2001 Suburban K2500 - Summer Camping & Winter Commuting

[WrenchMonkey]

The current steering components seem barely capable of doing their job when new.

^^ This!
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I recently picked up a similar rig to tote my great dane pups and my XJ to the trail. An 02 2500 8.1...
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I was STUNNED when I saw the tie rods. Half-inch diameter rod. The factory stuff on my quarter-ton XJ dwarfs what's on my one-ton Burban.
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Apparently the easy fix are tie-rod sleeves, so you can reuse the stock (warranty) parts.
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Robert

 

[snowblind]

Camping Table / Roof Rack

I'm interested in this roof rack/camp table idea.

Here we go...

I ended up with a Yakima Skybox that required mounting Thule cross bars spanning the factory roof rails. Looking at the crossbars I started thinking of putting a basket or platform up there. Somehow my imagination and pure luck coincided when I gained "access" to an extruded aluminum bleacher plank.

This plank had a former life as a bench at a tennis court. It is a single piece of aluminum 15' long and 9.5" wide. Cost new would be >$100 at least. This is EXACTLY the kind of plank I was looking for.




Backside detail. This is the key detail. The extruded aluminum has a series of I-Beam channels on the underside designed to aid rigidity. I was drawn to these channels as an easy way to attach "stuff" and bolt things together.



Three cuts and a bunch of head scratching later I ended up with a 6.5' x 24" table.





Connection detail. I used aluminum square tubing to span the width and then small lengths of aluminum angle to span the I-Beam channels and bite into the underside as an anchor. U-bolts tighten everything down. All materials where purchased at Home Depot for <$50. For legs I'm going to get something that stores in the cargo box and then assembles on location. Although it LOOKS heavy as hell the entire assembled table top is < 30lbs! :Wow1:



The Thule crossbars are rubberized with ridges and the top of the table is sand blasted with ridges so I can put the table "face" down on the rack and still have excellent grip. This exposes the entire length of I-Beam channels for lashing, drilling, bolting, etc. One requirement is propane tank mounting and I have a tank in the photo to show scale/positioning. I will not be making a propane bracket out of tubing. I'm looking at premade tank "feet" or possibly routing out a recessed ring in the table underside for the tank to sit in. <- Another benefit of the aluminum bleacher stock.



I have a pretty slick J-hook attachment system to clamp the table to the rack that I'm finishing up. I'll post some shots of that this weekend.


Matt

 

[noJeepshere]

Very interesting, now I'm coming up with some ideas of my own...

 

[snowblind]

More Camping Table / Roof Rack

Went to Ikea yesterday and got some table legs.

Legs attach/remove via the stock Ikea mounting plates. Assembly is just screwing the four legs on.








Legs are adjustable in length and marked. Turn anti-clockwise to loosen, adjust, clockwise to lock.




Finished product. :victory:






Five pieces total. I'm pretty sure I'm going to screw that propane foot on there as pictured.





Matt

 

[snowblind]

Even More Camping Table / Roof Rack

My table to rack attachment mechanism. The two parts on the right are from a "Dorman" spare tire hold down from O'Rielly. The threaded hook is a "clothes line hook" from Ace hardware. I had to hammer the hook a bit in the vise to get a good fit on the Thule roof rack bars.





On the roof and with the addition of a lawnmower handle lock nut to cover the exposed threads and to add an extra layer of safety. I idea behind using a spare tire mount is that the entire assembly acts like a giant lock-washer.








With the two mounts tightened down I can SERIOUSLY rock the truck back and forth by yanking on the table.

I have a scheduled highway drive tonight and will be stopping frequently to check tightness.


Matt

 

[snowblind]

Maiden Voyage - East Canyon State Park, Utah.

Hi All.

Hit the road for a little shake down. Drove <50 miles to a pad parking site. Hiked, cooked, slept, cooked, hiked, left. It was fun.

