Need some advice!

[DocCrank]

I recently bought a 2008 Sierra, 1500 extended cab, Z71 on R&R leave in July. Glad to finally have a good truck and a little bit of cash to throw into it. I'm still learning with this truck stuff, had one before but no money and I was in high school so I just beat the hell out of it till it died. I will be using this truck mostly to go fishing, hunting, and kayaking down in GA

I would like to put a lift on it, but I am stationed in GA and often do a lot of highway driving home or to other installations for schools etc.. So I won't want to cut too much gas mileage or worry about putting too much stress on it to where I will have to drop more money down the road to get it fixed.

I was also looking at air intakes. Doing a little research and found ones like K&N and saw that some of them aren't legal in some or all states. What is a good brand or filter to get to add a little more HP?

And lastly.. Anyone know of a good brand of rims. I want something not too flashy but look good clean and muddy?

I get that I can't have my cake and eat it too, but all advice helps to make a decision on what to do.

 

[smbgmc1]

Advice

could some one point me to the right direction for after market and any GMC
stuf that I can get off the net?...Thanks

 

[sierraking]

if your looking at getting a lift kit for it anything over 2 inches definitely go with procomp lifts

if you just want a leveling kit to pick up the front end and still fit 33's rough country if just fine

for exhaust true duals high flow cats and flowmaster 10 series with 3 inch pipe coming out of the exhaust is the best sounding system i have ever heard

rims http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/WheelCloseUpServlet?target=runWheelSearch&initialPartNumber=XD79778068318BMF&wheelMake=KMC+XD+Series&wheelModel=Spy&wheelFinish=Machined+w%2FBlack+Accent&showRear=no&autoMake=GMC&autoModel=Sierra+4wd+X-Cab&autoYear=2000&autoModClar=&filterFinish=All&filterSize=All&filterBrand=All&filterSpecial=false&filterNew=All&filterWeight=All&sort=Brand

 

[sierraking]

if your looking at getting a lift kit for it anything over 2 inches definitely go with procomp lifts

if you just want a leveling kit to pick up the front end and still fit 33's rough country if just fine

for exhaust true duals high flow cats and flowmaster 10 series with 3 inch pipe coming out of the exhaust is the best sounding system i have ever heard

rims http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/WheelCloseUpServlet?target=runWheelSearch&initialPartNumber=XD79778068318BMF&wheelMake=KMC+XD+Series&wheelModel=Spy&wheelFinish=Machined+w%2FBlack+Accent&showRear=no&autoMake=GMC&autoModel=Sierra+4wd+X-Cab&autoYear=2000&autoModClar=&filterFinish=All&filterSize=All&filterBrand=All&filterSpecial=false&filterNew=All&filterWeight=All&sort=Brand

 

[sierraking]

if your looking at getting a lift kit for it anything over 2 inches definitely go with procomp lifts

if you just want a leveling kit to pick up the front end and still fit 33's rough country if just fine

for exhaust true duals high flow cats and flowmaster 10 series with 3 inch pipe coming out of the exhaust is the best sounding system i have ever heard

rims http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/WheelCloseUpServlet?target=runWheelSearch&initialPartNumber=XD79778068318BMF&wheelMake=KMC+XD+Series&wheelModel=Spy&wheelFinish=Machined+w%2FBlack+Accent&showRear=no&autoMake=GMC&autoModel=Sierra+4wd+X-Cab&autoYear=2000&autoModClar=&filterFinish=All&filterSize=All&filterBrand=All&filterSpecial=false&filterNew=All&filterWeight=All&sort=Brand

 

[Rebel8ball]

pro comp, love my 7 inch lift, only thing i don't like is you lose some turning radius, other than that it is a good setup, wasn't hard to install.

black bear performance just did a comparison of k&n style intakes, they found that pretty much all of them perform the same https://dl.dropbox.com/u/55742651/Intake Testing/Intake Testing Results - Intake Testing Results.pdf

rims are totally up to your taste, but if you get a lift make sure you get rims with backspacing that will work with it as stock rims wont work with most lifts. (also plan to get wheel spacers for the back as it will push your front rims out like 2 inches)

 

[Z15]

If you put on a lift kit that could impact your mileage on the highway because it changes the aerodynamics of the truck. They ride low to the ground for a reason, better economy. Lift kits are also hard on driveline components.

I know someone who bought a new truck, lifted it, put on dual exhaust, large tires and it now complaining they are getting 12mpg, which btw in thier opinion is not the lift and os tires.

If mileage is your concern, leave the truck stock and spend your money on something else.