Plus Sized Grandpa

[phatphuck]

Oh I did also removed my plastic tailgate bed cover (GM orinigal) because I would really like to mount my Bushwacker tailgate cap to match the side rails but it has a built in tailgate cap on it. So one or the other has to go. Today I just removed it and cleaned everything up and remounted it. All while wondering what I'm gonna do to trim it or whatever.

I did also mess with the gmt800 DeeZee easy-down tailgate assist kit with the piston deal.

Why the hell do they not make one for the gmt400? I can only find the "assist rods" that make the tailgate feel lighter not the let it down easy.

At any rate pretty sure I can make the gmt800 unit work with a modified lower bracket and mounting location in the bed side by the taillight but ran out of wrench time to get it in today. Will try to document that when it happens.

 

[98chevy2500SS]

Was the GMT800 easy-down assist kit easy enough to fit on a GMT400?

 

[phatphuck]

Was the GMT800 easy-down assist kit easy enough to fit on a GMT400?

Well that's still TBD as I do not have it in yet. I think the short answer will be no, however.

I am 90% certain I'll have to either modify or make another lower bracket.

Looks like I will also have to tap a new hole in the bedside (inside the tailgate recess on the sides) and either thread it or use something like a Jack-nut or nutsert for the upper mounting bolt for the piston.

That's after I get a measurement on the full travel of the piston and determine where the upper bolt goes.

Honestly it will probably be a PITA now that I think about it. But not likely to stop me from making it work well. It's one of those mods that make a truck just feel so much more well put together imo. Never have your tailgate bang down again.

It's the "little things" as they say.

 

[phatphuck]

So the donor column came in today. 3 days late but who's counting.

Got it tore down tonight. Honestly very glad I got a mini walk-through of the teardown before doing it in the truck. The horn contact snap ring got me for a minute but the rest was cake. Also the column tilt spring can be sketch if you're not careful with the lever.

Think I can teardown and have this in in an hour or so. Test fit to the new wheel is a perfect fit for the 2012 Malibu wheel.

Only thing that might give me fits is the new installation of the new upper shaft on the fork. We'll see.

If the weather is good tomorrow night I'll try to get it in then.

Big shout out to @Scottydc for his write up on this. Steering wheel may not be a big deal to most but it was literally my #1 mod on the list.

It is the most physical contact you have with the interior of the car short of the seat and damn well better be enjoyable or the rest of the experience is diminished imo.

I now swap in late model wheels into all of my older cars for this exact reason.

Also copied Scotty's little bushing removal tool from scrap I had around the house.

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[Supercharged111]

Ya know I like the wheel in my 98 a lot more than the wheel in my 97. I think it's smaller and the wheel in the 97 doesn't seem like it's round or square. Drives me nuts and I bet your truck had the same thing.

 

[phatphuck]

So got this finished up. Took me about 3 hr over the last two days as I had time.

Big recommendation is as always "right tool for the job". Definitely get a steering wheel plate remover.

All the steps re pretty self explanatory. I ended up using the Cadillac plate and spring. Will handle the wiring later. Just needed to get it drivable in the meantime.

Huge improvement over the stock wheel. Best mod yet.

Pics

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[andy396]

Could we get some more pics to see how the transition from the wheel to the column looks? Do you have plans to make the wheel controls functional? What kind of condition is the leather wrap in under that cover of the old wheel? Looks good!

 

[phatphuck]

Could we get some more pics to see how the transition from the wheel to the column looks? Do you have plans to make the wheel controls functional? What kind of condition is the leather wrap in under that cover of the old wheel? Looks good!

Here's the condition of the stock wheel. Never even took off the cover before now. Not great shape but not as bad as I imagined.

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[phatphuck]

Could we get some more pics to see how the transition from the wheel to the column looks? Do you have plans to make the wheel controls functional? What kind of condition is the leather wrap in under that cover of the old wheel? Looks good!

The fit to the existing column shroud and the new Malibu wheel is very good. Almost too good. I get the slightest amount of contact between the column shroud and the back of the wheel cover that gives some audible feedback as I turn the wheel. May have to trim it ever so slightly. But not bad at all. Heard new cars that have worse steering wheel noise.

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[phatphuck]

May have a lead on a 14-18 interior in gray cloth with front middle jump seat and rear 60/40 bench. All manual.

Any thoughts on whether the gmt400 can pull this interior off? Would like some input. I've been waffling back and forth on it lately.

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