My truck is finally legal!! Geez!!

[Buoy]

Bought a new to me truck Aug. 1.
'04 Avalanche 2500 (it was hard to find a 2500...) with only 34K and an 8100 4x4.
Bought it in Columbus.
In Ohio they send the title to your finance Co, and you get a "title memorandum" to register with the DMV.
In Kentucky, you need the ACTUAL title to register the vehicle.
Title was an E-title.
This threw all new complications into the mix.
It took until now to get the whole title deal worked out.
I've been paranoid for the past few months driving around with the canceled tag from my old '96 C1500 on the bumper.
Geez, 4-1/2 months.
And welcome to KY (and they didn't use any) when I had to pay over $900 in taxes to get it registered.
At least I'm finally legal.

Old truck/New truck.

 

[Perlmudder]

that avalanche is SWEET!

 

[RPM]

You have got more patience than i do.. 4 1/2 months is quite a while to receive a title..I would have been climbing the walls. Nice ride though..

 

[Buoy]

that avalanche is SWEET!

Thanks.
I love it - great truck so far.
The newer Avalanche just don't look as "tough". They have started to look a little too surbubanite/soccer Mom.
I parked next to one at a bar a few weeks ago, and it looked like a puzzy next to this one.
Still need to do the exhaust on it to let the motor "breath":sifone:

 

[Buoy]

You have got more patience than i do.. 4 1/2 months is quite a while to receive a title..I would have been climbing the walls. Nice ride though..

I wouldn't call it patience.
It was more like:
"there is so much chit going on right now officer, I forgot all about it, I'll call them tomorrow"
Tomorrow comes:
"Ah crap, I forgot again, and now it's after 5:00 and they're closed"

 

[Sydwayz]

I LOVED my 2500 Avalanche. Great truck!

If you want some more power out of the 496, it wakes up nicely with a DiabloSport Predator Tuner, true dual exhaust, and CAI.

I also advise getting rid of those pissant 6.5" wheels and getting some 16x8 or better yet 17x8 wheels with some good E-rated rubber for towing. The rear axle is almost 3" narrower than the front axle which gives it a good track/stance. Rear wheel spacers fix that and drastically improve towing stability. I had airbags on mine and a true Class-V Putnam XDR hitch installed as well.

We've had 3 AVs in the family, 2-2500s and a 1500. I am sure you have found the Chevy Avalanche Fan Club forum/website by now as well.

 

[Buoy]

Thanks for the pointers Brian.
I'm likely going to need to do tires on it in the spring, and that was one of the things that didn't look right to me was the tires look tough from the side, but from behind, they are too skinny.
I want to stay with the stock rims - I think they actually look pretty good.
First time since my Dually that I've been happy with my truck, and don't really see anything else on the road that would fit my needs better.

 

[fund razor]

I was not a fan of those... but yours looks nice.

 

[Wrinkleface]

Cool Dude!!

 

[Sydwayz]

Thanks for the pointers Brian.
I'm likely going to need to do tires on it in the spring, and that was one of the things that didn't look right to me was the tires look tough from the side, but from behind, they are too skinny.
I want to stay with the stock rims - I think they actually look pretty good.
First time since my Dually that I've been happy with my truck, and don't really see anything else on the road that would fit my needs better.

I've towed back to back to back (all in same month) with 16x8 & 265 D-rated; 16x6.5 & 245 E-rated (stockers) and then the 17x8 & 265 E-rated tires. I can tell you that the wider wheel and tire makes a WORLD of difference in towing stability. Its worth your money and effort if you can find wheels you like. The stock 6.5" wheel limits the width of tire you can put on it. Not only that, but they are solid steel and heavy. If you go to an aluminum (E-rated) wheel you will actually have a little better stopping ability due to decreased rotating mass and increased contact patch.

Here's a pic of the 16x8s and Cooper tires on the truck. Black/charcoal wheels will also look great on your truck. Those rims are made by Pacer now, but used to be called the American Racing Outlaw II. They matched my old boat trailer. They are usually around $100 each.

