New Coilover Suspension For My SEMA 2024 OBS TRUCK PROJECT!

This is Episode 298 of Mike Finnegan's Garage and it's all about modifying my OBS GMC truck. I bought this 1998 GMC Sierra W/T in Austin, Texas with just over 12,000 miles on the odometer and the drove it about 1,000 miles back home to Georgia. Now it's time to make it lower, louder and faster in time to show it off at the 2024 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. This video is Part 1 of 2 that will detail the installation of a Ridetech coilover conversion. In this video we tackle the front suspension and next week we'll show you how to revamp the rear of the truck. If you want more info on the Ridetech kit, go here:
ridetech.com/product/coilover...
The Road To SEMA video series is brought to you by the good folks at Bling Sauce and it's Platinum lineup of car care products. Not only are the partnering with me on the videos but also an awesome contest that could bring you and a friend to the exclusive SEMA 2024 show in Las Vegas, Nevada 5-8. I'll have more details on that trip very soon but just know that you're going to be flown to Sin City, picked up at the airport by a car service, you're going to stay in a great hotel, experience the SEMA Show and meet this truck and myself in person. It's gonna be great! Don't forget that right now you can score 16oz bottles of Bling Sauce Secret Sauce, Leather Sauce, and Trim Sauce at Auto Zone and you'll save $4.00 if you grab two bottles while you're there.
For more information on Bling Sauce products, go here: blingsauce.com/collections/fr...
If you'd like more information on TBM's 1989-1998 OBS Chevy/GMC brake kit, then go here and stay tuned for a full install on my channel:
tbmbrakes.com/collections/xs3...
Don't forget about my biggest giveaway yet for a vehicle from my personal collection plus other cool prizes.
Head over to www.fsmgarage.com for your chance to enter to win my 1970 Datsun 510! Two runner-up winners will receive a Wirecare Motorsports wiring kit full of Deutch connectors, and six runner-up winners will receive an autographed FSM Flexfit hat. Official rules can be found at www.fsmgarage.com/pages/win-m...
There is no purchase is necessary to enter. As always, head over to www.wirecare.com for all of your wiring needs.
Good luck and Thanks for watching!
-Finnegan

[@patricklanigan]

Fun fact, if you want to remove your calipers, but not loose the fluid, put a brake stick in to push the pedal down about an inch. This closes off the compensator ports between the master cylinder and the reservoir. think of it as putting your finger over the end of a straw and pulling it out of the glass. Holds the fluid in until you are ready to drain it or put the caliper back on.

[@Shiftyspeedshop]

I'm going to try this

[@krisdewar5162]

I use this method at least once a week

[@ChristopherBristol]

Holy hell that's a cool tip. def gonna try it out the next opportunity

[@KlrWolf]

I have heard this but I thought it was half way to close off the valve body in the master cylinder.

[@caseymac2287]

How do you say this 18:05 and not immediately go full Micheal Scott with a "that's what she said"? Unbelievable discipline!! You deserve a medal.

[@benjamintrusty4066]

The line at 18:05 is what I tell my wife in the bedroom.

[@lukeallen6444]

I was a 20 year old salesman at a GMC store in Tucson when that was a new truck.

[@Berm_Blaster]

Eww Tucson lol. I've been in the 480 for 30 years

[@lukeallen6444]

@@Berm_Blaster left Tucson in 1997. It was great back then.

[@muther3026]

I love how nothing is sacred to you! You find a perfect early Caddie and your first instinct is not to preserve it. Your first instinct is to shred it to bits and build a drag/speed warrior. You buy a perfect, low miles truck so you can LS swap it and slam in on the pavement. You build a 55 Chevy with a Chrysler elephant! “Nothing is Sacred” should be your next Tshirt.

[@eliteman7685]

Love the fact you’re taking something, giving it some love and having FUN with it. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. If you don’t take it out and use it, it’s going to rust!

[@Berm_Blaster]

Bringing Joe on full time was the best decision made for the channel. I do miss Cotton and Newbern tho. I hope they are doing well and we get to see them soon.

[@MC-cy1zi]

Newbern has his own channel www.youtube.com/@12VoltDave but we need more Cotten Fer sure!

[@qm9387]

⁠@@MC-cy1zi aren’t they doing the faster with newbern

[@OldManBadly]

Newbern is off doing his own channel, and it is full of vehicles that actually get done and run and stuff (sorry Finnegan, I had to go there). Seriously thought, I do miss how it all went before, but Joe seems to be right on it.

