terminal. In order to unload the 400# behemoth from the van, we decided to try and stick a 16" steelie on it once we get one end out, to flip it up on end. sure enough, 16" steel wheel fits, clears caliper by 1/2", and the internets have failed me as I had a full set of factory steel wheels, caps, rings, and awesome firestone transforce HT tires off my old 2500 suburban. I should have ordered the wheels and tires last, but whatever, I'll use them at some point to keep miles off the nice Hankooks.
things began thursday.
little sad broken 10 bolt out
big freaking heavy beefy 14 bolt standing at attention, and tire machines came! backdrop is the 49 plymouth business coupe gasser, that my uncle purchased to help pay for the parts to fix the truck, and I pushed the WRX outside to get the truck in so i sold that too.
look my ass fell out. bilsteins still feel great.
14 bolt sitting ready to go in, albeit backwards in the picture.
discoveries. the H2 uses same control arms but larger bolt in the lower at the axle, so I had to remove the lower arms and drill the hole in the bushing out to 5/8". otherwise it was go get new h2 bushings, but I feel that 9 year old GM rubber is better than 0 year old parts store rubber, and they're still in great shape with no cracks.
more later.
