some 88-91 suburban questions.

[syoungs]

Im looing at getting a 88-91 suburban to replace my f250, and its payment.

I am looking at getting either a 1500 or a 2500, leaning towards the 2500 as I do plan on towing, and I like the 3/4 ton platform better, I am mostly curious how a 2500 burb will handle 33-35" tires, a 4" or so lift, and pull a trailer, my boat weighs in just about 5000#, my camp trailer about 4500 loaded for bear, will the 5.7 tbi handle it, or can it be made to handle it? re-gears of the axles would be in order I know. Am I crazy for thinking a 350 can handle big tires, heavy rigs and trailers? would a big block be better suited?


My next question, what is the driving experience like in one of these burbs? I have drove newer ones, and an older one that had a built 350 that was loud as can be, but can these be made to have good road manners, and a respectable ride? it seems to me they wouldnt be to bad, but my buddy is saying they will be horrid, to loud and uncomfortable. ( I have not found any good exaples close by to test drive yet)

most all of my trips now a days are pretty close to home, id say 150 miles one way, itll pull my boat through the winter 30 miles to the river, at least once a week if not twice. once a year we head to the coast and I put 1000 miles on in a trip (no boat or trailer), I know fuel economy will be poor, but as this will be a 2nd vehicle, the savings in fuel a week just going to work will make up for it.

 

[98dango]

Many people daily drive these rigs. Last year my wife and I put 3500 miles on my lifted 84 3/4 ton. We both feel it is more comfortable than our 03 Chevy p/u and my 2000 superduty. I sold it and regret every day of it.

 

[syoungs]

Many people daily drive these rigs. Last year my wife and I put 3500 miles on my lifted 84 3/4 ton. We both feel it is more comfortable than our 03 Chevy p/u and my 2000 superduty. I sold it and regret every day of it.

im replacing a 99 superduty with a 7.3, just trying to get outta debt, and dont need to daily drive a lifted powerstroke anymore, killing me on fuel only getting 15mpg and driving 60-70 miles a day, time for a car for that.
I think I will be ok in a suburban, the one I had drove was pretty beat, had alot of rattles, and a short 3" straight pipe exhuast with a big cam, it was to loud for me, but looking through older threads I saw one member ( sorry cant remember name) had a picture of his daughter sleeping in the back seat, cant be to bad lol.

I also saw a nice red burban with a sweet roof rack setup that had a travel trailer in tow and some decent wheeling shots, makes me drool!

 

[98dango]

Well my 84 was 2x the truck my 2000 superduty is. In fact I'm working on buying a 87.

 

[syoungs]

thats good to hear! ive had a man crush on older suburbans sense dantes peak came out.

small lift, semi agressive tires, roof rack, winch and locker, think ill be pretty well set.

Plus ive got a 350 sitting in my garage just begging for a new home after. i figure a mild build on the motor and a fresh tranny, itll do everything I want it to plus some.

 

[evilfij]

My father had an 86 3/4 ton big block (2wd unfortunately) and it happily towed a 35ft trailer up and down the east coast. It has been 15 years since I drove it, but I never found it wanting for speed and it was comfortable and quiet enough.

 

[98dango]

I was born and raised on the wa cost. I have owned bogged and destroyed more chevys than one guy should have. The best set up is a 4-6" lift 35-37" tires and 4.11 gears. I am a sucker for the sm465 but my 83 had a 700 that I never had trouble with.

 

[syoungs]

looking around, its much easier to find a 1500 that is in good shape, I know the 700r4 tranny is not as stout as a th400 or the 4l80e in a sacred 91 2500, but I figure anything as old as I am looking I will want to rebuild the tranny anyways, so why not get a 1500, re-build/possibly beef up the 700r4, get a 14 bolt axle from a junk yard (only about 350$) and call it square, seems to me that for the times im not towing, the overdrive would come in handy, I like the 1st gear ratio of the 700 better, and im not towing a terrible heavy trailer ever....

can the 700r4 tranny be built to handle 35's, a trailer, and a 300hp motor? or should I just accept the fact I need a th400?

 

[98dango]

Yes no problem I ran a 700r4 in my 83 with a 406 small block and 38" boggers. My buddie has a 700r4 behind a marlin 472 in a bog truck. They can be built and its not all that expensive.

The frame on the 2500 is thicker. I would honestly buy the nicest one you can with out blowing the budget. The interior has to be clean you can dump a ton of money in side a rig and that is where you spend the time. You can buy some genders and a paint job cheap. But you start buying seats carpet and a dash that adds up very fast.