Also, you can Armor-All and whatever the cladding all you want, but eventually it will "zebra stripe." Your Chevy dealer sells a packet/wipe for the cladding called "Rhino" or something similar which restores the cladding to new. I advise using about once every 6-9 months. It will take 1-2 to do the whole truck. It comes in a little foil pouch with yellow print. The guys on http://www.chevyavalanchefanclub.com will have all the details.

 

[glassdave]

I LOVED my 2500 Avalanche. Great truck!

If you want some more power out of the 496, it wakes up nicely with a DiabloSport Predator Tuner, true dual exhaust, and CAI.

I also advise getting rid of those pissant 6.5" wheels and getting some 16x8 or better yet 17x8 wheels with some good E-rated rubber for towing. The rear axle is almost 3" narrower than the front axle which gives it a good track/stance. Rear wheel spacers fix that and drastically improve towing stability. I had airbags on mine and a true Class-V Putnam XDR hitch installed as well.

We've had 3 AVs in the family, 2-2500s and a 1500. I am sure you have found the Chevy Avalanche Fan Club forum/website by now as well.

first time i've seen a yellow one. Thats bad azz!

 

[Sydwayz]

first time i've seen a yellow one. Thats bad azz!

Very few yellow ones made. They only made them 1 year. That one is my brother-in-law's truck, and its a 1500. His first was a 2002 pewter 2500.

I actually really like Bouy's charcoal. The 2002 AVs had a lighter color cladding than all that came later. Bouy's looks good with the darker cladding and charcoal paint.

 

[Sea-Dated]

Congrats on your patience and finally getting it legal. Good looking truck....

 

[Bobcat]

The "pimp "would look good behind that.

 

[Buoy]

I actually really like Bouy's charcoal. The 2002 AVs had a lighter color cladding than all that came later. Bouy's looks good with the darker cladding and charcoal paint.

I wasn't being too picky about color when I (I should say the wife) was shopping (for me). As long as it wasn't red, or a derivative of red (maroon/burgundy).

The nice thing with the charcoal is that it nearly matches the cladding so it blends pretty well. I really like it!
Thanks for the tip on keeping the cladding looking good. I soaked it once in armor-all, and that only lasted about 2 weeks. I'll look into the cloth thing you're talking about.

 

[Buoy]

The "pimp "would look good behind that.

Come on man, I think the "pimp" would look better behind a friend of neighbors daughter.

 

[sledge]

The tires you have on there now look skinny?! Or the stock tires? From the pics I'm guessing you've got 285s muffening out from the stock forged aluminums. A buddy of mine had a black 2500 and he put some 18 or 20 inch black wheels on there...looked pretty cool except for the stock brake discs. It just kills me to see ferris wheels on cars and trucks but still have puny little rotors.

I definitely agree with Brian though, an 8" wide wheel makes a huge difference in both looks and function. 18x8s with 285/60s (I think) should look really tough.

 

[Buoy]

You guys are right about the tires.
I was hoping to get away without putting rims on it too - I really kinda like the stock rims.
But, a little wider stance would look and react much better.

 

[fund razor]

Too bad they don't make a Hallmark e card for this. With those two little characters singing "Really glad you finally got your title." And when you would roll over the congratulations it would say: "Whoo hoo.... no fakey plates."

 

[Sydwayz]

You can't fit 285s on an 8" wide wheel without REALLY cranking the torsion bars and/or trimming some fenderwell parts. All of the aftermarket setups on our AVs are/were 265s on 8" wide wheels.

Do you have the 4.10 or the 3.73 rear end?

Since the transmission in that truck is no comparison to the Allison, the engine is torque limited in first gear so as not to rip the transmission out. (Its the M32/4L85E transmission; 4spd Auto w/OD.) You only get about 65% of available torque in 1st gear with stock programming (IIRC). That's where the Diablo Predator PowerTuner comes in. It will get back most of that torque for you in first gear. With a 4.10 rear end; and true dual Flowmasters, that thing launched and sounded like a 396 Chevelle.