Big Suburban for a Big Texan

[mike the welder]

Hope I'm putting this in the right section,

My names Mike from Texas, I've been lurking around this website for about a year. I finally decided to buy a Suburban.

Well After looking at 18- Suburbans 2500's I kind of lowered my standards when I found a super clean 1500 with 150k. This truck has every option offered in 1999. Leather, Heated seats, dual heat and air etc. Backup camera, new stereo. New American Racing wheels with Maxxis Bighorn tires (33 inch tires), with less than 2,000 miles. Rear brake disc conversion, new bilstein shocks, synthetic fluids, new battery. Electronic locking differentials. Rear rhino cargo liner. Paint is excellent. He gave me receipts to back up all the maint claims. Clean carfax, second owner.
Drives strait as an arrow at 75 and the tires are not as loud as I thought they'd be.

I'll be able to drive this one as-is until I figure out what direction I want to go.
I'm a happy camper.

 

[mike the welder]

Well so far I'm pretty stoked with my Suburban. I did have one issue I knew about when I bought it, it had a micro crack in the radiator where the oil cooler line went into it. I talked the guy down $300 because of the leak. No problem, I had $150 worth of Autozone gift cards from ordering parts online. It wound up costing me $23 (after gift cards) for the radiator and another $100 for hoses, thermostat, clamps, serpentine belt and coolant. Not that they were that bad but I had easy access to them while I had the radiator out. Two hours and it was back on the road running cool as a hipster at Starbucks.

 

[Larry]

Nice Burb! Looks very clean and well taken care of for its age. Wish you lived closer as I have a new Napa (Spectra) radiator for a 96-99 L31 powered Suburban/Tahoe/Pickup with oil cooler for sale for $100. It was left over from a V6 to a big block swap project I did a while back. The radiator only has a few months on it and was replaced for a bigger one as I had cooling issues on the 454 truck. It is on CL Colorado Springs if anybody needs it. Sounds like you did well with the gift cards though.

 

[jimed43]

I am right up the street from ya in Wylie! Nice look burban

 

[mike the welder]

Small world, what are you driving?

 

[jimed43]

I have a 99 K1500.. With all the options, I hope to start building it up this spring!

 

[mike the welder]

Mines going to be a slow build. I got laid off 2.5 years ago and have been a full time student for the last 2 years. I'm going to graduate next spring and depending on the job i find will determine how fast the build progresses.

 

[jimed43]

Yup. Mine will be slow as well. You already have a head start in the wheels and tires. I have stock rims and street tires.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[superbuickguy]

You have me curious, do you have electronic-actuated transfer case; or an electric locker in the rear differential?

in any case, you did well on your purchase.

 

[mike the welder]

Well haven't done much since the radiator and belts, but I did change all the interior lights to LED's and programed a new remote. Makes a big difference and the interior is nice and bright and the new remote works every time it press it instead just when it wants to.


I do have some plans in the works though. I hate the Bighorn tires they are very loud, so I ordered new pro comp extreme A/T tires and black wheels. I also hate chrome so the wheels are going to. Next on the list is a new center console to mount my switches, CB and Ham radio, tablet, GPS and cup holders. I hope I'm not counting my chickens before they hatch because I'm not taking my test for 2 more weeks, but I've already ordered a radio and antenna. I have started collecting parts for the console. I already had the CB that I had intended to put in my VW bus but never got around to it so it's going in the Burb. I'm looking for some laser etched rocker switches that have the correct wording for lockers, Light bar etc. I'm also looking for a decent priced Carpet set if anybody has any suggestions let me know. I was just going to pressure wash my carpet but when I was pulling the cargo area out it was brittle from the sun and ripped.

 

[redthies]

Nice looking Suburban! I used to run the Procomp Extreme ATs and they will get louder as they wear. I'd run them again though. They are a good tire. Link to carpet:

http://www.stockinteriors.com/AutoCarpet.asp?Itemid=8929&MakeId=31&ModelId=105

 

[jimed43]

What console are you going to use? I need the same.

 

[mike the welder]

Nice looking Suburban! I used to run the Procomp Extreme ATs and they will get louder as they wear. I'd run them again though. They are a good tire. Link to carpet:

http://www.stockinteriors.com/AutoCarpet.asp?Itemid=8929&MakeId=31&ModelId=105

Hopefully they will never get as loud as the Bighorns. They are so loud other cars move away from me at 50 mph and I can't hear the radio unless it's 2/3 of the way up.

 

[mike the welder]

What console are you going to use? I need the same.

I'm going to build my own. I bought some music equipment rack rails, kinda like a sever rack. It will hopefully look something like this one except not as many radios and will include a secure hand gun compartment some where inside bolted to the floor.

 

[M35A2]

Why two of each in that shot? My tire suggestion would be 285 75 15 BFGoodrich All Terrains. The middle tread. You will never get a flat, the sidewalls are uber strong, great handling in all circumstances, quiet and good economy on the highway. And they last a good while.