[@randallvenema4082]

Thank you. I look forward to your show every week. Thanks 👍

[@DFW116]

I love following you you actually show what you are doing and explain what you are doing and why your doing it just amazing

[@RandomDude989]

I lowered a 1995 2wd ext cab short box. No welding. Did a 4 inch front and a 6 inch rear. Had to cut the notch and drill holes for the brace bracket. I used a kit from DJM Suspension. Worked decently from what I remember. This was years ago.

[@wisconsineaglesfan7925]

Mike speaks the truth, got the S10 because I couldn't afford a F150 or 1500 as a 20 y/o. Didn't modded it much, it was just really nice having my first brand new truck that wasn't always breaking down.

[@sinisternoah3604]

These trucks went crazy. Bought my first one in 21 for my first vehicle. Paid 2000 for a decent truck, rust on frame. Small spots om the box. Otherwise, mint. Now they're selling those truck, same condition for 5k. Wild

[@tonykemper8896]

You are right that color is amazing! When you said treats to your dog my dog was listening and sat uo and looked at me so I had to get up and give him a treat! 😂 My dogs know the "W" word as well!

[@kencreten7308]

I kind of wanted to watch a show about you working on a truck and ended up watching a show about bling sauce

[@OGTtom]

Great video Mike , thanks for posting

[@user-ck7fw2um3m]

Damn these guys are haters complaining about your commercials. At least they aren't talking crap about how much better 12volt daves show is cause it makes them feel better about themselves

[@SteveNielsenArt]

Wow, that's a clean old truck, and you're right. They always look better lowered.

[@iadc43]

I think that is what Joe was starting to say about how well it was coming apart without heat before… squirrel

[@scottreidscooter9229]

that's super clean. love that blue. i just did a 6/8 drop with helper bags on a 88obs long bed regular cab. cruiser/shop truck.

[@BertKlinger-su1wf]

Okay guys this is not a critique this is supportive suggestions. When you wash a vehicle you want to start with the hood leave the places that get the most crime for last so your wash mit is not full of abrasive material when you drag it across the areas that you see the most

[@phillipmartinez2393]

Loving this truck, gonna be a badass build

[@gtuttle4]

Love this build!

[@user-iz4sr7vr9p]

That's a nice find

[@The1sunnydmusic]

I leanred to drive in an 1996 ext cab C1500 in that same blue and a bench seat with the 15" chrome wheels. I loved that colour and interior such comfy seats and you could recline the seats all the way back to take a 'nap' in it.

[@benjones3329]

I would not repaint it. I would leave it, especially for Sema, highlight the fact that it’s original paint and look what we did with these great cleaning products.

[@Rogue_FiveR5]

I came back to watch you lower the control arm with the jack. I'm going to be replacing the lower control arms on my 97 Chevy WT in the next week or so. Let's just say I have a few broken lower shock mounting bolts and don't want to fuss with them.

[@SaltyBasshead]

100% agree. Everything is better lowered and must have big bass.

[@user-pl4or3cq4q]

That’s gonna be a great build

[@Bobthebuilder.69]

I love my OBS trucks, i have a k1500 and a c1500. Both trucks have less than 100k miles in great condition. I love these trucks. My good friend buys and sells alot of these trucks for 15-20k with lower mileage. They are bringing 2-3x what they were 10-12 years ago.

[@stealinghubcaps]

love your show Mike! I used to think lowered vehicles were cool, but then I got tired of replacing oil pans and a power steering hoses on a '70' Cougar...

[@JohnRoberts71]

Great content thanks for sharing

[@skpskp17]

You can tell you shot in 2 different days your wearing a different shirt on cleaning day then explaining ridetec day..... still love the show mike!!!!!!

[@TheInfamousHotRodFarm]

Hell yeah my brother 🔥 🙌 💪

[@daboenterprize8265]

Looks great

[@anonymousscorpion6127]

Great video.

[@lynnmaltese1395]

Great little boat. I want one just like it

[@PEDR0SKI]

The holes in the valance are for tow hooks, the valance for fog lights have a smaller opening and i believe the holes farther apart.

[@joshck93]

Killer build. I have a 93 lowered that is the same color.

[@WaitsForTheMoon]

I never enter to win anything but have made an exception with this. Had to take a shot.

[@QBDLettuce]

Awesome project, love seeing the progress. Personally I'd leave it stock height and get some black NASCAR style rims with a beefy tire and go for the "muscle truck" look with it. But seeings how you are a lowered minitrucker at heart, I totally understand going this route. Can't wait to see the finished product.

