2011 Chevy Silverado Install

[MAPMFF86]

Alright so a little background. I'm a full-time firefighter/paramedic, my department serves a midsize town of 15,000 residents, a suburb of Boston and has recently implemented ALS level care on our ambulances. We run full ALS with two paramedics, current staffing is one medic per group and the second medic being called in off duty for calls that warrant it. (We average about 2,500 runs per year, most of which are EMS)


Anyone on the department can apply for red-light permits however each medic has received one and can outfit a POV as they see fit for intercept duty. I currently drive a 2011 Chevy 1500 Silverado so here's what I got.


Purchased most of my stuff online, but as it came together I revised the equipment list and got some excellent help over at MHQ from elightbars own emtanderson51, Thanks again!!


The install went well, done by Jason Martocchio of Northeast Two Way Radio a small shop north of Boston, took 2 days start-to finish, I got to dabble a little bit towards the end. Only thing that I was considering that due to time constraints got cut out of the install was to be red/white ions on the crew-cab windows for a little midship lighting, despite that I still think it looks fine. It appears to be a little front heavy for lighting, which it is, but in an intercept role, it will be responding to calls and either be left at the firehouse or beached on scene out of the way, so rear protection wasn't a huge concern, but I feel it is still well covered. My first install so hope you guys enjoy it.


Front


Siren- Whelen 295SLSA6 driving one 100watt Whelen SA315P speaker


2 Whelen M4's Red/White (OMG a split...I know lots of people don't like em, however I do and I feel they look good in my application, so case closed on that )


2 SoundOff Ghost's Surface Mounts Red/Red on the push bumper sides


4 Feniex Fairy's LED HAW's all white


Whelen Head Light Flasher


Whelen Dual Avenger Red/Red above the rear-view mirror


Rear


2 Galls/Whelen Dual Talons Red/Red from the rear headliner/deck


2 Feniex Fairy LED HAW's Red


2 Whelen TIR3's Red/Amber by the license plate


Pic 1...anticipation.

 

[MAPMFF86]

Console, top radio is used primarily for FD communications and a buff network from time to time, middle radio is a Kenwood TMV-71A which is primarily sold on the amateur radio world, but it has "2" sides to the radio so I can scan multiple banks and have two separate banks talking at the same time as a scanner, works well but might be getting switched for a traditional scanner in the future. (and I will be standardizing the speakers mounted to the side of the console and removing the velcro within the week)

 

[MAPMFF86]

Next overview pic of the front of the truck, and the side of the pushbumper, on the ghosts I decided to angle the lights a little to match the contour of the leading edge of the pushbumper. With the Linear M4's I decided to surface mount them to the grill, I'm pleased the way it came out, its obviously not very low-profile but IMO still looks clean. The LEDS on the pushbar facing forward are Rigid Industries off-road LEDS and are insanely bright.

 

[MAPMFF86]

Next two pics, first one is the location my installer put the Fairy into the fog light and the following pic is its location in the headlight turn signal area. Seems to be some argument over the Feniex products, and I was somewhat skeptical after I purchased them, but they are very bright and so far so good.

 

[MAPMFF86]

Last pic


License plate mount for the TIR3s, I've noticed that on some vehicles due to the angle of the license plate bracket etc, it seems that sometimes the lights are angled downwards. This coupled with the fact that I'm not a huge fan of the vertical mounts and the added fact that I need to have my registration sticker unobscured (top right corner) I decided to drop the lights down to the bottom. They sit flush with the step of the bumper and angle up quite nicely at a distance. Now if I can just avoid kicking em I'll be in good shape.

 

[MAPMFF86]

And lastly what install thread is good without videos (HD goodness if you so choose), hope it looks as good to others as it does to me, thanks for looking.


Front of truck, night then day

 

[5309]

awesome write up. :thumbsup: Truck looks good. Plain and simple

 

[Jecfire]

Nice!!!

 

[FreshDave04]

Very well executed! Even with split lightheads, it's well done. The brands/products definitely do their job!

 

[TritonBoulder47]

Looks good... :thumbsup: A little too much white to the front for my taste, but thats just me...

 

[MEVS06]

I like it, looks good.

 

[ttjustin12]

always love to see a chevy done up!

 

[Tom]

You can tell that there was a lot of attention paid to detail, which I like. Your truck looks great! And it's always nice to see other guys from MA on here!

 

[MAPMFF86]

You can tell that there was a lot of attention paid to detail, which I like. Your truck looks great! And it's always nice to see other guys from MA on here!

Thanks! I actually ordered my Feniex HAW's from you, seems like a good product!

 

[cbpdogboy]

I would switch things up in the front to be more effective. The ghosts should be swapped with the m4's. The ghost is a tir style light and will be more effective in front warning than side. The linear m4's are more suitable for side applications. The ghosts should be set to steady burn, get an led flasher, flash both ghosts at the same time then the two rigid off road lights....much more noticeable/effective...imo


You could also sync the laws....fog light laws with ridgid lights at the same time then the two ghosts with side white laws at the same time...larger warning foot print...


You could also set your dashlight to full steady...sync to flash at same time with ghosts and side laws for more of a red punch to the front instead of a split twinkle effect the dashlight has now...

 

[Mr911]

I like the setup....great job making everything look like it belongs where it is. I say if you are happy with it then run with it...

 

[Retired1]

Add me to the list of folks who like it. Well done!

