Smol Truck Lyfe: Homeless Edition

[Desertbreh]

I bought the S10 to be something to tinker with. I wanted something to occupy my mind that wasn't just work and house and so far it's been fitting the bill. What have I been up to?

Other than the interior parts I mentioned, there's a few issues I've been wanting to diagnose. One is a random CEL that comes and goes, the other is an intermittent ABS light.

The dude I bought it from told me about these, and claimed it needs a new rear O2 sensor (which he had and gave me) for the CEL, and the ABS light he claimed was a wheel speed sensor. Trust but verify is my motto, so I wanted to see how I could verify. The truck is a 2000 model year, so it has OBDII with a reasonably modern ECU. How much could Torque Pro tell me?

Well, at first, not much. It read the CEL and spit out a 0420 code, which a quick google search indicates is a catalytic converter failure. There were no codes returned for the ABS light. Awesome. Apparently, these GM ABS systems are notoriously difficult to read codes from, only certain software/readers can do it. I'll find a way.

Torque pro has a data logging feature, and you can select just about every parameter to log. I went through the list and found O2 sensors and wheel speed sensors. That should tell me what I need!

For the CEL, I did some reading on the error and essentially, the upstream and downstream O2 sensors are reading the same indicating the cat is doing nothing. I read that sometimes it's an O2 sensor that's giving false readings, or other times the cat is legit bad. The cat has a visible date code of 6/2019, so it's not original. That doesn't mean it's not bad, but I'd be surprised if it were because the truck is running great. It's very possible that it was gutted, but the truck passed CO smog this time last year, and the PO didn't seem like the type that would gut a cat.

For the ABS light, it's either the ABS module (that I can send out to have repaired for $130) or a wheel speed sensor.

So knowing what I needed to measure, I fired up torque, plugged in my fancy $10 OBDII reader, started logging and went for a drive.

O2 sensors rapidly fluctuate between 0 and 1, so the data is a bit tough to analyze, but outliers should be easy to see...



That jumbled mess indicates to me that indeed, the O2 sensors are all reading about the same. In the correct state, one of those (the downstream sensor Bank 1 Sensor 3) should be reading lower than the others at or near zero. That's clearly not happening, so I either have a bad cat or a bad O2 sensor. Since I have a new O2 sensor from the OP, I'll try installing it and running these logs again to see if there's a difference. If there isn't, I may need to bite the bullet for a new cat (I don't need a cat here, but I also don't hate polar bears).

Now, wheel sensors. The ABS light will come on if one or more sensors aren't working or reading way off from the others. Since torque can read and log the wheel speed sensors, it should be easy to see if one or more are failing.



Overall, the sensors are reading mostly the same. There's a few points where one is reading way off, but it generally comes back in line. For the ABS light to come on as a result of this, one or many need to be off for a long period of time (I can't find how long, but still searching), but to me these results are about what I'd expect. The event at 256 was where I gave it the beans turning onto a fast moving road, so it's reasonable to expect the sensors would read and catch up at different times. What's really interesting about this event is it was a right hand turn, and it's the right rear wheel that's turning the least...exactly what would happen during such a turn.

It's weird that most readers can't read ABS codes because they can read wheel speed sensors. Must have something to do with where the data is stored and where lights come from. Anywho, I got a great log from the wheel speed sensor and I think I can conclude that the computer needs to be repaired. It could be worth cleaning the wheel sensors, but I don't think any one of them are bad.

Quality use of time.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Seems like bad 02 and bad computer are the culprits would be nice to find out if that’s it

It'll be fun to test. I'll throw the supposedly new O2 sensor in downstream and log.

I think the computer is an open/shut case, but we'll see. The dudes that fixed my C5 unit (ABS Fixer) can do the S10. They're pricier than other by $20 ($150 vs $130), but their work on the C5 was proven and I'll probably just pay for the piece of mind.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Welp, my bluetooth radio from eBay was a bust. Not only did it take 2 weeks to arrive, but it came with zero information. I installed it, pressed the bluetooth button, and all speakers but one go quiet, and nothing else happens. There's an open bluetooth device that when I connect my phone to it, does nothing. Seller is unresponsive after 2 days. Seems pretty shoddy, so thankfully eBay offers "buyer protection" for these sort of things within 30 days, so it's being returned. ZFG

The illumination doesn't even match, I'm not even sure which GM brand had green lights at this time:



I caved and ordered a single din JVC HU with CD and BT from Crutchfield scratch and dent for $100, which includes all install stuff (dash adapter, harness, etc). It's disappointing, but there's no other options. I dropped the stock unit when removing it from the truck and it broke a couple of buttons. Crazy fragile, and most rebuilt units are $150+. Not worth it when I can get more functionality for less.