[@iannorton4463]

35:04 it Always helps to look after your tools Mike, you know ,like showing the ratchet mechanism a little oil once every blue moon may just help..✌️👍🇬🇧

[@nickz6143]

Love the Indigo Blue paint. Had a 95 SLE fully loaded just like it, but unfortunately she got flooded out in 2014. I wish I could get another one.

[@L_SGarage]

That’s not a fog light bumper, those holes are where the tow hooks come out at. They twist and sit horizontal in those holes.

[@curtismagas9343]

I know, think he is losing it. Nor do you tie down the frame of a vehicle...lmao

[@stephenlea5765]

When these trucks were new, several aftermarket companies offered a bumper with frenched in round fog lights. Likely a Foose-inspired mod back when he worked for Boyd. Looked. really cool & has the effect of reducing the visual appearance of those big flat chrome surface on each side of the license.

[@jasonransdell1647]

I got my grandparents 92 Chevy G20 starcraft brougham conversion van. It's mint, has 34k original miles, and has the tbi 5.7. I got into an accident, and I am having the hardest time finding parts for it. All while we are moving and looking to buy a 2nd house that we can use for a rental property. I'll eventually find a donor vehicle to strip the parts I need. Nothing has been more stressful than worrying about the van my grandpa ordered in 1991. When my wife and I got the Van. It was at 14k miles.

[@johnwheeler8964]

Looks so good with stock wheels

[@valentinoharper6296]

Your trucks looks excellent, instead of cutting and buffing it use a clay bar and that will help you take the film off that outside of it. That may also save you a step in the process of getting it ready for SEMA.

[@stephenlea5765]

Good advice! It’s amazing how well a clay bar improves the surface finish with very little effort & without the risk of burning through that beautiful blue paint!

[@parentsbasement7734]

I've just purchased a 84 short box Ford 150 that has 40yrs of day to day mung on it. After giving it a good wash would claybar help cut through the pollution and just mung or should I use a green scrubby to get the big stuff off first? Trying to save the original paint as much as possible. Just asking an opinion I'm not a paint guy

[@plants8164]

@@parentsbasement7734 Always clay bar before cutting/polishing.

[@matthewschneider2089]

Dude!!! Great video!! You need to roll the fenders!!! ✌️

[@louisgarguilojr2592]

Is that a Christmas wreath on your door my man? Epic.

[@MrCunningham4]

nlg, I think it looks pretty sweet lowered in the stock wheels, they're in such good shape too

[@TheCamaroGod1969]

I may be wrong but those “fog light” cutouts were for the tow hooks to stick out.🤷‍♂️

[@Berm_Blaster]

Honestly, the truck would look good with just the back leveled to the front or a 1"-3" drop. Perfect truck to make a badass street truck as long as none of the mods aren't reversible. It's honestly to clean and pristine to xo anything to it. Some chevy lover would pay a lot for that truck in its stock form. I would spend a lot of money on a low mile, all stock/original, super clean 99-02 4WD Silverado. I miss my 01 and my 03 so much. My 03 was a 6L RCLB that i was building into a sweet street truck.

[@stevethomas7687]

I always mount the swaybar in the tow hook bracket. No factory fog lights on a work truck.

[@quicksilver8180]

Thanks for making me feel like I must have made it in life - haha....I had 5 of those trucks in the late 90s early 2000s. I may not have thought much of it then but it was before trucks were"cool".

[@brendoncrossley1761]

Finnegan those front bolt hole's are for a bull bare on the yute. It has had a bull bare on it that's way the lights are gone. My friend. From Brendon Crossley from Gympie QLD on the sunshin cost 4570. Best wishes from a long time watcher in Australia.

[@wisconsineaglesfan7925]

11:55 a detailing clay bar might be your friend here.

[@FrisellFan01]

That blue is my tee nice !

[@soboredman4480]

Hi from Australia

[@Pendragon69608]

aye finally someone i watch is fucking around with the obs trucks so i can finally learn what to do to mine thanks mike & how can i remove the stupid 95mph limiter ? i swear my 350 wants to keep going 😅 i was just doing my front suspension today, and this helped.

[@shmartin024]

Jeez, I honestly can't remember the last time I pulled apart an 88-98 without HEAVY use of The Blue Wrench.

