CST Lift Kit on a 2000 GMC Sierra - Reverse Sleeper

20.The fender flares are held in place against the body surface with special double-faced tape. To ensure proper adhesion, the first step is to completely clean all areas the tape adhesive will contact.

21.The fender flares have body reliefs molded into them for proper alignment during installation. If you have a wrenching buddy, now is the time to invite him over, because a second set of hands will really be helpful.

22.Before securing the tape, we first mounted the flare with screws in the wheelwell area. Drill a small hole - we used a 1/8-inch hole and galvanized self-tapping sheetmetal screws.

23.Double-sided adhesive tape was installed along the outer edges of both sides of the fender flare. Remove the tape in the inner wheelwell area only, align the flare to the body, and start the installation process inside the fender. With the sheetmetal screws holding the fender flare in place, we started removing the backing from the tape. You can use a scraper to gently pry the flare away from the body, if you can't get a hold of the end of the tape.

24.The Stillen fender flare set was $395, and with an additional $300 for paintwork, the total cost came to $695.

25.The last step is to set the toe until we can get the truck onto an alignment rack. To set toe-in and toe-out, use a tape measure and take front and rear measurements between the inner rim surfaces and adjust them until they're equal. We went to Grand Tire in Covina, California, where Scott Crouse took exceptional care of us.

26.The guys at Grand Tire took great care mating the Evo Velociti 6 rims with the Nitto LT325/60R18 33-inch Terra Grappler tires. Computer spin-balancing is the final step before actually bolting the wheels to the truck. The total retail price of the rolling package was $3,525. Pricing breakout based on MSRP was as follows:Evo Velociti 6: $575.00 eachNitto Terra Grappler: $275.25 eachChrome lug nuts: $1.25 eachMounting, balancing, and alignment labor: $94.00

27.Last but not least, we needed some flash to the plain ol' front end of the GMC. A trip to Captain Zoom's Truck Parts in Norco, California, fixed all that with a new FX grille from Putco and billet-aluminum GMC logo from TM Machine Products.

28.The FX Grille retails for $189.00. The grille overlays the factory unit, so installation is pretty straightforward. You do need to get behind the grille, and access is gained by removing the front cover. Remove the factory GMC logo by gently prying spring clips from the back.

29.The Putco unit is held on with these wing nuts and a few pieces of flat stock. We said it was easy.

30.TM Machine Products' billet logo retails for $84.95 and is held in place with threaded stock, washers, and locking nuts instead of the factory spring clips. Care must be taken to avoid overtightening.

31.A small amount of Permatex Threadlocker Blue is used to secure the threaded rod in the tapped hole.

32.The threaded rod is screwed into the tapped hole and tightened with an Allen wrench. Do not overtighten.

33.The grille is supplied with a protective film. Remove this film in the area the emblem is to be installed. With the emblem and grille properly aligned, tighten the wing nuts completely, reinstall the front cover, and reach for some liquid refreshment.