Camper Shells/Toppers (which one, advice

I am going to get an 88-94 silverado 1500 w/ a short bed.

The main thing is bikes. I want a cover to protect the mountain bikes from theft or weather.

I was thinking a soft top would be cool, because when I don't need it, I could just fold it up.

But that doesn't protect against theft much, so i want a hard top. I will be shuttling/downhill biking, so I need to put the bikes in w/o taking the wheels off (downhill bike don't have quick release axles; they have oversized bolt axles).

So I need something with extra height clearance. Does anyone know height of the bed rails from the floor to the top of the rails (on the truck I mentioned)?

THe rail height is about 16" inches. As for the shell, I know some companies make them so they are raised towards this back, this sounds like a good optioon for you, as for the model years, why do you want to stop at a 94? If you get a 95 you get an overdrive trannie which will save on gas when your on the highway!  

I don't want a '95, but I could go '95+. Are the '95 and newer trucks as durable as the older ones of this body style?

Why no 95? The 96+ have the vortec engine which run higher power, but cost more to modify and have more computer things to wreak off road  

The trannys in the '95s didn't last long. I know someone who had to replace his at a little over 100,000 mi.

More power stock better mileage would be nice, but I don't want too much computer stuff. What could get messesd up? How could I make it more durable?

That came off wrong, I just meant with the mpfi there are more computer parts to get damaged from wheelin, not that they will with street driving or mild wheelin. I have a 95 w/ 150k on the original tranny and for 5 months i ran it w/ 35's and stock 4.11's and still haven't had a problem(must be a hit or miss thing). If i had it to do over again though I would probably get a 96+ just because of the extra power and you can have a 3rd door for the extended cab! But you will be paying more for them!  

The pre 95's came with O/D trannies....my 87 had O/D.

A cab height cap will have tonnes of room for mountain bikes.  A hard tonneau cover may not let them fit, depending on the hadlebar width, and more than 2 bikes wont fir in a 6" bed with a hard tonneau cover.

With a cap, they can go in standing...pobably fit 6 easily.  

I agree. All 88-98 GM 1/2 tons (besides the 454 SS) had overdrive gears in all their automatic transmissions.

I don't know the height of the floor to the top of the cab but I've been in a mid 90's Dodge with a cap that's top was level with the cab. I could sit up straight in it no problem, with maybe 2-4" extra room and I'm 5'8". I think it'd be safe to say the Chevy has approximately the same amount of bed floor-to-roof clearnance.

(It was just difficult moving in it without banging my head if I wasn't crawling or "duck walking")

Maybe I don't need a camper shell. Maybe I will be fine if I just use the really big $100 bike locks. If it rains or even at night I could just bring them into the hotel room on trips.

I still need to figure out which year I want. That '95 probably had a lemon tranny then.

The 700R-4 trans, (also very similiar to the 4L60 and the electronically 4L60E) had some issue when it first came out, but 88 and later have most of the kinks worked out. It is by no means a heavy duty transmission, but can be worked pretty hard.

My 700R-4 (in my 92 k1500) has 210,000km on it, and still shifts beautifully. It has had a B&M shift kit in it for about 70,000km now and has shown no ill effects. I regularly tow 5000lbs (my s15) and it has no issues, but I do plan to run an auxillary trans cooler to ensure it has no problems with that kind of weight and the higher mileage it has now.

I would get a trans cooler for it, just to ensure that it stays cool. Is your 90's truck durable? What besides heat is hard on the trans.?

What is in the kit yoo got for it? What does it do?

The kit I have in my trans increases line pressures to help hold the bands from slipping. It also moves the shift points slightly higher in rpm. It makes a slighly harder shift, but it is much quicker.

My 92 has been very tough, it has been worked, and parked for long periods of time. My only issues have been rust related (salty Canadian raods), and electrical, which again is the climates fault.

http://chevytruckworld.tenmagazines.com/forums/topic.ten?pos=1&id=126614
Thats another forum i'm on. There are some good points in there.  

I am also a member of the the chevy truck world fourm, I joined when it used to be MCT (My Chevy Truck).

I have mised emotions about some of the information that gets posted there. Many members there seem to post responses when the have no idea what the right answer should have been. There is also excellent information contained in there, but the hardcore tech questions seems to be lacking answers there.

I found the 67-72 Chevy Truck forum to be a good site for all GM trucks for all years.

It's at www.67-72chevytrucks.com

They have so many different forums like two for each model of truck starting in the 1940's up to the '99 and later trucks. (one a parts board, one a message board) Also has separate forums for Engine and Drivetrain, Suspension, Paint and Body, 4x4 and a General Discussion forum.