[@kavinskysmith4094]

Mike I've found as a rule you want about 4.5 inches of clearance as a minimal from the lowest point to clear everything so you may wanna bring it up abit, granted angle of attack and the way the bodywork is rigged up also counts for alot with an overhang, but given how square it is you shouldnt have much trouble and what would be idea might be to give it a joe dirt angle of attack, or do like they did on the dukes of hazard and have the front wheels be an inch smaller than the rears, as they used 14's in the front, 15's on the rear to give it its staggered stance that made it look so good also Jay leno's garage is using some salt of the earth types for their detailing videos, showing how to detail the cars on the cheap, and the guy seems to know his stuff like multiple buckets for the washmit, the clay bar, and the like its the video on the old old porsche, back when they werent overpriced and crappy, like this really beautiful black old machine and you kinda need to foam the car first, to take the dirt off, then rinse, then use the mit, as the soap acts like the remover, and dont use dawn dish detergent which I did on the red one, go figure, 2 years after I sell the car, a car which I owned since new for 12 years, then he tells me worst part is with how sad a shape it was in, I could have actually tried that stuff in that video myself to fix it which is also why I know that 4.5 inch rule, as I came in too fast once, and barely cleared a concrete slab that separated the grass from the parking lot by less than 1 mm, and I have since moved onto a raised version of that same car and god is it nice to not have direct injection of every bump in the road, as I went from a car that had the ride quality of a old sportscar, to a lincon continental mark V in one of the worst places to have a stiff car, and god is it so nice to not have a direct injection of the shocks into my knees I just wish I had the old motor back, as that bitch sounded just like the old rally quattro's when you got on it and consumer reports complained about how loud it was, still cant believe that, me I was like this baby needs a sports exhaust lol 16:20 to 16:44 OHHH so that's what happened to that cuda in the barret jackson video they had on jay lenos garage, the idiot lowered it and broke that on the right side, I knew there was something off about the damn thing, and he said nah they just dont drive that well dumbass broke the thing, a multi million dollar cuda, a car he jacked up the price on so high that no normal person can touch the thing and tell him, hey your car is broke man

[@LukeEdward]

Literally used the #BlingSauce ‘this morning. The coconutty trim sauce smell is so nice. The leather sauce is great on leather wrapped steering wheels and shifters, too.

[@KlrWolf]

You should of showed the factory knock outs for the camber and caster adjustment and why you have to knock them out.

[@d.j.hudson1505]

I feel a truckin tech article jumped out of the magazine and is playing live on my phone.

[@haroldmordt4421]

Hey Finn, I live in Acworth and have a nice set of old school 15 inch 5 spoke Americans that would look great on that truck!

[@danareynolds1786]

Decent episode with 2 comments. 1, I'm still waiting to see the secret/easy shortcut for keeping the aluminum strut cup in place while installing the shock. B, the markings/wear spots where the tow hooks USED to be, indicates the truck HAD tow hooks.

[@Ozlozcircuitresearch]

Pro tech tip any bolt or nut going inside a frame rail tack weld a peice of fencing wire to it so you dont loose it inside the chassis

[@Berm_Blaster]

I have one of those hoses that expands when the water is on. It has been the best hose ive ever had, except sally i met on 27th ave, only $40. But that hose doesnt leak, expands triple its length, isnt stiff, honestly surprised with how good it is.

[@mikescherrer4923]

Dude yeah Sally is a good one.

[@GNaron]

If you really want to wake those coil overs up install a Flaming Rivers rack and pinion kit!!! It made a night and day difference on my truck. I can run 7-8 degrees of caster and still turn wheel with little effort under hard braking. I think you going to have to crank those Lower Spring Adjuster Nut up. I did kind of what you did and the suspension was not happy. Ridtech told me 14" over all shock length, loaded is the number where the suspension is happiest. It seam tight to me, like it's going coil bind but it works.

[@heatheidson3266]

Get u a foam Cannon and a bucket with a grate in bottom. They make everything so much better. I love my foam Cannon

[@naughtmeenaym869]

A six cylinder regular cab trucks didn't have tow hooks. The holes in the air dam are then obviously cut out for the tow bar that used to be on it. That explains the other holes in the frame being used and the low miles.

[@scottimusgarrett15]

Nice kit! As far as the paint goes, it's contaminated from years of sitting around. I'll bet if you go over it with a clay bar to get rid of the crap in the paint and give it a two or three stage buff, it'll probably come out great! Thanks for the episode, guys!✌️❤️🙂🇨🇦 P.S.; it still pisses me off that I can't win the 510 'cuz I'm in Canada...😂

[@mycosys]

Needs more dog content for my mate watching with me

[@naughtmeenaym869]

The knockouts have been removed so like all GMT400's, the factory alignment was crap and someone knocked it out and did an alignment. By the time this truck was built, the word was out and everyone knew the alignment had to be done early to save the Tiger Paws and get it covered by warranty.

[@justinwatch]

Hey Mike. Rich from Deboss garage used a product from Rust-Oleum called crud cutter to remove rust from a subframe on an EV project on one of his last videos. You might try it on that right front frame. It seemed to work really good on the subframe he was doing.