[wap]

Damn, that's . But, ultimately it's a , so

[golftdibrad1]

Welp, my bluetooth radio from eBay was a bust. Not only did it take 2 weeks to arrive, but it came with zero information. I installed it, pressed the bluetooth button, and all speakers but one go quiet, and nothing else happens. There's an open bluetooth device that when I connect my phone to it, does nothing. Seller is unresponsive after 2 days. Seems pretty shoddy, so thankfully eBay offers "buyer protection" for these sort of things within 30 days, so it's being returned. ZFG

The illumination doesn't even match, I'm not even sure which GM brand had green lights at this time:



I caved and ordered a single din JVC HU with CD and BT from Crutchfield scratch and dent for $100, which includes all install stuff (dash adapter, harness, etc). It's disappointing, but there's no other options. I dropped the stock unit when removing it from the truck and it broke a couple of buttons. Crazy fragile, and most rebuilt units are $150+. Not worth it when I can get more functionality for less.

BOOOOO

I was considering gutting a broke miata one just to have the "look" and installing bluetooth amp behind it. The MSM has a factory radio with a perhaps broken cd player that I will just leave and get a BT fm transmitter. Even those ITS BLOSE.... its a convertible.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Damn, that's . But, ultimately it's a , so

Just needs to be functional.

[D Griff]

Eh, I had a Kenwood unit in the C5... didn't look the best but the interiors on these 90s GM machines aren't exactly works of art anyways The one I got had the ability to change the LCD colors so I matched it to the interior teal green and it was

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Welp, my bluetooth radio from eBay was a bust. Not only did it take 2 weeks to arrive, but it came with zero information. I installed it, pressed the bluetooth button, and all speakers but one go quiet, and nothing else happens. There's an open bluetooth device that when I connect my phone to it, does nothing. Seller is unresponsive after 2 days. Seems pretty shoddy, so thankfully eBay offers "buyer protection" for these sort of things within 30 days, so it's being returned. ZFG

The illumination doesn't even match, I'm not even sure which GM brand had green lights at this time:



I caved and ordered a single din JVC HU with CD and BT from Crutchfield scratch and dent for $100, which includes all install stuff (dash adapter, harness, etc). It's disappointing, but there's no other options. I dropped the stock unit when removing it from the truck and it broke a couple of buttons. Crazy fragile, and most rebuilt units are $150+. Not worth it when I can get more functionality for less.

BOOOOO

I was considering gutting a broke miata one just to have the "look" and installing bluetooth amp behind it. The MSM has a factory radio with a perhaps broken cd player that I will just leave and get a BT fm transmitter. Even those ITS BLOSE.... its a convertible.

If I hadn't dropped and broken a few buttons on the unit that was in the truck originally I probably would have tried adding BT to it myself or doing something like you suggested. But just getting a replacement unit that looks nice is a $100+ proposition it seems (most are "refurbished" and start at $150), so might as well take the easy way out since it's just a homeless truck, like mentioned. An aftermarket unit is my cheapest option at this point.

The guy I bought the truck from left a BT FM transmitter in it. He claimed it "worked fine but just didn't need it" when I told him to keep it. So we tried it out on our drive back...it was so horrible that we stopped in a Goodwill and bought a bunch of CDs to listen to instead after a few days. It's not just terrible sound quality, it had a bear of a time reconnecting every time we got back in the truck. Then there was some interference with the FM channel, so I had to screw with it to find a station that did work, and even then I couldn't find a good one. I personally wouldn't consider an FM transmitter an option at all.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Eh, I had a Kenwood unit in the C5... didn't look the best but the interiors on these 90s GM machines aren't exactly works of art anyways The one I got had the ability to change the LCD colors so I matched it to the interior teal green and it was

Yep, the unit I bought has changeable colors and a pretty simple design overall (the simplest I could find). It'll probably sound way better and be more functional, so It'll be good enough, though I'd prefer to keep the stock unit for continuity of that terrible GM interior appearance.

