Big Blue: 2005 GMC Yukon Denali

[ScottyB]

Paul also mentioned that because the tool box is originally intended for a pickup truck, it has some mounting holes on the bottom and is thus not watertight. I'd like to figure out how to fix that.

its a hackjob fix but maybe slather some JBWeld on there in the short term to keep the crud out.

i don't know if you necessarily need any additional and/or different storage solutions, but i found surplus military ammo boxes to be about as robust and weatherproof as anything you can believe for so cheap, however they aren't lockable through padlocks. due to their slim size, you might be able to lag bolt one to a frame rail, fender top, or some other part of the chassis fairly easily and keep things like ratchet straps/fix-a-flat/extra lugs+studs/fire extinguisher, etc out of the weather.



i've had 2, 40mm grenade boxes for years now and they're handy.

[Mike]

Cut some metal patches, adhere with some rubber sealant. Or make Kaan weld it up for you.

[Sully]

Small bolt with rubber washers?

[Mike]

Oh, he's good. Yes, that.

[Jake]

After a few days of using the Pioneer's built-in navigation, my initial impressions are that it's very good. I went from work (in Rosslyn) to P Street in DC last night, and elected to drive, because Metro doesn't have heated seats.

The snappiness of entering a destination was impressive. I hit "Places Near Me" and started typing the name of the bar. It found it quickly.

One challenge of nav systems in DC is their total inability to cope with traffic circles. Google Maps has only recently learned to navigate them with any sort of talent, and thankfully the Pioneer knows what's up as well. Directions are verbose and pretty clear... "In 700 feet, enter the traffic circle, and take the third exit onto New Hampshire Avenue" - okay, done. The stock GMC system was just like *ding* "I dunno LOL."

Anyway, it got me to and from just fine. I like it.

[Jeff]

I had 40mm cans on my (Evan's) old trailer. They weren't the best but they worked and kept the water out...as long as you were smart enough not to put wet straps in them...

[Jake]

Trailer is off at a place in Manassas, getting new tires installed and the wheel bearings re-packed. I almost was going to do the wheel bearings myself, but decided for the $150 or whatever they charge, it's worth it to not be goofing around in 25* weather for the next who-knows-how-many weekends. We are going to have a product launch at work the weekend before VIR in March, so that weekend is basically shot - meaning I have to get stuff done in advance, and thus need to pick and choose my battles.

The driver's door speaker was horribly blown out, and I figured the passenger side was not far behind. Picked up a set of JBLs from Sonic Electronix for something like $59. The GMT800s have a 6.75" front door speaker... allegedly. A lot of the internet also told me a 6.5" would fit. So, the JBL's came with adapter rings that I promptly threw out. You can run them as 6.5" speakers and just drill new holes in your door, which is what I did. I picked the JBL set because they were the right size and 2 ohm impedance, which is what the GMC's Bose system runs.

Think it was a bit blown?



I'm taking the Denali to a shop in Arlington on Monday. The power steering is leaking and there is a wobble in the front end that comes and goes with random amounts of violence. Again, the "pick your battles" mantra - I'm going to just let a shop deal with this stuff given my time crunch and the weather that won't let up. The shop is family owned and has a ton of good reviews, so I'm hoping they'll be pleasant to deal with.

[Jake]

Mileage: 127,800

Good experience with Joyce Motors in Arlington - they are family-owned and next to the Clarendon metro stop, so I just dropped off the Denali and took the Metro a few stops to work yesterday.

My P/S leak was diagnosed as a bad steering box, naturally the most expensive repair to the steering system. And the front-end wobble was a bad right-side tie rod (both inner and outer were replaced). So, kind of a big shop bill, but it's worth knowing I'll be safe with the M3 in tow, and not doing a lick of work myself in 5* weather.

I thought old GM trucks just had sloppy steering - well, when they were new, they didn't. This new steering box has the wheel feeling far more direct. Money (very) well spent.

[ScottyB]

if that big sled made it almost 130k on the stock ones with the shitty roads up there, i'd say you got a pretty good run. you probably won't have to touch that stuff again in the time you own it.

[Jake]

if that big sled made it almost 130k on the stock ones with the shitty roads up there, i'd say you got a pretty good run. you probably won't have to touch that stuff again in the time you own it.

The steering box was original. Tie rods were done at 99k, but I suspect the steering box slop may have worn them out quickly after that work. It's also had the idler and pitman arms done. The service advisor noted (at 99k) that "steering gear box leaking, cust. declined" - odd customer behavior given they fixed a ton of other things on their $58k GMC, but eh, whatever. Fixed now. :thumbup:

[Jake]

Mileage: 128,300

With Sunday's weather being surprisingly nice, I took the opportunity to get the M3 (mostly) back together. It runs and drives again, and needed to be taken over to Coho in Manassas to have one (or both) rear wheel bearings replaced. So, what better time to practice loading up the trailer and towing with the Denali?

I am very, very, very glad I didn't buy something smaller. A Jeep, Touareg, 4Runner, etc would have all pulled the 6k lb. load "fine" but with some effort. The Denali can do it and make you forget it's all there. The shifter has a button for "Tow/Haul" mode, which lets the engine rev a bit higher between shifts, and tweaks the response of the magnetic shocks to compensate for the load. If I really let it wind things out, it'd rev to 4k before shifting, but otherwise drove like nothing was attached.

Got a little bit of sway going at 70 mph - all was fine at 65 mph. I didn't check the trailer tire pressures before setting off (smart!) and I'm not sure what the shop set them to when they changed the tires. So, that's my first "check list" item - I've been told they should be at max sidewall PSI when cold.

I kept checking my rear view mirror and wondering who that asshole was in the BMW that was tailgating me... I'm sure that thought will go away with time

[V1GiLaNtE]

Sexy setup. Are the magnetic shocks part of the factory "tow" package?