[@bill5274]

Man as jet owner many yrs and seeing what you were able do on just race fuel is CRAZY! Just sad i saw this 1st yrs later. Watched all seasons RK didn't know had YT channel till seeing episode of wify's Eliminatior

[@Rubandent82]

The frame was probably brushed with a protective coating to fight rust from road salt, or it could be an old rust preventative like lps3

[@user-ut7md3un4n]

Said it before I’ll say it again this was better with newburn… you and Dave had the best KZbin videos I still go back and rewatch them even the mail videos with him were good. Now if I watch 20 minutes that’s lucky

[@swiftdear]

I agree...Dave good...Joe not so much

[@bryanglover3217]

On your lower control arms lower a arms you can move the sock to the outer hole it will make the spring stiffer without changing the rate of the spring you just lose the leverage of the A-frame and also help with your role Center

[@JohnSmith-de2mz]

Are you in Savannah Finnegan? I went there in October to visit my Daughter who had moved from S Cal. I had never been there before but loved it, looked like where you were on the road.

[@shawnhaas5158]

Only thing I would do is exchange the front end for the one that came off the SLT trim and possibly try to find a set of the old school Centerline rims from the 90s

[@kenalexander5605]

For your 510, Nissan has a new head for your motor, double over cam head. With a 5 speed conversion with a Subaru rear end .

[@twhite5962]

Some chassis undercoatings were dealer options. That might be why it was missing coating behind the control arms.

[@jaratt85]

Once clear starts lifting there is no fixing it.. It's one of those things where the only option is to sand it all off and start over because anything you put over it is just going to lift as the dead clear under it lets loose. (I took autobody refinishing in college, was going to be my job until my back ruined all manual labor for me.)

[@marksearcy9708]

Great video, Who makes a good wrench to adjust the collar on the coil over. The one that came with my kit is useless. Slips off doesn't fit well .😁👍👍

[@eddiet.779]

Nice

[@ctsroaddog]

Mike, your the only one that can build a truck for a company for Sema. Where they can't even show off their products and it's still ok! Well it doesn't have leather, and black plastic and rubber trim. But it's in good shape and it has paint! Just put a leather seat and a rubber bumper on the floor of the display. 😂😂😂😂 love it. Thanks bling sauce!!

[@jackcaldwell485]

Good job Mike! Now you need a monster truck so you and the family can have fun on the weekend 😅😅😅😅

[@dingle_burry]

the holes are for tow loops to stick out.

[@cuda5194]

I am not a chevy guy at all but thats a clean azz ride looks nice!

[@petrifiedgarage4435]

The holes in the bumper valance is for your tow hooks, not fog lights

[@truthunscripted1776]

Such a beautiful truck

[@speedicusmaximus]

Great show, as always ! On a more serious note, please wear eye protection when you're working below the truck/any vehicle. You'll miss an eyeball more than you'd think. I know ....

[@Rockfire316]

Hey, I need those front end parts you took off for my ‘97😂 I’m close by too in C’ville

[@jackamo427327]

Using a clay bar to clean the contamination on the surface would have been a better place to start .

[@blueyhis.zarsoff1147]

Dont have to worry about bump steer if you only go in straight lines

[@KnightlyTruth]

Remember the caddy 😢

[@rickyscz28]

Where did you get that ratchet & Cole spring adjuster I need that

[@user-by3mq8bf2h]

Beautiful dog. It's a fact that 90% of new jeep owners say that it will never go off the pavement, ever. And they have no idea what the term " jeep life" even means.

[@thesquirrelchroniclesakare7808]

These videos have become one long commercial

[@kevinyoung2431]

I recently sold my '95 OBS Silverado RCSB, the new owner plans to lower it in similar fashion. Math is hard... writing numbers down and using the calculator on your phone is easy.

[@KMopar07]

Man i really don't need a 2x4 SC SB GMT400 up here in Qc, Canada but id love to have it. 😅 im actually shopping for a SC LB 4x4 Stick shift. i bought a Parts truck with clean title and a NV3500 4x4 but its too rough to even fix. im thinking about going down south and get me a solid base to build a nice little worktruck. 👌 i miss my 97 GMT400 own it for 10yrs rust just had to take it from me. 😔

[@Grbherbtpusy48]

Don't tighten up and bolts all the way unless the Vehicle you're working on is on the ground sitting like it would be, then tighten everything up. When I watch people tighten stuff up on suspension on vehicles while it's up in the air and then put it on the ground. things automatically bind up from the load.