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If memory serves, Holdbrooks transported that third gen with no engine, transmission or driveshaft in it because it was swap bait. Dunno about the rear diff. Note that memory almost never serves.
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Nov 26, 2015 16:09
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More progress, thing's getting close to done. I put over 250 miles on it Thursday, hauling family to Thanksgiving. It did really well. Very smooth, in spite of the worn out Milestar crap tires on it. Shocks are definitely shot, a good freeway bump results in 4 residual rebounds. Some Bilsteins are on order ($59/side for the front struts, Jamal, crazy cheap, thanks for your offer though!). I still have to decide on a lift. It's pretty much going to be a mall crawler, but the stance is all wrong even for that. I'm thinking 2.5" in the front and ~2" for leveling in the rear. It got just over 19mpg in all-freeway / 75mph cruise control. Not bad, but a couple mpgeez low, I think. I'll watch it for a bit. Then I tacked the head unit yesterday. I knew from the RPO codes that the car came with a stock/base CD head unit. When I bought it, the PO said "yeah, it was originally a Nav car, but it got stolen in the dealer's lot, so they put another one in." Well, I saw a Sirius antenna on the windshield header, so I figured I'd find a Sirius tuner and stuff as I dug into it. Nope, the Sirius tuner went to dead space underneath the dash, and the Kenwood Excelon KDC-X396 was cobbled in there. So, from what I can tell, the stock head was replaced with a Nav/Sirius unit that got stolen and a dealership grafted another head unit in. Great place to start with wiring. And it was a rat's nest. All connections twisted/electrical taped.  At least it had all of the proper modules in it -- factory harness ->OnStar converter -> Chime unit + Steering Wheel Control module. The bad part is that it was all done by a retarded ape.I did a basic cleanup, but need to take a second shot at making it really right and clean. At least the connections are proper now -- power and signal wires crimped and heat-shrinked, speaker outputs soldered and heat shrinked. Most of them have been cable-tied into manageable cables, but man, I hate cleaning up people's poo poo. The head unit I put in? The cheapest of Chinesium: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IF3FRVQ?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00 A $150 toucscreen/Nav/Bluetooth/DVD head unit?  I have an Eonon in my E39 and that has been remarkably solid. I saw that Eonon was putting their name on this generic head, so I decided to give it a shot.It is actually pretty nice. Everything plugged in and worked. Bluetooth paired and plays straight away, GPS works fine, radio signal is good. I still need to load a micro-SD card for backup music, but drat, that's a lot of car tech for a buck and a half. It took a bit of customization to get to fit into the dash, but it fits and fits well. I know, I know, meatpimp, you loving suck because there are no pictures. They are coming, I promise. That said, though, not now, because I got a nice set of polished aluminum stock wheels that I need to get new tires on this morning. I'm going to just sell the stock machined set with corrosion under the clearcoat.
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Nov 28, 2015 11:37
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EVERYWHERE 
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Did I ever tell you guys how much I like strut work? No? It's because I don't. I loving hate it. My spring compressors are some crap loaners from AutoZone that I got in the '90s and forgot to return. They are worn out and probably unsafe. I tried to use them today and they didn't get the springs compressed enough to get the lifting spacers on. Plus, I hate hate hate taking them on and off, because I always back off one side too far, which sends the other side too close to the coil to get the socket on, so then I have to compress the other side until it clears and... basically, it's a huge poo poo show. So I gave up on the old tools and tried a new one I got from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DCZP22G?keywords=strut%20compressor&qid=1449427460&ref_=sr_1_6&sr=8-6 I think it's a Harbor Freight tool that a third party sells. Whatever, it's a good concept, but this specific tool loving sucks. The main screw was galling so badly that every time, whether compressing or releasing, it was like a glitter shower. It got the job done, but barely. The strut unit on this thing comes out easily... two bolts, pop the ball joint out of the upper arm, big fork to pop the lower piece off, but getting the strut cartridge out of the lower piece is a bit sucky, too. So I was working all morning on it, and got it done, so I can whine about it a bit. I still need to do the rear lift and shocks, but at least the front is mostly done. Made a huge difference in the ride, as well as the look. It has a proper stance in the front now, which is so much better than the droopy front the factory gives it.
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Dec 6, 2015 19:47
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You know what else loving sucks? The complete lack of pictures in this thread. 
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Dec 6, 2015 22:58
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I have the HF version of that spring compressor and it works great. I've used it to do struts from a Miata, to an Avalon, and even my 323. You have to put grease or even antiseize on the bolt, and make sure the thrust washer is still there.ssjonizuka posted:You know what else loving sucks? The complete lack of pictures in this thread. This! So even though the head unit is sold as a single din, it's a double like the pics? Is it an android or windows ce device? How clunky is it?
