Any Suburban 3500 owners out there?

[eodcoduto]

I first learned of the 2016-2018 Suburban 3500's when I was stationed in DC and living on Join Base Anacostia Bolling. The Secret Service had about 80 of them in a motor pool with the window stickers still on them, $98K before outfitting. I have seen a few up for sale and wanted to reach out to see if anyone owned one. The tow rating is funny at 3,000lbs because they were expected to be armored up and loaded down with comm equipment.

One is being seriously considered right now.

 

[bigjimmy82]

No idea that existed, very cool. Looks like a 360hp 6.0, so assume no AFM/DOD?

 

[eodcoduto]

I would assume not, and I bet they are light on emissions equipment. They don't do much more in the performance aspect as the 2500, but they are way cooler. Bigger brakes, coolers and so on. A suburban on a 3500 dually frame, without the dumb fender flares.

 

[Blue85]

No reason not to tow bigger stuff with one, as long as you follow the GVWR and use weight distribution (as usual). Obviously, it's a better tow rig than the 1500 with bigger brakes, lower gears, stiffer springs, (bigger coolers?) etc. Since no combined rating is given, if the 8k tow rating of the 1500 comes from carrying 21% of that weight on the tongue, you could extrapolate that 4405lb of payload in the 3500 is 21% of a 21.1k trailer. In both cases you're assuming no cargo in the vehicle, no extra armor or upfitting, etc. I'm not saying you should tow that much with it, just saying that's it's likely good for any reasonable bumper-pull scenario you'd consider for it.



It's also interesting to note that on paper, with the HD transmission, the bigger engine is arguably putting less torque and power to the ground than the higher-tech 5.3.

My biggest question is how the thing rides empty with >2-ton payload capacity.

 

[eodcoduto]

Thats a good question, I read a thread on another forum by a guy that tows his camper with one and its all positive but I’ll have to ask about how it rides unloaded.

 

[Polymath]

Could be interesting and fun to own if it fits your needs. I love my 3/4T burb.

 

[eodcoduto]

No idea that existed, very cool. Looks like a 360hp 6.0, so assume no AFM/DOD?

L96 so none of that.