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burb owners

C

CenTxk5blazer

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this is directed to all you burb owners but anybody is welcome to put there 2 cents in.

how do you like your burbans? anything you like/dislike about them? what kind of experience's have you had with them good/bad? what would one want to look for in a suburban?

(this was also accidently posted in another forum)
 
You got to love them.Handiest trucks ever built.Will haul half your neighbors,and tow anything worth pulling.I would look for a pre 92 3/4 ton,but just my preference. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gifJason 84k3500 /forums/images/graemlins/truck.gif85k2500 /forums/images/graemlins/burb.gif
 
I use mine mostly for road trips where I pack up all of my fishing and surfing crap. I don't do any hardcore wheeling so the 350V8/ 1/2 ton/ 700r4 is fine. Its not a great tranny, especially if you're going to wheel it hard, but if you do the long haul roadtrip thing you dig it when its purring in OD. Ive averaged 13.5 MPG over the last 10K, it would probably be about 8 without it. If you rebuild them with a even a mild upgrade they can be fairly solid for the roadtrippin and mild 4wdn'. Oh yeah..add a tranny temp gauge...

Otherwise my tailgate window has been the biggest pain in the ass. Its a poor design (89) where you have to roll it down if you want to open the gate. The motor takes alot of wear because of that and GM sort of underengineered it too. The motor is either too small or the GM engineers didn't wire it with a thick enough gauge wire to give it a good amount of juice- depends who you talk to.
You'll be in there fooling with the motor but sometimes I think its worth it because I like the tailgate. I can close it and still hang my 2 kayaks out back. If they were barn doors I would have to tie them down..big pain. Im sure there are plenty of merits for the barns- a lot of people like them too.

I also like the simplicity of the straight axles (thru 91 I think). They are easy and cheap to lift but probably a bit bumpier than an IFS.. guess I got used to it.

I also think the brakes are a bit inadeqate for it. I have a tow package that comes with a tranny cooler, trailer wiring, and I believe an oversize radiator. Even when the Sub is empty I smell the brakes in mild hill regions.. I'd hate to be towing much of boat. Maybe 3/4 tons have a better braking system- Im not sure but one of these guys will know..

The 350 could be the greatest v8 ever made. Mine has 165k and only burns a few tablespoons of oil between changes.


It can be a bit huge as a daily driver..doing errands and all, 60$ to fill it.... but I still love it..
-
There's 10 cent for ya!
 
i absolutely love my suburban!! i wouldn't trade it for anything! the only gripe i have is that i can't put like an engine or a pair of axles in there without covering the carpet and havin trouble gettin em in and out. but like i said i wouldn't trade it for anything!!!
 
Love mine - best vehicle out there in my opinion. So much interior room, good towing capabilites if need be, and king of the road size-wise.
If you're in the market to buy one, the BEST (I think) second generation suburban out there is the '91 2500 4x4. Mainly because you get the 4L80e tranny and a stronger drivetrain. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
Any more questions or something more specific, just ask. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
So much interior room

[/ QUOTE ] yepp u can put a matress in the back if u want. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
The only leaks I've had is the weatherstriping on the front doors, which by the way is 20 years old. I bought some replacements but I'm not home to put them in. I love my '83. Tell me about the one your thinking of buying.

Jon
 
nope never had problems with those leaking. i do however have the same problem with the front doors, i'm just too lazy and it rains like twice a year here anyway. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
It's got a 350, 700r4 , most likely has 10 up front and possibly a 14sf in back (just guessing at this point), auto hubs ( first thing to go if I bought it), quad shocks in front, can't think of anything else at this point. This was mainly used out on a deer lease, does have high mileage. At this point all it needs is a new water pump to be driveable.

will probably be used for towing hay trailers and what not around ranch before i tear into it.
 
Hey Man (Jon?)

I developed a leak in my passenger side rear door - and tightened the door a little to deal w/ it quickly. My plan is to remove the silver dollar size patch of rust on the doorjamb and replace the seal - all of this during the summer when the rain is a little warmer /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

You said you bought some weatherstripping - I wonder where you got yours and what you paid? I looked around for some generic stuff and struck out, so I tried the dealership. HOLY SH1T!!! They wanted almost $100/door for the rear passenger doors, $50ish/door for the front doors, and they couldnt figure out which seal went on the barn doors!!!

Tex, sorry to boost your post - if anyone insists, I will make a new one.

Ben
 
Tex

Get a 3/4 ton. Period. I get about 12MPG in my 87 /forums/images/graemlins/burb.gif w/ TBI350, TH400, NP208, 14BSF, GM10B. I have about 177K on the rig, but I am pretty sure the motor and tranny have gotten work at some point - there was a receipt for the tranny from a few years ago and the motor has blue Fel Pro Valve Cover Gaskets - so new they looked almost as good as the exact same ones I planned to install but still have in the garage /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif. Oh, and it doesnt burn much oil - maybe a quart between oil changes?. I figure I will get better gas mileage if I get a little bigger tires (I have bald A$$ 235/85/R16's at the moment) and reduce the RPM's /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif.

Ben
 
I do have one complaint with our '89 /forums/images/graemlins/burb.gif... that is one HEAVY PIG!!! The added weight makes it a dog when pulling (or it could just be that extra 7K lbs. of /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif and trailer back there /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif) still pretty bad when driving empty. A /forums/images/graemlins/truck.gif or /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif with identical drivetrain will accelerate MUCH faster and get better gas mileage to boot /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. I do enjoy it for weekend camping trips though , we hardly ever take my /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif anymore because we can just sleep in the /forums/images/graemlins/burb.gif instead. I do prefer the tailgate as apposed to barn doors too. We can roll down the back window to get a breeze going and have a place to sit when parked around one of our bonfires. Ours is all power with rear AC and all, I only wish that we had found a 3/4 ton with all the same options /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
Speaking of gas mileage, I have heard that a TBI 454 will get 12MPG in a /forums/images/graemlins/burb.gif but have lots of extra grunt when needed. I cant really substantiate this as I have only driven /forums/images/graemlins/burb.gif's with either TBI350's or Diesels (work trucks!!!).

If someone could supply some hard evidence.... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
heavy4x4 added:
BEST (I think) second generation suburban out there

[/ QUOTE ] Actually, as far as suburban linneage goes, the 87 to 91 is more like the 7th generation... the first generation was a 36 to ww2, seconds were post war, 3rds early 50's, 4th were late 50's, 5th were 60 to 66, 6th were 67 to 72, 7th were 73-91, 8th were 92-98, and 9th is 99-? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I probably missed an age in there somewhere, but fun little facts. the Blazers were concieved in 69, and had 3 generations in thier run... 69-72, 73-91, 92-25.

/tangent

I love my suburbans... yes, plural. first one was my 77 C20, with a 454 up front. mild cam, and an extremely high rear gear (I've calculated it to be a 3.08, if such a thing exists in a 14 BFF) allow me to pull 13 MPG, and beat most any idiot on the road inclined to race a beat to hell looking truck.

second one, is my 73 K20 `Burbanzilla' which was abused by the string of previous owners... currently, I await an engine transplant, and need to get new hubs and balljoints in. I also need to tear most of the crap wireing out from under the dash, and redo it, since the last idiot ripped out about 1/2 the factory harness, and replaced it with either black or white AC electrical wireing. other then that, and the crap for gas mileage, its a good strong vehicle, that I've never had any fear taking anywhere at all. truthfully, I had little fear ever taking the C20 anywhere either, but know better then to drive it through sand and other crap that's just `Askin' for it'

-Rich
 
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