misterp

Wow guess it's time for another How-To!

You're welcome, glad to help. Again PM me if you have any issues. The idea is that Zaino is completely transparent, so the vehicle has GOT to be clean. You are actually refinishing your truck. The only other products that will deliver a similar finish is Der Shiny Stuff and Klasse All-In-One; these are also acrylic sealants. The only off-the-shelf product which comes even close is Maguire's NXT wax; I've used it and it has the same gloss as Zaino, but the color of the truck is decidedly black so that product has a lot more body to it. The problem with NXT is that it is completely shot in 3-4 weeks, I mean totally evaporated away. It also leaves that greasy/oily/wet residue. Just had another idea - you want to really make Zaino stand out, compare vehicles not just right after application (Zaino will still look better IMO) but after their first washing; the Zaino finish will look just like Day 1, the other finishes will certainly not. And another little test - feel the difference between the two finishes with saran wrap under your fingers, it will undeniably show who's got the better, 'healthier' finish. Well I'm off to the garage to polish my front bumper and fenders... Mr. P.

YEAAAHHHHH Buddy!

Z5 has more 'body' to it and fills surface scratches better than Z2; I use the Z5 first. Z5 also is less transparent than Z2, not a lot but you can tell the difference during application. Mr. P.

I'm more the '00-'02 T/A type myself. After driving EscaladeSS's car to him I've wanted one of my own ever since, damn fun car. But knowing me it would be a damn fun gazillion HP car Mr. P.

The bars in my truck ('03 SS) is YT; if you find out what their rating is please post here, I'm considering going heavier because I have lowered my front suspension. Mr. P.

Awesome.

