Want to take my 2010 Yukon XL Denali with 180,000 miles for a family trip from Michigan To Florida - Can you help me make this a success!

[Doubeleive]

Thanks for clarifying! Do I use another jack to then lift the axle up? Best point to lift the axle?

lol, 2 jack stands & 1 jack is all you need

 

[bobby2175]

Very important advice. You don't want the rubber boots on those shocks to roll over themselves by setting the back end down before the bags get some air in them.

Ok, I think this is my last question before I get started on it all when I get back into town. Do I need to do anything to put air in them before lowering the truck?

 

[bobby2175]

lol, 2 jack stands & 1 jack is all you need

Thanks! Shows you how much I know!

 

[Geotrash]

Ok, I think this is my last question before I get started on it all when I get back into town. Do I need to do anything to put air in them before lowering the truck?

No, not if you use the jack to support the rear axle while you work, then lift the rear end from the pumpkin slowly and carefully while watching the boots, and remove the jack stands right before you let the back end down. That way you can keep an eye on the shocks and make sure the boots don’t fold over on themselves as the shocks get compressed. Make sense?

I was working too fast in my 2012 and jacked up the rear axle when I was done to let it down like we’re describing, and didn’t notice that one of the boots had folded over on itself until it was already on the ground. I got lucky though and jacked it back up from the frame and was able to get it to unroll without any damage to the boot.

 

[bobby2175]

No, not if you use the jack to support the rear axle while you work, then lift the rear end from the pumpkin slowly and carefully while watching the boots, and remove the jack stands right before you let the back end down. That way you can keep an eye on the shocks and make sure the boots don’t fold over on themselves as the shocks get compressed. Make sense?

I was working too fast in my 2012 and jacked up the rear axle when I was done to let it down like we’re describing, and didn’t notice that one of the boots had folded over on itself until it was already on the ground. I got lucky though and jacked it back up from the frame and was able to get it to unroll without any damage to the boot.

Makes perfect sense. Thanks for clarifying. I'm going to get started on everything when I get back into town in about 1.5 weeks. Thanks to everyone who lent a helping hand. I've got more questions on big 3 and radio, but want to get this more critical stuff done first. I'll be back when I get all of this done. Thanks again!

 

[bobby2175]

Been absent a few days- Work slammed me again.

I remember that thread.

For the Big 3, you're just copying the factory layout but with larger gauge wire. You replace (or supplement, if you want) the three main factory connections- alternator to battery (charge wire), battery to engine (ground) and engine to frame (ground). Referring to the pic below, the charge wire connects the positive stud on the alternator to where it is terminated at the battery, under the nut on the left side of the 175A fuse. It goes to the left from the fuse, drops down deeper into the engine bay and comes back up over the valve cover on its way to the alternator. You can see the red cable where the loom is missing near the oil filler neck. The red (looks pink in the pic) unfused one clamped to the battery positive post is going to the starter. This one doesn't have to be upgraded. The other one under that lefthand nut on the fuse, in the loom, goes to the firewall and across to the fuse & relay center. This one also doesn't have to be upgraded.

View attachment 411775


While you're at it, and since it'll be replaced with a larger cable, I'd suggest you repurpose the stock 4 gauge ground cable. It runs from the battery negative post to the front of the passenger cylinder head. You can leave it on the cylinder head. Cut off the battery post clamp end and crimp on a lug to bolt it to the sheet metal of the body. I drilled a hole in the pinch weld on the cowl and bolted mine there. This will supplement that braided ground on the driver side that goes from the firewall to the nearly inaccessible stud on the back of the driver side cylinder head (or is it on the bell housing?) This will improve the ground connection from the body to the frame/engine (electrically synonymous at this point), making yours a "Big 4" upgrade.

@iamdub - want to make sure I understand big 4 properly:

1) 1/0 wire alternator to battery positive - clear
2) Battery negative to frame - completely remove the factory negative battery cable and run a new 1/0 cable from battery to where? Is this replacing the very thin wire from the original negative cable that goes down to the passenger side body mount bolt and that's where I should take it?
3) Engine block to frame - I believe this is the short wire I've seen in your pics from power steering pump to under engine mount bolt, right?
4) Body sheet metal to engine block - pinch weld at the cowl - should I make this 1/0 if I've got some extra wire?

There is no longer a battery negative to engine block cable?

Also, which of these cables goes through the RVC now - #2 above?

 

[iamdub]

@iamdub - want to make sure I understand big 4 properly:

1) 1/0 wire alternator to battery positive - clear
2) Battery negative to frame - completely remove the factory negative battery cable and run a new 1/0 cable from battery to where? Is this replacing the very thin wire from the original negative cable that goes down to the passenger side body mount bolt and that's where I should take it?
3) Engine block to frame - I believe this is the short wire I've seen in your pics from power steering pump to under engine mount bolt, right?
4) Body sheet metal to engine block - pinch weld at the cowl - should I make this 1/0 if I've got some extra wire?