[golftdibrad1]

I personally wouldn't consider an FM transmitter an option at all.

eh, i spend enough time in the mountains where the regular radio barley works that it will be fine.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

I personally wouldn't consider an FM transmitter an option at all.

eh, i spend enough time in the mountains where the regular radio barley works that it will be fine.

That's what I figured being in the rockies, but some small town was broadcasting something on those low 87.X/88.X channels and driving me nuts because it went in and out based on whatever mountain I was driving over.

If you just want some sound to come through and don't care what it sounds like, it'll be a solid option for you.

[D Griff]

FM transmitter?

[golftdibrad1]

FM transmitter?

get in looser, we're going back to 90's shitboxes. That's the new nostalgia.

[max225]

FM transmitter?

get in looser, we're going back to 90's shitboxes. That's the new nostalgia.

They’re hot

[D Griff]

get in looser, we're going back to 90's shitboxes. That's the new nostalgia.

They’re hot

Unfortunately the hottest one is cut off... damn oversized modern A pillars.

[D Griff]

get in looser, we're going back to 90's shitboxes. That's the new nostalgia.

They’re hot

Unfortunately the hottest one is cut off... damn oversized modern A pillars.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

They’re hot

Unfortunately the hottest one is cut off... damn oversized modern A pillars.

[Desertbreh]

They’re hot

Unfortunately the hottest one is cut off... damn oversized modern A pillars.

Agreed

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Welp, homeless truk lyfe continues.

Swapped out the downstream O2 sensor and that took care of the CEL.

ABS unit being shipped out tomorrow to be repaired so ABS is functioning. A lot of people just program out the light, but I'd prefer to have functioning ABS, especially if I need to go out in the snow/ice in the winter (it'll be a last resort).

One other thing for bad weather that was bugging me was the 4Hi engagement was intermittent. It's a push button setup, which from the driver POV is pretty but certainly adds complexity. When I'd press the 4Hi button, you could hear things switching underneath, but the light to indicate that 4x4 is engaged would illuminate intermittently...indicating that 4x4 wasn't fully engaged every time. Looking into it...the most likely culprit was vacuum leaks.

Vacuum runs the HVAC and the 4x4 front axle engagement. A vacuum line runs from the manifold back to the transfer case, where it connects to a vacuum switch that then sends vacuum up another line to the front axle, which engages it. These are relatively long runs as far as vac lines go, and over time, just like anything rubber, they wear out. I knew they'd have to be addressed at some point, so I figured I'd replace them to see if it cleared up the 4Hi issue.

Underneath the battery tray is the front axle vacuum actuator. A vac line runs to it, and it's connected to a cable that routes to the front axle. Vacuum applied sucks in the actuator, which pulls the cable and the front axle is engaged. The previous owner had bought a replacement battery tray (because the factory one had surface rust on it...seriously) and a replacement vacuum actuator and cable. I had bulk vacuum line in stock from other projects, so this was just a labor job. I wanted reliable 4x4 before the snow flies.

Replacing the vacuum lines took me 2 hours yesterday, it really wasn't that bad. The old lines were crumbling in my hands, clearly massive vacuum leaks to the point where I'm surprised the truck ran as well as it did. I skipped replacing the front axle cable because the factory one looked like new and operates really smoothly. That decision might bite me later, but I was tired of crawling around under the truck. Buttoned everything up this morning, and 4x4 engagement is immediate and reliable. It also shouldn't be a surprise, but it certainly runs smoother than it did. It always ran well, so I'm surprised by how much better it is now.

Once I get the ABS unit back and installed, I won't be screwing with the truck until next spring. It should be pretty reliable from here on out, then it's just more simple stuff.

What's left?

The exhaust:
The exhaust currently ends after the muffler with a 90 degree elbow aimed at the ground. The muffler is old (might be stock) and sounds pretty shitty when revved up, and drones under load up hills. I absolutely hate it. Turns out Dynomax still makes a catback for this truck (the ZR2 in particular), but I couldn't find it anywhere. BUT for some reason, the individual parts are available. I bought the mid pipe, tailpipe, and a super turbo muffler (should be the quietest) for $200 total (cheaper than the kit's advertised for). It's actually really nice mandrel bent 2.5" pipe all the way back (stock is 2.25 crush bent after the cat), so while I'm doing it more for function, it should be a bit of an upgrade. I might try to tackle this before the snow, but we'll see.