 

[Camerin]

Great looking install! I am looking at doing a similar setup in my 2011 Silverado as well when I am able.


I think a lot of the dislike for split patterns on lightheads comes from the speed at which they flash. I think your split pattern is slow enough to be effective, if they had a warp speed pattern they would be a "fail"....

 

[MAPMFF86]

Great looking install! I am looking at doing a similar setup in my 2011 Silverado as well when I am able.

I think a lot of the dislike for split patterns on lightheads comes from the speed at which they flash. I think your split pattern is slow enough to be effective, if they had a warp speed pattern they would be a "fail"....

I agree with the speed can be an issue. I might go back to my guy and see if I can find a slower pattern that I like, this is as fast as I would go. Going to try and get a distance video in a little while before it gets to dark out and see how it looks from a little ways off.

 

[strobecrazy]

Well done sir! Always like seeing trucks outfitted.

 

[kitn1mcc]

use cation using the kenwood on commercial freqs for transmit they are not type accepted


did you buy the motorola. the CDM are nice but for same price or a little less you can get an XPR with a color display

 

[Harbor Patrol]

i like how the M6's mounted on the front grille, very nice!

 

[MAPMFF86]

use cation using the kenwood on commercial freqs for transmit they are not type accepted

did you buy the motorola. the CDM are nice but for same price or a little less you can get an XPR with a color display

I only use the Kenwood basically as a scanner, have never attempted to transmit on it. And I got the CDM off a friend who no longer used it, got a good deal on it, and I only transmit on two different frequencies on it. I only monitor my local PD and the 3 channels that are used by my FD.

 

[JPolston]

Excellent install. I would consider this fairly simple due to the fact that you don't have a huge interior or exterior bar, and it looks VERY good on a great looking truck.


Job well done!

 

[Reliable Radios]

Looks Great, Very nice job!

 

[NFD-102]

I love the M4's, I wish I bought the Red/White's instead of all reds

 

[massfirefighter]

Looks good! I drive by your station all the time.

 

[MAPMFF86]

So about a month post-install, review time.


I've taken the truck on about 10 responses so far, everything works out well and it seems to clear traffic well, however I'd having thoughts on perhaps changing up the front.


Not to say that I dislike the split M4's but there is alot of white lighting when you factor in the hide away. Should I swap out the M4's for all red and have them alternate? Or what I'm considering is adding maybe two red ghosts or TIR3s a little lower down plenty of space in a cutout above the license plate or on the license plate w/ a bracket....I just don't want it to look crowded. 5p


Also any ideas on adding mid-ship side lighting?

 

[paff2]

I have an extended cab 07 Silverado with a light in the side window. I currently have a Sound off XP I think it is, but am considering switching it with the new Microman lights. Truck looks really good.


Maybe you could switch the M4s out for all Red and change the fog hideaways to Red? Just a suggestion if you want to add more red to the front.

 

[Marc M]

So about a month post-install, review time.

I've taken the truck on about 10 responses so far, everything works out well and it seems to clear traffic well, however I'd having thoughts on perhaps changing up the front.


Not to say that I dislike the split M4's but there is alot of white lighting when you factor in the hide away. Should I swap out the M4's for all red and have them alternate? Or what I'm considering is adding maybe two red ghosts or TIR3s a little lower down plenty of space in a cutout above the license plate or on the license plate w/ a bracket....I just don't want it to look crowded. 5p


Also any ideas on adding mid-ship side lighting?

I would swap them for solid reds and move the splits midship.

 

[acala91]

So about a month post-install, review time.

I've taken the truck on about 10 responses so far, everything works out well and it seems to clear traffic well, however I'd having thoughts on perhaps changing up the front.


Not to say that I dislike the split M4's but there is alot of white lighting when you factor in the hide away. Should I swap out the M4's for all red and have them alternate? Or what I'm considering is adding maybe two red ghosts or TIR3s a little lower down plenty of space in a cutout above the license plate or on the license plate w/ a bracket....I just don't want it to look crowded. 5p


Also any ideas on adding mid-ship side lighting?

You could put the split M4s in the rear side windows, and replace them with solid red M4s. Flashing the M4s in the grill with the LAWs in an x-pattern would look great.

 

[irsa76]

I'd run solid red M4s on the grill, maybe put the split M4s on the side of the pushbar for intersection warning. Can't see the point of having white to the side after the first 3rd of the vehicle, my theory being white is for attention getting and it's most needed to the front and the front side for intersection clearing. I'd certainly never run white to the rear. I'd also run slow patterns to the rear, slow alternating looks good and seems effective. Looks great as it is.


Oh and I personally think split lights are very useful when the right pattern is selected.

 

[pdk9]

love it. i personally would've stuck to solid red m-series grill lights, but to each his own.

 

[MAPMFF86]

After some hemming and hawing about what to do to the front, I decided that the split M4's really do catch your eye, both at a distance and up close, however I wanted some additional red. I decided to go with license plate mounted red TIR3's. I think that it "squares off" the front of the truck and ties in the HAWs in the fog lights quite nicely. Initially due to the angle of the license plate area the lights were angled towards the ground however after adding a high density foam piece behind the plate the lights are angled to be about rear-view mirror height at a distance of about 75 feet or so from the front of the truck.


HD video.

Front update - YouTube

 

[Nysff0912]

I like that Kenwood! Whats its Freq range?

 

[MAPMFF86]

I like that Kenwood! Whats its Freq range?

118-524MHZ to 800-1300MHZ