MY ASS... Everyone here that sees my truck is stunned, the shop guys at the stealership have named it 'Mad Shine'. The trick is all in the prep work, get the paint as chemically clean as you can before you being applying the Zaino. So this is everything I know on the subject, if anyone has suggestions or more ideas please tell me. THE TOOLS: Mr. Clean filtered nozzle, worth every penny (walmart, $20) Genuine diaper-cloth towels, or high-end microfibre towels (you'll need a lot) Genuine sheepskin wash mit (walmart $5) Water blade (for drying, walmart $20) Bug and Tar remover (walmart, $4) Tire/rim cleaner that is safe for your wheels (walmart, $4) The towells and wash mit need replacing every 6 months or so, fortunately the Mr. Clean and water blade you only have to buy once. THE WASH: 1) Prepare - have one bucket with original Dawn, another bucket to rinse your mit. Park the truck in a shady area with no wind - I wash mine *inside* my garage with the Mr. Clean and have no problems. Use halogen floodlights for lighting, they will make every flaw in the finish glaringly obvious. 2) I wash and dry in the following order - top of cab; back of cab and headgate; upper driver's doors & mirror (above the body line); upper pass. doors & mirror; windshield; hood; front of truck; each front fender; each side of truck; each side of bed; tailgate and rear bumper; each wheelhousing and wheel. 3) Forget Mr. Miagi's "wax-on, wax-off" method, it will scuff the shit out of your finish; always wash horizontal panels (hood, top of cab) front-to-back, and vertical panels up-and-down. The goal here is to make all unavoidable scuffing from washing/drying/claying to be in straight lines because these will polish-out later; if you have circular scuffing of the finish ("spider-webbing") it takes MUCH more effort to get out. 4) Wash each area with original Dawn and immediately rinse with Mr. Clean nozzle. Rinse wash mit after each panel in your rinse-out bucket, one side of the wash mit will do an area about 4-6 sq. ft. (using both sides of the wash mit will do half the hood). Do not let the wash mit stay dirty, and do not put a dirty wash mit in your clean soapy water bucket. Be conservative, if the rag is dirty rinse it in your rinse bucket and re-wet with fresh soap as you do not want to be dragging trapped dirt/dust across your paint while you wash, you want as clean a wash mit as possible at all times. 5) Dry each panel immediately after it has been washed; use the water blade first to get most of the water off, then use compressed air to blow the rest off the vehicle and out of hidden areas that may later drip and leave mineral runs on you; lastly, finish drying whatever remains with your cotton diaper cloth or microfiber towel, but you want to use towels as a last resort because they always scuff your finish, even the best ones (that's why I encourage using the water blade and air). 6) If you have something on the paint that will not come off with light effort using the wash mit (bugs, tar) DO NOT SCRUB as you will scuff your paint! Hit the offending area with bug/tar remover, let set 1-2 mins, and wash again (it will all easily come right off and not damage the surface). On the most stubborn bug/tar spots I will squirt a bit of bug/tar remover onto a cotton cloth and wet/work the stain with the cloth. 7) Clean the paint with body clay per the instructions on the package. Claying a vehicle takes at least as much time as washing it, but only needs to be done once or twice a year on well-cared vehicles (thank god). Again work in straight lines, just like washing/drying. You have to judge your progress by the "feel" of the panel, you can tell when it is contaminated versus when it is completely clean, the difference felt in your fingertips is huge. At this point, the truck is 'chemically' clean, you can Zaino it, or optionally polish it. If you apply Zaino after claying you will have a 'better than new car' shine; if you polish your truck then it will have a 'show car shine'. POLISHING I start with 3M Finesse-It (Napa, $16 for big bottle), you can do this by hand but oh.. my.. god.. what a chore, or use a DA machine with a "medium" foam pad (this stuff is pretty watery and will sling-off everywhere). I then spot-polish remaining deep scratches with Meguire's Scratch-X (walmart, $6). Lastly, I finish with 3M Hand Glaze using a fine/finishing foam pad. Polishing takes a while but is guaranteed to get rid of everything but the deepest scratches. APPLYING ZAINO 1) Fill a two-ounce bottle with Z5 and 9-10 drops of catalyst, this two-ounch bottle will cover the whole truck in a single coat of Zaino 2) Apply Zaino in same panel sequence as washing the truck, one panel at a time, but you can "wax on" using a circular hand motion to assure correct coverage; 3) Clean/shine the body panel with Z6 and *clean* diaper cloth towel; one squirt of Z6 goes a LONG ways, 4-5 fogging squirts of Z6 will clean the entire top of the cab. Turn diaper cloth frequently and buff until clean and dry - the panel should look fantastic at this point, make sure there is no streaking, etc. 4) Apply Z5 with cotton applicator pad; a nickel-sized amount will do several square feet, it goes on so light that on a black truck you will barely see a haze as it is drying, you want THIN coats. 5) Continue around the truck, cleaning with Z6 then following with Z5. 6) After Z5 hardens (1-4 hours depending...) remove dried excess with towel, large microfiber towell with deep nap will work best here. 7) Apply second coat of Z5, using Z6 to clean before application. 8) Apply TWO additional coats of Z2 (with catalyst); at this point (four coats) this is the best the vehicle will ever look. You can apply more coats for protection but it's not necessary. Just before the showing, wipe down truck with Z8 (preferred), Z6, or Meguire's Quick Detailer (walmart $4) to lock-in your win! I think the Meguire's might have more oil in it to temporarily fill remaining microscratches... Judging - the truck will look fantastic, and I mean dazzling, in the sunlight because when it is polished and clean it will transform from black to a hematite-colored silvery mirrored finish. The real judging is under the halogen lights though, because it will show every flaw in the finish. At the local cruise nights you can easily spot a piss-poor paint or detail job because of the lighting if you know what you are looking for in the reflection of the paint. Another thing that you will find is that the Zaino finish not only looks 'slick' but feels slick too; all other waxes will feel greasy; I've had the dealership complain that they cannot set paper or books on my hood, they slide right off onto the ground (let me tell you how much that pissed me off when I heard that btw...) Bugs will *easily* come off a Zaino finish, take an old spray bottle and fill with a mix of Z7 and water, spray onto a cotton cloth and then work off the bug - it will almost always wipe right off with near-zero effort. This will not be the case with other wax products, they require bug/tar remover, and that will also strip off the wax and the panel must be re-waxed. After the truck has Zaino, wash with Z7 as it will not take off the Z2 or Z5. Wash your truck every 10-14 days whether you think it needs it or not (you don't want a lot of dirt on the surface as it will scratch during washing). Apply another single top-coat of Z2 or Z5 every other wash and it will always be show-ready. PM me if you want more info or hints... Mr. P.

I've been wondering the same thing, but leaning more towards E50 rather than E85. Sure you could increase timing but I think the best option would be to increase compression ratio, maybe swap on a set of ported LS1 heads? I know that fuel delivery will have to be increased about 30% ballpark across the board, so new fuel pump, larger lines, larger injectors. The fuel tank might be too small, cruising distance will take a hit by the same amount so go from a 24-gal tank to 32 gal? Another question is can the catalytic converters take the high octane? High octane gasoline will burn-out cats... Lots to think about. In the end I don't think that running E85 will be cheaper per mile than gasoline, probalby nearly the same operating expenses per mile but it will be a lot more environmentally and politically friendly. Mr. P.