Interior:
Ahh GM shitty interiors. This needs some love to feel less shitty. The bolts for the driver door pulled through the plastic (common) so I need to take the door panel off and do some repairs. Same for the mounting on the center console. These will be good winter projects.

Tires:
The PO put "Big O Tire" brand "Bigfoot AT" tires on in 2020. Then it looks like he ran them at 10 PSI and never rotated them. The front tires are worn badly and loud AF, so I rotated them to the rear, and that quieted things down a tad, but they're still loud. It's a shame because these tires get decent reviews and are apparently made by Nitto...they should be good, but all tires need decent maintenance. Sigh. The truck deserves BFG ATs like it got from the factory, but I'll wait for some deals to come up if the economy really nosedives.

"Restoration"
Then it's a matter of how I want to get on this thing. The wheels need some love (polish and clear), and I think the paint could actually look quite nice with some attention. The fender flares need to be repainted with new seals, and the grille is cracked. The tail lights could use a polish, same with the front parking lights. I'll probably work on this a bit in the spring, but we'll see how I want to go. I still have some exposed surface rust on the front fender that I need to address before the snow flies, but I may just grind it and prime it for now.

Haven't been keeping track of what I've spent on the thing, but I bet I'm around $500 in parts...and there's nothing left to buy. Title and reg was $120 because the PO was cool with a $500 sale price and the DMV here didn't bat an eye at a $500 22 year old truck. So $6,500ish for a mechanically perfect rust-free still makes me pretty happy. Tires will be the big one... $900ish it's looking like, but at that point it'll really need nothing.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Oh, and wife is talking about another fly and drive home. Incredibly, she wants to do it again this winter.

I still think there's something to the S10/Sonoma/Blazer/Jimmy/etc market for this. They're worth decent money here, but worthless everywhere else. I now know just about anything that can go wrong with these things, so I can be better prepared for the next run. I'd want to stick to transmission trucks because I've heard there's some transmission control issues with the autos and that's a layer of complexity that I really don't want to deal with. A ZR2 Blazer would be an incredible find, but they made fewer of them than my truck, so that'll be a crapshoot. We'll see, but the wheels are turning.

[golftdibrad1]

Oh, and wife is talking about another fly and drive home. Incredibly, she wants to do it again this winter.

I still think there's something to the S10/Sonoma/Blazer/Jimmy/etc market for this. They're worth decent money here, but worthless everywhere else. I now know just about anything that can go wrong with these things, so I can be better prepared for the next run. I'd want to stick to transmission trucks because I've heard there's some transmission control issues with the autos and that's a layer of complexity that I really don't want to deal with. A ZR2 Blazer would be an incredible find, but they made fewer of them than my truck, so that'll be a crapshoot. We'll see, but the wheels are turning.

Baller!

[Desertbreh]

Incredibru update.

[wap]

5/7 update.

[max225]

Welp, homeless truk lyfe continues.

Swapped out the downstream O2 sensor and that took care of the CEL.

ABS unit being shipped out tomorrow to be repaired so ABS is functioning. A lot of people just program out the light, but I'd prefer to have functioning ABS, especially if I need to go out in the snow/ice in the winter (it'll be a last resort).

One other thing for bad weather that was bugging me was the 4Hi engagement was intermittent. It's a push button setup, which from the driver POV is pretty but certainly adds complexity. When I'd press the 4Hi button, you could hear things switching underneath, but the light to indicate that 4x4 is engaged would illuminate intermittently...indicating that 4x4 wasn't fully engaged every time. Looking into it...the most likely culprit was vacuum leaks.

Vacuum runs the HVAC and the 4x4 front axle engagement. A vacuum line runs from the manifold back to the transfer case, where it connects to a vacuum switch that then sends vacuum up another line to the front axle, which engages it. These are relatively long runs as far as vac lines go, and over time, just like anything rubber, they wear out. I knew they'd have to be addressed at some point, so I figured I'd replace them to see if it cleared up the 4Hi issue.

