Canada Jeff

I am looking at buying an Avalanche, and am wondering if any one has one customized? Wheels, paint, anything different from the norm?

I'm thinking about going with the LT with no body side clading, and throwing 20's or 22's on it. Like in the brochure 3 pages in.

No Z71 package, it just wrecks the ride, and I'm not going off road. At least not much.

Any pictures? Or bad experiences?

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

I have a 2500 Avalanche with cladding, with a few modifications.
Are you going to tow with it? If you are going to tow more than 7000lbs., you have to have the 2500. The (1500) Avalanche rear coil springs are quite soft. Madcow found out about this the hard way. (Rolled his Avalanche onto its side on the Interstate while towing due to uncontrollable trailer sway.) If you are going to tow more than your 288 Sunsation, you will want the 2500, no question. Rear air bags really help towing. I have them on my 2500 as well, just for extra stability.

Check out http://www.chevyavalanchefanclub.com/index.html
(The board is down at the moment though.)
They are the OSO of Avalanches. They can take the truck apart bolt by bolt, modify it, and put it back together again.

Mine is below.

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

You can also pick them up with Southern Comfort conversions, on the (1500) Avalanche WBH.



http://www.dudleymartin.com/Chevy/2518966.html

packinair

PM madcow. his is pretty cool. he can even tell you how they ride down the highway upside down

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

Madcow did have a bad experience.

However, lets get some facts straight. I can see the path this thead MAY go down, so I will try to combat it ahead of time.

They make a '1500' Avalanche (1/2 ton, 5.3L gas engine), rated to tow 7500 lbs. with a weight distributing hitch.
They make a 2500 Avalanche (3/4 ton, 8.1L gas engine) rated to tow 12000 lbs. with a weight distributing hitch.

Madcow made a mistake in trying to overdo the limits of his vehicle, and he admits that. He had the '1500' Avalanche. He had way more than 7500 lbs. behind him in that cargo trailer. He did not have any weight distributing hitch setup. He had custom 20" wheels with custom 20" tires that more than likely were not anything more than C or D load rating. He did not have any helper springs or air bags aiding the rear coil spring suspension. He did not have anti-sway bars. He had the original factory Class-III hitch. The trailer went into a sway, which resulted in the Avalanche's rear coil springs bounding back and forth, causing the roll onto its side and slide, and somewhere during this before- or aftermath, one of the custom wheels was also compromised and broken to pieces.

You have to have your setup right to expect the right results.

It ended like this:

cuda

You can't polish a turd, the more you rub it, the worse it stinks.



Sorry Brian, the shot was there, and I had to take it.

OldSchool

Ugliest trucks that I've ever seen!!!

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

You guys can jab at its looks. That's fine. I like 'em. I just wanted the facts straight on their capabilities. They are the same as a Suburban and Suburban 2500 (w/ 8.1L engine) proper.




Here is the quick list of mods I have done to mine:
Diablo Tuner, Helo Maxx 8 Wheels, BFG RT 265/70/17/E Tires, K&N intake, Air-Lift Airbags, Brembo Brakes, Scorpion Bed-Liner, All SS Dual Flowmaster 50 Series Exhaust, Rear-wheel 2" spacers, Westin Bars, Painted Lund Deflector, Vent Visors, Catch-All Floor-Mats, Amber DRLs, Billet Grill and Bowtie, Sportwing, All 4 Silverstars, Hyperwhite Fogs, JPC Taillights, Putnam/Reese WD Class-V Hitch, & Enkay mudflaps

Canada Jeff

I'm not towing! So thats not a factor.

As far as looks go, I don't like the side clading or the sharp square wheel wells. But with nothing on the side of the body, it resmbles a regular chev truck! Seats four, coil spring suspension is a far better ride than leafs. And its not 28 feet long! But if you had to, you can hav a huge box bed!

Seems like a good fit for me, unless my situation changes.

Sidwayz, got any pictures?

Canada Jeff

oops, I see you attached a picture above. Whats this diablo tunner all about? Power increase? Noticable