Thread: Tree Crushed 2500HD Silverado Crew Repair

We all know how we got here, this thread is about the repair. Getting this thread up now will make adding the updates later easier for me.



I'm a Port-A-Power short and the Camper is still around (new Dometic AC Blew all refrigerant out of the Condenser, at warranty service center. Dometic is replacing no charge and covering labor) so I have to wait till I get the camper back on The Rez to start taking this truck apart. Notice the body lines between Cab and Bed do not line up, I think it is the cab mount crushed or bent, no worries. Harbor Freight has their best Port-A-Power on sale to Inside Track Members this month. Needless to say next rainy day I will be loading one in the trunk of the Mercedes. This will be a continuous 2 Port-A-Power job to walk the cab back to where all doors close and are in proper alignment. That means all the gaps are perfect. This must be done perfectly the first time or I will be doing a Bubba job and have to fight the restoration the rest of the way.



Parts are starting to show up. I have to strip this door first (after using to align cab) then do a color change before re-assembling with my interior parts. Also will need to transfer the outer trim. Buying a used door gives me all the little parts as well as a glass. I got the whole door cheaper than the glass.



GM wants $720 just for the skin in the middle between the doors. I needed all the pillars too plus the inside roof reinforcement the skin sits on. Inside & out parts are needed on this job. Easiest way for me to fix is cut the roof off and weld this one on. I will update this thread when I start the disassembly.

On a different note this truck came with 4.10 rear axle gears. Pulling my camper 60mph the engine stays right below the cruising power-band of the engine. It lugs at 2000rpm. I have the Recycler looking for another AAM 10.5 Limited Slip rear end complete. I plugged in the numbers on several online calculators and if I drop down to 4.56 gears the engine will be turning 2200rpm @ 60mph which would be perfect. When I start the rear end it will be posted on this thread too since I will be doing the exchange while the truck bed is off. They are much easier to remove and install when hanging off the forks of my Bobcat.

Today was a very good day. I have been productive everyday but the majority of the work was to get to this point. I have taken meticulous care of this truck since buying it new in 2001. I just took the engine down to the short block, replaced everything under the hood except the heads & Vortec engine cover. All GM OEM parts, everything was replaced, $5K in parts alone to have a tree fall on it a few months later.

Today I pulled the Cap. To start the first thing is pulling the Tailgate. A easy task, un-clip the support cables, open it about 1/2 way, and lift it off the hinges.



Now to remove the Back Glass on the Cap. It has a surrounding trim on the inside holding it in that has numerous screws that has to be removed but first to make sure no accidents happen I duct tape the glass in place.



Now the inside trim was removed.



When I thought I had it loose because it would move in the middle I discovered after removing the duct tape the frame had 4 rivets holding it to the fiberglass. What a surprise. I had to drill out the 4 rivets while holding the glass open and in place.



After a little work I got the frame loose and laid the Back Glass on a old Quilt.



Now I had to space the forks up on the Bobcat so they would not catch the back lip before engaging all the weight of the Cap itself. I left a 4in gap at the rear of the forks for the lip to clear the forks completely.



6 1/4-20 Thru Bolts held the Cap in place on the Bed, I never trusted the Clamp system they sell with these Bed Caps.



Nice and easy I lift the Cap off the Bed with little effort.



You can see the damage to the roof now, also the rear passenger door is toast.



This back view shows how the cap is pushed over to the left. It will be a challenge to get everything lined back up perfectly.



Good thing I worked in body shops growing up and can do fiberglass work. The Cap is cracked all the way across, this will have to be fixed. I would buy a new truck but a decent truck has not been built since 2016 in my opinion. I would rather have my old Tank.

The gameplan is to fix & paint the Cap first. Then fix and paint the Bed. Once done I will put the truck bed on a trailer then the Cap on the Bed before pushing up under the covered parking I just completed for storage.