Underneath the battery tray is the front axle vacuum actuator. A vac line runs to it, and it's connected to a cable that routes to the front axle. Vacuum applied sucks in the actuator, which pulls the cable and the front axle is engaged. The previous owner had bought a replacement battery tray (because the factory one had surface rust on it...seriously) and a replacement vacuum actuator and cable. I had bulk vacuum line in stock from other projects, so this was just a labor job. I wanted reliable 4x4 before the snow flies.

Replacing the vacuum lines took me 2 hours yesterday, it really wasn't that bad. The old lines were crumbling in my hands, clearly massive vacuum leaks to the point where I'm surprised the truck ran as well as it did. I skipped replacing the front axle cable because the factory one looked like new and operates really smoothly. That decision might bite me later, but I was tired of crawling around under the truck. Buttoned everything up this morning, and 4x4 engagement is immediate and reliable. It also shouldn't be a surprise, but it certainly runs smoother than it did. It always ran well, so I'm surprised by how much better it is now.

Once I get the ABS unit back and installed, I won't be screwing with the truck until next spring. It should be pretty reliable from here on out, then it's just more simple stuff.

What's left?

The exhaust:
The exhaust currently ends after the muffler with a 90 degree elbow aimed at the ground. The muffler is old (might be stock) and sounds pretty shitty when revved up, and drones under load up hills. I absolutely hate it. Turns out Dynomax still makes a catback for this truck (the ZR2 in particular), but I couldn't find it anywhere. BUT for some reason, the individual parts are available. I bought the mid pipe, tailpipe, and a super turbo muffler (should be the quietest) for $200 total (cheaper than the kit's advertised for). It's actually really nice mandrel bent 2.5" pipe all the way back (stock is 2.25 crush bent after the cat), so while I'm doing it more for function, it should be a bit of an upgrade. I might try to tackle this before the snow, but we'll see.

Interior:
Ahh GM shitty interiors. This needs some love to feel less shitty. The bolts for the driver door pulled through the plastic (common) so I need to take the door panel off and do some repairs. Same for the mounting on the center console. These will be good winter projects.

Tires:
The PO put "Big O Tire" brand "Bigfoot AT" tires on in 2020. Then it looks like he ran them at 10 PSI and never rotated them. The front tires are worn badly and loud AF, so I rotated them to the rear, and that quieted things down a tad, but they're still loud. It's a shame because these tires get decent reviews and are apparently made by Nitto...they should be good, but all tires need decent maintenance. Sigh. The truck deserves BFG ATs like it got from the factory, but I'll wait for some deals to come up if the economy really nosedives.

"Restoration"
Then it's a matter of how I want to get on this thing. The wheels need some love (polish and clear), and I think the paint could actually look quite nice with some attention. The fender flares need to be repainted with new seals, and the grille is cracked. The tail lights could use a polish, same with the front parking lights. I'll probably work on this a bit in the spring, but we'll see how I want to go. I still have some exposed surface rust on the front fender that I need to address before the snow flies, but I may just grind it and prime it for now.

Haven't been keeping track of what I've spent on the thing, but I bet I'm around $500 in parts...and there's nothing left to buy. Title and reg was $120 because the PO was cool with a $500 sale price and the DMV here didn't bat an eye at a $500 22 year old truck. So $6,500ish for a mechanically perfect rust-free still makes me pretty happy. Tires will be the big one... $900ish it's looking like, but at that point it'll really need nothing.

Solid update. You may want to wait until Black Friday for tires... I tend to score decent deals on those days...

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Welp, homeless truk lyfe continues.

Swapped out the downstream O2 sensor and that took care of the CEL.

ABS unit being shipped out tomorrow to be repaired so ABS is functioning. A lot of people just program out the light, but I'd prefer to have functioning ABS, especially if I need to go out in the snow/ice in the winter (it'll be a last resort).

One other thing for bad weather that was bugging me was the 4Hi engagement was intermittent. It's a push button setup, which from the driver POV is pretty but certainly adds complexity. When I'd press the 4Hi button, you could hear things switching underneath, but the light to indicate that 4x4 is engaged would illuminate intermittently...indicating that 4x4 wasn't fully engaged every time. Looking into it...the most likely culprit was vacuum leaks.

