Shane Barrington is the owner of CRE Products in Logan, Utah, a company that builds innovative products such as RockerFlares that protect trucks from damage, cold-weather grille inserts, and splash guards for many applications. Shane wanted to build his '05 GMC Sierra 2500 4x4 to showcase CRE's and others' products, but he also wanted his truck to work just as well off-road as it did for a show.
The Duramax diesel V8 and Allison automatic transmission in the big GMC worked well stock, but Shane wanted more. He had Performance Diesel of St. George, Utah, install Bully Dog Technologies' Triple Dog downloader and Outlook monitor, RFI intake, and a 5-inch exhaust system that really woke up the powerplant after the PDI experts did a custom tune. A FASS fuel system and fuel/air separator ensure enough fuel gets to the big diesel and that problems with fuel delivery just don't happen.
Mount Logan Off-Road installed a complete Tuff Country 6-inch suspension system with custom-valved Bilstein 7100 shocks, and built a custom prerunner bumper. To augment the suspension while towing heavy loads, All-Pro Auto and Off-Road installed Air Lift air bags and a compressor with EZ-Ride Concepts air-bag spacers in back. All-Pro also installed an Off Road Unlimited polished differential cover that doesn't do anything to help carry heavy loads but protects the differential in the dirt while looking trick. The suspension allowed the installation of Moto Metal 954 20-inch alloy wheels and 35x12.50R20LT Toyo Open Country M/Ts. A Power Tank is mounted in the bed under the Retrax retractable tonneau cover.
Of course, CRE RockerFlares were installed on the rocker panels and afford plenty of good-looking protection. A custom mesh grille from Precision Grilles dresses up the front, as do the grille letters from AMI. AMI also supplied door handles, a tailgate handle, and astubby antenna. For interior protection, WeatherTech floor mats were enlisted to keep mud at bay. PIAA lights on the Mount Logan prerunner bar light up the night.
The CRE GMC has exceeded Shane's wildest expectations. He now has a show truck that can go off-road to his favorite sand dunes, or an off-road truck that looks great at shows. The GMC worked well during our photo shoot, with the Tuff Country suspension soaking up the rocks and whoops we made Shane hit for photos. This GMC is much greater than the sum of its parts and is an impressive dual-sport pickup.
 The 5-inch exhaust completed...  The 5-inch exhaust completed the powerplant mods, allowing the Duramax to breathe. The performance muffler sounds great too. |  The Outlook monitor allows...  The Outlook monitor allows Shane to keep tabs on what's going on under the hood. |  The Duramax V8 diesel's output...  The Duramax V8 diesel's output increased with Bully Dog Technologies' RFI intake, Triple Dog downloader, and Outlook monitor. |
 The retractable tonneau cover...  The retractable tonneau cover from Retrax rolls back when uninhibited bed space is needed. |  A PT10 Power Tank is mounted...  A PT10 Power Tank is mounted in the bed. |  Rex Harris, owner of Sign...  Rex Harris, owner of Sign This in Logan, Utah, made stickers in a darker silver than the truck's paint. We think this looks understated and classy. |
 CRE RockerFlares are unobtrusive...  CRE RockerFlares are unobtrusive protection for the sides of the truck. They're impact-resistant and keep gravel, salt, sand, and mud from taking out the paint. |  The custom Mount Logan Off-Road...  The custom Mount Logan Off-Road prerunner bar protects the custom mesh Precision Grilles grille. PIAA lights illuminate the night. |  35x12.50R20LT Toyo Open Country...  35x12.50R20LT Toyo Open Country M/Ts are mounted on Moto Metal 954 20-inch alloy wheels. |
 Although torsion bars aren't...  Although torsion bars aren't out first choice in suspension design, they are easy to adjust. |  Bilstein 7100 reservoir shocks...  Bilstein 7100 reservoir shocks damp all four corners. |  With the Tuff Country 6-inch...  With the Tuff Country 6-inch suspension system installed, there's still plenty of ground clearance up front. |
 The rearend retains the stock...  The rearend retains the stock 3.73 gears and GM limited-slip differential. The Off Road Unlimited diff cover protects and looks good. The Tuff Country suspension is augmented by Air Lift air bags and EZ-Ride Concepts air-bag spacers. Shane likes to use the GMC to tow his ATVs to the dunes and also drives the truck off-road while there. The lower rear shock mounts that hang down probably won't hit any rocks in the dunes. |  The truck won't run without...  The truck won't run without fuel, so a FASS fuel system delivers fuel, not air, to the Duramax. It also assures consistent engine performance, gives easier and quicker starts, delivers excellent cold-weather performance, and extends fuel-filter life, and the GMC has a smoother idle and quicker throttle response than it did when stock. The addition of the FASS fuel system made the GMC feel like a different truck! |  |