It figures, the parts that I want to show up the fastest just got shipped Friday (my heavier rate springs).. Looks like I am going to tear into the cooling system this weekend and start replacing all the hoses, the thermostat and 34" radiator. Then it's eFan install and PCM reflash with the EFILive.. I started to think that my cooling system is 14 years old and I want to beat the piss out of this truck this year, better do some preventative maintenance.
LOL. I guess by dumb luck I managed to hit on a very balanced combo in terms of tire sizing.. I have 275/55/18s on an 18x9 wheel. I was playing with tire pressure a little when I was a the autocross.. I went down 6 psi in the front and 8 in the rear.. I was in fear of rolling the bead off the tires.. As you can see in this video, it gave the sidewalls a workout, but it never rolled over on to the sidewalls like I have had happen on my BMW.
Sadly, I don't have enough power for a bigger course, I can get the fury that a 4.8L can dish out to the ground as it currently sits.. About 3 years ago I installed a TruTrac in the rear, in 2WD it can put enough throttle in to break the rear end loose, once I go 4WD, it all changes. To be honest, I was dumbfounded how much it changed the trucks characteristics, at least on this course. It added a huge amount of stability entering and exiting the corners and virtually all the tirespin was gone unless I drove it in waaaay too hard and thats just driver error that no vehicle can make up for.
As far as moving things around, in all honesty I don't plan to do much. This truck isn't going to go full race mode. I will probably borrow a page out of Steve-O-08's playbook and move the battery when the current one expires, and I'd like to borrow his idea about the half height rollbar that would let me install 4 point harnesses. I mean it's always going to be a fat lady at the track, you can move the weight around, but she'll never hang with a Miata or Mini on a tight course.
My goals for this truck are: street truck first, race truck second. I still want to use the truck as a truck so I can't fill the bed up with all the underhood bits. Unless I lose my mind, this truck will probably retain the full interior as GM delivered it.
However, with that said I do see mods coming for the engine and transmission. I'd like a built 6L with a turbo or LSA blower, and I eventually will switch over to the Silverado SS AWD (NP149) T-case I have in the shed.... Dammit.. gotta add researching an Accusump system to the list...:hmmm:
Hydroboost, CTS-V brakes up front and SUV brakes in the rear will come too, probably sooner than the engine/transmission .
And I already have a quick ratio steering box that I keep forgetting about... Damn need to get that in place.. LOL
All these things take money and patience.. Getting the truck setup as it currently is hasn't been cheap.. I'm not complaining, I just need to settle down a bit on the spending :-D