Well its been a few weeks with my new truck and so far I love it! But there are some problems too.... Just want to share and see if others have any input.


1. cd/ stereo isn't that good or is it just the speakers? This is the stock radiop that comes with the GMC SLE package. I was expecting something along the lines of the radio in my wifes 2001 Bonneville or at least as good as my 95 Jimmy.


2. Tried doing some stump pulling this weekend with 1/2" chain. It was tough getting that chain past the lower louver and around the front tow hooks. By the time I got some stumps out the paint was all scratched up. There is not enough room to get the chains by the painted parts.


Other than these issues the truck is more than I expected, great!

The trucks are great...the stereos suck.

Stump pulling!!!http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Confused.gif A $45,000 stump puller at that.


I know there is HD in the title on the door but this is bit hard on the truck no?


I remeber driving a tow truck when I was in college and my boss told me to always use the wench to pull, never the transmission......it sounded right to me....kind of kept that rule with all my trucks. But then again thats just me. $45,000 stump puller


Good luck with your new truck....by the sound of it you'll need it.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clown.gif

gottaway, the jury is still out for me regarding the stereo. I think the head unit may be okay after amps and speakers are installed. One of these days, I will get around to installing them.


I have a 40k+(if you look at what the sticker says) stump puller as well.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif I use a heavy tow strap on the tow hook if the stump requires a large chain to keep from risking the paint. Then again, it's hard to see the paint real well when the bugs and road grime cover make it look like a speckled light grayish brown. Or is that brownish gray?http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clown.gif

If you're going to pull stumps without a winch, why not just use the hitch?


Or am I missing something here?

You'll get more traction pulling from the front backing up .... There is more weight over the front axle in addition the suspension will bite down ....


What you need to get is a heavy duty 4' nylon sling to put on in between the tow hooks ...


I have used my truck many times to pull Heavy fork lifts stuck in loose gravel ...(Stupid employees)


Never a problem ,it is a truck ...


Mac

I second what hoot said!

Mackin that's funny, I just had to do the same yesterday, my production manager had the fork lift burried up to the floor boards. The old 4" by 30' strap just eased the fork lift back out of the mud.Good to hear that I'm not the only one with employees that would do this.

I am completely satisfied with my truck, but I do have one little problem... the paint is silky thin, I have numerous rock chips in it already and it's driving me nuts... I had a 90' Z71 back in high school that was black and it had that problem too, I just used a black wax... so I tried white wax with my new one and it covers it up pretty good, but you have to apply very liberally where the chips are... but it is a truck and trucks do have paint flaws, well any workin truck anyway, so it's not really a big deal...


Dan

Now I know why I never buy used trucks.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gifhttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clown.gifhttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clap.gif

The trucks are great...the stereos suck.





Guess that does not matter to you anymore. Sellout. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif

Mackin that's funny, I just had to do the same yesterday, my production manager had the fork lift burried up to the floor boards. The old 4" by 30' strap just eased the fork lift back out of the mud.Good to hear that I'm not the only one with employees that would do this.


Did you make them buy a case of beer. That is what happens in my line of work if you get a forklift stuck or leave the tines up. Great rule!

You'll get more traction pulling from the front backing up .... There is more weight over the front axle in addition the suspension will bite down ....


What you need to get is a heavy duty 4' nylon sling to put on in between the tow hooks ...


Never a problem ,it is a truck ...


Mac





Ditto, Mac!http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Approve.gif

I like my radio. I have the single CD with XM, and it sounds pretty good to me.

I've used my 40K stump puller many times. However, I always pull from the back. Never had a problem with traction. I saw someplace it was better for the tranny to pull in a forward gear.


flhrc,

Got a picture of your bike?? I have a Sporty and my dad has a Heritage Springer.Edited by: bowtiebob

flhrc,

Got a picture of your bike?? I have a Sporty and my dad has a Heritage Springer.


It's kinda filthy, but this is the only pic I have of it right now. Hoping to try the zaino on it one day this week.





http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/ZDB_DF2_myking1.jpg

flhrciblueice,

Sharp bike. How many miles you have on it?



Bob

Why would any body use a $43,000 dollar truck to pull stumps? Most trucks either work or are used for pleasure. There is a limit to how much a work truck can do. I know some one who believed everything he saw on TV commercials. He watched the new Chevy pickups going across a stream and going to a hunting cabin. He believed he could do the same. He would drive across a river up to the bottom of the doors just to see if he could make it. Then came cold weather. One morning about 10 below zero he went out got in his truck and it wouldn't move. We towed it in on a flat bed (skided the tires load it) put it inside and thawed out the rear axle, front axle and transfer case all of which were full of water. The housing of the transfer case was split from the ice. A costly price to pay for using a truck to do something it wasn't designed to do. The lesson? go to Ebay and buy a used dozer to do things like pull stumps.

