95 GMC K2500 Suburban - input wanted

[Parb]

Hi all,

long time lurker here.
I scored a 95 GMC K2500 4x4 with a 454 engine from California Highway Patrol. sturdy bumpers, 300K miles on the engine, but with an amazing service record and a transmission that is less than 50k on.
The engine runs great. The car is pretty worn and hasn't been really taken care of cosmetically. Paint is flaking and the interior isn't the greatest.
I bought it originally to just have fun with, maybe use for a couple of gambler 500 events. Hey it was only $500 bucks and i figure i would part out the winch for that much if i didn't get it to run.

But it runs so well, right out of the gate. there is just nothing major wrong with this beast...

As things have it i'm kind of warming up to the idea of maybe making a longer trip in this beast. I've been planning for a while to overland it to alaska and back with a good friend. maybe detour here and there for some off pavement (and meet up with folks i've met online in the community).

To make that happen i need the interior to be much nicer, i can't stand the idea of living in the truck for a week or more in its current condition... I'm thinking that i'll replace the headliner (its sagging) and i'll replace the carpet on the floor. The front bench seat needs to be replaced, i think it is beyond all hope. I'm thinking of replacing it with a reclinable bucket seat or a reclinable offroad suspension seat.
I'm torn at what to do... Find a set of seats from the pick'n'pull or get suspension seats from one of the offroad outfits?
I kind of like the enduro recliner from prp https://www.prpseats.com/product/enduro-reclining-suspension-seat/
The price is tolerable and i figure even if i get both front seats in extra wide (for long trip comfort) i still have enough space for an aftermarket console or travel fridge up front.


I think sliders as the right way to organize the rear. A few years ago i went on an adventure (mostly off pavement) and i had all my gear organized in bins, it sucked trying to get into the inner lower bin, and once they got full with stuff it was hard to move them around. I figure i have to make the sliders myself, i can't see anything premade for suburbans. I'm not sure if i would do a pull out kitchen in a slider or just use a camp stove setup with legs. sliders + stove on legs seems more comfortable to me... I'd love some input from those with more experience on what is the best way to go, builtin vs. a stove top on legs that i put outside.

I plan to replace the rear bumber with a self weld bumper add a swing out spare tire and jerry cans on the bumper. This i am not so concerned about, i know what i want to do and how to weld it together.

I like the idea of going off pavement, but i don't plan on rock climbing. do you think i really need to lift this beast? I don't want to get a really wobbly truck on the highway either.

i know this is long winded and rambling but what would you do if you had a similar setup? What would you make sure you got right and spent a bit extra money on?

I plan on monsta-liner the exterior to hide the ugly paint. there is no rust, but the trucks paint has not been taken care of at all...

thanks for advice -even the advice that says that i should not use this for overlanding and just play with it gambler style...

 

[aardvarcus]

My current driver I am building up is a 1994 K2500 Suburban with a 6.5L diesel. Do you know what your gear ratio is? If yours still has the heat front axle actuator, I would strongly recommend the electric actuator with a conversion harness.

Honestly if the interior is trashed, I would consider getting the entire interior out of another Suburban, either buy it from someone parting one out or buy a wrecked/broken one cheap with a good interior. I have swapped in the late 90s reclining buckets in mine, but they don’t fit me well and I am working on putting another seat in it. You can consider a seat from a newer 99-07 Chevy, I believe they bolt up but are slightly off center.

IMHO significantly lifting a vehicle like this is overrated for light offroad use, I would rather add skid plates to protect the vital pieces and run slightly oversized tires. And that is exactly what I am doing to mine. Spend the money on maintenance and ensuring the vehicle is in good functioning order. Have basic tools and enough recovery gear to get the vehicle unstuck.

The GMT-400 platform is very underrated based on internet wisdom, which works to our advantage as vehicles and parts are cheap. I replaced all my sun faded exterior lights just because they were so inexpensive.