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Dec 6, 2015 23:08
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ssjonizuka posted:You know what else loving sucks? The complete lack of pictures in this thread. This - I am really looking forward to all of it. How does the new struts/springs make it handle, or have you gotten it out for a proper test?
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Dec 6, 2015 23:18
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BrokenKnucklez posted:This - I am really looking forward to all of it. I know, I know. Tomorrow I do the rears and I'll get pics soon. The front seems like it went up more than 2 1/2", it looks really good. I've put about 10 miles on it and new Bilstein HDs make it so much more reasonable than the stock, 95k mile, worn out Bilstein Marshmallows. I'll probably do the rear sway bushings while I'm under there tomorrow. I'm hoping to use my spring compressors to cheat on the rear spacer install a bit. mafoose posted:I have the HF version of that spring compressor and it works great. I've used it to do struts from a Miata, to an Avalon, and even my 323. You have to put grease or even antiseize on the bolt, and make sure the thrust washer is still there. I did have the thrust washer in place and neversiezed it... I think mine was made from play-dough. Head unit is double-din, from the reviews I've seen, it's a bit larger than standard double-din, but it fit the dash of this thing perfectly with just the included brackets (I had to cut the brackets a bit to fit, but minor effort). It's a Windows CE, it's pretty clunky, but radio reception is good, bluetooth works fine, GPS uses igo primo and it works like any other igo primo install... basically, for $150, it's stupid cheap. Complaints, sure, the interface to use music on a micro-SD card is terrible, button lighting is blue only, a host of other annoyances, but it was $150... who cares.
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Dec 6, 2015 23:51
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meatpimp posted:
 You knew this was coming right??  (seriously man, even just the text updates are cool, but piiiiics!)
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Dec 7, 2015 03:33
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...I'll get pics soon.
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meatpimp posted:My spring compressors are some crap loaners from AutoZone that I got in the '90s and forgot to return. They are worn out and probably unsafe. I used some of their current rentals today on the WJ, they weren't too bad. I rather like the push-pin they have to hold them on versus the mostly-missing screw eyelet that my dad's ancient no-name compressors have.
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Dec 7, 2015 05:35
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3 weeks ago: Today:   It looks proper now, not like a sad dog waiting for a beating. That's a 2 1/2" front lift (I didn't measure it, looks like at least 3" in actual height difference) and a 2" rear spacer lift. You can see the front spacers (2" preloading the struts and 1/2" riding on top of the strut mount) here:  Crappy pic with my hand in it of the head unit. I'll get some pics of the interface (but I'm not going to specify a time, so ssjonizuka doesn't toxx me again):  A lot of work on this in the last few weeks, but most of it is catching up on deferred maintenance that doesn't show in pictures. Left to do: try to clean up the dent repair the crappy "pro" PDR guy did to a dent in the back tailgate, find out what is howling like a bad power steering pump in the front end (probably a bad power steering pump), clean the motor, a few little things... basically, just drive the damned thing now. 
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Dec 7, 2015 17:00
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 Thread delivers. That non-GM head unity looks so much better. 
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Dec 7, 2015 17:13
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Holy poo poo! That looks really loving good. I imagine even with the lift it still corners isn't a giant marshmallow.
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Dec 7, 2015 23:09
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BrokenKnucklez posted:Holy poo poo! That looks really loving good. You can definitely feel the higher center of gravity, but yeah, the handling is still straight improved from stock. Suspension is just about done, I didn't get the rear sway bushings put in (I was too anxious to test out the rear lift to do them this morning) and I need to get it aligned (it looks like the negative camber that trashed the previous tires has been replaced with some positive, so I need to get it sorted. Overall, it's really coming together.
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Dec 7, 2015 23:31
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I admit to never having looked closely at the interiors of other GMT360 trucks, but it seems that GM went to far more effort than usual in differentiating that from the Trailblazer. Still the same basic bones but a lot more change than GM used to bother with.
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Dec 7, 2015 23:43
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IOwnCalculus posted:I admit to never having looked closely at the interiors of other GMT360 trucks, but it seems that GM went to far more effort than usual in differentiating that from the Trailblazer. Still the same basic bones but a lot more change than GM used to bother with. It's still partsbin-grade plastic, but it seems to be reasonably rattle-free, which is good. I did replace the shift knob with a later model one, though. The stock knob was dead black plastic. At least the '06 has a bit of chrome and silver, adds a bit of life to the interior and... hey, parts bin.
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Dec 7, 2015 23:46
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That interior seems to be really narrow for such a big vehicle. Could also be an optical illusion
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Dec 8, 2015 00:12
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You Am I posted:That interior seems to be really narrow for such a big vehicle. Could also be an optical illusion It's a very long vehicle, but not an extremely wide one. It is also camera distortion too. There's plenty of space, but it's not cavernous for 7 people. The nice thing is that the roof is bumped up so that there's reasonable space for adults in the third row. I'll get some pictures next time I do some.
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Dec 8, 2015 00:17
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They are narrow. 3 adults can sit in the middle row for a jaunt across town moderately comfortable but forget anything over an hour
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Dec 8, 2015 20:52
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 Rear Window Defroster is operational. Instead of the store brand / Permatex / whatever I talked about before, I went with a specialty place: https://www.atomadhesives.com/Electrically-Conductive-Epoxy-Adhesives/Window-Defroster-Repair-Kit $18 for a stupid 2.5gm packet. I mixed it and put it on after the car had been in the (Ohio, December) sun all day and it wasn't setting... then I looked at the product specs and saw that it'd take 24 hours to cure at 70*F... but it heat cures and 120*C for 2 minutes would have it cured. I didn't go that far, obviously, since it was a cool tempered glass window, but I did take the heat gun and got it nice and hot and within a few minutes, it was solid. I let it sit for another day before I plugged the lead into it and another couple days until I tried it. This morning it was outside and covered with dew and I hit the defrost button... bam, nice lines all the way across the glass. I also replaced the rear sway bar bushings yesterday. I'm down to just a few things to work on. The biggest of which is a whine from the front of the motor -- obviously belt-driven, not the fan, not the A/C. That takes me down to alternator, power steering pump or tensioner pulley. I'm leaning towards power steering pump. I put a bit of fluid in and it quieted just a bit. I think I'll do a full PS fluid change to see if that definitively tells where the noise is from.
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Dec 11, 2015 13:29
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In the alignment shop. Looks like he did toe before caster/camber and he's been loving with it for almost two hours.  In other news, the cheapo Windows CE head unit got yanked and returned, it kept crashing when using the nav. Replaced with a cheapo Andriod head and it is a world better... Great screen that doesn't wash out, and a ton more functionality. For $80 more I should have used this one in the first place. Edit: Holy poo poo. No wonder he was working on the toe first. The entire alignment was fully hosed. There's no wondering why the tires I took off was scrubbed to less than 1/3 tread in 20k miles... look at this poo poo:  Good news is that it drives much better and hopefully the suspension stuff is sorted now. meatpimp fucked around with this message at 17:59 on Dec 26, 2015 |
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Dec 26, 2015 17:02
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Holy gently caress, that is bad. Glad its back on track now, should be a decent truck now with some uprated springs and shocks. Did you end up changing the PS fluid to quiet it down?
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Dec 27, 2015 02:43
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BrokenKnucklez posted:Holy gently caress, that is bad. I was actually happy with the Goodyear shop I took it to. They worried me at first, calling to tell me the upper ball joints were loose (I checked them when I replaced the struts... they were fine. Not perfect, but fine. After that, though, smooth sailing. They didn't say anything about the lift, didn't complain about it being a huge pain in the rear end (camber/caster is adjusted by loosening the 3 bolts that hold the lower control arms in place... and are tightened to 195lb/ft... and usually move when you tighten them. So yeah, even with the lift, they got it fully into spec, really can't ask for more. I have pumped out the PS fluid reservoir and refilled 2 times as a ghetto fluid change. It has quieted the pump down a ton, to the point that I hear it, but it's not overpowering. I'm still watching to see what its going to do.
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Dec 27, 2015 13:37
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meatpimp posted:I was actually happy with the Goodyear shop I took it to. They worried me at first, calling to tell me the upper ball joints were loose (I checked them when I replaced the struts... they were fine. Not perfect, but fine. Goodyear probably felt "something" in the ball joints and only called to cover there rear end. But most of the Goodyear shops near me do some amazing things with alignments. And for that PS pump I'm sorry to tell you but its like a ford in that it just likes to sing. I have seen so many of these style of trucks in the shop over the last year and all of them had a power steering pump that sang a little bit. I put a new one in a trailblazer and two months later it came back singing its heart out. My boss tried to claim its something with how the rack is set up. But I just think they are a poo poo design PS pump. Either way its refreshing seeing someone actually take care of one of these trucks. 75% of the customers who bring there's to my shop have rolling dumpsters that are rusted to death with a non working dash.
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Dec 27, 2015 17:25
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GM had poo poo dashes in that era, the Tahoe/Suburbans are notorious for making GBS threads dashes
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Dec 28, 2015 03:38
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The truck's been in Winter service, it's great to have the E39 sitting all warm and clean in the garage. Replaced a weak battery, defroster repair is working great... so far, so good. There was a big vibration/rumble when the blower motor was cranked up. I dropped the blower today to find a half-dozen pieces of acorns in the fan. That'll do it. Removed acorns, replaced blower, all smooth. Things to do: Replace left front door check. Replace rear wiper arm with updated '07-09 version. Get some kind of fancy Denali-wannabe grille. Drive the piss out of it.
