Upgrade Help needed

[Wood Scrounge]

Need some help, when my daughter was born I had to get rid of my regular cab Chevy ½ ton to buy something that the entire family could fit in comfortably. After months of searching I bought a 2002 Chevy Avalanche Z71 with 5.3 liter, this was in 2003. I really did not like it when I bought it (the wife did), I hated all the plastic, but I have learned to like it.

This truck is my:
Back and forth to work (soon to be retired from this chore)
My 4000 pound boat tower
My 6000 pound wood trailer tower
My 2000 Pound camper tower
My get me down the abandoned rail road tracks or other trail to the creek driver
My take my family out on and down the beach driver
Etc
Etc

the truck has 130K and is fully loaded, it really has been good to me, not one major problem and few minor ones. I am at a point where I would like to do a few things to make it better: more HP, better suspension, better what ever. I am looking for suggestions, everything is stock right now but I want that to change in the next few months.
I need it to tow my boat 5 hours on the highway and then still be able to bounce down a fairly rough trail.
thanks in advance

not mine but identical

 

[Wood Scrounge]

I am ordering a Flow Master American Thunder kit for it today, Is an air intake a worthwhile investment?

 

[12vdzl]

Not sure what transmission is in that but our 01 Jimmy magically lost reverse one day out of the blue. One of the components for reverse is splined and the splines stripped out, cost us the price of a rebuild. Keep this in mind.

Your 5.3 should be plenty of strong enough for the 6k lbs you tow. I would add your flowmaster exhaust for the sound. Cold air intake and probably a superchips or something close. All in all you may gain 30 horses.

If you're in it for the long haul pull that 5.3 and throw in a duramax.

Add air bags to the rear to help the rear suspension, check the front steering/suspension components.

You should be good to go.

 

[blackdiesel]

the 5.3 is an awesome engine. Chevy really hit the nail on the head with the latest model LS fuel injected motors. they are cheap, reliable, and run forever. that thing should be hooked to a 4l60e. however it may have a 4l80e behind it. i currently am building a '57 chevy pickup and using a 5.3/4l60e as the drivetrain.

Cant help you out on the mods... I've kept mine stock. however they respond great do mods. such as heads and a cam. however in order to keep them cheap and reliable, i wouldnt tear into it. good intake, exhaust, and a programmer like stated above should be enough for a daily driver

 

[Den69RS96]

kn claims their intake on 5.3 should give around 8-9hp. Might as well invest in a hypertech programmer as well to max out the gains from the exhaust and intake.