I would consider getting a cheap HLPV spray gun and some paint before I rolled on bedliner. Spend effort on sanding and masking and you can make it look good.

 

[Yroundrdn]

I did a similar build with the drawers and have been very happy with it. My thread is in the signature. I got many of my ideas from this forum.

 

[Leangreen]

Im doing a similar build. Dont lift it! These trucks front suspensions dont like it. Plus no need to put the extra stress on everything with big tires. Go with somthing tall and skinny and i think you will be happy. I like an extreme a/t good on the highway and works in most off road conditions. As far as your interior goes i like my bench seat i sleep on it like a couch does the job. I put a neoprene seat cover and looks like new. Sounds like you should rip all the interior out and replace it if u want that comfort i like a clean interior which is why mine was gutted. Single stage paint and sandpaper go a long way. Bed liner on exteriors not a fan plus it stains and fades bad from what i have heard. I like the platform for overlanding. But then again I have grown up driving the gmt400 since I was 16 so that's about 12 years. I would recommend doing the entire front suspension if any of it looks questionable just replace it I redid pretty much everything from sway bar end links to CV axles to ball joints. I agree with the post from above they are very underestimated trucks inmo. Check out mine im always lookin for feed back good or bad and ideas as well. Good luck if i can help let me know.
https://www.overlandbound.com/forums/threads/1993-chevy-k2500.20051/

 

[Parb]

Hi,

Longish post as i've done a bunch of things. Mostly mechanical and electrical -nothing interior yet.

The truck lift install finished yesterday. I compared this K2500 suburban with an 89 K1500 suburban that i used to have and the ground clearance is much worse. For what i want to do and go i needed a bit more clearance. It now has 6" more ground clearance. We will see if i regret that or not. Next I'm going through the steering and suspension system, checking for weakness and wear.

I am installing a light bar up on top, found a mounting bracket for a 52" light bar that lets me mount the light bar on top of the windshield using brackets that goes next to where the door opens. Very common on Jeeps, i was so happy when i found this bracket for a suburban.

I need a new fan clutch and i need to go through the transmission. It makes a terrible noise when changing into 4WD low, i was told that it is likely a piece of bent metal inside the transmission due to poor shifting into 4WD Low that bent a piece of metal. A mechanic i trust told me it is not uncommon on cars where someone forced in 4WD low without stopping and putting the transmission into neutral before shifting. he says its an easy fix but he needs to open the transmission.

Planning to put in rock lights on the side for night time navigation of tight offroad challenges (rock lights are so cheap that I would do it in case i have to winch at night). Installing step bars to ease getting in and out with the lift (i have a spinal injury and lifting my leg really high puts a lot of strain on my back).

I have converted all exterior lights to LED lights. Replaced the front headlights for LED (made a huge difference). Planning to put in small LED cubes in the rear for work lights and rock lights, all of that is mostly cases if i need to winch myself out of something, or work on the truck if it breaks down at night.

The thermostat was stuck open, i replaced it with a stock standard themostat.

The AC didn't work. I replaced the head unit in the dash and it seemed like it worked. Recently my friend has told me that the AC isn't working again (he is using my truck right now) so i need to double check what is going on with that).

The spark plugs where atrocious. Once i replaced them the truck ran much better and had a decent idle...

I'm building a console in front of the middle seat, I'm installing a CB radio, light switches for the light bar and rear work light. Also adding a power outlet there (110V) via an inverter. Adding in a map light on a neck into the console to make paper based navigation easier.

I fixed the headliner that started to separate with headliner spray glue. that worked amazingly well.

I am planning to use this truck In Nevada Trophy at the end of November. I spoke to the guy who arranges the event and he thought that i would be better off with a bit of lift on the suburban and that kind of settled it for me. Its a navigational offroad challenge that seems like fun. https://www.nevadatrophy.com/

Interior wise i am keeping the bench for now. If i get seriously rattled around at the nevada trophy i may change chat, but for now i'm keeping the bench. Thinking that i'll put a saddle mat style cover on it. i like that better than neoprene.

