2005 Denali Resuscitation

Connor

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Mar 28, 2015
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Copying from TYF
I'm going to run this thing into the ground, so I might as well document it.
2005 Yukon Denali.
Got it completely stock with somewhere around 260,000 miles
I lost a lot of my old photos, but here's one I managed to pull from an old thread.
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First thing I did was pull the running boards off, then the trim. They were in rough shape and had some gouges from being daily'd in New England for 10 years. I still might clean them up and put them back on.
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A couple weeks later I cranked it up because I was bored and tired of the decent ride :bleh:
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It sat like that for quite a while, until I decided to see what amazon had for discount products.
The grille chrome is peeling and the shell is cracked, so I really didn't ruin a perfect grille by cutting it out.
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And that's how it sits now, dirty and rusting. A little over 292,000 miles
Most of the time and effort on this has been replacing worn out parts.
Everyday I seem to change my mind on what I want to do with it. It needs paint work, rockers, a few dents fixed, an alignment, I need to realign the front body panels, I think my core support is bent. I need to rebuild the drivers seat. The clear coat is peeling on the wheels and they are curbed, I need to strip and repair them. Lots of little things to do. Eventually it will get something cool done to it, no idea what it is yet.
 

Connor

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Mar 28, 2015
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Denali has been sitting, not risking a ticket for the inspection sticker because I already got a warning. It's only a year and a half past due. Needs the rockers fixed to get a sticker. Might do some other minor bodywork while it's down for that.
Got a set of lightly used Toyo At's that I might put on the stocks.
Been doing work on the (formerly) polished aluminum wheels for the plow truck, it's turning out to be much much more than I bargained for but I can't leave two wheels semi polished and two wheels almost black from pitting and brake dust.
I thought about trying to restore the finish on my stocks but I need to find a better way to do it than wet sanding and hand polishing.
It'll be some time before I can dig into the Denali, I have a huge job I just started at work plus a bunch of work on trucks in the yard.
 

Connor

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Mar 28, 2015
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I didn't abandon this thread, I've just been busy.
Haven't taken truck pics. Took off the denali badges (peeling) and the yukon badge, just left the gmc. Looks good IMO. Need to repaint paint the trim and steps, then back on. Barely drive it because it has no sticker. I need to fix the rockers still and my windshield.
Got it tinted a few weeks ago, just the front rollups to match the back.
Debating getting a full size spare, my friend has a denali wheel he is looking to unload.
 

Connor

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Mar 28, 2015
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Getting there
 

Connor

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New lights a couple weeks ago, finally fixed the rockers and got a sticker, and I had to get a new starter.
 

Connor

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Fixed my dead ballast, pretty sure it's just because I was using cheap amazon HIDs. Bought another ballast for 15 bucks and hooked it up, everything works now. I need to wire my DRL's into my 6-hi so I can have 8-hi.

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Initially I just had the ballasts wedged under the plastic shroud. I forgot to take a photo while I had the cover off of how I mounted them. They are on plates, screwed into the support, hidden by the shroud. I just used a small self-tapper and a washer to hold the plates.

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Changed my oil, fixed my weathertechs by turning them inside out and leaving them inside overnight, they aren't pulling in on themselves anymore.
 
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Connor

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I like it, bright, not bad. Cheaper than my leds by almost 70 percent and brighter.
Probably would go full LED if I was doing it again.

My dad wants brighter lights in his 14 sd, was looking at HID's but I might try and steer him to nice LEDs.
 

Huck

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Jan 27, 2011
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In a halogen light, LEDs all day. Could not believe how awesome they were in my regular Yukon lights. They're a little disappointing in the Denali projectors tho
 

Connor

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Ordered a bag of 194 leds's for my denali, and I'll use the rest on my dad's truck, my work truck, and my moms car.
Went to put them in my map lights and the reflector shrouds wouldn't fit. I guess they used friction to stay in over the stock bulbs, but these 194s are bigger and the shroud won't fit over them, and I can't put them in and push the bulb through.

Anyone else who's done LED interior lights- did your shrouds fit or did you just leave them out?
 

Connor

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Had to bend the tabs flat then just worked them in from the back, then inserted into the housings.
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Way brighter, definitely use the reflectors.
 

Connor

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Four down, like 16 more to go!
Bought a bulk pack of 194’s, I think I have 4 more places that take those, but it’s cold and wet and I really don’t want to be doing the bumper lights or plate lights right now. I’ll use the rest eventually.

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Did the map lights and courtesy lights today.

Gotta order festoons for the dome lights, even though I read like 40 times they needed 42mm festoons I still thought they were 194s.

Looks dumb when the lights come on and the front is 6k and the rears are yellow.
 
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mike.

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Dude on TYF posted a link for nnbs tahoes that swaps all interior bulbs for leds and the tag lights for $25 so I am gonna order that. Cannot stand the yellow tint on the regular bulbs. I had extra bulbs from James I put in the tag lights and they are super bright lol. I think the kit swaps the mirror lights too.
 

Connor

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:hmm:
The kit, shocks and the spohn stuff alone are like 2k. I was just looking at some videos to see how they installed the rear springs, and it's easier than I thought. IDK if I can go 4-6 and still make it up the dune to get onto the beach.

Tim's has a 2" rear kit, Tony has a 3-4" rear kit for less. Thinking I could do the 3-4 and decrank a little in the front. :hmm:
If I ever want to go 2/3, 2/4, 3/4, it's only the front stuff I'd need.

Every 6 months or so I say I'm going to lower it for sure but it never materializes :rofl:

Gotta go up to Robertson's and try to find some drug dealer's wrecked/shot up SUV and get the wheels. Maybe that would convince me to finally drop it. Last summer they had a set of black 24's with tires for 500 bucks but I never jumped on it.

Wonder If I could fit 33x12.5r24 comforsers under a 2/3? :dickslinger: