Read this article on our GM News site. Figured some may be interested... sounds like good news to me!

The San Diego Union-Tribune

<DIR>December 11, 2004

General Motors has delivered more than 300 specially equipped Chevrolet Silverados to the U.S. Border Patrol, including agents in San Diego.

The heavy-duty extended-cab pickups are fitted with an Enhanced Mobility Package, which GM has just released for government and military sales.

And there's good news for those who go off-road in the desert or Baja California. "We anticipate offering this package to retail and commercial customers in the near future," a GM spokesman says.

Pricing for the mobility package has not been announced, but it's expected to be about $5,000.

The pickups, with a 9,200-pound gross vehicle weight rating, use the 6.6-liter Duramax Diesel and Allison 5-speed automatic transmission. Several areas of the body have been reinforced.

The mobility package adds full under-body protection, including drivetrain and fuel-tank skid plates and rear shock protectors; hydro pneumatic jounce shocks; front and rear two-piece alloy wheels with beadlocks and military-type 85/75R 16-inch tires with tire monitor system (temperature and pressure display); in-dash air cleaner restriction gauge; heavy-duty military-style front bumper; and axle, trans case and transmission vent filters.

The vehicles and contents of the mobility package are covered by GM's 3-year/36,000-mile warranty.




Lets see... add 5k to already high sticker price... This means you could probably get yourself into a 60k D-max :eek:

I say go for it anyway! :ro)

Chris
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I'd like to see some pix of the bumper and that wheel/ tire combo!:ro) :ro)

Probably a high priced package since first will go to Government. Wouln't be as expensive if standard item.

http://i.tnpv.us/2004/WKA200411/WKA2004112450527_pv.jpg
http://i.tnpv.us/2004/WKA200411/WKA2004112450497_pv.jpg
http://i.tnpv.us/2004/WKA200411/WKA2004112450482_pv.jpg
http://i.tnpv.us/2004/WKA200411/WKA2004112450288_pv.jpg

Sounds like a bunch of crap for 5k, How about just changing the front fender well and adding some good shocks.

I'd like the skid plates!

me like the bumper!

yea only way I would bother with that is if they put a D60 up front and opened up the wheels wells a bit more, plus beadlocks are illegal for street use so we won't get those. Those shocks can't be cheap, saw something on TV about them a while back.

This gets my vote....


http://img84.exs.cx/img84/6730/army6x67qj.jpg

man that thing looks mean!

I wish I still had the link for this, someone else might find it.. They were testing some duramax trucks for the army and had a lot of sweet pictures, they had 6 inch lifts, 37 inch tires on hummer run flat 2 piece beadlocks, all sorts of neat crap.

I've seen those green HD's around the GM Technical Center in Warren, MI. Border Patrol markings.. was wondering what was different about them.

Who knows what we will actually see from GM with regards to this type of truck. They should go with a solid front axle as an option for this kind of application. If they want to compete with the new PowerWagon from Dodge. Not to mention a factory installed winch...

It does look pretty tough. I guess when you figure it in, its probaly worth it. Your getting a lifted truck with a warranty. Anyone know what kind of lift is on it. I really can't even see one but its got to have it.

Ya that thing looks very cool.. Mine will look simialar to the first one when it is done. Whenever that happens...

.

I would hope those beefed up trucks don't have our whimpy "toothpick" tie rods ...

Yeah that was it. Those are sweeeeet.

I'd like to know who does the bumpers? The military one looks a little better but I like that it doesn't stick out a mile like many of the Texas built bumpers. The brush guard is cheesy but that can be fixed.

Look at the cage that is underneath the torsion bars and bracket. Looks nice, but losing ground clearance there.

I'm surprised they didn't just slap a Dana 60 in there. Less moving parts and more reliable.

Not less parts. IFS has cv joints, D60 has u-joints. So same number of parts pretty much except more wear on the driveline with the solid axle because then it flexes up and down, where with ifs the driveline stays in one spot so no slip yoke is needed. Slip yokes were what we had the most trouble with, we'd wear one out every year. As for reliable, I put a lot more parts in our solid axle trucks than in our ifs trucks. Bouncing them around the farm and ranch seemed to be harder on the solid axles bearings than the one piece bearing on the ifs. These days I spend way less time working on the trucks than I used to... So I am glad we have IFS. Now if I was building a bogger with 44 inch tires a D60 would be perfect...

I'd still take a solid axle hands down, anyone would.

What did I just say? I guess I'm not anyone huh? Let me put it this way.. If you want to work on it a lot, get a solid axle. Sure it will be better for rockcrawling and stuff. However I sure got tired of putting bearings and ujoints in them every 6 months.
If you want a reliable work truck then you want ifs. Depends what you want. I don't like working on my truck when it's supposed to get me where I need to be to work and so far bashing around the farm the last couple ifs trucks have taken a lot less work than the solid axle trucks we had before. Bottom line for me is I can use the truck more and work on it less.
If you want a solid axle, fine with me. I'll be the first to click the pics when you solid axle your new truck...

Ok, first off I am a die hard Chevy fan. Secondly I still think IFS sucks. I'm into lifted trucks, and IFS does not cut it. Your very limited to the amount of lift you can have. Ford has ran them for years now in their Super Duty's and has been very effective. Soon as I can get the funds, I will be swaping my IFS for a Dana 44. So just doen't bark up my tree, its all in want you want.

Looks like you have a lot of lift and 38s. I've seen a lot of big lifts on HDs and running 44 inch tires... That's as much lift and tire size as I see most guys with solid axle fords running. You aren't limited by the IFS, just the budget.
Also why would you put in a 44 if you are lifting it and running big tires? Only costs a little more to build a 60.

I kinda like the new heavy duty look of these trucks. I'm sorry this is my son's ride:cool:

Oh, I could put a 60 under it. I don't do any muddin, just showin. So a 44 would hold up, they are a little easier to come by. Atleast I think so. But some of parts and steering kits are actually cheaper for the 60. Hell, maybe I'll just put a couple of 2 1/2 ton military axles under it.

Found this nice manual with all the details of the enhanced mobility package.....

http://www.gmfleet.com/us/products/specialized/pdf/2003EMPSM.pdf

Good find Lennart. Some very interesting information only thing it's missing is part numbers. Both the front and rear have jouce shocks in addition to the standard shocks. The rear is pretty simple and parts are easily available via the aftermarket but I'd like more information on the front. Anyone have pictures of the front suspension? I'd also like more information on the bumper? Looks similar to the Warn replacement?

The military figured out many years ago that ifs was better for offroad work than staright axles. The jeep that the hummer replace was 4 ifs. Straight axles are bad about getting one wheel off the ground. If you check it out military trucks for the most part are ifs, including the hummers and some of the larger trucks. Same applies for european vehicles.

Tom

I found the Parts Manual for the Enhanced Mobility Package. Part Numbers Included.

http://www.gmfleet.com/us/products/specialized/pdf/2003EMPPM.pdf

On the funny side the controller looks similar to the Attitude. Hmmmmm. Also on page 3-51 it shows what every law enforcement and military person needs. The LF interrogator tool!!!

I see GM can reprogram for tires. Page 6-5 shows the ECM p/n's for LB7 and LLY with 285/75/18's.