I picked up some of those molded splash guards for my GMC.... and well I don't like them. They ended up being too small and I don't think they look good on the truck so now I am looking for something that will look good as well as being functional. Also now that I have the molded ones on I think I would need something a bit more flexible than these because I see them being ripped off when I hit a snow bank...any input/pictures of what you guys use would be great.
Lou
get the rubber ones i got mine from the cat dealer there nice and they have yet to get ripped off i know exactly what your talking about i had two come off in one snow fall i was pissed. :angry:
Thanks for the input... only problem is there are no heavy truck dealers within a reasonable distance from be...
that sucks. good luck
Frozen can you post a pic of them and let me know if you would like to sell them later.

I just bought a 1988 GMC stepside Z71,automatic,350. I am having trouble with the 4wd. It shifts into 4wd, but when I start to drive I can feel it pop out of 4wd and into 2wd. It does this in 4wd high and low. Sometimes I will shift into 4wd, but the front gear box won't engage. If I shift into 4wd low and high a couple of times, it will eventually kick into 4wd. Any suggestions on what cause be causing the problems? Thanks!
Josh
sounds like the front axle actuator is bad they give lots of trouble if you need one buy a aftermarket one such as one from rancho. it is located on the front right axle tube it has 2 wires going to it if you dont know where it is.
After doing some reading, it turns out these thermal axle actuators are a real POS. The options I've seen so far are:
1. Replace with new thermal actuator
2. Replace with vacuum actuator
3. Replace with servo controlled actuator (not sure if this can be done)
4. Replace with manual controlled actuator
What is everyone else doing out there and why?
Thanks!
Josh
i think a few months back, petersens 4wheel mag did a conversion which eliminated the actuator.. i dont think they changed the t-case, but i think the hubs were changed.. if you're really interested i can probably dig it up..
mike reeh
I ended up getting the late model (97 and up) electric actuator. It's partially installed right now. Everything is hooked up except for the wire which is supposed to be wired to the 4wd signal wire just above the transfer case. Does anyone know which wire that would be? (There are 4 wires, black, blue, purple, and yellow.) It seems like the easiest solution right now. If this fails, however, then I'm going with a manual actuator or possibly eliminating it all together like you mentioned. Would this elimination kit involve going with locking hubs to engage 4WD? If not, how would 4WD be engaged with this elimination setup?
Thanks!
Josh
I think I remember the article that Mike is talking about. It's a manual lever that goes under the dash, and you pull it out and turn it to engage the axel just like the electric one would, but with a cable. As far as finding the right wire, get out the multi-tester. See which wire goes hot when you pull in the 4x4. That's your wire. Good luck.
Just a thought,but if you are connecting that actuator to the 4WD signal wire,just make sure the switch can handle the current,and you use decent size wiring.A relay would be a much better idea.

I have seen the posi-lock system ($149 from JC whitney) you are talking about. This doesn't get rid of the actuator though, it just converts the system to a manual type actuator instead of an electrical or thermal actuator. It doesn't require hub replacement either. Is this the system you were referring to Mike?
The wiring harness to adapt the newer type actuator was purchased at the dealer. All the wiring needed to complete the job is included in the kit. I don't think a relay will be necessary and even though the wire isn't what I would call heavy duty, I am assuming it will handle the current.
Josh
what are yall talking about locking hubs ? i never have seen a 88to present gm with ifs that had locking hubs

Yes it's me again, How hard would it be to switch out my 700r4 and put in a 400? The vehicle is a 1987 fullsize JIMMY
again thanks for your help.
sorry for all the posts guys
STUMP JUMPER
STUMP JUMPER,
Although the 400 is "tougher" in a sense, the 700R4 is a very nice transmission that can be built to survive harsh punishment (snowplowing, towing, driven' it like you stole it!). You would need to find an adapter to fit your particular transfercase and lengthen and shorten respective driveshafts. Fabricate new crossmember mounts, linkage and a host of other mods. It just doesn't sound cost effective, plus you will be loosing your low 1st gear ratio and overdrive!
My advice, get a thourough rebuild from a custom transmission shop. Install a big cooler(s) perhaps one with a mounted thermostatic fan.
why would you want to downgrade to the TH400?The 400 is tough,but it is inefficient and has a high first gear and no OD.The 700 wil give 20-30% better mileage on average,more if you drive highway mostly.If your having repeat problems,then find a new tranny shop,or buy from a GM dealer,a reman from GM is 1400 here,if you can get shop discount you save 20%,with 3/50K warranty.The money and time you spend swapping to the 400 are a waste.