 

[ThrottleHappy]

My 3/4 ton 88 Silverado Sub is my only four wheeled vehicle and has become an almost DD. It is comfortable, reliable and can fit pretty much anywhere I need it to. Mine has the Muncie sm465 4 speed. I love the transmission but not having OD makes driving the freeways here in SoCal kind of a pain.

I've been considering selling my truck even though I love it and want it as a forever vehicle. But, I have a lot of memories with it that remind me of a recent loss, so the timing may be right. If you guys know some ExPo people who may be interested, I'd be open to discussion.

 

[madmax718]

nice burb.

If you have to choose, I'd go with 89 and up IIRC. 89 or 90 was the first year they used galvanizing. The good part is they are much more rust free. Bad part is, GM got the paint wrong, and most will have paint that peel off in sheets!

There was a slight transfer case change somewhere around that time too. From a 208 to a 241, no big difference. You can identify the newer ones by the "row" headlights" vs the "column" headlights.

87 is not a bad year either, it was the first year with TBI- it wasn't new tech, so not many issues. If you intend to lift, and put big tires on it, the 2500 is worth the piece of mind of not having the weaker 10 bolt axles in the rear.

If you find one with a open diff (rather than the g80 gov bomb), its preferrable if you intend to put in a locker. IIRC, it comes with a 14Bolt semi floater, which is plenty strong.

I forget which year was the first year with rear ABS too. Either 88 or 89...

 

[Larry]

My 3/4 ton 88 Silverado Sub is my only four wheeled vehicle and has become an almost DD. It is comfortable, reliable and can fit pretty much anywhere I need it to. Mine has the Muncie sm465 4 speed. I love the transmission but not having OD makes driving the freeways here in SoCal kind of a pain.

I've been considering selling my truck even though I love it and want it as a forever vehicle. But, I have a lot of memories with it that remind me of a recent loss, so the timing may be right. If you guys know some ExPo people who may be interested, I'd be open to discussion.

Nice Burb! Burb’s with manual transmissions are pretty rare. If the lack of OD is part of the reason you are considering selling it you may want to look into a NV4500 5 speed swap. The NV4500 is not a sports car transmission but compared to a SM465 it certainly is! Not only is the NV4500 a strong anvil of a transmission it also makes for a pleasant daily driver….not so much with the dump truck shifting direct drive SM465. The NV4500 is a very easy bolt for bolt swap (especially if swapping from a SM465) with only minor time consuming mods to the transmission tunnel to relocate the shifter hole. Info here on the NV4500 swap I did last year in to my old Burb.

Before w/SM465

After w/NV4500

 

[redthies]

I had an 89 V1500 4x4 5.7 and 700R4 with 4" lift and 35" BFG ATs. I don't recall the gear ratio. I did a 80 mile commute with it in the coast mountains. It wasn't the cheapest thing to drive, but it was nice to have the size and space to sleep. Our highway shuts down regularly during heavy snowfalls as idiots with "all season" tires seem to like to drive into each other on their way to and from the ski hill. I liked being high up the food chain on that drive. It was comfortable and reliable. I think you might be after a bit more power than I had for towing 5000, but lower gears would have helped. Not sure what the difference in mpg would be between a 7.4 and the 5.7, but I would guess not too much.

All things considered, you would (imnsho) be fine trading the sooper doody for the 'burb.

 

[ThrottleHappy]

Nice Burb! Burb’s with manual transmissions are pretty rare. If the lack of OD is part of the reason you are considering selling it you may want to look into a NV4500 5 speed swap. The NV4500 is not a sports car transmission but compared to a SM465 it certainly is! Not only is the NV4500 a strong anvil of a transmission it also makes for a pleasant daily driver….not so much with the dump truck shifting direct drive SM465. The NV4500 is a very easy bolt for bolt swap (especially if swapping from a SM465) with only minor time consuming mods to the transmission tunnel to relocate the shifter hole.

Man, I've drooled about that swap many a time. Love your burb. My long term goal with mine was the NV4500 with an LQ engine.

 

[Larry]

Man, I've drooled about that swap many a time. Love your burb. My long term goal with mine was the NV4500 with an LQ engine.

Thanks! A NV4500 and 6.0L is a great combo. Although I’m doing an L18 8.1L in my Burb. Love the diesel like low-end torque of the 8.1L rather than windup high RPM HP of the small LS engines. You really have to beat on a 6.0L in a heavy truck to get any snot out of them. Both get about the same MPG if driven right plus the 8.1L is a much easier swap. I did a L18 in my ’78 K10 about 6 years ago and love it. There is no replacement for displacement