I'm Looking at a 2001 S-10 Crew LS

[Ess Tenner]

Hello from Asheville, NC. Thanks for letting me in your cool club! My beloved 1993 S-10 is currently "resting" around the bend on the side of Rock Creek Road with a completely broken front left ball joint. She's very lonely out in the dark all by herself these past few nights. 250 K and years of hard running are taking their toll, and I'll either fix her if I can cheaply enough, or I'll put her to sleep to the tune of a free tow and around 100 bucks to be parted out by the butcher. So sad because that v6 just wouldn't quit.....

Which brings me to the nice pretty Pewter 2001 S-10 LS Crew Cab I just looked at today. In fact, I drove a couple of them and thought "Hmmmmm." I am definitely all about Chevy V6's, and I'm thinking seriously about getting this 89000 mile truck in spite of it's few imperfections: Front left disc brake talks to me in that high pitched whisper that drives us all so crazy, she needs an alignment (no biggie), and lastly the emergency break pedal will not stay engaged when it is pushed down (though when coasting in Neutral I did determine that the brake itself functioned well: A sustain cable broken perhaps). No smoke from the exhaust when I started it up cold. I've got them down to 9,000 I think but I want to go lower if they aren't willing to fix the broken stuff.

I'm a builder (GC) here in town and am debating over getting into a truck with such a short bed, but the extra cab room for toting crew or the two young kids around is growing in appeal to me. Not to mention the room to lock up the transit & nail guns! Having been used to the standard S-10 bed size for 14 years, I'm afraid I'll miss it. Then again, I always overloaded that truck with way too many materials and way too many red flags flapping in the highway wind.

I thought if there was a good flat top shell on the thing and a rack system stout enough to hold the weight of at least a sheet or two of plywood and a few pieces of long lumber, maybe a couple ladders, I'd be in business. I suppose a good strong rack system exists which is comprised of 2 bars over the cab and maybe one for the back of the shell. Anyone ever seen anything similar to this setup? Has anyone ever carried 4x8 sheets of plywood resting on the tailgate angling down to the bottom of the bed at the back of the cab?

Back to the short 55 inch long shell, I wonder if there's one out there that has a slider in front (of course) and locking side windows that flip up like the rear window so I could access the bed more easily? I've always envied my friends who could get into their truck beds from three sides.

Is this truck available with a manual tranny?
Anyone had problems with fuel pump/sender?
Anyone had problems with Ball Joints?

[04crewvt]

Welcome
For 9k and the kind of work you do I think you really should look a a full size crew cab Silverado. Our short beds are great for the weekend handyman but I think you will soon get annoyed with having even more stuff sticking out the tailgate with flags. With our bed dimensions a sheet of plywood will only sit above the wheel wells. There are caps made for it but not nearly as many styles as for a full size. These trucks were available with the automatic transmission only, The fuel pump is prone to failure especially if you run the tank to empty and at 89k I would expect that at least one ball joint or more to have already been replaced or nearly ready to need it. Check to see if the shocks on it are OEM still, if so figure another $300 to get a replacement set since the factory ones were junk.
I have had 5 people in my crew for a short trip and that was enough, the outboard people had there heads tipped in (both over 6') and the center person completely blocks the limited vision we have out the back.
I have seen a local builder who has a crew outfitted with a pipe rack that does what you were thinking of with an extension over the roof and a cage along the bed rails I wouldn't want to ride in it on the highway in a heavy wind with the plywood up on it it looks like a big sail.
I don't know the pricing in that area but up here I could pick up a 2001 Silverado 4 dr for right about the same money and have a much bigger vehicle for the kind of work you are doing. Don't get me wrong I love my crew but it does have some drawbacks. In a lot of ways my previous 4 door blazer had more carrying room than this truck.

[HenryJ]

Nice first post

I tend to agree that a fullsize may fit your needs a little better in the construction work. It will get nearly the same mileage. They may be too popular and overpriced though. An Avalanche is on my short list. It will haul a sheet of plywood or eight. Still, I am a small truck guy and the fullsize is just not for me. The Avalanche is worth considering though, if affordable.

If you are set on the little truck, be prepared for all the S-series problems you are probably familiar with.
Fuel pump, ball joints, wheel bearings, idler arm, steering box, brakes, calipers, vent valves, Dexcool, radiator, transmission, transfercase switch, rear differential, etc. Plenty of threads here that cover those topics. You will have weeks of reading ahead.

Now what you need:
The 3.73 gear ratio and the G80 locking rear differential are desirable. A 2001 is more likely to have all the available options, so that is a pretty good choice. You will not get a roof rack, or step bars, as those came on the ZR5 appearance package in the following years. Easily added if you want them.


I don't personally know of anyone running a rack, but here is a photo from the gallery-



A rack like that would be pretty easy to build. Softopper.com offers a Contractors / ladder rack. I am sure there are others.

I would not let the bed size scare me away. That is what trailers are for. Something you may want to consider investing in.

Good luck with you decision and be sure to let us know what you decide.

[roadrunner]

Hi and welcome aboard. I currently drive the vehicle you are looking at and would advise you to go with the full-size model as well. The CC, while being a nice sporty truck, doesn't sound very well suited to your particular usage. In my opinion you would be much better served with the larger truck. Again welcome and let us know what you decide.