I have a 1978 Chevy 3/4 ton 4x4 and was thinking about making my stock bed dump. has anyone seen or tried the dump bed kit offered by Northern tools? Any good? It"ll be used mostly for mulch and fire wood. All info is welcome. If your not familiar with it just click below.
http://www.northerntool.com/cgi-bin/...2&prmenbr=6970
They are not bad have never had one but seen some on other trucks.
1.You have to weld the bumper to the frame.
2.you have to fool around with your gas spout.
3.You may get involed with your trailer hitch if it sticks out to far.
The only other thing I would be worried about is it's only 4K lbs I know most truck can only carry about 3,900LBs but alway better to be a little more beefy unless your only hauling light matereials.Best place to get info on it would be truck place that sell this type of stuff and question them on there pruduct to give you more info on it.
There was a thread on this a couple of months or so ago. People were raising concerns about the strength of the bed. Could it handle the weight and abuse without the undersupports buckling? It may work just fine for you. You may have to strengthen the underside of the bed. I'm sure someone knows better than me. I guess it also makes a hitch out of the question.
I hve seen them,they will work and are a huge improvement over unloading by hand.The thing is the pickup bed was never meant to be lifted with a load in it,so its not beefy enough to be pushed up and down all the time.If you will using it a lot or on a commercial basis,it probably isnt the best way to go.A dump insert is a better way to go and you cam just swap it into your new truck when the old one is shot or breaks down unexpectedly.
I have one. It was easy to install and works good. If you have loss of structural integrity (lots of rust) on you're bed you should reinforce key areas. The gas spout was no big deal to reroute to the wheelwell. If you have a hitch you may have some problems pepending on how close it is to the bumper. You may need to cut a slot in the bumper. Don't expect it to push more than the 2 tons it is rated for. It works go for what it is and it is less expensive than a mason dump. Eric
As for the gas filler, I see a truck where they cut a square opening in the bed, fitted the edges with a type of slip-on plastic like they use on the kiddie pools, and shortened the filler tube so you can fuel upwithout raising it.
I just got a hose that was long enough to reach the wheel well. There is no need to raise the bed for filling unless you run out of gas and need to fill from a can. Eric

Hello again I got my plow on my 88 GMC for the winter but don't know where to hookup my black wire to the fuse panel?It says to hook up the wire to a acc fuse that only has power with the key on.But on the 88 gmc I'm not sure of the best place to hook it up.It's a myers plow with the 2 switches.if any of you late 80s to early 90s gm owners could give me some ideas that would be great as I dont want to fry my wiring in case of a short these trucks have enough problems with wiring as it is .Thanks.
Heater fuse, wiper fuse, radio fuse.
NEVER HOOK UP ANY WIRES TO YOUR FUSE PANEL. They are meant to allow a certain mount of electricity through. A fuse only allows enough power to control the component correctly and protect it from getting too much power and frying itself out, if you tap into it, you could possibly not get enough juice to one thing or another, which would cause one not to work correctly. underpowering a component could also cause it to fail. ie. if you underpower a subwoofer it will blow. same thing if you replace you factory speakers. Those things run on like 20 watts and you go to put aftermarket speakers in without an amp, you will blow the speaker due to underpowering it. Tapping into a regulated power supply is a bad idea especially if its for a plow and or control pad. you don't want to fry a $100-$250 control pad in the middle of a storm.
I take it that's your power wire for your control switch's. That is a low amp /flow circuit. All it does is switch the power to the solenoids that do the high amp / flow work of running the pump. They do it so the pump can not be operated unless the key's on. Look at your repair manual and see if it has notes on the fuse panel. Most vehicles have plug in connections for ignition on and always hot. If your really concerned put a 20 amp fuse in the hot lead to the switch panel of the controls and carry extra fuses.