I hope your brother is ok. Yeah it does seem that the higher the blue book the more likely it is to be involved in a collision right after purchase I would certainly argue the 'unqualified' charges, make that officer look like he is not qualified to do his job. Mr. P.

Honestly it doesn't take much more money than regular waxing - it's the time investment that's the killer but it is so worth it. You can also get really good results using Der Shiney Stuff as well, it's very comparable and a bit less expensive. Mr. P.

Happy (belated) Birthday man! Where did your friends get these from, I might be interested? Mr. P.

And here I was thinking shoes, clothes, and jewelry... the PCM is a definite, I would opt for a better muffler over intake if I had to make a choice between the two. And as you both live in the upper-48 I would skip the TB bypass, not worth the 1-2hp gain IMO. Mr. P.

NICE job man - you and I have been doing the same thing this week: ZAINO! Mr. P.

Ordered mine from Street Beat Customs; the total was $425, and the kit was actually drop-shipped from McGaughy's. Also, installation is *very* similar for 2WD SS's as I am told they also have the torsion bar front-end; just omit the steps where you have to deal with the front hubs. Mr. P.

Hi Darren, I am excited that you joined and chimed-in. Jeff had just passed away when I bought my own SS and joined the forum, I was a pretty raw newbie at the time. It is very rare to find an individual that both knows his dream and also does what it takes to make it happen, I am sorry that I missed the opportunity to actually spend time with Jeff and share his excitement for the truck. The fact that you finished his dream for him is a true testiment to your love, that is rare. If you ever display the truck again I would enjoy meeting with you, both to learn more about him and enjoy his finished dream. Mr. P.