Why would any body use a $43,000 dollar truck to pull stumps?

Because a track hoe costs $100,000

The trucks are great...the stereos suck.





Guess that does not matter to you anymore. Sellout. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif

The new one has an in-dash 6-CD Changer with Infinity speakers. Sounds OK. Nothing special. At least I can turn it up without distortion.

bowtiebob, thanks, it has almost 20k on it now.


dmacy, what hoot said.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Approve.gif BTW, I don't just hook to stumps and pull them out. I dig around them about 2 feet out and 2 feet down, cut the highest roots and then choke the stump below the root stumps. IMO, these trucks are made to do some work. It has also towed in excess of 18k # a few times.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Embarrased.gif

Be careful pulling with the front tow hooks. A neighbor down the street was pulling some post out with his truck. The chain came loose from the post and got him right between the eyes. That was the last time he will ever try that, or anything else. He left 2 young sons.

Yikes.... that's terrible.

I pulled a minivan off an embankment with my new truck on Sunday. It was over one of those cement stops and at about 45 degrees down into an embankment of balast stone.

Hooked the strap up to the rear axle (well whatever it is), told the non english speaking driver to put it in neutral.

Tried once and just spun my back tires. Dropped it in 4low.

Van yanked out and popped violently over the curb... but it kept on going.... luckily it turned a hard right and I had the wherewithall to keep going to avoid getting rear ended.

Thankfully no one got hurt.

These things show you, you really need to think things out before you act. I should have had the driver in the van so he could steer and brake it. Edited by: hoot

You need to be very careful when pulling an unknown load with a chain. It is very easy to exceed the limits of mounts, open links, etc. Straps are safer, but can still cause damage if they let go.


At Glamis a guy tried to pull a stuck dune buggy with his paper-plate Dually 4x4 using a chain. The buggy weighed about 2000lbs, but was buried to the pan. The chain came apart near the buggy (mount? Link? dunno) and destroyed his wheel well, taillight, etc. Looked about like $2000 to me. Nobody was hurt, but it sure could have turned out differently. Surprised everyone watching.


Use a winch with a pull rating of 50% or less of the cable strength, and mount to something that is at least twice as strong as the cable. Have the winch be the "weak link".

Having used a winch more times that I can remember, I ALWAYS put something on the which cable such as a blanket,coat or tarp just in case it snaps. I will also open the hood if possible. A flying winch cable can probably cut you in half...

I have a buddy who had a chain almost go through his tailgate. Went through the first layer of metal and almost through the second layer on the inside of the tailgate. Then he got stuck and hooked on the front and the chain came through the windshield and hit the passenger seat. Luckily no one was sitting there. Chains are dangerous. Never underestimate them.

Having used a winch more times that I can remember, I ALWAYS put something on the which cable such as a blanket,coat or tarp just in case it snaps. I will also open the hood if possible. A flying winch cable can probably cut you in half...





Amen,


The open hood and blanket might have saved the guy with the two young sons. the blanket serves as a kite to slow the cable when it lets go and comes at you and the hood acts as a shield to help prevent the strap/chain from flying through the windshield and killing you.


Having done a bit of four wheelin, I thought everyone knew these safety points, but it doesn't hurt to mention them again. If it only saves one poor soul....

I've never used anything but nylon straps to pull anything or anyone out. Chains are deadly!!


ROB

Having used a winch more times that I can remember, I ALWAYS put something on the which cable such as a blanket,coat or tarp just in case it snaps. I will also open the hood if possible. A flying winch cable can probably cut you in half...





I have been at the controls TWICE when a cable came apart!!!! I always kept my head below the trailer. When I drove the 18whlr we had slide axil trailers, they would then send us to move vaults(boxs they load on ships and trains) on construction sites with all there tools in them. I HATED DO THIS!!!!! They are a pain in the but!!! Anyway, as I was winching it up the trailer it must have gotten cought on something......keep in mind I would lay a chain accross the cable just for this reason(snaping). When that SOB let go it flew to the tractor and then between the window gard on the headache rack and blew the back window to pieces.


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Unhappy.gifhttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Confused.gifhttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Pinch.gif

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif Now I'm glad I spent the $600 for the Bose speaker upgrade, actually it was a required upgrade with the bucket seats.

I am on a volunteer fire department in a rural/farming community. Farmers are always pulling stumps, boulders, ground hogs etc... with chains and cables. We usually run on a few major injuries a year that are the result of chains and cables breaking. So far only one fatal (3/4 decapitation).