Vacuum runs the HVAC and the 4x4 front axle engagement. A vacuum line runs from the manifold back to the transfer case, where it connects to a vacuum switch that then sends vacuum up another line to the front axle, which engages it. These are relatively long runs as far as vac lines go, and over time, just like anything rubber, they wear out. I knew they'd have to be addressed at some point, so I figured I'd replace them to see if it cleared up the 4Hi issue.

Underneath the battery tray is the front axle vacuum actuator. A vac line runs to it, and it's connected to a cable that routes to the front axle. Vacuum applied sucks in the actuator, which pulls the cable and the front axle is engaged. The previous owner had bought a replacement battery tray (because the factory one had surface rust on it...seriously) and a replacement vacuum actuator and cable. I had bulk vacuum line in stock from other projects, so this was just a labor job. I wanted reliable 4x4 before the snow flies.

Replacing the vacuum lines took me 2 hours yesterday, it really wasn't that bad. The old lines were crumbling in my hands, clearly massive vacuum leaks to the point where I'm surprised the truck ran as well as it did. I skipped replacing the front axle cable because the factory one looked like new and operates really smoothly. That decision might bite me later, but I was tired of crawling around under the truck. Buttoned everything up this morning, and 4x4 engagement is immediate and reliable. It also shouldn't be a surprise, but it certainly runs smoother than it did. It always ran well, so I'm surprised by how much better it is now.

Once I get the ABS unit back and installed, I won't be screwing with the truck until next spring. It should be pretty reliable from here on out, then it's just more simple stuff.

What's left?

The exhaust:
The exhaust currently ends after the muffler with a 90 degree elbow aimed at the ground. The muffler is old (might be stock) and sounds pretty shitty when revved up, and drones under load up hills. I absolutely hate it. Turns out Dynomax still makes a catback for this truck (the ZR2 in particular), but I couldn't find it anywhere. BUT for some reason, the individual parts are available. I bought the mid pipe, tailpipe, and a super turbo muffler (should be the quietest) for $200 total (cheaper than the kit's advertised for). It's actually really nice mandrel bent 2.5" pipe all the way back (stock is 2.25 crush bent after the cat), so while I'm doing it more for function, it should be a bit of an upgrade. I might try to tackle this before the snow, but we'll see.

Interior:
Ahh GM shitty interiors. This needs some love to feel less shitty. The bolts for the driver door pulled through the plastic (common) so I need to take the door panel off and do some repairs. Same for the mounting on the center console. These will be good winter projects.

Tires:
The PO put "Big O Tire" brand "Bigfoot AT" tires on in 2020. Then it looks like he ran them at 10 PSI and never rotated them. The front tires are worn badly and loud AF, so I rotated them to the rear, and that quieted things down a tad, but they're still loud. It's a shame because these tires get decent reviews and are apparently made by Nitto...they should be good, but all tires need decent maintenance. Sigh. The truck deserves BFG ATs like it got from the factory, but I'll wait for some deals to come up if the economy really nosedives.

"Restoration"
Then it's a matter of how I want to get on this thing. The wheels need some love (polish and clear), and I think the paint could actually look quite nice with some attention. The fender flares need to be repainted with new seals, and the grille is cracked. The tail lights could use a polish, same with the front parking lights. I'll probably work on this a bit in the spring, but we'll see how I want to go. I still have some exposed surface rust on the front fender that I need to address before the snow flies, but I may just grind it and prime it for now.

Haven't been keeping track of what I've spent on the thing, but I bet I'm around $500 in parts...and there's nothing left to buy. Title and reg was $120 because the PO was cool with a $500 sale price and the DMV here didn't bat an eye at a $500 22 year old truck. So $6,500ish for a mechanically perfect rust-free still makes me pretty happy. Tires will be the big one... $900ish it's looking like, but at that point it'll really need nothing.

Solid update. You may want to wait until Black Friday for tires... I tend to score decent deals on those days...

Yea...I was wondering that. Black Friday might be the time to pull the trigger on new tires. I remember scoring a fantastic deal on Blizzaks for the Volt on Black Friday...and it was the best deal I had found in months. Just not sure if THIS Black Friday will be the one or if I should wait until the Spring or 4th of July if the economy has gone full The current tires are perfectly adequate, just noisy.

Truck will be driven very minimally from December through May. It's simply way too clean to subject to winter driving. I've yet to find a bolt that I couldn't loosen, the thing has zero rust and frankly me constantly by how free of corrosion it is overall.