I dredged through all the lowering-related threads, and here are some technical high points from 2-3 years of talk on the subject: FRONT: * changing the front suspension more than 1-inch up or down will create HUGE changes in suspension camber, the truck will "walk like a bull dog" until it is aligned so remember to budget for a good alignment as part of the project; * Spindles are preferred over keys or nothing at all, nobody has ever posted that they wished they used torsion bar keys instead of spindles, nor has anyone said they regretted using spindles; * correctly installed/adjusted spindle kits have a small improvement in handling by significantly lowering the truck's center of gravity, the torsion key swaps retain near-stock body roll, and torsion bar jobs have shown significant increases in body roll (due to loss of suspension travel) with several saying they seriously feared driving their freshly lowered truck; * Early McGaughys (pronounced MA-goys) spindles caused an increase in turning radius - this design oversight was corrected in later spindles, and Belltech spindles never had this problem; * Front lowering spindles will only fit a 17-inch or larger rim, and as the spare is a 16-inch rim this means that you cannot use the spare on the front any more however you can put the OEM spare on the rear and move a good rear tire up to the front; * Torsion key swaps will require that you relieve spring pressure by using a special tool or 7-ton puller to uncompress/re-compress the torsion bars (rent from auto parts store), several have tried using hardware store c-clamps and the clamps failed (busted) in the process; * a few enthusiasts who bought the torsion key kits (not all) changed over to, or later added, dropped spindles and reported that doing so finally made their efforts worthwhile; * Lowering the suspension by cranking down on the torsion bars to excess has in cases caused loss of suspension travel, spongier ride, alignment issues, and darting under braking; * many that cranked down their torsion bars (rather than use keys or spindles) later either regreted it, changed it, or admited that they were living with a compromise in handling but appreciated its cheap cost; * Dropping the front of the AWD SS more than 2-inches (by any method) risks causing CV-joint binding and hence front-end vibration which is felt under acceleration at specific vehicle speeds in the steering column and firewall, and will momentarily disappear as you travel over a bump in the highway - it was discovered that this is corrected by cranking the torsion bars back up a quarter-turn at a time until the binding/vibration is relieved; * vibration can also come from the truck riding on the bumpstops, and Mike McGaughy recommends improving ride quality by cutting 1/3rd off the factory bumpstop (one 'nub') - there are also shorter aftermarket bumpstops on the market (stylinconcepts) but they are harder than the OEM rubber ones; * Spindle kits allow you to retain stock-length shocks, torsion key kits and adjusted torsion bar jobs will benefit from correspondingly shorter shocks as there is less suspension travel (the Ground Force and Belltech units come well recommended), but are not absolutely required as the suspension will bottom-out before the shock does; * There have been fit-up problems with the McGaughy's spindles on '05+ trucks, as the OEM ball joint design was changed with introduction of larger OEM rotors; this requires an advanced installation workaround. REAR: * Installing aftermarket leaf spring hangers (secures front of the leaf to the frame) is an absolute biatch of a task as the OEM hangers are riveted and must be ground/torched/drilled out - you'll cry tears of pain in the process and tears of joy when it's done; * If installing leaf spring front hangers you must remove the fuel tank for access, prepare beforehand by running the truck almost out of fuel as each gallon weighs 6.1 lbs; * the best way to get the spring hanger rivets out is with a cutting torch, a skilled hand will have both hangers off in 15-minutes flat - the second way is to grind the heads of the rivets off with a 4.5" grinder (or air chisel) and pound them out with a 5/16" drift punch and 3 or 5-lb sledge hammer, this will take several hours; IF AT ALL POSSIBLE get a torch! * I discovered it is easiest to remove the spring hangers if you cut/grind the outside head of the rivets, not the head on the inside of the frame rail (trust me on this, after grinding on the inside heads you will still not be able to hammer them out with a punch, grind/cut/torch the outside ones) * step-by-step: first cut/grind down all six outside rivets (and don't worry about digging into the bracket), second use a 5/16" drift punch to punch out the bottom two rivets, third use a 3 or 5-lb sledge and *bash* the hanger off from the inboard side (3 or 4 solid hits on the bottom-inside edge of the hanger will have it free); after removing the hanger, it is an easy job to pound the rivet stubs inward through the frame rail until they're flush and then a final few hits with the drift punch will clear the holes; * though not required a few have pulled the truck bed to make the job easier (8 bolts, a couple extra friends, 20-mins); * On heavily lowered trucks with the large aluminum driveshafts (SS) it is highly recommended that the mid-bed frame crossmember be cut-out the as it adds no support to the frame (it's not much thicker than exhaust tubing) and will strike/damage the driveshaft if the truck *totally* bottoms-out; * When using the recommended combination of front hangers and rear shackles it is still important that the installer uses the correct bracket configuration to maintain the critical pinion angle - this is a mistake a lot of McGaughys installers make and according to Mike McGaughy to set the correct pinion angle (assuming his 2"/3.5" drop kit) the leaf spring is to be attached to the front hanger using the 2-inch (lower) hole, and to the rear shackle using the 1-inch (lower) hole; * using only rear leaf-spring shackles (without front hangers) will certainly alter pinion angle and introduce vibration that can be felt in the seat and/or floorboard, several have reported that this is corrected with installation of either a 2, 3, or 4-degree shim - the thick part of the shim is oriented to the rear of the spring; * vibration can also come from the truck riding on the rear bumpstops, an improvement in ride quality can be gained by removing the mounting bracket from the rear bumpstops and remounting the bumpstops to the frame (an OEM mounting hole is already present for this), also Mike McGaughy has said that the rear bumpstop length can be cut down as short as 1/2-inch if desired; * The McGaughy's deluxe kit (comes with both hangers and shackles) maintains stock-length shocks; * Hard-core tech - according to Ground Force engineers, the OEM Silverado SS pinion angle is 3.8, driveline angle is 2.8, and trans angle is 5.7; * If the truck is fitted with a rear sway bar, the links ("dog bones") will need to be shortened/modified so that the bar is level again in its resting/neutral position; * towing with a lowered truck can get bumpy (as you are bottomed-out on the bumpstops) but does not present any problems, several have installed either an overload/helper spring (low-tech) or the Firestone rear airbag kit (high-tech) with great success - owners of the Firestone kits rave about them; * it may still be necessary to have the driveline (U-joint) angles double-checked and corrected by an experienced driveline, 4x4 off-road, or chassis fab shop to eliminate driveline vibration, this could require shimming or shaving of engine mounts, transmission mount, or axle mounts to restore correct drivetrain geometry. COSTS (GIVE OR TAKE): * Several have reported real aerodynamic gains after lowering - both increased fuel economy (1-2 mpg) and top speeds; * Complete drop kits featuring front spindles cost between $400 and $450, and require a moderate-to-professional degree of automotive skill (or talent) to install - these are not newbie friendly kits and will take 6-12 hours to completely install; professional shops typically charge $300-400 to install a complete lowering package, not including price of the kit, so if you elect to do this the final expense could be anywhere from $750 to $950; * For those contemplating a front spindle kit DIY, rice750sxi was nice enough to document his McGaughy's front spindle install here; * Complete torsion key kits cost anywhere between $265 and $385 (depending on whether they come with new shocks or not); the torsion key kits can be installed in a half-to-full day by most automotive novices right in the driveway with the help of jackstands, a rented key compressor, and a couple favorite beverages - since these kits cost less plus do not require professional labor they can be a decent bang-for-the-buck option; * The low-budget lowering option is to crank on the torsion bar adjustment bolts 6 to 8 turns, install rear spring shackles and shims, hacksaw-off all four suspension bumpstops, and take the truck in for an alignment - total project is between $100 and $150, excluding shorter shocks; don't go more than 1-1/2 inch if you choose to do this. FINDING PROFESSIONAL HELP: * lowering a vehicle is an exact science, there just aren't very many qualified, experienced 'scientists'! * If you are searching for a shop or installer first try major/well-established 4x4 off-road shops - these facilities mainly raise trucks all day everyday for a living so they are *very* comfortable working with aftermarket suspension and very intimate with the details of proper suspension and drivetrain alignment. Do not take the truck to just any local front-end alignment place, you want a shop that customizes suspension all day every day and the 4x4 crowd has already conquered many of the mentioned issues in their own projects; * If you are having trouble finding a competent off-road or suspension shop, get opinions from several driveline balancing shops as they will be able to steer you to those that do have their 'black-belt' in both suspension installation and drivetrain alignment/phasing. TESTING: * I cannot stress enough, test on known good (balanced) tires. The wheels/tires have got to be as perfect as possible for later testing or else you will have a shake but not be able to decide if it is a tire (or multiple tires), or rim, or driveline, or CV joint, or bumpstops, or something else unrelated. Use wheels/tires that you KNOW are in balance so that any shaking discovered can confidently be traced to suspension modifications, not new (out of balance) tires or rims. * I've found the easiest way to reveal vibration is to slowly gain speed at WOT, so imagine pulling the steepest grade you can think of while trying to put a lot of power through the drivelines; because the truck is speeding up slowly you will not blast right past a shaky-spot on the speedometer, plus you will be putting so much power through the drivetrain that any mis-alignment in the drivelines will be made obvious; * Rear vibration - felt primarily in the kidneys, seat bottom, or the floorboard. There should be none! Evidence to this point on these trucks suggests that rear pinion angle mis-alignment will reveal itself as a strong 'humming' vibration at 67-73 mph (depending on tire size); you will know it is the rear driveline as the vibration will always be present but intensity increases with engine load - the more power you are putting through the driveline to the ground the stronger the shaking is - coasting, you can't feel it; pulling a grade at 70mph full throttle, it's pretty violent. Mr. P.