I'm kind of happy with how this is progressing!

I'll post a pic as soon as i get the opportunity.

 

[Leangreen]

Ya i looked at spec on the suburban i needed a lift just not to much. Sound like a hell of a build. Good luck at nevada trophy

 

[rayra]

You can get a full suite of newish seats from a salvage yard for what one of those fancy enduro seats cost. Or close to it.

Gut the interior, wear a good mask and goggles and wire-wheel all the rust in the pan, swab it out and discover a nice product called POR-15. Coat the entire floor.
Then get some butyl rubber peel-and-stick window flashing and get to lining all of the interior metal you can get easy access to. IT will markedly cut down high-frequency road and tire noise for a helluva lot less $ than the stuff sold to audiophiles. Focus on the firewall and front floor and the rear wheel tubs especially.
After that just get the rest as clean and refreshed as you can make it.
And don't bother doing anything with the exterior paint. especially if you intend to use it offroad and for such an extended trip. Not worth fixing it up just to tear it up / 'pinstripe' it.

 

[Parb]

Sage advice Rayra!

I am actually also restoring a 1972 GMC Jimmy. Its a frame off restoration. I am doing lizard skin (similar to POR-14) on the underbody and a butyl rubber anti-heat, anti-noise mat on the interior surfaces between the metal and the carpet.
Should make a huge difference. I researched the audio stuff vs. the bulk stuff and the bulk stuff can be had for relatively decent pricing. I like this product, and the price point $1.77/SQ ft is tolerable. http://a.co/d/apROvF5

I have to go to a salvage yard and see what i can find. So far online the prices are more than i'm willing to shell out.... But maybe i will get luckier in person?

I plan to put some rust converter on the suburban's exterior where i have surface rust and maybe i'll do a bit more. But as you say, pin striping is likely to occur.

Next i need to figure out a way to get extra gas cans with me. I don't want gas in the truck, i want that on the outside. For nevada trophy i'll run a basket in the rear on the hitch, but i want something more permanent. Maybe building a diy swing away tire carrier with jerry can mounts, or a exoskeleton around the body with side mounts for those stackable gas cans. I need to think about this a bit more. I found an weld-it-yourself bumper kit with a swing out tire and jerry can carrier from blue lake offroad, but reviews on several sites were not that good.

Thanks for all your ideas and advice! It is much appreciated.

 

[Parb]

Here is a picture of the workhorse after the lift was installed. The tires are new (35" tires).
I'm considering getting a new rear passenger door, it is pretty smashed in...

If you squint you can see my really cool LED headlights and parking lights.

 

[rayra]

That's perfect for hitting technical trails with. Just adds more character when you beat it up some more.

I had some of the 20? 30? mil stuff when I started lining the back of my Sub, leftovers form a friends project. I immediately noticed how similar it was to the butyl flashing I was using in home renovations. With the latter being ~1/10the the price and 1/3 the thickness I figured I could double-layer the flashing if necessary and still come out ahead. I did one good layer (with about 40% overlap) in the rear and rear wheel wells and the back of the Sub got as quiet as a tomb

I forget which of my many project topics has the pics of that. Maybe in the CB/Ham subforum, or in the 12v forum in my rear power module topic, or in the Storage section for the rear drawers / platform. One of those projects when I had everything pulled out of the back of the vehicle.

In this pic you can see where I applied some overlapping squares of the thicker stuff over the compound curves of the rear wheel tubs. I used the 'good stuff' there first / until it was gone.

eta and if you aren't already aware of them, LMC Truck and RockAuto.com

 

[Pangle]

That baby is crying out for a Monstaliner Paint job!

 

[Smileyshaun]

Wait for a day pick and pull or whatever your local yard is called to have a half price sale day and go hog wild with seats . Pulled the seats from a mid 2000 Yukon denali for a buddies k5 with a littke reworking of the brackets and some wiring he had power leather seats with heated butt warmers front and rear .