[Jake]

Sexy setup. Are the magnetic shocks part of the factory "tow" package?

They're part of the Denali trim level.

Denali trim got you...

• 6.0L motor vs. 5.3L
  
• 4L-65E transmission (stronger, vs the 4L-60E paired with the 5.3)
  
• heated leather seats, first and second row
  
• Bose audio
  
• different interior trim
  
• projector headlights
  
• chrome, chrome everywhere
  
• "Autoride" - magnetic shocks both front and rear, with auto load-leveling in the rear (rear shocks have air chambers)
  
• AWD vs selectable 4WD w/low range on Tahoe, lesser Yukons
  
• tow package standard (hitch, wiring, maybe a trans cooler?)

[PDenbigh]

Regarding the sway: Play with how you have the BMW loaded on the trailer. To a point, the more weight you have on the tongue, the less it'll sway. Moving the car forward and back 4" can make a noticeable difference. I have two marks on my trailer where the XR's front wheels should stop - one set for a loaded truck, one for an unloaded one. Visually though, your picture looks to be pretty close.

[Senor_Taylor]

To me, the car looks just about right. Maybe a hair more forward. Not sure why people gave you so much flak on FB about the WDH. It's a smart choice, especially since it was free. Glad you finally got a trailer. Now you can really go all out and not worry about getting home.

Do you get a locking center diff with the Denali trim? AWD with no lo seems kind of like a downgrade from 4wd if you ever get stuck.

[Jake]

To me, the car looks just about right. Maybe a hair more forward. Not sure why people gave you so much flak on FB about the WDH. It's a smart choice, especially since it was free. Glad you finally got a trailer. Now you can really go all out and not worry about getting home.

Do you get a locking center diff with the Denali trim? AWD with no lo seems kind of like a downgrade from 4wd if you ever get stuck.

Yeah, if the trailer wasn't covered in snow and sand and stuff, I could have seen where Paul parked his E46 on it - the paint is worn away a bit. I think DJ and I got it pretty close, though.

Jeff giving me flak was just Jeff, that's how he is.

The Denali has a LSD in the rear, and I'm pretty sure the center diff is not a true locker. The front/rear bias is normally something like 38/62 until slip occurs. It's not ideal vs. a true low range, but I'm happy to be able to just floor the skinny pedal and let it spin all four wheels as I crash, instead of having to push a button on the dash before doing so.

I did have "a time" parking the trailer yesterday afternoon... the trailer lot is gravel and was covered in snow, which after several hours of 50* weather, was starting to kind-of melt, kind of. Suuuuper slushy. Had to turn off traction control and give it an uncomfortable amount of throttle to get the trailer back where it belonged in the space.

At least I know the AWD works now.

[Senor_Taylor]

At first I questioned this purchase for you, but now I see it's perfect... for the next 13 months.

At least it has an LSD. AWD is best in all conditions until there's like 10 inches on the ground.

[V1GiLaNtE]

At first I questioned this purchase for you, but now I see it's perfect... for the next 13 months.

I may need a tow rig by then.. :wink:

[Jake]

Well, we're about to cross 130k miles, and I just completed my first long tow with the Denali, so time for some notes/impressions.

Holy shit why did I not do this sooner?

VIR is a 4-5 hour drive, usually more like 5 hours. Towing there was immensely more pleasant than being strapped in to a bucket seat and having my teeth be rattled around for the entire drive. I had a comfortable seat, good sound system, cupholders (!!), space for all of my things and support items (tools, spares, fluids).

DJ showed me how to properly set up the weight distribution bars, which is something that Paul may not have showed me when he sold me the trailer. Or if he did, I completely forgot about it. In any case, they were set up better for the drive home, compared to the drive down, and it made a big difference. With things set right on the drive home, I was able to do 70 mph easily.

The big hills that you encounter going home from VIR were not much of a challenge, a small prod at the throttle will unlock the torque converter and downshift to 3rd, and it'll maintain about 60 mph with no issue. I accidentally prodded too much once and was met with 5k rpm in 2nd. Oops.

Keeping speed (mostly) between 60 and 70 mph, there were honestly a few times where my friend Kenny (rode with me on the way home) and I were chatting, and I looked back and had to remind myself that I was pulling a car behind me. It was just effortless once you got away from the stoplights. Gearing is a bit odd between 1st and 2nd, I'm learning to let it rev out a bit and it will shift around 4k while only somewhat falling on its face. Shifting at lower revs just exaggerates the effect. Once you're in 2nd though, it's fine to run up to whatever speed you want.

Managed about 12.5 mpg over the course of the weekend. Not all bad given the hills.

Suffice it to say, I really, really like this truck. And given what happened with the M3, I think my purchase was well-timed...

[Jake]

Mileage: 131,450

The M3's head gasket was done, I was prepping myself for a long weekend of seat time (Summit Point by way of JMU for SMAD Day on Friday), and I knew the Denali's oil life monitor was about ready to yell at me. Figured I'd give her some fresh oil before 250 miles of towing. As I pulled into the driveway, she clicked over:



So I picked up some Rotella (because everything is better with Rotella) 10W-30 and got to work. It's pretty nice being able to work on this thing without jacking it up. The filter is in a kind of janky location and you have to use a filter wrench to remove/install as you can't really get your hands around it.

There was oil all over the oil pan as well. The dealership records have "oil pan leak, recommend oil pan gasket, customer declined" so I was expecting it. It's either the pan or the oil pressure switch - the o-ring in there is a common failure point as well. In any case, it loses about a quart every 3k miles so I'm not concerned.

I made it this many miles on the old oil:



Also elected to change the air filter. It wasn't too grody but definitely not new:



Boring maintenance, complete.