Thanks for the good idea. Mr. P.

Just so everyone reading this is clear - I am not displeased at all with JAG Performance or in the products I purchased (the opposite, I love it); the topic discussed here was making a how-to on shift kit installation and I was only speaking to the point that I know there is already a installation video available from TransGo for their shift-kit. Mr. P.

Yeah I was thinking of doing a how-to when I did mine, but you would need a whole family of how-tos, one for the Zippy kit, another for the transgo kit, another for the servos. The TransGo kit is *supposed* to come with an instructional video although I never got one with my purchase from JAG Performance; but instead Joe did share his cel phone number! Mr. P.

Making sweet love, down by the fire... Mr. P.

My doors leak bad, I think I am going to ask the dealer to have them looked at this winter. I also had a howl > 90mph, that was corrected by replacing the pass rear window. Mr. P.

shift kit: TransGo HD2-C servo's: Sonnax 4th Gear "Super Hold" Billet Dual Servo, Corvette 2nd Gear Servo where did you get your kit? JAG Performance who installed it for you? Myself initially, then Joe Guttierrez (JAG Performance) uses of the truck? Commuting, real fast commuting what torque converter do you have? Torque Converter Shop TCS 2800 any other transmission modifications you have done/had done to your truck... B/W low roller clutch, 5-pinion front/rear planet assemblies, hi-po output pump slide spring, B/W 29-element forward sprag, steel .5-in boost valve, wide red band performance lining, Z-pack 15-element hi-po 3/4 clutches, Beast HD shell w/ bearings and wide bushing in reaction gear, hi-po forward & overrun clutches, B/W low/reverse clutches, hardened pump rings...

Major drama at the parts counter tonight, I went to pick up the deflector at the dealer and was told that even though they called me to come pick it up after work the did not have it. I was pissed. Told them to specifically not ring my phone until they had it in their hands next time... Mr. P.