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Jan 26, 2016 01:50
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meatpimp posted:Replace rear wiper arm with updated '07-09 version. What's the difference in the wiper arms?
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Jan 26, 2016 20:25
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n0tqu1tesane posted:What's the difference in the wiper arms? A little bit cleaner / less retarded looking: http://ss-shootout.com/wiper.html
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Jan 26, 2016 20:51
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This was WAY more of a pain in the rear end than I thought it would be. I had given up on it, but took another shot at it this morning. I'm glad I did, it transforms the look of the front of the truck. 2006 Denali grille -- replacement involves separating three pieces (grille section, painted surround, chrome "U" surround), all held together by about 40 fragile plastic clips. I bought a craigslist grille with a different colored painted surround, so I had to swap everything (GM parts price for the chromed plastic center section? $1000+, discounted for $700.  ). I managed to do it with just a couple minor tabs breaking. It is dead solid and looks great.
meatpimp fucked around with this message at 16:45 on Feb 5, 2016 |
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Feb 5, 2016 16:12
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that looks great but you didn't buy this grill new right? its from a junkyard i hope
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Feb 5, 2016 16:42
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everdave posted:that looks great but you didn't buy this grill new right? its from a junkyard i hope No way, I may be dumb, but nowhere near dumb enough to pay that kind of cash. I got it off of craigslist for $50... couldn't pass it up, since I was looking at an E&G grille that gave a similar look for $200. I'm glad I went this route.
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Feb 5, 2016 16:44
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it looks awesome cool upgrade
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Feb 5, 2016 17:09
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An hour and a half to FIND a 5" alternator bolt that fell? Are you loving kidding me? The alternator was supposed to be my quick project today, then a brake change. Welp. Good news is that the new alternator seems to have completely fixed the ridiculous 12V-15.8V voltage swings I was seeing. Brake time.
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Mar 14, 2016 17:21
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New alternator keeping things dead-on 14.1V in normal driving. I can't wait to have non-strobing headlights and interior lights! As far as that bolt that fell and hid in an unimaginable way?  My garage is a goddamned disaster, but a set of 4 coated rotors for $125 delivered is a great thing. (Front one on in this picture, so nice and silver-y) 
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Mar 14, 2016 20:47
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Finally getting to garage cleaning. That thing was ridiculous. The new alternator fixed the wandering voltage problem, it's been holding as steady as it should be. I parked nose-to-nose with a Trailblazer EXT, basically the same vehicle. You can see the difference a 2 1/2" lift in the front makes. It's not gonna do much off road with the way the lift is set up, bit it sure looks less droopy. 
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May 1, 2016 17:03
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Yeah, I don't usually love lifts/lowering jobs, but that really does look better.
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May 1, 2016 17:12
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meatpimp posted:This was WAY more of a pain in the rear end than I thought it would be. I had given up on it, but took another shot at it this morning. I'm glad I did, it transforms the look of the front of the truck. So yeah... that grille now looks like this:  Hit a deer as a pack of 'em ran across the road last night and the truck now looks like this:  What's next? I have no idea. An adjuster is looking at the truck tomorrow and we'll see what the process is. I don't remember what my insurance does regarding OEM parts. I had a rider with my old insurance company, I don't have an OEM rider listed now, but I have emails showing I asked when switching... hoping that isn't a problem.
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May 8, 2016 16:54
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 That sucks yo.
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May 8, 2016 18:04
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Dang. That sucks, meatpimp. I hope you and everyone else is OK. At least you got dinner out of it, right?
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May 8, 2016 18:06
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Ouch, that sucks dude. gently caress deer.
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May 8, 2016 18:13
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| # ? Apr 20, 2024 01:42 |
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th vwls hv scpd posted:Dang. That sucks, meatpimp. I hope you and everyone else is OK. At least you got dinner out of it, right? No worries, everyone is fine... I'm actually glad it was that and not my pristine E39. I'd be upset if the BMW got it. No meat, the side impact must have squashed the poo poo out of the deer, and my dad was able to pick us up in my brother's GTI, no room or place to throw a deer. I am mad at the deer, though. I want to reincarnate the motherfucker just so that I can kill it again. In the past few months, I have replaced: Wheels / Tires Pads and Rotors Shocks/Struts with lift kit All fluids / Plugs One Hub Sway Bushings Alternator / Drive Belt Android Radio Rear Wiper Arm with updated '06+ version LF Door Check Along with a shitload of general work and some other stuff I'm missing. It's running great, so I don't know if I want them to fix it or total it. If you look just behind the bumper, there's a pretty significant bend in the radiator support that may have pulled the frame rails in... and I don't know how shoving the radiator into the fan/water pump is going to effect the motor (if at all)... We'll see. meatpimp fucked around with this message at 18:23 on May 8, 2016 |
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May 8, 2016 18:18
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