Vehicle was great save for a dead enough to not start the truck battery this morning. :-(

I'm thinking the 8.1 is a big lump to turn over + normal camping door open stuff + I didn't turn off the dome lights = not enough juice to start. I will have the battery tested but I'm thinking I may need a second battery if I want to listen to music around camp... I don't need music in most situations. Just saying.

Anyways. Here are some pics.
















Matt

 

[noJeepshere]

Looks like fun! I need to get out but lack funds and 4 wheel drive at the moment... :-\


cent frum a smaert fone

 

[02TahoeMD]

Nice rig and great idea on the improvised camp table. If I would do it again, I would get a Suburban, they are great trucks. Good choice on the year of vehicle as the 2003 - 06 NBS had electric gremlins that could drive you crazy.

 

[Kaisen]

Nice rig and great idea on the improvised camp table. If I would do it again, I would get a Suburban, they are great trucks. Good choice on the year of vehicle as the 2003 - 06 NBS had electric gremlins that could drive you crazy.

What kind of electrical gremlins? When do they pop up? I've been waiting for 250,000 miles and I haven't seen the gremlins yet. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough.

 

[tip]

Looks like fun! Love the Golden pics, we have a 2 year old.

I miss my 8.1

 

[02TahoeMD]

What kind of electrical gremlins? When do they pop up? I've been waiting for 250,000 miles and I haven't seen the gremlins yet. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough.

The 2003 - 2006 NBS speedometers were notorious for going mental case (like showing 60 MPH while sitting still in traffic) and there were some problems with the other interior electronics. I had read of the D.I.C. gizmo acting up as well. If you have not had any problems, then perhaps you got a rig that was not cursed with the bad parts.

Here is a link to a settlement involving the speedometer problems, just so you know I am not "blowing smoke".

 

[Kaisen]

The 2003 - 2006 NBS speedometers were notorious for going mental case (like showing 60 MPH while sitting still in traffic) and there were some problems with the other interior electronics. I had read of the D.I.C. gizmo acting up as well. If you have not had any problems, then perhaps you got a rig that was not cursed with the bad parts.

Here is a link to a settlement involving the speedometer problems, just so you know I am not "blowing smoke".

Ah yes, I've heard of that. I guess since my truck is garaged (and in MN) it may not get the heat build-up that seems to destroy the stepper motors in the gauge cluster. But even if it did, it's not an operation-critical deal....in other words the truck will still run and function just fine. And it's only $110 to have it completely rebuilt with all new upgraded GM stepper motors, including shipping. So when it does happen to mine, someday, it will still be less $$$ than changing synthetic fluids. No big deal.

In my opinion, that's no reason to skip the 03-06 models. The 03-06 has audio controls on the steering wheel, programmable functions, better trip computers, digital climate control, better heated seat controls, and better radios with the option for factory XM, aux inputs (iPod) and in-dash 6-CD changers. Not to mention better seats and better center console, better power seat controls with better lumbar. Not that the 99-02s aren't fine, but they aren't automatically 'better'.

 

[snowblind]

Looks like fun! I need to get out but lack funds and 4 wheel drive at the moment... :-\

I hear you buuuuut... This is less than 30 miles from SLC and pavement the entire way. Paved parking spot, concrete pavillion with picnic table, big metal firebox and grill and a red sand tent pad. People in Honda Civics were pulling up with to-go food from the Park City McDonalds! <- Not really but they could. ;-)

 

[noJeepshere]

Oh. Well that changes everything.


cent frum a smaert fone

 

[snowblind]

Nice rig and great idea on the improvised camp table. If I would do it again, I would get a Suburban, they are great trucks. Good choice on the year of vehicle as the 2003 - 06 NBS had electric gremlins that could drive you crazy.

Hey 02. I like the look of the Hoes but the extra room of the Burb and the fact that a used 3/4 ton Burb was roughly the same price as a used Hoe made the decision easy.

I picked 2001 in the hope that I would skip over the first year gremlins and be able upgrade the stereo without too many on-star conflicts. I am very happy with the purchase.



Matt