2000 Suburban K1500 budget low lift with 37"s

[Todd780]

Swap the midgate and Avi bedliner into the Sub, creating a cargo area that can be sealed off from the passenger cabin.

Kind of like the old Envoy XUV?

 

[Overlandtowater]

I do wish the suburban's had a drop down tailgate and a raise up glass....

 

[bknudtsen]

bknudtsen,

I thought about that or even putting the Avi tailgate onto the Sub and adding a hatch like older GMT400 Suburbans used to have. I do use the 3rd row seats for my kids so that idea might not work so well because it will make the rear "bed" area much smaller than it already is.

Stay tuned for more shenanigans!

Yeah, won’t work if your using the third row. I always thought it would be cool to try that swap tho.

 

[bknudtsen]

Kind of like the old Envoy XUV?

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Yep, but without the retractable top. You could replace the glass in the midgate with a metal mesh screen for dogs or cargo barriers, or you could stick the glass in if you had a bunch of dirty or dusty gear that you wanted to separate from the cabin.

 

[CrazyDrei]

I do wish the suburban's had a drop down tailgate and a raise up glass....

dirtdobberoffroad,

Yeah that would be cool, I do think that a lift glass would be better from a versatility point. I also wonder why the Envoy XUV is not as popular in the overlanding community. It's unique, practical for what most do and has an option of a 5.3l V8. Good power, good payload capacity, good size, more fuel efficient than Tahoe or Suburban.

 

[Overlandtowater]

Because its butt ugly!!!!LOL

 

[nitro_rat]

I do wish the suburban's had a drop down tailgate and a raise up glass....

The liftgate is much more practical. You can stand at the bumper and reach further into the cargo area. The gate lets you stand under it in the rain. So many advantages, the "clamshell" is the worst rear access design IMO. Liftgate is best, "ambulance doors" a close second. The only design the clamshell beats is the tailgate with electric glass. I'd rather have a tailgate with manual glass over the clam...

 

[tennesseewj]

I prefer the "clam" as you call it to the liftgate, but I'm also tall so liftgates can be a literal headache and I can easily reach in past a tailgate to grab things

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

 

[nitro_rat]

I prefer the "clam" as you call it to the liftgate, but I'm also tall so liftgates can be a literal headache and I can easily reach in past a tailgate to grab things

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

Plenty of GMT400 K2500's with the clams out there, they're probably pretty close to bottomed out on price right now. Good time to buy...

 

[CrazyDrei]

I prefer the "clam" as you call it to the liftgate, but I'm also tall so liftgates can be a literal headache and I can easily reach in past a tailgate to grab things

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

tennesseewj,

I have owned a barn door Suburban and a liftgate Suburban, never owned a taligate clamshell type. I really like the barn doors and the ability to stuff a lot of junk behind one door and have readily accessible stuff behind the other. Downside to barn doors is that when it rains or really sunny out you have no overhead protection.

Liftgate offers some protection from rain and even has a glass hatch that can open to access rear cargo area. Before I put 37s I hit my head on the lift gate and now almost have to jump up to pull it down and close it.

Technically Excursion got it right with both barn doors and lift hatch! But I still like my barn doors better.

 

[CrazyDrei]

Snow this morning.

Unexpected 5" of fluffy snow this morning. Took the Sub out for an errand, used AUTO 4x4, it was a lot of fun. Was drifting round abouts like a pro, Detroit rear would kick the back end out, auto clutch in the transfer case would engage and pull the Sub out of a drift. Never played with the AUTO 4x4 before, pleasantly surprised!

Stay tuned for more shenanigans!

 

[Overlandtowater]

yeah I wanted to test it out when I first got mine so I went down the gravel road 2wd accel and then 4w auto accel its amazing how fast the auto kicks in and how smooth it does it.

 

[rayra]

The liftgate is much more practical. You can stand at the bumper and reach further into the cargo area. The gate lets you stand under it in the rain. So many advantages, the "clamshell" is the worst rear access design IMO. Liftgate is best, "ambulance doors" a close second. The only design the clamshell beats is the tailgate with electric glass. I'd rather have a tailgate with manual glass over the clam...

I speed down the highway too much to like that huge blindspot in the middle with barn doors. Do agree on the liftgate though. Lots of advantages.

 

[CrazyDrei]

yeah I wanted to test it out when I first got mine so I went down the gravel road 2wd accel and then 4w auto accel its amazing how fast the auto kicks in and how smooth it does it.

dirtdobberoffroad,

With the Detroit rear locker I only used 2wd high because I wanted the maximum power to rear wheels, and it worked very well, so I never tested 4wd auto. My wife has been driving in 4wd auto all winter in the snow in her 2500 Sub, so I figured I try it in mine. I was not expecting it to be that smooth or good of a transition from 2wd to 4wd in auto mode. Very impressed.

 

[nitro_rat]

dirtdobberoffroad,

With the Detroit rear locker I only used 2wd high because I wanted the maximum power to rear wheels, and it worked very well, so I never tested 4wd auto. My wife has been driving in 4wd auto all winter in the snow in her 2500 Sub, so I figured I try it in mine. I was not expecting it to be that smooth or good of a transition from 2wd to 4wd in auto mode. Very impressed.

The Auto mode is very nice in inclement weather. It will prematurely wear out the X-fer case and front end to run around that way on dry pavement though.

I speed down the highway too much to like that huge blindspot in the middle with barn doors. Do agree on the liftgate though. Lots of advantages.

The "blind spot" from the ambulance doors has never bothered me. Vehicles to either side of you are what you need to see, not directly behind you. I have "centered" a tree before making a 3 point in the woods but the trailer hitch ball took the hit so no harm done. The unexpected bang is a little alarming though. I've done that several times over the years...