1) 1/0 or whatever your wire size of choice is. The same size should be use for all new connections as the circuit is only as strong as its weakest link

2) To frame or engine because you'll be running a wire from the engine to the frame of the same size. Battery to frame is shorter, though. Don't forget to route it through the RVC sensor.

3) Correct. The shorter, the better. That was the most convenient points to connect.

4) No need to make it 1/0 cuz you're not running that many amps through the smaller accessories in the body. If it makes you feel better and you have the material- knock yourself out. I think it'd be more of a nuisance bolting a 1/0 to the cowl, though. And you already have the factory 4 gauge, so why not use it?

There is no longer a battery negative to engine block cable?

No. But they're all still equally connected electrically. Battery to engine to frame, battery to frame to engine... all the same. Just like body to engine or body to frame would be the same. The wire is large enough to support all loads of all systems to their maximum capacities with room to spare.

Also, which of these cables goes through the RVC now - #2 above?

Yes. You don't want any cables bypassing the sensor. The sensor needs to read the total amperage your car is drawing off the battery. Any circuits bypassing the sensor will allow loads to not be detected. Electricity takes the most conductive path. Having a 1/0 bypassing a 4 gauge through the sensor means pretty much all the current will be going through that 1/0 and the sensor will be seeing virtually no load being drawn.

 

[bobby2175]

1) 1/0 or whatever your wire size of choice is. The same size should be use for all new connections as the circuit is only as strong as its weakest link

2) To frame or engine because you'll be running a wire from the engine to the frame of the same size. Battery to frame is shorter, though. Don't forget to route it through the RVC sensor.

3) Correct. The shorter, the better. That was the most convenient points to connect.

4) No need to make it 1/0 cuz you're not running that many amps through the smaller accessories in the body. If it makes you feel better and you have the material- knock yourself out. I think it'd be more of a nuisance bolting a 1/0 to the cowl, though. And you already have the factory 4 gauge, so why not use it?




No. But they're all still equally connected electrically. Battery to engine to frame, battery to frame to engine... all the same. Just like body to engine or body to frame would be the same. The wire is large enough to support all loads of all systems to their maximum capacities with room to spare.




Yes. You don't want any cables bypassing the sensor. The sensor needs to read the total amperage your car is drawing off the battery. Any circuits bypassing the sensor will allow loads to not be detected. Electricity takes the most conductive path. Having a 1/0 bypassing a 4 gauge through the sensor means pretty much all the current will be going through that 1/0 and the sensor will be seeing virtually no load being drawn.

Thanks for taking the time once again to clarify everything.

#1 - good, thank you.
#2 - I'm struggling a little bit on where the attachment point of this cable is. Do I run it all the way to where the original very thin ground wire goes - which is to the passenger side mount right behind the bumper?
#3 - I need to spend a few minutes finding this location.
#4 - good, thank you.

So, I have the entire heating/cooling system apart as we've been discussing and have a lot of easy access around. Are there any other parts that I should be proactively replacing? For example, should I replace or upgrade the alternator or any other parts?

Thanks again!

 

[mountie]

Thanks for taking the time once again to clarify everything.

#1 - good, thank you.
#2 - I'm struggling a little bit on where the attachment point of this cable is. Do I run it all the way to where the original very thin ground wire goes - which is to the passenger side mount right behind the bumper?
#3 - I need to spend a few minutes finding this location.
#4 - good, thank you.

So, I have the entire heating/cooling system apart as we've been discussing and have a lot of easy access around. Are there any other parts that I should be proactively replacing? For example, should I replace or upgrade the alternator or any other parts?

Thanks again!

( upgrade parts )....... You know your truck...... consider the age of your parts.... If they are only a few years old, they 'should' be fine. Just inspect for evidence of a problem, before spending money on things that will last. ( Our SUVs are known to last !

If you are preparing for a long trip, build an organized tool bag, a GOOD 'real' portable battery jumper, and a good selection of fuses, assesory belts, etc,....

Become a member of AAA, and you'll have up to a couple 200 mile tows for free ( $125.00 for a year) and mobile battery / tire service...

 

[bobby2175]

( upgrade parts )....... You know your truck...... consider the age of your parts.... If they are only a few years old, they 'should' be fine. Just inspect for evidence of a problem, before spending money on things that will last. ( Our SUVs are known to last !

If you are preparing for a long trip, build an organized tool bag, a GOOD 'real' portable battery jumper, and a good selection of fuses, assesory belts, etc,....

Become a member of AAA, and you'll have up to a couple 200 mile tows for free ( $125.00 for a year) and mobile battery / tire service...

That's just it! The truck has literally had no issues until I ran into the phantom electrical stuff that I believe I've now fixed. Other than very basic routine maintenance (think oil changes, brakes, belt, and one 100K service at the dealer (fluids, plugs, wires), everything else is original believe it or not. As I've been learning more and more, I should have been doing more preventative maintenance until waiting for something to break. That's why I was asking about other parts while I've got some room to work with everything out of it.